Sameer

I had been restless since last 15 days, now ask why? Well because of my wife. She is having her exams now and the irony of it all is that I have been thrown out of my own room. Well I didn't do anything, don't blame me, I was just trying to you know, just like that get a little cosy with her, well rubbing her feet, playing footsie, tickling her waist and blowing into her ears while she tried to concentrate. She tried glaring at me with those eyes but I guess my charms got better and soon she was writhing under me while our moans echoed in the room, my hands went bold along her length while she could never get enough of me. The kisses turned from hungry to hot while our sweat mingled along our bodies slithering along our beings and the moon played hide and seek watching in shy adoration, our union. The process repeated all through the night till the time we were exhausted and slept in each other's arms for good. I had thought, while I slept with a content smile on my face that I did good to calm her down to bring down her anxiety but I had been mistaken sadly. In the morning she had been frantic, she behaved like a mouse that ran helter skelter to save herself from the attacks of hungry cats and she had glared at me. Not once but innumerable number of time she had pointed her fingers at me and fought and cried and bawled like a baby. You see my wife is extremely stressed about her upcoming masters exams. Soon after we relocated here at the place of my posting. I had made sure that, she doesn't miss out on her education. I have always admired her for the person that she is, for her brains, her sharp mind that has sea of knowledge ensconced inside and her penchant for reading and curiosity to learn and invent something new is something I have always marveled. But if you would ask me the question now, well I would say no, I don't like all the qualities so much since the past 15 days. Well after the moment of love and passion she threw me out of the room and since the past 15 days I have been stationed at our living room. I have tried everything to change her mind from charming to cajoling to being cloying to being chastising. Nothing helped, at one point I had a permanent scowl pasted on my face but that too was tossed upon and kicked at with indifference! Yes indifference! She refused to look at me even. She just went about her business like nothing had happened. She doesn't care as if! Well apparently all that love making is distracting my darling wife and hence she doesn't want her grades to go down in the dregs and hence she has reached at this conclusion to keep me at arms length. So like I said am staying in the hall, since the guest bed room's fan is not working, some coil business and they would need sometime to replace and repair it. The maids come in and they cant wipe their smiles off when they see me opening the door everyday and even that Kanji has grown balls to ask me whether I feel alright? And my wife well she is very well going about her days business without much thought at my predicament! How could she!? Well she can! It seems she can, very well, I am keeping scores and she would have a lot of groveling to do once these exams are over. The exams are going to be over in the next 15 days. One month! One month of staying away! God I cant pen my thoughts more, I need to go get a cold shower for now. This is big time torturous.

Naina

Yes I had thrown him out of our room, I know I know, you might find my action to be selfish and harsh even. But then I was running out of options and hence I had to do what I had to do. Already two of my papers, I feel are pretty much botched up due to his playful attempts but then he is not all at blame. Even I was party to his crime. I went along with it. Its not my fault. He makes my heart flutter and his eyes they are the captivating menaces that wreak havoc on my soul. He somewhere has me by his finger. He moves along with that delicious male musk scent that hovers in the air and already its an uphill task to control oneself. Especially when your hot husband decides to pull on the right strings to make you lose your sanity around him. it was just one of those moments. I had tried in vain to thwart his attempts and tried to concentrate. But then as soon as his hands starting moving along my form while his feet played footsie, my breathing had turned to a labored mess and soon the hands and legs were replaced by the lips and hungry kisses. It started with kisses ended up being a string of love making sessions on our bed for the entire night. I had been so tired that I couldn't open my eyes until 9 the next day and then it hit me like a brick in the face. I couldn't let this happen again. Its not like I blame him or I don't like to be ravished and desired by my husband but its just that I cant disappoint him. yes that's the problem. My family especially my taiji and tayaji were not really in favor of me studying any further. They wanted me to be the quintessential bride who was always at the beck and call of her family tending to their needs and wishes. But I always harbored this dream to be independent to be someone someday but when they had started searching for grooms for me my hopes and dreams had been dashed. Somewhere deep down within I had been convinced that my fate would be sealed and I would be confined to a house being a homemaker, even worse like some furniture. Back then I would cry myself to sleep and pray for the boy with silky hair and sweet smile to reappear. He never left my mind. I still remember the fete where I had visited him in his school and had danced my heart out. I had felt his eyes trained on me all the while and had anticipated a move but then all evening he just stared at me and we exchanged shy smiles instead. To say when I came back, I had been disappointed would be an understatement, since somewhere deep within, a voice had called out soul mate every time I saw him. after the incident, it felt like he slowly vanished from my life, we got busy with our exams and then studies and life followed but he never left my mind. I still saw him in my dreams and when the dream turned to reality on the day he had come to visit, my heart had leaped all at once with the joy I had never known before. He is everything that a woman desires to see in her future partner. Compassionate, caring, understanding and loving. The love never stops pouring. He always has put my needs before him, like I never had to bring up the subject of studying further with him. I remember meeting prospective grooms who had laughed at the notion when I asked about their thoughts on education and whether they would let me pursue my dream. One had even snorted in my direction calling it a whim and that women are better suited at home. That had been Sharad, gosh, I had stormed out of the room at once and announced to my family of which my taiji at looked at me with disdain and hollered calling me ill mannered and too fast. But I had stood my ground. But not this man, my Sameer, well he didn't even bother asking before he filled the forms himself, and literally dragged to the university her for admission. He had looked in to my eyes then and whispered that he wanted me to be his equal to stand tall by his side though I was a good 6 inches shorter than hi, he had chuckled at the joke. So how could I disappoint him. hence the decision. I can see him now pacing up and down the hall looking at me with the corner of his eyes, checking for some cracks may be but I am hell net on sticking by my business. At one point, I saw him sitting and looking up at the fan, lost in his own world, smiling up at the ceiling. I know he is thinking of ways to punish me! Rather sweet torture me. Wish I could tell him, that I am eagerly waiting to be tortured and that this is as much impossible for me as it is for him. that even I cant stay away from him for long. My taiji would have appalled to see me like this. She would have called me names, a banshee even. But then with him I am not the tailored, custom made Naina like for the society, with him I am me, am NAINA MAHESHWARI, his Naina, only his.

Sameer

Finally the day is here, the day of independence, the day when I take all of my revenge. Yes I had been smiling since morning. Cant wipe the stupid grin off my face! I remember pandit eyeing me with suspicion head to toe and also my other colleagues when I couldn't stop smiling but little did they know I had plans for my wifey tonight. Naina Maheshwari do you think you can thwart my attempts now. No never! I will get you tonight. When I had dropped her at the university campus today, I had dropped a hint or two and I remember her playing constantly with her dupatta and going red in the face at the innuendoes but she had kept her composure. Probably for her exam, and I intended her to have a great one so I had stopped in good measure and promised to be home early. I had planned this day well in advance. Already I had spoken to my superior that I needed to go home early and that I needed a few leaves. Though he had frowned at first but then he had broken into one of his giant grins and granted me 5 days instead. 5 and 2 days of weekend, made it 7 days! I was in for luck! And now I had to make some very good use of the seven glorious days. With a sprint in my steps and a smile pasted on my lips I proceeded towards my quarters. It was soon to be dark , dusk had started to set in. the colour of the sky had been a mix of pink orange and purple, there was slow but sharp cold wind that had been blowing since morning and it had intensified by now and I could feel my skin prickle with goosebumps. I would have to ask Naina to bring out the woolens for me. Winter may be setting early it seems. When I was almost at the threshold of my house, I heard voices echoing, laughter, banter, had my friends decided to barge in. my insides were already fuming, no tonight or say for the next 7 days nothing could go wrong. I pressed the bell and waited to be greeted by my sweet Naina but instead, Chachaji stood at the other side and smiled at me. Chachaji! What was he doing here?! Why? How? When? My head started reeling with too many questions while I was getting engulfed in a bear hug by him and now chachiji too joined him and pulled me inside. Once within the realms of the home, I saw Preeti smiling and waving at me, I smiled back and waved as if on automaton. I was moving in a kind of daze. I could see kanji bringing in the tea and refreshments while the house smelled delicious. I could smell paneer, kofta and all my favourite smells but instead of having water in my mouth, my eyes searched that one being. My Naina, where was she now? As if reading my thoughts, chachiji called at her, prodding her to make an appearance since her husband that is me was finally home and then she walked out and yet again I was left speechless. She was dressed in my favourite pink saree, her hair loose, while she tugged at her white pearls on her neck. She had worn the set after ages today. then it hit me. She had made efforts. She had dressed herself just like I loved to see her. And then when my eyes met hers, I could read surprise, tension and even disappointment. Wait! What? So she is equally disappointed at the turn of events. She too was looking forward to spending some quality time with me. When I arrived I had not noticed since I had been too dazed to to do the same but now when I looked, I saw all my belongings that had been scattered along the very room were all gone. They had been duly shifted to our room. Everything looked so neat and in order but our lives had turned topsy turvy instead. We exchanged a few glances and everytime I saw her nervously knotting her pallu and her eyes they conveyed desperation. Was it my imagination or is it actually that my wife too had been waiting for our time together alone. From the kitchen Kanji's voice boomed as he waltzed in announcing to everyone that he had almost booked tickets to his native since his darling bhabhiji that is my dear wife, had dismissed him for a week for an annual leave. He had all his things packed up too and he gestured towards a small steel trunk that lay in a corner in the living room. He was almost gone when the bell rang and chachaji and his family came in as a surprise. When I looked at naina this time I saw the pained expression etched on her face. So she had it all planned up, getting Kanji out of our way. Wow! And here I thought I was the only one who had been planning! But now the plans all had gone for a toss. Somewhere though I admired Chachaji and respected him a lot since he held an important position in NAINA'S life but then I couldn't help but feel agitated at this surprise visit. Chachiji was all roaming all around the house expressing her delight at the size and also the cleanliness and how NAINA had learnt the tricks of the trade of being an ideal homemaker while Preeti munched on to the savories that had been prepared for the guests. In all of this me and my wife we kept on looking at each other in despair. What had we planned and what has it turned out to be?!

My thoughts were broken when chachaji patted me on the back and took me to a corner and explained the reason for barging in. well he and his family were here for groom hunting for Preeti. She is of marriageable age and now the family is keen to find her the perfect match and now they have a certain somebody who is a perfect fit for their daughter. The guy is some Mahesh Munjal and he happens to be a doctor in a local hospital here. They are locals, based out of this very place and they had expressed their interest in Preeti and wanted to meet them in person. Hence now Chachaji and his family were here to formalize the talks. Now the next bomb came fast and swift. They are here for 5 days! Wow! I had thought I had my wife finally to my self this week and now I would get only 2 days since out of the 7 days leave I would get a meagre 48hrs to spend with her. Hell! He kept on talking while I had already tuned myself out.

My eyes wavered back to my wife, she was now serving to chachiji and Preeti and smiled at whatever Preeti had been telling her. She looked divine in that saree, the dips and the curves, the way the saree clung to them all made me swallow hard. That creamy expanse of white waist peeked out every now and then while the symbol of my love and our belonging to each other glinted proudly at her neck. Her pink lips looked inviting and the tresses that she had let loose danced in the soft wind that caressed her face. As if she could sense my eyes on her. She turned in my direction and suddenly we were locked into one hot molten promise. My eyes devoured her from top to toe while she shivered and quivered under my intense gaze. My eyes rested on her belly button and images of me lavishing it with my love flashed in between, the electricity, the charge in between made her bluch instantly and I knew she had been thinking about the same things as me. I knew if I didn't stop may be I would just do a caveman in front of her own family and embarrass us both, you know throw her over my shoulders anad take her to our room which I bolt tight and then ravish her all night and day.

So I looked away too, only to find chachaji looking at me in anticipation, as if waiting for my response, I was at a loss, since the whole time I had the eyes ears and all senses attuned to my wife and had no clue as to what he had said. So for the benefit as if on cue he repeated the words whether they could call the grooms family over at our place for a formal meeting day after tomorrow and then if things go as planned they would go visit the groom's home here later on a different day. I simply nodded and he smiled the brightest!

Sameer

This is preposterous! Again! No not again! What the hell! Bloody hell!

Calm down Sameer, you cant lose your cool and go all ballistic, she has her family over. To hell with everyone why do I always have to sleep in the hall! The bloody fan in the guest bedroom wouldn't budge, its all because of it. the technicians came with all promises as to how he was well adept and competent about solving the problem yet he has failed. Its been over 7 days no 10 days no a month now! And he has not been able to fix the problem. Its not that he hast tried, wait for this, this bloosy guy came every 10 days while I towered over him and gave him the stink eye, he simply would brush past me and get up on a tool and start putting the fan up on the given hook and then he would try and test and the fan wouldn't budge. My solution, well to get a new fan, was rejected not once, twice or thrice but it's the fourth time tonight when I suggested the same to my wife. She says its wrong to do so, and that I shouldn't be wasting money! What does she mean by wasting money? Now I cant even get some privacy with her. We are to sleep on the floor here in the hall while her family get to sleep in our bedroom since obviously the best room goes to the guests and we cant make them suffer without the fan though the weather here is quite wonderful, we seldom need a fan for the same and chachaji was hell bent on getting shifted in to the fan less guest room but then it doesn't look good rather looks selfish on our part. So the next solution, I get siphoned off this time in toe with my wife into the hall. And now she has set us up two beds in two different corners and the answer to that why is, she doesn't want me to feel her up. Well given the high levels of starvation that I have been subjected to, it is natural that when she would finally make her way to me in bed, I know, lovemaking is out of the question but I wouldn't mind some messing around, making out can be fun but then she just wouldn't let me indulge and hence now I am sitting on my new makeshift bed while my eyes are trained on my wife who is feigning to sleep. I can see her eye balls moving so she isn't sleeping. Ok darling whatever suits you, but after chachaji and his family leaves who would save you from me?

Naina

He had been behaving like a caged animal and I saw him eyeing me, giving me one of his ominous looks from across the hall. How do I tell him that its equally torturous to me as it is to him. after all when I had opened the door to chachaji I had been surprised but not pleasantly. Am not proud of the thoughts that crossed my mind when I saw chachiji and Preeti standing beside beaming at me. I had been disappointed. After all I was equally excited about spending time with my dear Husband after a substantial period of time. He had been banished to the hall for long and now we both were stuck in the same predicament. Though from the murderous gazes that he has been shooting my side it seems that he believes that am deriving some sort of odd pleasure at the turn of events. I had seen him struggle with his emotions. Disappointment, dejection, sadness, even irritation and anager had flitted across his features when he first saw Chachaji but what I marveled about him is that he didn't let any of it effect his demeanor towards my family. Right from the start he has been exceptionally respectful towards each one of them. I had been anxious since I had expected a kind of meltdown but he stunned me with his calmness, smiling all the time, nodding in intervals, agreeing to everything that chachaji had to say. At one time he simply offered to lend his help if needed in any way. My chachaji had beamed at him, rubbed his shoulders and brought him in for a giant hug. He had been happy since my wedding since my taiji and tayaji were never that sure that I would ensnare a good match but chachaji as opposed to everyone believed that I would one day have the best match and yes it turns out god had planned for the best for me. This man now snoring lightly across the hall, belongs to me all with his charm grace and all of his love is reserved only for me.

Sameer

I had been sitting on one of the chairs in our living room, observing rather the said would groom's family. The guy it seems looked better in the picture while his mother seems to be high on make up, wow she literally looks straight out of the Asian Paints catalogue. I could tell the difference in shades looking at her. The father is a small fellow, rickety and all and he has hunch while he walks. The said guy is question to be honest looks stupid, downright dumb, he is shorter than what he appeared in the picture and stockier too, I could see those tires at the trunk that he surreptitiously tried hiding with an ill fitting blazer. All in all if someone had to ask my opinion, I would say reject, reject, reject. This guy doesn't deserve a girl like Preeti. She is infact quite dynamic and if not Naina's acumen yet she was no bad. Rather she had won a few a trophies for sports and is a known athlete in the neighborhood as well. when I tried expressing my concerns to my wife she shussed me saying that it is better we leave the decision to Preeti. And now when I look at my beloved sister in law, I say the answer wouldn't be any different from mine. She would say no as well. she had a dejected look at first when the guy walked in with his family. Infact my dear wife and chachiji had to pull her out from her dungeons well, the bathroom to make her come sit here amidst us. All the while now, she has kept her eyes transfixed to the floor and once or twice when chachaji asked the guy in question a few questions regarding his job, I had caught her rolling her eyes and muttering something to herself. I couldn't stop myself from smiling at her antics but I agreed with her unsaid verdict this guy is no match to her. Though chachiji is convinced that there can be no better match. While she had been dragging Preeti here, along with Naina, she had given her a long lecture as to how she is a girl and she doesn't get to decide rather she would just have to take in the decision that the guy would have for her and if he says yes then they wouldn't have any option but to say yes to the match. I had exchanged an eyelock with naina at the very point, and a few unsaid words were exchanged between us. As if she was telling me that she had received the same lecture but from a different person may be and that she got lucky because it is me she is married to. I don't agree to this archetypical attitude of parents who believe that women have no right to choose, or demand. She has only one thing to do that is to listen and agree and always be compliant, as if she is some robot who is mastered and prepared to a certain program that teaches her only to be obedient and always ever so giving in terms of others needs. That is nonsense rubbish and I knew today I would put my firm foot down in Preeti's defense and I would make sure she is not made to say yes against her wishes. The girl already looks hassled, as if she is some animal who is being paraded while her masters harped on about how good a cook she is or how well she can take care of the house or say she is the best in crocheting! Who does crocheting? And why do you need such skills? God!

In the meanwhile I could see the groom not to be, offcourse this cartoon is not going to be my brother in law! Definitely not! Never! Nada! Not in a million years! So these cartoons under my watch, they seemed to be engrossed in a discussion of sorts while the guy seemed to be blushing all the while looking at Naina. It boggled my mind as to why he kept on looking at her. He was here to see Preeti then why my wife so another red flag there, this guy is definitely no match to Preeti. I don't know, this is one of the prime reasons why this guy is so wrong. Naina's presence though today had been scarce. She had walked in with the tray of tea and savories though when these lepers had dropped in. she looked like an angel as always, though I had dissuaded her from any saree, she had picked out a peach colour, chiffon for the occasion that I had replaced with a light blue salwar kameez. Yet my wife looked divine especially with her her let loose and the pearls that adorned her ears and neck now. She had been busy making the arrangements and also to serve the so called guest whom I wished for to leave now. So she had been absent most of the time while chachaji and chachiji chit chatted with these monkeys! It was only after kanji assured her that he needed no further help and that he could manage on his own did she come and sit with us and I could see the guy and his family eyeing her from then on. They were now interrogating her, about her choices. I could see the confusion on my dear wife's face. Same question had reared its head in my mind as well, why are they asking Naina? May be the stupid god forsaken fellow is too shy to ask Preeti or may be too scared, since I had caught her too many times shooting murderous gazes in his direction. Naina kept on with the questions answering them all with a smile and a patience unknown to me where she gets from. And after the 3rd degree grilling session, they were again discussing something, nodding their heads, while chachiji and chachaji looked on in close anticipation and Preeti looked to be in fear. But I knew I would step in before the final call though I also felt that chachaji himself would get his daughter married to such a substandard piece. Hence Preeti didn't actually have a lot to worry about.

So after the deliberation, they all straightened in to their seats, while they beamed their all 32 out and announced with the guy pointing his fingers to the girl of his dreams, and guess who he was pointing at? My wife Naina, he beamed and smiled and blushed all at once when he announced that he already in love with the girl and that he cannot wait to marry her and that he would take her. The mother stood up all at once while she started putting some chunni on my wife calling on chachiji to come bless them together for the impromptu ROKA! My wife's ROKA! Naina looked hassled, she tooked at me in misery and her eyes shouted out for help while she tried telling the lady about her already taken status. Chachaji too tried stepping in calling in for attention for they had all gotten it wrong and me well I fumed in my seat, transfixed, horrified and irritated at the turn of events. That scum bag of a guy actually had the galls to touch my wife, he tried taking her hands in his and then all hell broke lose.

Naina

Dear diary,

Hahahahhahahaha! this page is to be filled with one expression only it seems and am at a short for words. What happened today? hahahahahahaha! Well to sum it all up the guy who had come to see Preeti chose me over her, I almost had a ROKA and my husband well my husband in a fit of rage broke the guys nose while he screamed, shouted bellowed. We all looked on in horror and Preeti she couldn't stop laughing and smiling since. She got saved from that beady guy and his family. Even I didn't approve of him. the moment he walked in, I could tell the web of lies that they had already spun. They had harped about him being tall at 5'11 inches whereas he was barely an inch or two taller than me. Yes that short and then in the picture he looked all slim and well in shape. Here he looked stodgy and all the while he kept on nodding his head everytime his mum said anything. No personality. Now that's the greatest of red flags. So when sameer came to me in the kitchen while I was busy frying some samosas, calling the guy and his family a creep and that he is no match for Preeti, I had somewhere agreed within. But at the time I was just tending to my task at hand and also I didn't want chachaji and chachiji to feel disappointed and also I felt its not a good thing to judge a book by its cover. May be he is good guy within, so I was ready to give him a chance at least before I threw him to the winds. But one look at Preeti confirmed my fears that she didn't have very high opinion for the guy. She looked troubled somewhat miserable and I agreed with her at the point. I even helped her hide in the bathroom but when chachiji and chachaji insisted we bring her out, I was party to even dragging her out of her dungeon. She had scowled and her eyes spat fire at me at the point. Almost BRUTUS was spelled in capitals from across her features. But then I had to do it for the sake of my chachaji whom I respect the most. When chachaiji started the same lecture of girls don't choose, the lecture that had been given to me as well by taiji, I had vehemently disagreed through my features and at the time I had exchanged an eyelock with my dear husband who somewhat looked equally disgusted at such a thought. Well that was that but then usual followed along with Preeti being seated like a doll while her eyes transfixed on the floor. She muttered something every now and then. I had busied myself with other tasks in between in the kitchen and only when kanji felt confident enough I had decided to give some company to Preeti in the living room and hence I sat amidst them all. I could see sameer seated in a corner, his eyes squinting all the while at the guy and his family while he gauged their expressions in deep concentration. It was only when the guy trained his eyes on me and started firing questions in my direction, did I feel that something seemed off kilter. And when he proudly announced the verdict after a close to 6 mins discussion with his family all hunched together, that he chose me, did I realize the blunder. The guy in question had chosen me and well he also got the punished for the same. While I looked helter skelter from sameer to chachaji for help the I saw the furious expression on my husband's face. He sat transfixed while his eyes spat fire and I could see him almost murdering the entire family when I felt a foreign touch on my hands, even before I comprehend, as to who or what the source of the touch is, we all heard a loud thud then a smash and then, I could see the guy on the floor, holding his nose howling like some baby while his mother crouched over him calling demon, evil and all kinds of names at my dear husband. So you see my darling husband, broke the guy's name. well in all of it I forgot to mention the guy's name, well the nameless guy subodh is now admitted in the hospital. He will live, he had a few surgeries for the nose and apparently he has a hairline fracture on his arm, same one that he had used to touch me and he can barely move due to pain. Chachaji had gone to visit the family at the hospital. Sameer had been too hot to handle. Not that kind of hot well the hot with anger kind of hot. He had screamed and bellowed and thrown things in a fit and broken a few bones. It took me dragging him to the bathroom under a cold shower to cool him down though once I dragged him there and bolted the door, he got other ideas and had even started feeling me but well he could get as far as a kiss since I pried him off me and asked him to take a long cold shower to cool down while I scurried out to change. So dear diary I don't have much to say since I cant stop smiling and the laughter refuses to die down. Even at the dinner table, while chachiji looked scared due to sameer's temper tantrums and the mood had been somber but all the while me and preeti we couldn't stop giggling and sameer well he kept throwing those eyes in our direction. We would stop for a sec or two but would start giggling again and then the exasperated Sameer had given up. Well like I said, alls well that ends well, and now alls well.