Song of the chapter is Secret Life by Bleachers ft. Lana Del Rey

-09-
-Kartik Malhotra-
-Present-

_______________

Malhotra Mansion
11 November, 2030
10:29 pm

"It's not in the best condition. But I'm sure you won't have too many problems."

That's what my dad had said about our house when I had called him to inform him that Siya and I were coming to Delmore for the reunion.

Looking at my house right now, I could gladly state that that was a lie.

The once ornate and sumptuous Malhotra Mansion, with white high rise ceilings and posh coral wallpapers, was now in disarray. The high rise ceilings had a few good cracks in them and the coral wallpapers were almost coming off. The staircase pushed to the side of the house needed repair, so did the door hinges.

The house was a mess.

As I looked around some more, Siya said to me, "It's not the same.....but It's....not that bad."

I looked back at her. "Siya, you can tell the truth. My dad isn't here so you won't hurt his feelings, don't worry."

She smiled softly. "Come on, Kartik. Give him a break. He's a busy man, still handling his business....at the age of 60. He probably doesn't stay here that often, you know...with his meetings and everything."

I nodded, looking away. "Yeah, I know he doesn't stay here that often. But it's not because of his meetings and business deals."

Siya walked up to me, asking, "Then why?"

"He doesn't like staying in this big house.... because it reminds him of....her."

As the words leave my mouth, Siya's face hardens and settles on a shade of guilt. From the change in her expression, I know she understood who I was referring to.

"Plus.... neither mom nor I visit this place....so he finds no purpose to come back here." I added.

Siya nodded simply, but didn't say anything in response.

"I remember he once called me to tell me all this. He was probably shit-faced drunk to remember anything in the morning." I finished, trying to lighten the mood.

But Siya didn't so much as smile. An uncomfortableness was etched on her face.

"Do you wanna get something to eat-"

"Do you think.... it's fine...for me to stay...here?"

Her question didn't bother me at the least. I knew she was going to face a wave of an internal battle that had been brewing in her mind for the past eleven years.

I stepped closer to her.

"Siya, if you're not comfortable, it's... okay. You're bound to be." I utter softly, so as to not break her. She looks at me with her almond eyes, with an uneasiness written in them.

"It's just hard for me.... I feel like it's wrong to...stay in her house."

"Siya, it's been eleven years since she died. There are no remnants of her here anymore." I reasoned.

"Still..."

I could sense her unease even if she didn't openly confess it. I pressed my lips together as an idea struck me.

"Okay...how about this? We'll book a room for two days at the Delmore Inn and stay there until the reunion. What say?"

She sighed, looking at me. "But you wanted to....stay here..."

"Yeah, but not at the cost of you sulking the entire time."

"I wasn't sulking." She retorted.

I nodded. "Yes, you were."

She widened her eyes at me, but said nothing in response. I chuckled softly as she pouted.

"Let's go, the Inn's only a few blocks away."

I picked up the suitcases and was about to roll them out when suddenly I felt an arm around mine. I looked to my side and found my wife, staring lovingly at me.

"What?"

She slowly shook her head and said in an undertone, "Thanks."

"For deciding to stay at the luxurious Inn instead of this rumble of a house?" I raised a brow.

She smiled softly, shaking her head again.

"For understanding, without a word."

____________

As we stood in front of the room alloted to us, a diabolical sense of deja vu surpassed my senses.

We once stood in front of a similar room, with our hands intertwined, wating to open the door. Only situations were a lot different then.

"Kartik,...the door."

My chain of thoughts was interrupted by the honeyed voice of my wife, who stood beside me, waiting for me to open the door.

"Huh?" I looked at her and then following her line of sight, the door. "...yeah."

I put the key on the lock, twisted it and just like that it was open.

The inside of the room was much better than the one I had seen eleven years back. It was clean, modern and had a touch of french essence to it's apperance. The Inn had been built by the frenchmen who had once colonized the streets of Goa, which explained a lot of its decor.  The three paintings that were on top of the bedrest were clear indications of that.

Siya slung her bag on the couch kept on one side of the room while I moved the suitcases to a side. Once we were done, we both walked outside to the balcony. The room had a sea facing view, which allowed us to watch the waves crash in peace for a few moments.

"I never thought I'd say this.....but I kind of missed this place." I uttered, as I watched another big wave crash against the big boulders.

"Me too."

I pause for a few seconds to look at her. In the little moonlight shade, her face shone like a cusp of the brightest star in the sky. Her cheeks were pink from the rush of travelling and unpacking, her lips on the other hand, pressed into a soft line.

She looked angelic. Like always.

"Siya."

"Hm?" She turned towards me.

"I have to tell you something —— need to tell you something —— but you have to promise you won't freak out. I'm freaking out myself." I said in a hurried, timid voice.

She frowned, leaning back.

"What is it?"

I sighed heavily and closed my eyes. "I think..... I think.... I might be in love with you."

I opened my eyes, noticing how she has leaned back even more, with a confused expression on her face.
"I mean.... whenever I look at you, my heart does this little jump and mind goes all crazy. It's almost hard to breathe when I see your pretty face. Like right now! Gosh!"

She blinked profusely before a grin broke out on her lips. She chuckled.

"You know....you don't have to say it back....if you don't want to." I said, feigning hurt.

She chuckled even more, as she slowly leaned in and pressed her lips against mine. I slowly threaded my fingers through her chestnut locks, tucking one behind her ear. She moved back for a moment, her hazel eyes looking at mine with  shimmering affection.

"You're such a dork, Kartik Malhotra." She said, smiling wide. "And I love you."

I softly pulled her chin towards me, her lips softly grazing against mine.

The next thing I knew, the room is filled with soft moans and whispered words of longing. Clothes were discarded, piece by piece, as our bodies melded together, our skin igniting with the electric current of desire.

As I pulled her on top of me on the bed, the lock to our door suddenly bolted open and two people walked in, before shrieking and running out. Siya almost jumped off me onto the bed at the sound.

It took us all a moment to process what just happened before I heard a voice say, "Dear lord! My eyes!"

And I knew that voice better than anyone else.

"Zoya?"

"Jesus, put on some clothes, you swines!" The voice echoed from the hallway again.

It was then I knew that it was definitely her.

Siya and I quickly put on our clothes that we had haphazardly thrown to the ground and I opened the door to let her in. But when I did, I was met with a pleasant surprise.

"Veronica?"

She gave me an awkward smile. "Hi."

"Hi." I paused. It was like I couldn't believe my eyes. I was seeing her after almost an entire decade. Her apperance might've changed a lot but she still looked like that socially awkward girl that used to sit beside me during math class. "Oh my.... god, it's really....you."

She gave me a short nod. "We're sorry.....we shouldn't have barged in like that-"

"Yeah, sorry for being a cock block, Kartik." Zoya, who stood beside her, completed. She still looked the same. The same no-nonsense attitude on her face, the same darkly kohl-ed eyes which always held a fire and a mouth full of words that could cut someone as sharp as a knife.

"Can't say I'm not impressed. It's been eleven years but you've still got the stamina." She continued with a straight face. "Should've closed the door though."

"Zoya, shut up." I said, chuckling. She smirked slightly before pulling me into a hug. I grinned as I patted her back.

"It's good to see you, Malhotra."

As we parted ways, she went in to hug Siya who stood at the door. "It's been a while."

Siya smiled as she responded, "It sure has."

"It's good to see you too, Siya." Zoya said, as she moved back. "Although, I must apologise for interrupting your private hubby-wife time. Should've knocked before."

"Yeah, how did you end up in here?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Well I was staying two doors down from yours and when I went to the reception to ask for some extra towels, I saw the initials K. Malhotra in the log book. Now I might not know much, but I know that there isn't another K. Malhotra in this town other than the one and only you. So I put two and two together and figured I'd surprise you." Zoya explained and then exchanged a look with Veronica. "Terrible decision, by the way. I'm never gonna get that picture out of my head."

Veronica chuckled slightly.

"Yeah I think you'll live." I commented on her dramatics and turned to Veronica. "Are you staying here too?"

"Uh...no, I'm staying at Mount Sun Lodge. It's near the Oakwood beach." She responded.

"Then how did you two-" Siya voiced my question.

"We met coincidentally at Paper Lantern." Zoya answered before she could finish. "Actually, we met Himanshu as well."

I watched an uncomfortableness shadow Veronica's features at his mention.

"Really? He came?" Siya asked, her tone laced with contempt. I gave her look.

"Yeah apparently he did. He's staying at his parents'." Zoya answered. "I dragged V from the diner to here and insisted she spend the night with me. After all, not everyday you get to blessed by her presence."

Veronica smacked her arm slightly. Zoya chuckled.

"I mean.... she's kind of right." I said, slowly placing one word after another. "You kinda disappeared on us, Veronica."

Her eyes faltered slightly as she looked down at her feet and then back at me. "I know.... I have a lot of explaining to do.... about that."

I pressed my lips into a thin line. A pregnant silence followed after.

"That you do!" Zoya was the one to chime in. "But tonight's not about that."

She then turned to the rest of us. "Guys, come on, we've met after so long! You can't possibly be thinking of wasting tonight, talking about bygones!"

I chuckled softly. "So what do you want us to do, Zoya?"

Her eyes darted at me and I could feel the mischief tingling in them.

"Let's be seventeen again."

__________

this chapter was so cute and fluffy! like the entire confessing love
to your already married wife
is so cute i-

the next chapter is also going to be extremely fun and happy because let's face it, before every storm there is always subtlety and calmness.

anywho, i want to know your thoughts on this one? did we like it? do we like the hubby-wife dynamic between our sartik? there's a lot of that so i hope you're enjoying them.

don't forget to vote, comment and share the book!

love,
Bosedisha