Sorry, sorry, sorry! I have not been able to talk to you guys for the past days. Well, reasons you all know. Household chores, my work, and then the currency changing! Everything, coming together took a toll on me. Okay, first let me give you all good news. I got my first order after coming to Bangalore. A complete dress series for a wedding. Including everyone, right from the bride to her parents to her cousins! You won't believe me how challenging it is. For, they are Karnataki people and want the attires with their traditional touches all over. And trust me, I love this challenge. Since, I am an indo-western casual dress designer, these party stuffs re actually keeping my nerves tight. And then, the confidence of my clients in me. Oh my god, did I just say, 'my client'? Gosh, I never imagined these two simple words could ring all my bells. Just another thirty days left for the wedding, and now it's time to execute my designs.

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Counting the cash, I put them in my bag. I will have to deposit back all my cash that I had withdrawn just day before yesterday! Tough job. With everything at its place, I will have a hard time going to the bank, standing in the infinitely long queue. And Rohit has made it very clear by his actions that he will not face the bank until next year, thereby pushing me to the bank for his works too. So much for helping me. Awesome.

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I returned home at around 8, half hoping my husband to be back. But as usual, he is late. Cool. Freshening up quickly I got started with the kitchen. Last three days he, I mean Rohit had cooked the rice for the supper. Just the rice, don't grin please. Aah, just what I had guessed. All the three days he has been cooking much more than required, and then hid it in the fridge from me. Ugh! I really don't know how he used to lead his bachelor life, and used to brag about his cooking! Look at me, I never cooked before, yet I know the exact measurements for every dish, like how much rice for how many people, how much tea leaves for how many people and things like that. Oh where was I? Yes, extra rice. Now, I seriously don't like wasting food. So I planned fried rice and chilli chicken. Easy dishes you see. Just heating up the rice, chopping some veggies, frying them lightly, adding pinches of spice, ghee and finally the rice. Done with the fried rice, I jumped on the chilli chicken. Marinating the chicken, I started for the curry. And in next quarter of an hour, I was ready with our supper. Only thing left were the fries, which were to be fried just at the time of supper. So, again I marinated the veggies and kept them. And now, time for my work. I could at least start sampling and teaming up the pieces.

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Bridal Sari needs more time and attention, so I started with it first. I have selected shades of crimson for the bride. What do you think, will golden strings look good on crimson for the intricate designs? I just hope.

Mapping the design on the cloth I started to cut the cloth piece, when something hurled against me. What the.. Tiffin box! Seriously? Looking up, I saw my husband standing with an angry face, clawing the door.

I gaped.

"Who do you think I am?" He barked. "Rohit... "No, you listen, Hridhittha. What were you exactly thinking while complaining ma, about my eating habit?" He barked again.

So, this is the reason.

"Check check. I have eaten all the tasteless food you gave. Go and tell ma." With that he slammed the door close.

Bloody idiot.

Getting up, I went to kitchen to keep the box.

"I am sorry." I heard him say as I applied a balm on my thumb knuckle. Yeah, when he threw the box at me, it had crashed on my right hand thumb knuckle, thereby bruising the area.

"I had a scissor in my hand. I could be hurt. You should not have thrown the box." I said in the most flat way I could. I don't wish to argue and fight right now. I can't afford to waste any time.

"You are hurt Hira. I am sorry." I winced as he rubbed my knuckle.

"Go and freshen up. Supper is almost ready." With that I turned picking up the marinated veggies to fry.

Turning on the oven, I waited for the oil heat up, when I felt him all around me, snaking his arms one across my stomach and the other across my chest holding shoulder. "I am sorry." He whispered. Uff!

"Rohit, I am sure you don't want us to lead an accident. But what are you doing, with the hot oil, and a turned on gas oven, accident is a surety." I pressed my lips and he immediately left me. Murmuring another sorry he left.

Honestly, I feel stupid about kitchen romance. This is so fatal. Imagine, the girl chopping veggies and the guy kissing her 'body parts'. She could cut her finger! Imagine she is stirring the spoon, when her husband suddenly hugs her. Her hand may fall into the hot utensil. To make things worse, daily shows and movies encourage kitchen romance. Ugh!

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Supper went quiet uneventful. After that I prepared our bedroom, and again left for my station to work.

Minutes later, I heard the door click open, and Rohit entered. With his laptop. Raising a brow I watched him, settle down on the mattress. Connecting the Wi-Fi device, he logged into Facebook. Wow! I mean seriously, the scientist who is all so serious about his work, spends half the day researching, is now spending the night scrolling through Facebook .

"Don't shout at me, if you are late tomorrow." I made myself clear. He shrugged and concentrated back into that devil of laptop.

"225 likes on my photo. Not bad for a married man." He announced. And suddenly I became all curious. I don't get even 125 likes. How could he? Putting aside all my stuffs, I crawled to him. It was his photo from the Goa trip. Set as profile picture, the image was of Rohit in his deep blue trunks , just out of water, standing on the deck. His coppery pecks shined under the sunlight. Water dripping from everywhere. I gulped. The privacy setting has been set a public. And then my eyes went to a comment, "Its a shame that you are already married." Suddenly my stomach went empty. I opened my mouth, closed it, opened again, and again closed it. And he had replied to it. Before I knew, my finger was on the touchpad, clicking open his reply. "I am not ashamed. ;)"

My breath stuck. Am I really blind? Or am I stupid? Girls go gaga over Rohit, even after knowing he is married. And here I am always pushing him. Suddenly the fear struck me.

"Rohit.." I managed a murmur. I didn't want to say anything, nor did want to hear. But the urge to voice his name was maddening.

"Hira..." with that I felt him pulling me into his arms, with his nose rubbing my crown.

And for the first time, Hira didn't resist her husband and his warmth.

Writer's Note: This part was drafted during the demonitisation in 2016. So, this part doesn't have much relevacne now. But I didn't feel like changing. But if you don't like it, feel free to tell me so. I am all ears always. Every type of criticism is welcome.

Thank you.

LOVE LOVE!