MUKTA
✨

'The Pulao is yummy Vanni...Not bad huhhh...you also are inspired from my ways of cooking...good good I appreciate' Pattu said stuffing another big spoon of Pulao in her mouth while Rudra Dada choked upon the spoon full of Pulao he was eating.

Just then Omkar came out of the washroom and he passed me a deadly glare. Thank god I just used the normal marker and not the permanent one but then the marker was a neon glowing one which is why Om quickly washed his face. I passed him a towel and turned around looking at their suitcases which Jannu Dada had brought upstairs.

While Pattu and Dada were still eating I raised my eyebrow asking him the reason for their appearance...

'Actually Vanni...Mom Dad Bapama, Pattu's parents and grandparents all are going for Teertha Yatra (Holy visit to Hindu temples) which means Pattu will be alone at home while I go to office. And you know how she is with food and stuff. Mom doesn't trust the househelp with her diet specially with her wierd cravings and even more wierd cravings to cook. So mom suggested if you could come to Nayak Nivas which we know you won't...so we decided to shift here...I hope you don't mind Vanni!!!' Rudra Dada said it all in one breath and Pattu smiled and stuffed another spoon full of Pulao in her mouth and continued...

'So obviously... you know I can't stay without Rudra and Rabby so he joined us too!!!' she smiled dumping another spoon full of Pulao in her mouth showing me her yellow teeth.

But then my eyes went towards the man on whom I printed a graffiti sometime ago and Pattu added...

'Ohhhh ohhhh ohhhhh...you know how Omkar Anna is na Vanni...he is so scared of cockroaches and lizards...if I'm here who will keep him away from them...so I got him here too...I hope you don't mind!!!' she said stuffing another spoonful of the yellow Pulao in her mouth and splashing me her teeth.

To which I stood up saying...
'Now that I mind!!! Omkar cannot stay here Pattu...you know how it is...we are going to get divorced and I don't want Omkar here in this house!!! It's better he goes back home'

'But Vanni...Anna will be alone there who will cook for him' Rudra Dada tried to support him

But I was quick...
'There is enough househelp to take care of him Dada... they will all cook for him and moreover Mangalorean hotels are not on strike!!!' I say leaving him speechless.

While Omkar looks at me with hope but I look elsewhere. That's when I listen to a burp and we see it was Pattu.

She stands up and walks towards Omkar and holds his hands and says...
'I am so sorry Anna but looks like Shizuka Vanni isn't liking this. I know I told you I will always protect you bravely from those ugly cockroaches and those sticky lizards...

I'm so sorry I couldn't fulfill my promise. You are brave Anna you can win this. You can fight those ugly creatures. I know I know you don't get sleep since Shizuka Vanni isn't with you and now that we are also not along side neither mom dad and Bapama...here...you can keep my Rabby with you...he really gives you good sleep...' she says and I wonder how can she be so posessive about that pink white bunny soft toy. But then Pattu is Pattu!!!

She continues...I start to walk away but then what she says next falls on my ears...
'I know it's tough for you but then it's not easy for Shizuka Vanni also...you know how much complicated it can get... having your husband infront of your own eyes but then you can't hug him, kiss him...it's like having a platter full of masala dosa, biryani, chocolate milkshake and your favorite Ideals Chocolate Choconut ice cream all on a table and not able to eat it!!! Think about Shizuka Vanni's emotions and hormones too na!!! It's not easy!!! And to add on she keeps drowning in you like you always keep drowning in her!!!' she says it all battling her eyelashes and I lunge at once to them and say...

'What nonsense...my hormones are all in place and so are my emotions...it doesn't bother me and nor do I drown in anyone's eyes ok???' I shout at once while Pattu says...

'Its ok Shizuka Vanni you don't need to hide...it's your fear which doesn't let you keep Anna closer ..you are scared na you can't stop yourself from getting any closer...ahhhem ahhemmmm' she says nudging my shoulder while Omkar looks deep into my eyes and presses his lips tightly trying to hide a smile.

Bloody hell he was turning a tomato!!!

'What the hell!!! There is nothing like that and why are you blushing .. all this is a fiction of Pattu's imagination!!! I hell don't care if Omkar is infront of me or not!!!' I say at once while this time Rudra Dada says ..

'Well then let Anna stay Vanni...if his presence doesn't bother you what is the issue in he staying here in this huge penthouse...there are so many rooms...we all can stay without any issues...Right???' Rudra Dada asks and I begin thinking...this seems complicated...

While Pattu jumps in...
'Rudra...it's ok baby...it's not easy for Shizuka Vanni...she loves Omkar Anna' she says and I yelp at that...

'Rubbish!!! I don't love anyone...and I don't care if he stays or leaves...it doesn't really matter to me...' I say at once to which Pattu says ..

'Well does that mean Anna can stay here?' she asks and I didn't have a choice so I nod a yes saying a 'Hmmm' and Pattu starts jumping and hugging Omkar and Rudra Dada.

And I wonder if I'm trapped. But then I didn't have a choice. This is a mess!!!

✨

It is 1 am midnight and I am making a family packet of maggii!!! Not for me !!! Ofcourse not for me!!!
It's for the demon husband of mine who's little tummy isn't satisfied even after eating 3 full plates of Pulao, emptying an entire cooker full of it. Eating up the left over curd rice I made for lunch too and still he was hungry!!!

I wonder what a dinosaur he indeed is!!!
Wonder how will I manage cooking for him in future!!!

Wait!!!
Future!!!
There is no future Mukku!!!
Just 3 months!!! That's it!!!

Finally serving it all in a huge serving bowl I get it for Omkar who was waiting for me like a little child on the dinner table. I serve it to him in the plate while he pulls the bowl closer saying...
'Ill manage to eat from this!!!' and I nod my head as I can't believe what a food monster he indeed is!!!

But before eating the maggi he holds a spoon full of maggi near my lips and I'm shocked.

'When you were cooking the maggi I noticed the utensils bucket, there were no other plates other than Pattu and Rudy's... which means my wife hasn't eaten...why didn't you eat?' he asked looking into my eyes and I looked elsewhere but he held my wrist and pulled me on to the chair next to him and whispered softly..
'Tell me...'

'You left office early, Pattu and Dada's number was not reachable I was....'

'Scared??' he asks and I nodd.

He slowly blows through the spoonful of maggi and says...

'Their phones were in the car dash, we went to drop everyone to airport, and then we were anyways coming here...' saying he brought a spoon full of maggi closer to my lips and I keep looking into his eyes while he whispers...

'Open your mouth baby girl... else you know I have other ways too' saying he winks at me and I gasp while my lips part and before I could know the spoon full of maggi was stuffed in my mouth.

He silently feeds me saying all silly stupid stories of office and what not...and I eat a few spoons till I'm full and then he empties the bowl in no time.

I wash the bowl while he leans over the island in the middle of the kitchen and keeps looking at me while I quickly say...

'Take the room on the 31st floor..I don't want you on this floor!!!' and I feel his intense gaze. Just when I turn around I bump into his huge body. He picks the bowl from my hand and places into the utensil basket and he steps closer to me. My butt dashes with the kitchen sink and I feel trapped between the sink and this huge beast of my husband. I swallow dry while he whispers...

'If you think you can keep away from me by pushing me to the floor below...let me remind you baby girl...you are a nectar and I'm like a bee ..you can't keep me away from you... either way I'll get into you...' saying he yanks my hand and pulls me closer with that there is no gap for even thin air to pass between us. I breath nervously while he bends into my face and presses his forehead against mine and my breathing almost stops!!!

He pulls my hand in his entwining our fingers and whispers ...
'And how much ever you can...you can't keep honey away from the bee...bee would SUCK all the nectar!!! And absorb it forever!!!
Soon I will absorb you baby girl!!!
Soon I will ....' and he suggestively takes my thumb finger in his mouth and sucks through it saying...'You!!!' and my lips part slightly again while my chest heaves madly, leaving a shiver down my spinal cord, leaving me hot and cold at the same time and I could feel I'm drowning a pool down south!!!

He takes a few steps and walks away winking and smiling at me while I realise how complex this is getting I shout at once...

'Why are you doing this Omkar???'

And he stops on his tracks and turns around...

His smiling face had all gone serious!!!
His eyes had a wierd desire which made my throat go dry. I swallowed my saliva trying to comfort my throat and before I could react...in 2 big steps he is back to the same position he left me just few seconds ago...

Looking into my eyes while I lift my head up to meet his gaze, he softly strokes my cheek with his index finger and finally reaches my chin lifting it a little up and looks deep into my eyes searching for something and finally whispers!!!

'Because I love you baby girl!!! I do!!!' and I am left speechless.

My eyes fill with fresh tears and I try to look elsewhere but his index finger and thumb lightly presses on to my chin saying...

'I love you Mrs Mukta Omkar Nayak and it maybe tough, complicated, complex or even for world's to be brought together I will do everything to win my wife back...
You can't stop me from loving you baby girl!!!
Nothing can and Nothing will!!!' saying he leaves a soft kiss on my forehead while tear wets my cheek and I am left spellbound.

When I open my eyes he isn't there and then I hear the door closing with a little thud.

And I lean towards the kitchen sink trying to balance myself and my thoughts...

His words kept ringing in my ears...
'I love you Mrs Mukta Omkar Nayak!!'

Gosh that name!!!