Chapter 13

The lunch today tastes extra delicious to Khushi because of mind peace probably. Finishing her plate, she excuses to come into her room. Her usual habit of napping three hours a day saves her from dubious eyes. She feels so childish to call Arnav secreting from family. She knows them well. They will mind their long calls. Moreover, today she wants to talk long with Arnav. Reason? Well, her heart wants to stay in contact with him. Furthermore, his upset mood has also to be brought to normal.

The chirpy excitement, however, comes down in next twenty minutes with him constantly rejecting her calls. Piqued, she feels to snap her mobile to wall. The damn he is tapping the edge of her patience.

"Don't ignore me like this." Khushi dejectedly shouts into the voice note. His fun to enjoy the updated level of their relation has the literal function of heart malfunctioned.

"Yeah. Right." His text screams sarcasm. Tears brim in her eyes and she regrets to ignore him in the first case. He did not deserve the scolding in morning. They are freshly bounded as a couple. He should be her top notch priority.

She feels her throat jamming with the upsurge in emotional pressure. The next instant her mobile rings and she wastes no time to pick his call.

"Yeah?" Khushi comes up with an irritated greet to conceal her distress, pain and regret. His chuckling sound gives air to the already lit fumes.

"It's pleasing to see breaths were stopped in fear of my sour mood, mm..."

Wait... how does he know about her regret? As simple as that, she is an open book for him.

"I hate you." She is infuriated as hell. Naturally, she is taking deep breathes to relax the labored emotions.

"Break..." He snaps and then makes gun loading sound. "...I silently endured this phrase the other day does not mean I will keep doing so."

Khushi rolls eyes at his typical dominant-husband tone. "Well, you know I am straight forward." Now, she wants to play with him.

"So, you really mean it?" His solemn pitch deteriorates Khushi's feelings as a fiancée. She has again made her sweet fiancé upset. What the hell is happening with them? Why such baseless fights? "Khushi?"

"Um..."

"What has happened, doll?"

"I am unable... I don't know on which level to go to talk to you. You are too intense." She bows her head as if he is right in front of her. "At one side, I want to talk to you for long. And..."

"And?"

"You are right at your place. The problem is with me. My mind is shaped in such a way that I feel like committing grave mistake by talking to you because you are still a Na-Mehram."

"Don't Khushi..." He goes aggressive. So, now, the poor he will also get devoid of her voice.

"I am sorry..." She splits into sobs loosing grasp on emotions. "Aap please mujh se Khaffa mt hoon." She pleads.

He hushes her first before saying anything. "Khushi, honey. I appreciate your honesty. But it will be better if you don't consider me a kid who would not comprehend your real motive."

She stops sobbing. "Uh?"

"You have said such thing to push me off from calling you because, dear fiancée, you don't trust yourself much around me." He says and his proud smirk goes deeper.

"I just want to be with you. Right now." She whispers, opting to let go of the useless guard when her hidden motive has been disclosed.

"Sweetheart, I want to do other things to you, too." Arnav hints her about his sweltering bed desires. It switches on the electrifying tingles, greedily run through their bodies, intensifying the aura with each blink of tick.

"When will our Nikkah happen? Because feelings are definitely mutual." She courageously shares her mind bidding goodbye to hesitation.

Her absolute audible voice drives him mad enough to seductively bite his bottom lip. He aspires to frenetically ravish her and do many other scorching things to her – Damn RIGHT NOW!

"Dadu has talked to Sameer Dada Jaan about our wedding date. We are waiting for his response." He casually informs, patting his soaring baby to go soft.

"Thankfully the rejection period is over." She gives him hope.

"Yeah. But it has robbed the lines I have spent my life planning to confess to you on wedding night while resting in your lap." His waggishness erupts laughter from Khushi. They are successfully slithering towards comfort zone.

"Oho, so, Mr. Romantic, plan new lines. I am sure you are best at them." She teasingly puts forward her suggestion, thinking deeply to kiss his happy, firm lips.

"I will be best at other things, too. Don't ya worry."

"Arnav..." She chastises him and he bites the tip of his tongue. This idiot slipped.

"Like massaging your feet, Queen." With mine, while terribly sweating. "...Presenting you morning tea, bed-time breakfast... I meant these." He tries to turn the angle and she chortles at his flop attempts.

"Well, good luck with that." She rolls her eyes and disconnects the call. He has no right to light up butterflies' war in the pit of her stomach.

Giggling, she hugs herself and snuggles into her duvet. The chilly sensations turn her skin color to rosy because her mind has drifted to imagine voluptuous married life with Arnav. Finally, she would not be spending the frosty nights single this year's extreme cold months.

***

Life is a name of long journey and it has never been extremely easy for anyone. Some have to bear hardships for a few times and some have to go with them their whole life.

Sameer Hamdani is one of those unlucky ones who never got to be at the receiving end of motherly affection except for a few years. Moreover, the dead point was touched at the loss of his beloved wife.

The wrinkled hands caress the photo frame with longing affection. The gone people keeps striking our mind, heart and emotions. These sentiments intensify when the dearest people sleep forever, killing every fantasy to have them back at some magical turn of life.

With his thumb at the cheek of his mother in frame, he hardly manages to keep his heart free of emotional pressure. Back then, pictures were not very in so he has many of her paintings framed.

Sameer Hamdani has the relation of sixty-nine years with this world yet the deep hollow of his life never got the filling. During his teen life when his mates were used to cringe about their mothers' over protectiveness, his eyes had the task to cascade tears all night long longing motherly rebukes. This dreading hollow somehow started to get affectionate treatment with the sincere companionship and concerned rebukes of pretty spouse. Alas, she also treaded his mother's path; gone farther from him forever.

Next, he picks a fancy wooden frame and chuckles escape from his lips. No matters, how many hours he admires this frame daily, yet his wife's flashy teeth have the power to shower his loneliness clouds with happiness. She was so on cloud seven getting married to her macho man, Sameer Hamdani.

He looks up towards the wall, right opposite to the bed. Mrs. Sameer Hamdani has her eyes cascaded low out of timidity at his intense gazes. One simple look counts enough to make the hearty smile hug his whole being. After all, his dolled up wife at the time of reception still possesses the aptitude to ignite feelings in him.

He recalls their wedding night, her shyness, her nervousness and her trust. Everything had soared his love ten times more than before. After she transformed into his woman, she perfectly costumed herself into the structure of a perfect wife, marking a forever place in his heart. She was over-protective about him, his sleeping times, eating habits, office works and all. He had gotten the best wife.

He heaves a long sigh of memories and keeps the photo frames back into the drawer. Keeping the fact that Namaz cannot be offered in the presence of pictures, he has only three pictures in his room which due to the thankful advanced technology hide behind the curtain at one click.

"You know, sweetie, Arnav is in real love with our child Khushi. I am amazed that such selfless still exists." Sameer Hamdani wipes the corner of his wet eyes before continuing the conversation with the portrait of his wife. "Allah has created them in pairs. I have realized this, finally. But the macho man needs to know his limit." He goes secretive to inform his wife about the next thing.

"When he came to take my permission to take Khushi on dinner towards his friend's, I sternly forced him take Aqeeb and Aakifah along." He snickers, mischievously. "The two they cannot be left alone. Their love pull is stronger. I want to give early marriage date but if his feelings fall off, what will we do then?" He goes quite for a moment as if taking time to calculate his wife's response. "Yes, yes, sweetheart, I know their love is pure. And they have faced a hard rejection tenure, too. I believe the Meers and Arnav will be compassionate towards her."

Sameer Hamdani wants to get done with Arnav and Khushi's marriage but if they go extremely quick, people will make up stories on the piety of their girl. And if he delays, the kids will have their moods off. What to do now? Being a reputable elder of the family with the fair share of responsibilities certainly put you in troubles.

***

"Welcome, Miss. Captivating." Moib's wife, Samna, greets Khushi with bear hug and cheek kisses.

"Flattered. You are no less yourself, stunner." Khushi compliments in the same bubbly way. She is meeting her for the second time but the comfortable and cozy zone this lady has managed to pull is appraisable. The brief meets during wedding event did not allow them to sit, chat, laugh and get to know each other.

"I am the reason." Moib shows his full teeth with in-love-head-over-heels expressions.

"And so is our coming little member." The smile of Khushi turns into something pleased and amazed.

"That's really wonderful. May Allah (SWT) always keep the trio of you safe from evil eyes." She genuinely wishes them and steps inside the lavish living room along her elder sister Aakifah and brother-in-law Aqeeb. They had to chivalrously follow Dada Jaan's clause. Otherwise it was seeming quite impossible to get permission with their relation status limited to engagement only.

"Take seats, please." Samna asks everyone and then parks herself, too, after passing a slight notion to the senior maid for refreshments.

The moment Khushi takes her seat, contented sighs naturally leave her body at the cuddling aura of Rahmans House. Samna Moiz Rahman deserves remarkable appreciations for the marvelous interior designing. The triple storey home with dim, welcoming texture surely reflects her Master's Degree in Interior Designing.

"So, Aqeeb Bhai, how is the married life going?" Moib initiates the talk. Aqeeb as an elder brother of Arnav, always retained a doughty hold over all of his friends.

Aqeeb's polite smile intensifies to thousand megawatts and he replies, "Fantastic. I was planning to take Aakifah to world tour for honeymoon. But now waiting for this idiot's marriage date to get confirmed." He is quite bewitched with the captivating beauty of his wife. He himself seems changed; happy face, positive smiles and bold whispers to his wife in public.

The humor tenor of Aqeeb upsets Arnav. He never thought to be a hurdle in his brother's married life. "Bhai... there is my fiancée sitting, don't call me idiot." Arnav narrows eyes and giggles start to erupt. "Anyways, please, go on your honeymoon. We would not tolerate you on our honeymoon at any cost." He beams and laughing bubbles burst again.

"Yes, Aapi, you people should go. After the fixation of marriage date, the pre-marriage preparations will bound you otherwise." Khushi, too, insists her sister. Here, just after the engagement, she craves to steal time with Arnav. She cannot begin to imagine the situation of her sister. She rightfully deserves to spend more love moments with her husband she has deeply fallen for.

"Yeah, will think on that." Aqeeb positively nods, bringing shy smile on Aakifah's red painted lips. In no time, her husband has become the center of her happiness.

"Awiee... you still blush like next day bride." Samna winks at Aakifah.

"She is still a newly wedded bride." Moib contradicts his wife by stressing on 'is'. It allows the laughter to echo.

Shortly, the maids drap the sophisticated mirror encased wooden table with the variety of tantalizing refreshments. Khushi and Aakifah feels shy at first but their shyness makes them feel out of zone amongst the crazy foodies. Resultantly, both sisters shrug away the formal coyness and fill their stomachs as dinner's due two hours.

Same like eating, the conversing environment also grows cozy with the passing time. Aqeeb holds his wife's hand and squeezes it naughtily, blocking her throaty laughter. His index finger slithers and seductively caresses the inside of her wrists with two fingers. Her body sets on fire with the lunatic dance of electrical sensations.

She looks at him with the pleading eyes. His simple touch always lights up the lunatic chaos in her heart and it does not let her breath until she is privately alone with him. To control her blush, she tries cuddling more into her velvet green dupatta matching perfectly with a sweet peach and pink combinations trousers and shirt.

Arnav glimpses at Khushi's hand and yearns to intertwine their fingers. He wants to kiss her those freely laughing lips. Helplessly, he chuckles. He needs to wait to intertwine their fingers where they will be cuddling with each other.

"Ahem, Bhabhi can we talk for a few moments." Arnav directly requests Aakifah to talk with Khushi. "Please?"

"Look... Arnav." Aakifah gathers some moments to make up her reply. "Dada Jaan has strictly asked me to not allow you two meet alone. I am helpless." She denies softly, keeping the sad tone.

"Sweetheart, let them meet, hm?" Seeing the longing state of his brother, Aqeeb requests with the sweet endearment.

"Aqeeb..." In reply, she just takes his name in an inept tone.

"Dear Bride Aakifah, let the love birds meet, please." Samna also tries to persuade Aakifah seeing the restlessness among Khushi and Arnav.

"It's okay." Khushi interrupts the request session getting fed up of her sister's constant denials. "Anyhow it will trigger him to set the early marriage date." She blabbers to Arnav hiding her irritation.

Samna winks at Arnav, expressing him to comply with his fiancée's suggestion.

"Your suggestion will be given high preference." Arnav replies loudly and Khushi giggles looking at him with love.

"What about dinner?" Moib asks after a while looking at clock, realizing two hours have passed in a blink with them conversing while playing cards, rapid fire and asking each other the truth questions.

"Yeah, cool." Khushi replies at first and realizes she is surprisingly famished for the meal.

"Oh, my..." Samna slightly hits her head. "Hey, Aakifah! I have heard you are best at Salads. I left it for you. Would you?" Instead of the professional maids, she asks her. She was given hints about Aakifah by Aqeeb upon how to make her feel at home. No, Aqeeb was not much generous to pass on hints. He has his own benefit in this and that is the party. The ladies need to be on friend-terms so that their husbands can sometimes have fun out, too.

"I would be more than pleased." Aakifah's mood radiances and she feels bad to go strict on her sister. She has been an obedient girl all her life. She does not want to ditch her dear grandfather.

"Okay, follow me then." Samna gets together with Aakifah, turns back and winks back at Khushi, signaling them to grab romantic moments.

Arnav chuckles hitting knuckles with his brother and friend.

"Hurry, now. There, take her to the garden from this door." Moib states his advices in flurry. It fills Arnav with energy and he springs up. Next, he spreads his palm for Khushi to hold it. In the presence of two other men, she feels extremely shy to give her hand in his. So, she opts to simply follow him with the blush dripping from her whole existence.

The sensuous aura has already embraced them lovingly and now they yearning for the warm hugs is killing them. The moonlight is absent, for sure in the last days of moon cycle but this new couple is quite a few steps ahead from getting romantic under only moonlight.

They together look up at the blacken sky. The weird silence prevails between them. It makes their longing sighs quite audible and they look at each other with the smiles embellished with tranquil.

He winks at her and chuckles inwardly at her typical ways of blushing. She cannot help his intense gaze.

"It will sound cheesy but I am eagerly waiting for my moon to shine in my life." Arnav starts the talk knowing the usual lock to his fiancée's lips when they are alone. "Why do you go mum on me? We have stolen this time, common, gear up!" The poor lad is excited to hear some love words but she is helpless in front of her killing imaginations. They might massacre her someday.

The rise and fall of his broad chest in the silk satin grey shirt peeping out of black blazer is sinfully hitting her mind to think of hugging him skin to skin. Phew!

"Baby, trust me even if you attempt, I will not let you kiss me." He speaks turning her beetroot. She has been caught hawking at his face.

Embarrassed, she turns to the other side. The hurricane in the ocean of her feelings needs to calm down.

"These killing actions of yours prove as an oppressive hail to my wounded heart, my sweetheart!"

Instantly, she jerks her head to look at him. The mere mention of his pain powders her radiant face as pale.

"Please say you love me." He demands, dying to listen it directly from her pretty mouth.

While breathing deep, she looks up at the nature gradient of night sky and optimistically nods her head with the heap of blush evident on her face.

This time, he blushes, too.

He blinks with contentment, moves ahead of her and then raises his hands to make a Duaa. Seeing him Khushi instantly takes dupatta on head and raises her hands as well.

She keeps admiring him all the while he lips some Duaas while reading them in heart. Once he finishes, he rubs palms over his face saying Ameen in audible sound. Obediently, she repeats after him.

"I prayed to get married to you earlier than possible." He bores his eyes into hers, directly conveying his desires. "Because now you have started to tease me in nights worse than ever before."

Khushi heavily gasps at his confession and again naturally jerks her face towards opposite side to him. His heated gaze is knotting delicious cravings in her stomach.

"I kept awake last whole night. I swear I would have eye bags as a groom." He scrunches his nose, disliking the thought of having dark circles due to lack of necessary sleep.

"Would you have been sleeping if I were with you?" There, she flirts with him in the coy yet naughty tone.

"Point..." He appreciates with a deadly smirk. "If you..." He trails, leaving the sentence in the mere beginning and instead taps his own chin.

"We better go inside." Khushi stammers being kissed by the chill glazes and nervously giggling at the same instant.

Arnav spreads his palm for her. This time she gives in and slips her dainty hand in his big, rough and manly hand. Her breaths get ceased and heart gets slaughtered as soon as he tightens the clasp and pulls her closer.

"Arnav..." She prefers to look at his tie and broad chest.

"Uh, let's go." He changes the topic the other way around, liking the bites of scorching yet sweet sensations. They are surprised to experience such sensations at just the hand-hold.

At their fourth step, Arnav stops and loosen the clasp on her dainty hand. She gets worried and looks up to him with numerous questions in eyes. Though her whole body was turned on and she wanted to get thoroughly kissed. Apart from the wanton desires, the simple holding of hand was possible and she was quite contented with it, too.

"I better not hold you now, otherwise..." He takes a pause, conveying meaning through eyes. "Otherwise our destination will not remain the dining room anymore." Her breaths accelerate at another revealed part of his heart.

Understanding his decision, she simply leads him inside. They need to get married. SOON.

***

"Khushi." Aakifah calls her sister when she was going to washroom to get changed. Aqeeb had some work nearby so he left her for some time at her mother's.

"Yes, Aapi." Khushi puts the naughty curls behind ear. She needs to wash her hair otherwise the hairspray will have the natural softness of her hair. She could not avoid it due to the messy bun she made with her elegant black outfit.

"You both met in garden, right?" All the radiant color pales from Khushi's face knowing her as ever clever sister has caught her.

"Aapi..." Khushi fails gathering words to defend herself.

"No, sweetie. You don't need to lie. I intentionally went so that you two could meet." Aakifah smiled and Khushi squealed coming towards her sister with open arms, cuddling her in bear hug.

"What did he say?" Aakifah inquires, cheekily and Khushi eagerly sits right beside her sister to share.

"He is so romantic, aapi. He looks and I..." Khushi places hand on her heart and actions like dying. "BAM!"

Aakifah laughs and Khushi gets that women feeling in her to share more about the man she loves. Like any girl in love, she too wants to keep talking about him.

"And you know he made a special Duaa for our marriage earlier than possible." Khushi laughs crazily, reliving the moments spent with him.

"Trust me, Khushi, I am extremely happy for you. He would be the best husband to you but my love..." Aakifah holds her hands. "Can you please try not to secretly meet him?"

Khushi's face fell at the thought of denying Arnav from meeting.

"If he takes you out with the Dada Jaan's permission, go with him for thousands of times, but my sweetie, not like this..." As an elder sister, she is trying her best to make her younger sister see the sensitivity of the issue.

"I love you." Khushi simply hugs Aakifah, nodding to her point of view.

"I would try my level best." Khushi promises to her sister.

"Good girl. The phase of engagement relation is quite sensitive. You need to be careful." To clarify, her point, Aakifah adds some more to the quota of her sincere advices. Husbands are like that. At some point of life, they will must think that their fiancée ditched her family to meet him, she must have done something like this before, too. Modernity is still not shaped enough to eliminate such general possessiveness.

"I understand, Aapi." Khushi reassures her sister and then asks her to wait till she changes into simple attire.

"Wait, just once call him for five minutes in this dress." Aakifah winks and Khushi openly giggles at the shower of love she is being blessed with. It will surely be a gift for him to talk with her in really private mode though via video call.

***

Sorry for updating after damn 1.5 months. I am highly indebted to all of those who kept waiting. Seriously, your patience quota needs to be saluted.

I was going through a writer's block type thing. I would open the word document multiple times and would not get what to type, how to structure damn sentences. And as soon as when I will lay down on bed after shutting the computer, the scenes would start formulating in my mind.

For the quicker updates, try commenting your views about the scenes and dialogues rather than simple wows and superbs.