The Date

Sameer

The sun had been setting, yet the hues of setting sun colored the sky pink with embers of orange here and there. If Naanu would have been here, he would have commented on the beauty of nature. How he loved to regale with tales from his yester days. Especially times when him and naani would go out on long walks, especially when the sky was colored this certain color. He often commented, saying as if the gods were joining hands to make the moment romantic.

I smiled at the thoughts, it was one of those days, today as well. the colour of sky made my heartbeats speed up. She would look divine in the suit, a lot of people found my choice to be cliched. Especially during the wedding I had heard my mother commenting on my choice while maamiji added with snide comments, calling the shades of pinks and pastels that I had chosen for her mundane and dull. They had derived pleasure that all the colours would make Naina look duller but much to their dismay she had shone through the wedding. I had caught them staring agape at more than one occasion. But they would never admit. Never mind this day I don't want their thoughts to cloud my mind and sour my mood. Tonight is our night, our moment of togetherness and I was looking forward to it with baited breaths.

I kept staring at the clock which seemed to be ticking at slower than slowest speeds. I felt like pulling my lashes. But what can I do, I have to wait for her. I could hear the birds chirping with rigor calling out at their folks to scurry, it was almost dark. I suddenly realized that in my excitement for this date, I had gotten ready really early. By 5pm I was in my shirt and pants. I had chosen the same set from the day when I had decided to propose her in college. That day had been a nightmare, especially when I had waited from almost dawn till dusk and she had not turned up. My plans had all been washed down the drain and I had been left aghast and in pain.

But tonight, I would make it up to her, tonight all that I had planned for that day would come to culmination. I had been tired, I had never realized that before. All this planning and plotting and the outpour of emotions in the afternoon had taken a toll on me, and my eyes drooped on its own accord and in no time was I snoozing on the sofa.

Naina

When I came down, in anticipation, wanting to know his reaction, when he saw me in his favourite color on me, I found him snoring softly on the sofa. A smile played at his lips, while the soft winds made his hair dance. How girls would swoon over him for this very trait.

It had landed him in trouble more often with me too. I gave him the stink eye more than often and then he would run helter skleter making amends trying to reason with me, as in how the girl was all over him and he had nothing to do with her. He would hold his ears, bring her chocolates, drop in at odd hours in his room and bring her flowers.

My heart skipped a beat at the memories, he had always loved me. the signals were always there. A man who never gave any girl light of day, he had his eyes and ears attuned to me always even when we were not talking. When I had started dating that Tibrewal, I remember, he would look at me from across the class with a renewed anger. As if he could burn me with his looks. I had remained haughty and cool until today when I realized no it was not me he would look at with anger but at Tibrewal, his ire was directed at him. now when I revisit the moment in my subconscious I know that it was always when that Tibrewal would be close or when he would casually put his arms around my shoulders, it was only then that I saw that look of disgust on his face.

He stirred in his slumber only to turn his face on the other side. The sofa definitely was not the most apt sleeping cot. After all he was tall and sleeping this half sitting position while his head rested uncomfortably on the headrest, I could tell that already his neck was in discomfort. He had been scowling in his sleep. I smiled at the habit, he always did that when In discomfort. In one of our moments together in my room, I blushed at the thought, he had shifted and scowled in his sleep finally to pull me closer and put his leg around me. he had mumbled back then in his sleep, how I should be getting a new mattress and a wider bed to accommodate the both of us.

My thoughts were broken, when I heard him stirring again and this time he stirred and got up with a jump, his hair seemed a tad bit disheveled due to his short slumber on the sofa. He had looked at the clock which now showed the time to ne 7.30pm. I could see his eyes go big like saucers. I almost laughed when his eyes settled upon me. he gave me an once over. And by once over, I mean a slow one, one where his eyes stayed at every part, every curve, every inch of me until they made their way up to my eyes and when he stared in to them, I knew he had been making promises, promises of love, of togetherness of forever.

Naina: do I look fat?

He puckered his brows, and his expression turned quizzical and then he smirked. The next thing I knew, he was striding towards me and soon he pulled me to him while he bent down to kiss me on my cheeks

Sameer: perfect

He whispered

His words gave me goosebumps, I looked up at him and his gaze had turned heated. His eyes bore into mine while his breaths fanned my face. The proximity tingled my skin and the blush creeped up my cheeks. His hold on me grew firm while he pulled me closer wherein even the air had no chance to escape between us, our bodies brushed against one and another while a slow naughty smile played at his lips.

He always did this, back in college too this used to be his trump card and he would put me in a spot. I knew, he would have some tricks up his sleeves when he had suggested that we take this date.

Sameer: why did you not wake me up? See now we are half an hour late. By the way since how long were you standing and gawking at me?

Naina: gawking? Why would I gawk at you? You have these silly notions about yourself that you are some god's gift to mankind and women swoon and drool over you. Am unaffected by your charms

This time he quirked his eyebrows and started leaning towards me, our lips were inches away from touching when he bent against my right ear, his soft slow breaths tingling my senses and I closed my eyes from the effect.

Sameer: you are already lost, in me, and for the swooning and drooling part, well its not me being smug but you know its true, many times you had fought with me over innumerable faceless women in crowd who happened to drool and swoon and as far as my effect on you is concerned, look at you, dressed in pink but tinted in that natural red blush from head to toe whenever our fingers brush our our bodies touch, well I wrest my case at that.

His words felt like a feather caressing me from head to toe, every word made me pine for more of him and when I opened my eyes, I saw his dark irises staring back at me with equal love. He left a soft kiss on my forehead.

Sameer: lets go or we shall be late

Naina: where?

Sameer: surprises are not to be revealed, they are to be reveled in and I don't want to miss a single expression on your face when you see my surprise. Now lets go.

We had been seated in the car now, with him driving and me staring out at the road, I saw him giving me furtive glances every now and then and a slow smile would tease at his lips. My heart thudded inside me at breakneck speed while my stomach had butterflies. But I had my set of doubts, since the butterflies seemed way too real. It felt like they were actually moving inside me. I had read in a book, that Sameer had brought for me to read. To give a clearer insight into pregnancy and its happening. Well post 9 weeks the child grew at breakneck speed and by the 12 weeks, one could feel its small movements. At first it would be more like bubbles, I wonder the butterflies in my tummy were actually the little bubble who seemed to be equally excited about going out on this date.

I sneaked a peek at the would be father and marveled at the perfection with which god had carved his features. The nose sharp, his eyes soulful while his lips well they were the perfect bow shaped. And to compliment it all, he had the body which was lean but fit. His shirt fit him like a second skin while his pants were the perfect fit.

Sameer: I know am irresistible to you always but I guess our baby may mind, given the way you are ogling her father

His words caught me off guard while I thought I had been discreet in my drool session, he had been noticing all along. And now he had caught me red handed.

Naina: you are not irresistible, you have some high heirs about yourself really

Sameer: acha! High heirs! Off course, then my highness, would you please enlighten me as in what led you to stare at me, without blinking your lids straight 15 mins

A dash of irritation crept up my skin and I replied haughtily

Naina: how can you drive while you are looking at me

Sameer: am a multi tasker you see but that's not the point, the point is why were you checking me out?

I was incensed at the choice of his words now

Naina: checking you out!?

My voice went a notch or two high and his grin broadened a bit too much to my liking, he was enjoying this as usual

Naina: are you some airport where in check in

Sameer: no am not though we have other ways of checking in and out, I mean usually its me checking in and out of you in between our sessions, I hope you understand what I mean

What an inuendo to use, this man could always make me tongue tied, now it was my turn to blush while I was fuming simultaneously since I guess I lost this round. So Sameer 1 and Naina 0.

Sameer: what? Are you tongue tied now?

Naina: am not

Sameer: then answer me?

Naina: what do you want to know

Sameer: why were you staring

Naina: no I wasn't!

Sameer: yes you were

Naina: no I wasn't!

Sameer: yes

Naina: no!

Sameer: c'mon!

Naina: what?

Sameer: naina!

Naina: sameer!

Sameer: cool, looks like you don't wanna give up, that's ok no problem, since I know am irresistible to you and sweetheart I promise that I would give you plenty of opportunity to stare at me, by me I mean all of me and not just this face of mine but all the other parts above and down south!

Naina: sameer!

Sameer: what?!

Naina: aren't you bothered now that the baby must be listening to you and picking up on the dirty talks

Sameer: what dirty talks? What are you implying

Naina: am not implying anything you please drive

Sameer: I just said I would let you stare all of me, not just my face, since in the close confines of the car you can only manage to have a good peek at my side profile while my body is all bunched up so you cant properly see. When did I ask you to imagine me without my clothes, all of me?

Naina:what?! When did I do that?

Sameer: c'mon naina, we both know your mind went their, after all why else did you call it dirty talks. It was only talks I mean small talks as per me and why would the baby be picking up anything wrong from all of this unless you have it all wrong up there in your head

This man is incorrigible, how he had turned the tables upon me, and now he was accusing me of having a gutter brain. Silly me, I should have been better prepared. This type of banter was always his speciality and no matter how much I tried he would always have an upper hand on me like today

Sameer: now you are silent

Naina: do I have an option?

Sameer: off course you do

Naina:like what?

Sameer: you know

Naina: what?

Sameer: the usual

Naina: what usual now

Sameer: the usual

Naina: what usual Sameer

Sameer: a kiss

Naina: a what?

Sameer: kiss yes a kiss, you are acting as if you have no clue what it is?

Naina: no I don't

Sameer: acha! Really? Then how come you are pregnant?

Naina: is this date some new form of torture that you have invented for me

Sameer: torture?!

Sameer: am insulted now, kissing me is torture for you?

Naina: what?! No no I didn't mean that

Sameer: acha so what did you mean?

Naina: sameer please

Sameer: please what? Please kiss me ?

Naina: thappad khana hain?

Sameer: haan definitely but kiss ke baad.

Naina: sameer

Sameer: hahahahahahahahahaha!

With that he had the last laugh and soon we were both laughing. This drive gave me the feeelings of all the other drives that we have had in the past. When Sameer would tease me, bring up on the verge on going red in anger and then simper down it with his banter. This is the sameer I loved. The man whose lighter side was only privy for those who were close to his heart.

The rest of the drive felt like our days from college. He held my hands and kissed it a number of times, while I blushed at his ministrations. We could talk easily, pouring out about our insecurities. He kept apologizing for all the hurt that his mother had put me through during our wedding while I promised that next time when we fight we would talk to each other once we had cooled down and not ghost one another.

The drive had been taking a bit too long, almost an hour had passed and we were still on the highway. I was feeling a bit hungry. This pregnancy made me hungry all the time. Sometimes that made me angry too. Suddenly I was a ball of nerves and moods. One moment I was all happy and sunny the next moment I was all angry and moody. Sometimes I would even throw things here and there. Sometimes I couldn't recognize with this new me. she is so different from the calm nature that I am so used to holding. It felt like I had part of sameer inside me which would rear its head up every now and then.

Suddenly it dawned on me, I actually had a part of him growing inside me. his baby. Rather his daughter like he always addressed our unborn child. My hands instinctively went to my lower abdomen, and I caressed it with love while a slow smile touched my lips.

Sameer: what is it mrs Maheshwari? Is my girl inside giving you trouble?

Naina: how do you know it's a girl?

Sameer: remember I told you?

Naina: what?

Sameer: arey? How can you be so forgetful

Naina: me forgetful? I never forget! You always forget all birthdays and anniversaries, I was your walking talking directory back in college reminding you of every event and class back in college and you are calling me forgetful

Sameer: hahahahahah! Yes offcourse you are forgetful, the other day I told you, as in how I know it's a girl

Naina: ok! I forgot! Tell me again

Sameer: I know because I know what I gave you that night.

I blushed profusely

Sameer: what? Stop getting cherry red, I know my baby inside is hungry and making her mommy angry. So now time to get off

Naina: how?

Sameer: what how did I know? That you are angry? And hungry?

Naina: I simply nodded

Sameer: that look on your face, is very similar to mine, when I angry because I am hungry, I get that look and hence I know its because of the part of me inside you who seems to have taken after me already in her habits and her nature, is hungry and is nudging her mommy to eat something. So now my ladies we have arrived at our destination

Naina

My eyes immediately went outside the window, far from the crowd, we had navigated to a part of the city located on the outskirts. There were tall trees everywhere, it almost felt like amidst a jungle. But sameer that driven us to a bungalow and he had managed to park in front of the same. It had a large lawn to its right dotted with flowers around its periphery while a mango tree stood at every corner. The house though a bungalow, looked less intimidating. It had feeling of someone's home. It was a simple two story house with a terrace with again potted plants and a swing, that moved every time the wind blew. I noticed the house had all its lights on and the lawn had some sort of decoration with twinkling lights hanging from the trees. Did me bring me to someone's house for a party calling it our date? What sort of date is it where others get to be kabab mein haddi.

Sameer: I have named it Samaina

Naina

My reverie was broken by his words, and I looked at him quizzically

Sameer: name of our house, a little retreat for our family. This place, I have named it Samaina, after you and me

Naina

I gasped at the realization, he had bought us a house, our family. I had tears in my eyes

Sameer: whoa! I did this for some kiss not for the waterworks, hold that please

Naina

I snorted and punched him playfully on the arm .

Next he got out of the car and helped me out

Once inside I could see the house was done up just like I had always dreamed. Simple yet elegant. It had pictures hung on the walls pictures of us from college, pictures from our wedding and a few blank frames. There was a sofa set with a centre table nothing too fancy yet it oozed with elegance. The curtains were all cotton and with sheer ones in between each of the cotton ones. The walls had been done in pastels and the lights. This time there were no chandeliers but small lamps with golden lights that gave the room a golden hue. When my eyes landed on the dining table I could see the food had already been set. When I looked back at him he simply shrugged.

Sameer : the cook made one of my favourites and I had asked him to set the table and leave. I guess he is good at following instructions

Naina

When I moved to open each of the ceramic bowls I found, steamed rice in one, followed by rajma in the other one. The third bowl had some raita while the fifth and sixth had gulaab jamun and rabri

I was stumped. I had been craving rajma, how on earth?

Sameer: we have ice cream too in the fridge, kesar pista, my favourite

Stumped again, my mouth watered at the thought of kesar pista.

He led me to the table while he served me a plate and then he served himself. I sat still, shocked. Did he read minds?

Sameer: no I don't

Naina: huh?

Sameer: your question, am answering that

Naina: what question?

Sameer: whether I read minds? I don't, its just some of my favourites that I made him prepare. Since my girl loves me already

I started blushing again

Sameer: am talking about my daughter, not you silly!

I punched him yet again and this time he faked being hurt. Laughter and conversation that was easy and so natural. It felt like, we had never gone through all that hell to be here today. that we had never fought on that evening at band stand. As if we were parts of the same puzzle that fit to t. we are perfection together. As if all the anxiety all the questions all the what ifs had vanished.

Post dinner we went up to the terrace with our ice creams. He mostly fed his, since I was ravenously hungry it seemed. He kept caressing my abdomen while I laid my head on his shoulders. As the night wore, the soft wind grew and the swing moved at its own accord. we gazed at the moons remembering ours days from the school, while the moon shone on us. Our fingers intertwined while I felt his soft lips on my forehead. He pulled me closer to him while he kept the bowls and the spoons aside. I felt his arms go around my waist while his other hand roamed in around my torso. The air suddenly charged with with an electricity and soon I felt his breath over mine. When I looked up in his eyes. they shone with love desire and with promises. My eyes closed on their own accord while his lips caressed mine softly. Soon we were kissing. It started soft. The slow sucking on each other that soon turned into a passionate play wherein he maneuvered his tongue inside my mouth. Our tongued were engaged in a duel while I felt my arms go up on around his neck pulling him closer.

He took this as an encouragement and I soon felt his hands all over my body, roaming all over devoid of any shame. He felt my mouth only to start kissing me on the neck starting from below my earlobe. I gasped at his torture while I went limp into his arms. I was left to his devices now. He picked me up and proceeded to one of the bedrooms.

The master bedroom, our room. It was lit with the same golden glow. The walls were peach and the curtains were mix of peach with pink in between. The bed sheet was an elegant white with peach flowers and pink buds and the throw pillows were an array of pastels with peach cream and pink dominating the hues. It all looked magical.

He laid me amidst all the pillows while he unbuttoned his shirt. After all these times, yet I felt so conscious so shy that I turned my head towards one of the walls on the right. I could feel his smirk and heard his chuckle that followed. He knew I still blushed at our intimacy even when I am pregnant with his child.

There on the wall I saw he had hung a picture of a cute chubby baby girl. She wore a diaper and a flower tiara was put on her head and she couldn't stop laughing it seemed.

I felt his breaths fanning across my face while the warmth from his bare torso resonated in my viens. My heart beat picked up and I looked at him

Sameer: in a few months we will have her giggling just like that.

With that he sealed our lips. Yet again a duel of tongues began while I felt his hands all over me. this time it moved with a renewed rigor and aggression as if he couldn't get enough of me. I matched his every move and my palms moved along all the hills and planes of his torso. In no time were we bare. He had managed he kiss me and simultaneously disrobe me without me knowing. I blushed at our state while I hid under him hiding my face in his chest.

He chuckled yet again while he brought upon us the the peach duvet to cover us both.

He yet again leaned into me and kissed me passionately. His lips moved over my being in slow torture. Taking his time to kiss fondle love every inch, every part of me. sucking onto my soft spots leaving his mark lovingly. He nuzzled in my neck while I sucked his shoulders. We were a mess yet we were beautiful. We matched each other in every step loved all of each other. The wind blew in and soon the sound of rain reverberated through the windows. It thundered while we plunged deeper into one another. His lips kissed me as a whole while I gave him all of me. and soon it was time for us to be one, like everytime he looked into my eyes while we became one, his hands found mine while our fingers laced into one. He kissed me while we moved in unison. The slow pitter patter on the panes had picked up a steady rhythm while within the walls our slow moans and movements seemed like a start anew. Indeed a new start of us, of me and him of us, our baby, of us as parents. the drops of rain grew big and so did the passion for every big drop that splattered on the panes, I could feel the crescendo of love building a new melody. Melody with fierce passion that resonated through every part of us reverberating in our hearts. The souls came together piquing at the symphony of love that gave birth to the sonnet of our lives.

The night turned into a magical one, with me and him loving each other as man and wife.