Dec 30th 2011
5 ish AM
Khanak:Ritu kahan hai
Shaan:NOW I get it! (murmurs softly hiding a
smile)
Shaan begins to pack his work gear, stares at his
phone when the text message beep comes in… his jacket is off, shirt is
unbuttoned… umm… one is…
She looks at the bed…
It looks……..
Shaan:Was she supposed to be here…
K (turning towards the door) Nahi…. Shaayad…
S:Did she call?
K:She needed help…
S:Ah! The savior! (it was not about Ritu!)
Nevertheless it hurt her immensely………
Widowhood didn’t upset her as much as the the
husband seemed to at times now…
A solid lump formed in her throat at that
insinuation…….
S:Khanak! (he called after her)
She didn’t look back just kept walking…..
Until he sprinted and slammed the door shut……….
Leaning on it…arms across his chest…….. his
sleeve was folded at his elbows…………. Like he “worked” hands on…. With something…
She looked tired and weary… like she had had a
good time… but the eyes were mostly melancholic…….
But met his…. As usual… like on cue…
A few seconds seconds ticked by, his phone begged for attention… his work and home phone….
He didn’t dart his eyes once towards the table….
“Why are you here?” she asked first…..
She didn’t want for his response, just reached
for the door knob, it was by his belt/waist, he pressed into her fingers
stopping the twist……
Alarmed at the physical signal she blurted “Yeh
hamara ghar nahi hai” (don’t start your moves here)
He watched, the words “Hamara ghar” pop out
unwittingly from her mouth just at the moment she realized it…… his trouser
felt cool to the back of her hand……… his touch like steel…….
She reached with her left hand.. to press the
door frame and yank the handle with her trapped right………
He caught her left and held it………..
“No rings?” he asked examining it
“Nahi” she admitted quietly
“Why”
“Because the stylist said no” she told him
His index finger grazed her wrist….
“The Xray appointment is at Noon”
“I am not going….. with you”
He quickly grasped both hands and pushed her
against the wall…….
“Is the tattoo permanent?” he asked, as if it was
related to the injured wrist………..
“Could be” she said staring into his eyes…….
Their breath could solder iron………
He transferred both her hands to his left………as she struggled, and reached
out to trace the butterfly’s outline………
The contact wasn’t required… she buckled the
moment she saw his hand approach………..
He quickly leaned on her pressing himself on her
to secure her to the wall……
“Ashwini’s Dad wanted Rishi and I to accompany her and her best friend on a trip to Singapore… when in college”
“I don’t care” her eyes spat out………
“We were their body guards” he chuckled……
His thumb hovered over her tattoo……….. she ached…….
Yet waited for it to land……..
“Kovidh wants me to start a dance school” (There!
I have a bragging point too)
“Where he can be the only student?” (he pondered
if his thumb should make a landing on the tattoo or his lips should)
“Him and Pradyun” came out in a whisper………..
“How long is the vine?” (ignoring Pradyun’s name)he
asked starting at the artistic green twine……..
“Looong” she whispered…
He took his hand back bringing her up against him while he untied
the bow on the red silk scrap of a blouse…. In a swift fierce motion…. Hoping for
it to fall off her chest…………
“It was designed by a woman” she laughed
throatily.. as the scrap didn’t fall off like he had hoped to……….. it was
secured with a bra strap like hook at the back…………
His right hand remained on her back, his left let
go of her hands to push her back against the freezing cold wall……
“Every rout I suffer energizes you does it not?”
his eyes looks into hers deeply trying to figure something out………….
Her hands placed on his chest……. Pushing with her
right, straining……
“It does!” she admitted gallantly…… when he
kissed her
~~
She leaned on him……..a soft squishy mass of skin……..
“You were working” she accused…….
“I “ he stuttered………
“Now”……..
He held her tight………..
He hadn’t touched her tattoo yet………
Her arms were around his neck………..”I drank
Bourbon today”
He chuckled……
“Mixed it with lemonade”
He started to fool around again……. His hands
darting to her waist feeling the edge of the saree tucked intoher skirt…………..
“I saw the bottle… it was more than half full…
you are a fraud”
He gently knotted the ends of the silk scarf at
her back……..
“I am going to get drunk on NY’s EVE”
He didn’t say a word… just nuzzled………his jaw
scraping her collar bone……… the pins were out of her hair completely………
“I am taking the day off to sleep” her eyes were
closed she let him do what he wanted with her………….. arresting his hands…… as an
afterthought…………
“Unpack”(today) he ordered
“ nahi”she declined as she opened her eyes to look
He kissed her again……..
~~
He called Pradeep, to hand him his camera and
work things……… walked back with her to the outside……..
Dadi was sleeping comfortably in a plush recliner
wrapped in a blanket………
Ritu was gone… there were fewer than 50 people
now…….. mostly family… Madhavi had left Sunil was around……. He needed an hour
or two of sleep just like his sons……. He was wide awake…..
He woke Dadi..
“Mom” “Would you like to go home with Shaan?”
Dadi stirred and woke… saw her fave couple……..
together, the girl tripped on the edge of a dhurrie… he steadied her, as she
gathered the folds of her saree and held it higher…… her hair down……..all
communication non verbal….. she handed him Dadi’s phone… he took it , she bent
down to release the loose dhurrie yarn from her pointy heel… he bent down and
snapped it for her before she used her sore hand……..she gently held his forearm
as she took off and wore her shoe again………..slowly letting her hand slide into
his, as he held it for her……..
K:Dadi Ritu kahan hai? (fighting for the release
of her hand the moment she noticed Dadi had seen it)
D:She went home when you went in to help her
(sharp as a tack, her mind worked the second she was awake)
Fantastic!!! Loved it to the core!!! Awww!!! Finally Khanak said, "Hamara ghar"!!! Shaan spoke about Ashwini just to make her jealous..but our Khanak gave him right back..No one can infuriate him like Pradyun does..LOL:D She did found he was working..LOL:D Romance part is super cute!!!Dadi is so sweet!!! Never leave any opportunity to tease her!!!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward and thanks for writing an amazing update..:)
Hahahahaha..Daadi n her wits!!!!! Amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteOh my!
ReplyDeleteI’m not in the state of mind to contemplate anything right now!!
They are just so fiercely passionate about each other...there is no other way around it. Sighhh!
Something is discreet in the way you write...not too much said, but a lot left for imagination!
Anyways, I LOVED
1)His roundabout way of taunting her...the issue is still there and it will prick the both! Either Khanak will learn to live with his scoffs or she’ll slowly start to acknowledge his reasons for being irritated regarding her being the support for her family.
2)The physicality of the relationship always seems to knock out the other issues, like his work or the bragging for the loan issue...Sigh! It’s like they never get enough of each other and even enough won’t satisfy them.
3)I love how the ‘unpacking’ makes him apprehensive...whether she’ll leave again! And surprisingly Kovindh did not make him insecure as much as Prad does, wonder why?
4)The last bit was epic! I love the non-verbal communication...the holding hands! Its like a sense of security for me, when a couple are holding hands!
P.S. Aditee...I want a drunk Khanak! You better, I bet he hasn’t seen that side of her. I remember she once said her and Ritu drunk beer once...This will be FUN!!
And Thank youuu so much!
You've highlighted all I wanted to say Sonam! :) Beautiful!
DeleteWhen he held the door knob, it reminded me of their meet at Trishna's reception/wedding! And made me realize nothing has changed, other than the fact that the attraction has increased multi-fold! As Sonam said, its like they cant get enough of each other! And enough is not satisfying! :) Their wants, their needs..speaks volumes about how badly they crave for each other! And the way you write Aditee, it sounds soo magical..and we're met with an immediate need of a Shantanu in our lives! :P Kudos to you lady!
In the part, where she held his hand for support, I want her to do that in every sense! I want her to know He's there, and he will be there for her, no matter what! :)
Continue JALDIIIII!!!! :D
Oh!! Thank you so much *hugs* And you have elobrated it more nicely ;)
DeleteHolding hands and non verbal communications are one of the most romantic gesture ever! I ABS loved the UMASS tour of theirs, it was subtle and the get to know phase! Sigh!
I hope Aditee makes a situation where its a quiet romantic symphony around them
Heya Sonam! :D Haha! So nice of you to say that! *hugs*
DeleteI completely agree! There's something extremely adorable about such simple gestures! The person holding your hand feel protective, and you feel secure by being held by them! :)
Yup! :D Ghosh! There are SO many wishes to be fulfilled! ;) Ady, you gotta consider some atleast! :P I
Love this family man they are funnny and loooove shanak lool
ReplyDelete<3<3<3
would love a drunk scene and how he deals with her would be awesome! this update was sizzling hot, just loved it!
ReplyDeletevery hot update i loved it
ReplyDeleteLovely update :)
ReplyDeleteLoved dadi's joke lolzzz
nautanki Dadi!! waiting for them to get back home and fight again!!
ReplyDeletejust like Dadi they are my favourite couple too and its heavenly when they are together and romancing!! the update was amazing.......each and every part!!
ReplyDeleteawesome i loved it :D
ReplyDeletesizzling hot!! shaan got her lolzz!!!
dadi is great heheheh!!