Main baarish, ki boli samajhta nahi tha

Hawaaon se main yun, ulajhta nahi tha

Hai seene mein dil bhi

Kahan thi mujhe ye khabar

~

When he realised that there breathe had become normal now, he raised his body up. Laying in the middle of the bed, and he spread his arms for her to rest.

Shee came, and laid over him, placing her head on his chest, her half body weight over him. His chest was her new favourite pillow.

Her saree was still up. And he raised it even more, up to her waist. He was slowly caressing her ass cheeks, almost feathering his fingers upon it so lightly that it was a major turn-on for her.

He asked in a low voice,

"Kaisa laga?".

["How was it?"]

She smiled, replying in a low voice, whisper,

"Kho Gaye the hum."

["I was lost."]

He smirked,

"Wapas bhi toh le aaya humne dhundh kar."

["I brought you back after searching, right?"]

She laughed mutely, caressing her palm upon his chest.

Then, she raised her face up and placed her chin on his chest. He stroked her hair gently, looking into her curious eyes.

She gulped and asked,

"Aap naraz nahi na hai humse?".

["You're not angry from me na?"]

He leaned forward and kissed on her hair,

"Kyu honge? Aapne koi galti ki?".

["Why would I be? Did you do commit some mistake?"]

She shook her head and gulped looking into his eyes,

"Wo.. bhaiya ne.. Jo hume-".

He cut her off,

"Hum ... Iss Ghar se kuch.. kuch Lena nahi chahte Nupur."

["I... I don't want to take anything from this home, Nupur."]

She was looking at him, her eyes soft as she gave him a nod.

He continued,

"Hume iss Ghar me rehne mil raha hai wahi bahut hai. Warna.. hai toh hum..hum..naj-".

["I'm getting to live in this house is alone a very big matter for me. Otherwise.. I.. I'm.."]

She placed her palm over his lips and shook her head,

"Kyu aise bol rahe hai, mat boliye na.. Humare pati hai aap. Aapke baare me kuch bura hum sun nahi paenge."

["Why are you saying like this? Don't say na. You're my husband. I'll not be able to hear something wrong about you."]

Bringing her palm infront of his mouth, he kissed it and made her head lie against his chest again.

He was stroking her hair as he spoke,

"Bhaiya ne kaha riwaj hai, isliye humne nahi roka. Aapse bhi hum aage yahi ummeed rakhenge ki aap humari baat maanegi."

["Bhaiya said it's a ritual, that's why I didn't stop him. But I'll expect from you from now on that you'll listen to me, right?"]

She nodded, pressing her cheek on his chest.

She asked changing the topic,

"Humare haath ka khana acha nahi laga aapko?".

["Did you not like the food cooked by me?"]

He held her hand, giving it a squeeze and asked,

"Kisne kaha aapse ki Hume pasand nahi aaya?".

["Who said that I didn't like the food?"]

She smiled, grinned,

"Humara taufa?".

["My gift?"]

He squeezed her ass cheek roughly and spoke,

"Abhi Jo aapko diya humne?".

["I gave you minutes ago, what about that?]

She thought for a second. It struck her and she immediately slapped his chest,

"Woh taufa tha, bahut gande hai aap?".

["That was my gift? You're so bad."]

He laughed mutely and caressed her head.

"Kya chahiye, bataiye Hume. Poori koshish karenge aapko Dene ki."

["Tell me what do you want? I'll try my best to give it to you."]

She sat up, over his torso. He placed his hands under his head, looking into her eyes.

He stared her. For an entire minute.

And then spoke,

"Aisa kuch mat mangiyega, Nupur jisse hum naraz hojae."

["Don't ask for something like that, Nupur, which would make me angry."]

She gulped and got off his body.

Resting her body beside him, at a distance, she closed her eyes.

He didn't speak a word, neither did she spoke anything.

Yes, it was something that could make him angry. So she stopped after his warning.

Few minutes passed, and she felt him sitting up on the bed. He uncovered his body and stepped down from the bed.

Correcting his kurta and pants, he muttered,

"Shayad raat me hum der se aaye, so Jana, intezar mat karna humara."

["Maybe I'll return late tonight. No need to wait for me, you can sleep."]

She stared at him, his back facing her.

He was looking away.

With slow steps, he moved outside the door after unlocking it.

She grabbed a pillow and snuggled her face into it. Tears rolled down her eyes. And she was sobbing.

Because she hadn't expected that he'll leave her like that. Suddenly. Just because she was going to ask him something as a gift. Atleast he should have let her demand it. But no.

Clenching her fist on the pillow, she let the tears flow.

Her body shivered to her core, when she felt a hand snaking around her waist.

She stirred and turned around immediately only to push the person away.

He almost stumbled on his feet.

Her wet eyes widened, and she asked in trembling voice,

"Aap?".

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Opening it again, he walked towards her, with slow steps.

He sat beside her and she lowered her gaze muttering,

"Maaf kijiye humne dekha nahi tha aap hai."

["I am sorry, I hadn't seen that it was you."]

Without speaking another word, he encircled his hands around her waist, and pulled her closer tightly only to make her sit on his lap.

He brushed his lips on her cheek and muttered,

"Aap jaanti hai hum aapko woh nahi de sakte Jo aap chahti hai, fir kyu maangne wali thi aap humse woh?".

["You know I can't give you what you want, so why were you going to ask me for it?"]

She started sobbing again as the tears rolled down her eyes. She hid her face into his neck and he was caressing her back lightly.

She whispered in his ear,

"Har ladki shadi ke baad apne mayke jaati hai... Humare toh.. dono Bhai guzar gaye.... hum fir bhi nahi ja paye..shikayat Tak nahi ki humne aapse.. fir bhi aap".

["After marriage, every girl goes to her parental home... Both of my brothers... passed away... yet I couldn't go...I didn't even complain you.. still you.."]

He caressed her head and kissed her lightly on her earlobe.

She continued whimpering,

"Hum kisi se unka zikr Tak nahi kar sakte... Hume yaad aati hai ..maa ki... Badi bhabhi ki...hum toh taiyaar bhi nahi the... Shadi ke liye... Ki Hume aapke sath bhej..bhej Diya Gaya...".

["I can't even mention them to anyone... I miss... mother... My eldest bhabhi... I wasn't even ready... for marriage... But I was sent... sent to you..."]

She was about to speak more, when they heard a knock on the door.

She moved from his lap. He stood up along with her and she corrected her saree properly, covering her face with the veil.

He moved towards the door and opened it, only to find Priya standing on the door.

"Aaiye na bhabhi," he spoke to her.

Priya came inside, standing infront of Nupur.

She held her chin and spoke,

"Humari devrani ko dekhne kuch aurtein aayi hai gaon ki. Aapki ijazat ho toh le jae hum inhe, devar ji."

["Some women from the village have come to see my devrani. If you permit, may I take her along, Devar ji?"]

He nodded his head.

Priya started walking along with Nupur, when Nupur held her hand,

"Didi.. woh hum.. hum.. ache nahi lag rahe."

["Didi.. I'm not looking...good."]

Abhisar bit his lower lip, understanding why she stopped her.

"Kya hua, dekhne do Hume," without giving them time, Priya lifted off her veil, only to find her teary red eyes and Abhisar gulped and looked away.

["Let me see."]

Priya cupped her cheek and asked,

"Ro Rahi thi Nupur? Kuch hua hai?".

["We're you crying Nupur? Is something wrong?"]

Nupur shook her head and spoke,

"Hum .. hum bas chehra poch lete apna ek baar."

["I.. I'll just wipe my face once and come."]

Priya shook her head and looked at Abhisar,

"Hume batao, Abhisar ji ne kuch Kahan tumse?".

["Tell me, Did Abhisar say you something?"]

She shook her head.

"Toh fir kya hua? Aankhein dekho kitni laal hogayi hai tumhari."

["Then what happened? Look, how red your eyes has turned."]

She gulped and spoke,

"Kuch nahi hua didi, aap chaliye, hum aate hai. Kuch der me."

["Nothing's wrong Didi. You go, I'll join you within a minute."]

"Sach na Nupur?".

She nodded her head.

Priya caressed her head once and moved outside, only after glaring Abhisar once.

Abhisar moved towards her. He drenched a towel in water and wiped her face on his own, carefully while he spoke,

"Bhabhi se daant lagegi Aaj Hume."

["Bhabhi is going to scold me today."]

She smiled and held his hand,

"Aap gussa nahi na hai, Abhisar?".

["You're not angry from me na, Abhisar?"]

He shook his head,

"Gussa hote aapse, toh wapas nahi aate. Jo bhi hai Nupur, hum baad me baat karenge, hn?".

She nodded. She applied her makeup essentials, wearing her jewellery and moved outside in slow pace, along with Abhisar.

The newly wedded couple, touched the feet of the ladies sitting outside and they blessed them.

While Abhisar stepped outside, Nupur stood there, along with Priya who was interacting with the women.

~