I asked, “You didn’t like it?”
She said, “It’s nice but”
I asked, “But”
She said, “I wanna talk to Mom in privacy; can you leave me alone?”
I said, “Okay, I’ll go a walk” and left the room.
I went to the reception and made a call to my mom, my call was on waiting.
She attended my call and said, “Hey Arjun, Nethra is on the other line”
I said, “Yes, I know, put me on conference without her knowledge mom”
Mom said, “That’s not a good practice. Call me later I’ll talk to you”
I said, “Mom, she is my wife and I need to know if she is unhappy with me”
My mom said, “It’s bad, should I do it?”
I said, “Please mom” reluctantly she connected the calls and told Nethra, “Sorry dear that was an important call that’s why I had put you on hold”
She said, “That’s fine mom, no issues”
Mom asked, “So how was your day today? How is Arjun behaving with you?”
She started sobbing and my Mom asked, “What happened? Why are you crying?
Did he force you?”
She said, “No, he is gem of a person and I’m feeling guilty I’m disappointing him, I’m not fulfilling my responsibility as a wife”
Mom said, “Thanks, for a moment I thought I have raised an animal”
She said, “No mom, he gave me a night dress as a honeymoon gift”
Mom asked, “You didn’t like it”
She said, “I liked it but it is transparent and seductive. I feel shy and awkward to put it on”
Mom said, “Sweet heart listen, He is your husband and has all rights to see you like that but only if you are willing and I promise you he won’t trouble you or force you. Put it on only when you’re comfortable and he’ll take it as a sign. My advice for you is life is beautiful enjoy it and you’ll start liking this life soon. Take your time. Enjoy your honeymoon, okay”
She said, “hmmm…”
Mom said, “That’s good. Good girl. Take care. Bye. Good night” and disconnected her call and asked me, “What Arjun, what is your wife saying?”
I said, “I love you mom, you handle her wisely”
Mom said, “People are more important than anything else Arjun.
Relationships are more fragile; handle with care. Take care of her”
I asked, “Sure Mom. So how are you, dad, Adithi and Mithra doing?”
She said, “We all are doing fine. Enjoy your honeymoon and come back home safely. I wish your patience will be paid soon”
I said, “Thanks, I want us to be compatible people first, which is more important for a family. Am I right mom?
She said, “Yes, couples should be capable of existing together in harmony. Okay take care. Bye”
I said, “Bye, Good night” and we disconnected the call and I went to my room and knocked it.
She said, “Come in”
While entering I asked, “What did you mother-in-law say?”
She said, “Nothing, we were just talking”
I said, “Okay, I’m feeling sleepy” saying this I lay on the couch and asked her, “Can I sleep here or shall I check if another room is available”
She said, “No, you can sleep on the cot, I’ll sleep on the couch”
I said, “Maybe we can take a forty winks on the couch but it is uncomfortable for an entire night’s sleep so I suggest both of us sleep on the cot comfortably if you are comfy”
She said, “Okay” and we walked towards the cot as two poles and laid ourselves on both the edges facing the walls. We dozed off soon and I woke up when the hot sun’s rays hit my face and found her still sleeping but she was facing me and her legs slightly wrapped on me without her knowledge. I called the room service and ordered for coffee and lay on the bed gently
stroking her head as I didn’t want to disturb her sleep.
She was sleeping like a baby. The name sleeping beauty was very apt for her and I wondered if the princess in the sleeping beauty fairy tale would have been as beautiful as my Nethra. In silence I asked God, Why did you put her in wrong hands instead you could have given her to me, I would have taken care of my angel. Anyway thank you lord for giving her to me. I’m happy with her.
The calling bell rang tringggggggggg………..
I opened the door and the room service personnel said, “Good morning Sir, Your coffee and newspaper. Have a nice day” saying this he left the tray on the table and left the room.
I served coffee for both of us and woke her up with a kiss on her forehead, she didn’t refuse it.
We started off with the days outing plan. Usually when we were together I used to do a lot of talking and she speaks very little which is contradictory to our gender.
Similarly today I asked her; tell me some of the happiest moments in your life.
She said, “My world is very small. It consists of Mithra and me. Few years back 4 more people joined my world. Yet I have few happy moments to mention”
I interrupted and asked, “Don’t you have your mother and father in your world?”
She sternly said, “No, I can never forgive them for ruining my childhood.
Don’t talk about them please, their thoughts make me angry”
I felt bad at her response and I was able to feel the pain and agony in her tone. I said, “Okay, go on with your happy moments”
She said, “I was very happy when little Mithra was born. I was extremely happy when you said; my safety is your responsibility. I saw a fatherly concern in it. I started liking you from that
moment onwards. When you got food for me I found a motherly care. When you said the worst hostel food is good and you gave me your lunch so I can at least have one good meal a day; I saw your brotherly affection. When you surprised me with a gift on my birthday I saw a true friend in you. I was bountifully happy when your mother first kissed me on my forehead, Adithi’s innocent chats and time spent with mom, dad, Adithi, Mithra and you are the finest moments in my life”
I said, “You have seen me as a father, mother, brother and friend but why is your heart refusing to accept me as your husband?”
She said, “It’s because of my past dreadful experience which I haven’t told you”
I said, “I don’t want to listen to your past which will remind you of that and trouble you. I know you’re innocent. All I would say is forget the past, I understand it’s very hard but still try not to ruin the present with the past”
I felt happy that she spoke frankly and unusually, expressed herself.
During dinner she said, “You can take liquor if you want” I said, “Not today, I don’t feel like taking a drink now. When I feel like taking a drink I’ll surely ask for your permission, dear. Okay?” she smiled and said, “Okay”
The second day of our honeymoon went on like this with a little improvement of sleeping together facing each other without any hesitation. She woke up early the third day. Sweet sound of her anklets woke me but I was pretending to sleep and I was observing her. She ordered for coffee and was trying to wake me up. She got her face near my face but took it back. Few moments later she came near to kiss my forehead but she didn’t, I opened my eyes and said, “Leave off your shyness and kiss me dear” sheepishly smiling she said, “Good morning” and handed me a cup of coffee. I knew she started to love me but was reluctant to reveal it.
We went for the third day’s outing and she started to walk holding my hands and allowed me to wrap my hands on her shoulder. There was progression in our intimacy and we captured it in the photo snaps. This day went on as usual with a little improvement of wrapping our hands and legs around each other.
Though longing and yearning welled up in my heart, I enjoyed this waiting.
It was an interesting and exciting experience to make her bloom herself. The fourth day’s outing went on like this and in the night she asked me, “It’s boring, Can we play something?”
I said, “Okay, let me check if the billiards pool or any recreation centre is open in the hotel at this point of time”
She said, “Let’s play an indoor game”
I said, “Oh, we don’t have chess board or carom here. What do we play?”
She said, “Hide and seek”
I laughed loudly and said, “Hide and seek interesting. Okay who is gonna hide and who is gonna seek?”
She said, “I’m gonna hide and you’re gonna seek” saying this she tied my eyes and pulled my hands to my back and tied them together.
I asked, “When was then rule changed. I know hide and seek where only eyes were tied but why hands?”
She said, “what if you take out the eye band with your hands before I hide and find out my hiding place?”
I asked, “Okay, but anyway I have to take it out myself once you’re hid”
She said, “Oh yeah, I didn’t think about it. Okay you start counting by the time I will hide and think on how to release your hands as well”
She said, “100”
Hmmm funny I started counting, “one, two, three……………… forty, forty one…………. Seventy, seventy one……………… ninety nine, hundred. I was counting and at the same time thinkingCome?”
No response from her…
Silence!!!!!…. Silence!!!!!!…..
?????