I wake up in the wee hours of the morning to find him sprawled on the other side of the bed curled up in his blanket. I look down to find the blanket pulled away exposing my bare skin. I am only in a flimsy t-shirt after our adventurous night. I use my hands to rub my arms as a shiver goes down. I fumble for the A.C remote in the dark before I grab it from beside the pillows and use it to switch off the AC.

Lightly shivering and rubbing my palms on my arms I make my way to the windows to pull them open. The early morning cool breeze flows onto my face setting my wild tendrils free. Bright orange and red light peeks through the lavender and indigo clouds, casting a beautiful shade of purple, orange and red. As I breathe in lungfuls of the woody-floral and sweet intoxicating odor of fresh blossoms of Burflower, I am reminded of the days back in my childhood where we had a Burflower tree in our front yard and I loved it's smell when it flowered. The thing I had missed the most when I had travelled to Pune for college. Mother always found it repelling but Papa and I always loved it.

Papa. . .

I am all of a sudden reminded of the pain, the loss and the suffering. I had momentarily forgotten about the near loss I had suffered yesterday swept up in the arms of the man I had given up myself voluntarily. Swept up in the woes of passion, I hadn't given a thought to the future, didn't want to. But my calculating mind would never let me take a step unprepared. Yes, that's right. I need a fixed schedule but my life now is akin to a cosmic chaos.

I smile as I remember how he couldn't stop at the first time, neither could I. It did hurt slightly in the successive turns, but I couldn't stop him knowing this night could be a dream. Every time I was happy it was taken away from from me, so over the years I learnt to enjoy it while it's there. Leave no regrets behind. The realisation that I love a man I can never have, I do not even have the real name of, further sprays salt on my open wounds. Now looking on to the rising sun, the night forgotten I must decide the next step. There's no way I want to hide from him, or keep secrets unless necessary. I wonder if I should tell Apa about him -

" What are you doing near the window instead of my arms?" A rather raspy, deep morning voice cuts through my musings. My heart does a happy gallop at his chocolaty, deep rich voice.

" Not the perfect way to get up, I guess?" I purr, my insides already tightening at the prospect of perfect waking up. I cross my arms across my chest, deliberately pushing up my breasts. His flimsy t-shirt only covers me up to the top of my thighs. I am not a dwarf that his shirt would come down to my knees like a dress.

" Couldn't ask for a better view." He mewls, his eyes are transfixed to my bare thighs. I make my way to him from the window, deliberately slowing down my long strides into short feminine ones like a cat prowling towards its prey. He sits up on his elbows for a better view as I shorten the gap. I stand near the bedside, pretending to intentionally delay going near him, when it's my nerves in a frenzy that stops me. I want to do so much with him, given I know the time I have with him will be shortlasting, that I can't make up my mind which to go for first. Moreover there's my inexperience that stops me from doing something bold, afraid of embarrassing myself. Afraid that he would lose interest.

" Are you just going to tease me or do something?"

" Do what?"

He quirks up an eyebrow as if accepting my challenge before his arm darts out and pulls me on top of me. I land on his hard chest not so ceremoniously making him huff out given my body weight. I am not obese obviously but given my height, I need to put on some weight or I would look like a bamboo wearing human clothes.

His lips take hold of mine, molding with mine. My arms lazily wrap around his neck as he pulls me under him. I like the way his body covers mine, as if guarding my vulnerabilities from the world. I feel safe here.

His lips leave mine before kissing my temple, " Why did you wake up so early?"

" I don't know," I shrug, not really knowing how I woke up early.

" Why did you wake up early?" I ask, him this time hoping he did not have another nightmare while I was busy with my musings.

" I couldn't."

" Why?" I ask. Did he really have another nightmare? It's all because of me. Oh no, how could I be so careless? I take hold of his hands slightly squeezing it in reassurance.

My heart stutters in my chest when he grabs my hand but then he pulls it down, using my hands to cup his erection covered by his briefs.

"Oh, youu..mean, this?" I stammer, as my eyes widen and my face immediately reddens.Had I not been blessed with my wheatish skin tone, I would have looked like a cherry ready to be popped. Oh, it's popped anyway. I feel hot all over again with just a simple touch.

" I couldn't sleep. It woke up only moments after you fell asleep."He shrugs with a hint of amusement. I burst out laughing, now wondering on a totally different aspect of male anatomy. My ideas of male anatomy were all limited to cadavers and diagrams, until today. This is why practical is needed. At least a boyfriend would have helped me understand male anatomy better.

" So you want me to help with it?" I ask, my insides melting at the prospect.

He grabs my chin to look up at him, " Why don't you look at me, instead of my chest? I know it's enticing, but my face is more enticing."

" Your chest looks better than your face." I reply, when in reality, I am just too shy.

Shy, after previous night? Hypocrite.

" No, I would have woken you up before if I wanted. You are already sore, you need rest."

I burst out laughing , somewhat disturbed at the sweetness.

" What are you laughing at?" He asks, confused.

" You are being terribly sweet. You are better off as broody and gloomy, the serious one." I say.

" I was the funniest guy in my class. Girls loved me. What's better than good sex and a guy who makes you laugh after that ?" Ouch, that stings. So I wasn't his first like he's mine. I dispel the jealousy that tries to rise up and he doesn't notice how I avert my eyes at that as his eyes brighten as he recounts his college days. He continues, " I have always been this way, until I joined the forces. You bring out the hidden part of me and that worries me. Caring for somebody while on a mission can never ends any better." He says

Like caring for Farhema left him with nightmares. This makes me realise I little I know about him, his real life. Makes me wonder if I would have fallen in love with the charming, funny guy he was back then. My chests tighten at the prospect of it, maybe in some other dimension. Would she get her happily ever after there. I hope she does. I will my heart to enjoy the present instead of the pondering on the future. He must have realised the sudden drop in my mood as he grabs my hand and kisses the inside of my palm, his lips lingering for a moment than necessary.

" I will get the breakfast ready. Ruksar isn't here today. Meanwhile get changed."

I nod, not coming up with another befitting reply as I take the discarded clothes from the floor from the previous night before making my way to my room. He stops me in between, dipping down to kiss me, before whispering, "Come down after you freshen up."

_______________________________________________________________

After brushing my teeth and getting rid of the knots in my hair, I come down to the dinning area to find him not there. He must be in the kitchen. I wonder if he can cook, I saunter into the kitchen to find him chopping onions.

" What are you cooking?" I rest by back on the kitchen counter while he puts the chopped onions into the bowl of eggs then starts whisking it.

" Bread toast. Do you like it?" He asks.

" I like it, but I can't have it today."

He stops whisking to peer at me in confusion, " Why?"

" Today's Monday, and I do not eat egg, fish or meat on this day."

" Why didn't I know you were a vegetarian?" It comes out as a question rather than a statement while he continues whisking the contents in the bowl with a spoon.

"Uh. . .I am not exactly a vegetarian. I am a vegetarian on Mondays only." I answer, slightly embarrassed. He must take me for a fool and I do not know how to explain it to him.

" You are either a vegetarian or a non vegetarian, nothing in between, Sahiba. And last I remember you were enjoying chicken biriyani. So, how come you are a vegetarian?" He mocks.

This flares my temper, "You shouldn't comment on a culture you know nothing about. Hindu mythology has a lot of Gods and Goddesses. Most people worship only one or two of them with utmost devotion. Monday is lord Shiva's day. So to worship him, all Shiva devotees refrain from eating anything that's non-veg. Some people observe this on other days of the week depending on the diesties they worship. We also do this on auspicious occasions like Ekadashi, Makar Sankranti, etc.

Some people like the Marwaris, some tribes in Rajasthan are vegetarians. It's a sin there to even touch meat. So, it varies." I complete, my nostrils flaring already.

"Hmm..so should I make an eggless sandwich for you?"He asks.

" I would like a butter toast and I can make it myself."

"A sandwich would be better." He argues.

" I can't add onions to sandwich, it will not taste good."

" Onions are prohibited too? Why?" He asks, this time with genuine curiosity.

" Onions and garlic are considered as taamsic foods that evoke carnal energy and garlic makes you lose your grip on instincts. That makes one unable to differentiate between priorities and desires."

" Have you been having a lot of Garlic lately?" He asks, while he puts the batter on the pan followed by a piece of bread.

My insides melt at the insinuation, "Maybe, it's all because of Ruksar. She puts a lot of garlic and onions in food."

" How come I never noticed you doing your Mondays here? And how did you keep it up in your college, while staying in a hostel?" He asks as he flips the toast.

"I eat the tortilla with curd only. I didn't touch the curry. I didn't want you to know. What if you took advantage of it?

It was always weird, you know, keeping this up, particularly in hostel canteen.Each and every food there almost had garlic or onion. But the chef was a kind man. Once he knew of my problem, he made a separate plate for me on Mondays free of garlic or onions. They were others like Jains who were vegetarians, and they don't eat garlic or onions. I don't know how they keep up with it." I shrug.

" That was. . . quite a lot of your culture." He chuckles as he takes a plate and serves the egg toast on it.

I chuckle as he puts a hearty sum of ketchup on it. The scene makes me homesick. Is this how it feels to have a daily, to wake up to someone, to cook your dishes together?

" You are a kid, you know?" I say as I smear the butter across my toast.

" And you are an 80 year old grandma."

" To think you get hard seeing a grandma. Isss.. is it alright up there?" I grin pointing at his forehead.

I smirk triumphantly as I take my plate and we both exit the kitchen simultaneously.

" We need to talk, Nehali." The seriousness in his tone, is like cold water splashed upon the previous joyful mood.

" About what?" I breathe out, knowing what's to come and there's no way I can prolong it.

" Abdul Gaffar." He spells out grinding his teeth. That one name is enough for my stomach to knot in an unpleasurable way.

Author's Note:

Sorry to keep you waiting, lovely people. Here is the new chapter update. I will make the updates due as soon as I get the time. Time and inspiration are low these days. 😅

Don't forget to vote and comment.

Stay safe.❤