Story: Drawn Together (Chapter 11)

Chapter-11 ( Gush Of Freshness)

Radhika walked along the marooned road in a huff of an anger. It was swanked with decideous thick green trees on either side of the road. She thought if any vehicle would come to her rescue, but it was as lonely and silent, except the sounds of the wild animals around. Sometimes she heard hooting sounds, grunts, stealth running of four feets, slithering and hissing sounds.

Her muscles, arms and legs hurt with the exertion she did while walking all along. Her chest heaved up and down with the force of her hacking breaths.

Radhika cursed the fate and the grisly bear of her overnight husband for everything bad that is happenning in her life now.

Very early in the morning, her body in a usual process of the biological clock had jerked up awake. With bleary and squinty eyes, she looked around. She had groaned, thinking it was already the morning. She didn’t know why she was feeling so tired. With eyes still closed she went to the washroom and started brushing her teeth and taking a shower in a routine. Right when she reached for the usuall hanger in still a sleep mode, her hand reached empty space and she almost tripped on the shower curtains, that shocked her out of the sleep. She kept blinking and looked around. Why doesn’t it look like her bathroom. She froze and her eyes went wide and panicky. It wasn’t a dream. It was an actual reality her signing the papers of her fate. Radhika hurriedly but very reluctantly put on the same clothes remembering all the events of the last night. It came like small airy punches in her face, the reality of her situation, but she froze looking at herself in the mirror. A small sticker of a white plaster was attached to the side of her forehead and Radhika wondered if she tended to the cut, but nothing of such came back to her as a memory. Her shoulders just shrugged.

She moved inside the room in a stealth and got out in the open through large glass windows, and ran so fast in the woods as if the very devil was at her back.

*******

Arjun got out of the shower, and changed into fresh clothes. Blue faded jeans and a light pink sweater t-shirt.

He rubbed his right palm over his face, and yawned quite heavily. He walked to the elongated aisle and reached a room. He hesitated a second outside the door, but pushed it open anyway.

His eyes slid around the room, and he sighed. The bed was empty and went into the bathroom to check. He came out, and his glance fell on the large glass windows. They were opened to the outside lawn and into the woods. He narrowed his eyes and walked out of the room. He grabbed the car keys from the front door hanger and walked outside.

***********

Radhika’s throat was parched and her stomach growled in extreme hunger. She didn’t have anything since yesterday and now the affects of not eating anything really toned down her physical capabilities.

She slowed down by the road and kept looking for any of the vehicles to come, but it pointless. The heat was a little blistering too much, and the sun was at her head. She started sweating profusely now. God, how many hours had she walked?

Just when she turned around, her body went high alert, as her squinty wincing eyes spotted a far away black dot over the long stretched road in an amazing wonder. Oh, thank god, some vehicle finally. Radhika decided sweetly ask for a lift. She stood in the middle of the road and flailed her arms around for it to stop. A wide spread across her face. Freedom!

But it whoosed out her enthusiasm when he peered by keeping her hand over up her eyes to see who the driver was. Oh heavens, her mind cried out.

The car stopped right upto her face and Radhika closed her eyes shut feeling that he would hit her, but nothing of that sort happened when it stopped just an inch closer to her legs. Her shoulders sagged relieved.

She opened her eyes and glared at the man behind the wheel, who stared back at her in a flat gaze. What was the point in running away now. She had already spent the evening and night in that place with him. Her father might have already washed his hands off her, she thought sadly.

Radhika groaned, scrunching up her face in disgust she got around the vehicle. The locks clicked open, she glared more fiercely than before, giving up of finding no other way she got inside the car. She pulled the door in a bang. It was better this than becoming the food of one of the foxes that she knew lurked around inside the trees.

“I’m hungry.” She sulked, looking at the road.

She only got a grunt in reply.

She huffed and fumed in silence. He started the car without a word. Seriously, a tree would be more verbose than this man, atleast it would rustle its branches in the trees. She glanced across the buttons and pushed one with her forefinger. A full gust of air blasted on her face and cooled the perspiration dry of her face. Radhika closed her eyes and sagged back on the seat, but suddenly the breeze stopped hitting her face. She opened her eyes, and frowned looking at the buttons. She glanced across his averted face and cursed.

She pushed the AC button again.

“I don’t like cold air.” He grunted in displeasure filled gravelly voice.

Whatever, Radhika’s mind vibrated out in reply.

“And I don’t like being dried up in the heat.” She shot back irritated, and stirred to get a comfortable position in the seat.

And why did he built an AC in his car then, if he doesn’t like cold air or whatever that is.

“And I’m hungry.” She insisted on belligerantly.

He only just looked away.

Jerk, she mumbled under gritted her teeth.

Her left knee knocked on his elbow and he tilted his head to glare at her. She just pushed her chin in the air and ignored him.

She looked out of the car window and stared at a distance lake. It looked really dark and sinister and Radhika gulped hard.

“Is there really a crocodile trove here? And why aren’t there any people around?” She asked in curiosity, still looking out of the car window.

After a minute of complete, his deep burring voice circulated around.

“The whole area is my private property. Except the caretakers of the forest, you wouldn’t find anyone tresspassing here.” He said in a robotic tone.

Well…

“I didn’t ask about your ‘so called properties’ or information of such. As you see, I’m not really interested about your business status or statastics. I was just asking if there is really a trove filled with crocodiles?” Radhika turned her face to his side in persistant curiosity….”And I really am hungry. Isn’t there a restuarant around the corner…I can’t really remain hungry you know and…” She went on and on but stopped dead when his head whipped around.

His face was coloured in a pique and shadowed with barely there controlled anger.

Radhika gulped down more of the word vomit that seem to come out of her mouth. She was used to talking a lot. More than necessary. It was an anxious bout of words that she couldn’t stop even if she tried. She goes on and on.

“Three times you said that you’re hungry, and I got it the first time itself. You don’t have to repeat it continously and yak and shout in my ear like a fish wife. And blo*dy yes, there is a crocodile trove. Do you want to get thrown in it?” He ranted and asked through gritted teeth.

Fish wife? And she was yakking? How dare he call her names.

Radhika eyes narrowed and she gave him a droll stare.

“Geez! I was only asking. No need to get your intestines twisted because of it.” She muttered back.

His face turned into an incredulous reaction.

Now what happened? She thought staring at his face.

“I got my intestines twisted?” He asked, in a bemused tone.

“Uh, yeah..” Radhika snorted…”Like right now, your intestines must be really really knotty. Your face says that you’re in deep pain. Did you eat something bad in the morning?” She concluded in a critical tone, looking all over across at his face.

He just shook his head and looked upfronted by her conclusion.

“f**king headache.” He muttered under his breath.

Radhika face burned at that.

“You should have thought better before getting married to a headache then…and don’t curse, I don’t like staying around people who curse..”She hissed and her eyes flashed.

He just gave her a flat looking side glance.

“Trust me, I really am thinking back about the decision.” He mocked her gravelly.

“Like I said before, You should have really thought about it before you signed the papers.” Radhika spat out.

“Do you want to get thrown out of the running car? I could really like some silence right now.” He muttered through clenched teeth.

Radhika just rolled her eyes. Whatever really. It was getting old, his threats.

“Glady, I would prefer falling flat on the road rather than being in your boring company.” She glowered.

He just gritted his teeth and seem to be much suffering as his hand tightened more on the steering wheel. His fingers turned white, but a second later his face turned to hers and he stared into her eyes, and turned away his head to the road.

“All the while that you’re chattering about, you don’t even have any idea about the snake that’s curled around your left ankle.” He said in a matter of fact tone.

Radhika’s blood ran cold, and it leeched off her body as an complete extreme terror struck her heart and body. Her body went into sudden freeze. She couldn’t look down now ever or else she was bound to lay dead next if she did.

“Oh, my god! Get it off me! Get it off me! Get it off me!” She screamed fast, jumped up,clutched his neck and hung on to his shoulder like a monkey.

She closed her eyes in a tight shut.

“I have a extreme fright of anything that slithers in a slime on the ground…uh and…..” Wait a moment, and of course she forgot about lizards….”Or on the wall…please…please please do something!” She screeched.

Radhika heard deep burring chuckle, a slow vibration of his chest, and she opened her eyes breathing hard. His face was just inches away from hers. He was looking down at her and was smiling. His face was spread in the lines and angles of too much mirth. Laughter lines defined more over the edges of his eyes and at the corners of his lips. His deep warm breathing fell on her forehead. His shoulder that she kept clutching on was rough, firm, toned and strong. Immediately his body heat entered into hers in a safe evelope of warmth. Radhika stared up into his face with big eyes in a mesmerised pull of sharp intake of breath. He looked so nice while smiling.

“I was only joking.” He said softly, his eyes held hers in a tender caress.

His eyes slid all over her face and settled on her lips for an incessant minute. Radhika felt his heavy heated stare on her lower lip. The heat of his warm brown eyes spread like wild fire all over her skin.

His head leaned down, and his lips almost touched hers, but she instantly let go of his shoulder and settled back on the seat very much affected by his close physical approximity. His eyebrows furrowed deeply at her leaning away.

She drew her legs up on the seat and touched her ankle to make sure nothing was there. Radhika gave him the blackest of all glares that she could manage.

“It’s not funny.” She gritted out.

He only shrugged in nonchalance and reply.

Radhika glanced at the buttons, feeling bored again with the silence. She put on some music. Light strings of guitar sounds travelled around and she felt happy listening to the Taylor swift song. It was ‘Love Story’ that was playing on the radio.

She sagged back on the seat happily and started to hum and sing too a little loudly.

“You were Romeo…and throwing pebble..”She started to sing with the lyrics…

“What f**k nonsense is this.” She heard his disgruntled tone, and cutting off of the music.

She sat upright and pushed the button.

He gritted his teeth. His broad arm flexed while taking a turn on the road. The lines of angry veins of his hand defined more.

“This is shit. Stop singing along, your voice is making my ears bleed.” He growled low.

He pushed the botton with the right hand forefinger and the music stopped again.

“Stop it!” Radhika said out loud irritated…”I want to listen. How can you live in silence….maybe that’s the reason you’re like this..”She gave him a sad once over all his face and form.

His face turned into stone when she said the last part in a mock.

“What did you just you say?” He asked her dangerously.

She gave him a ‘duh’ look. Maybe he was dumb too. How was he the owners of so many companies, she didn’t know.

“I said, as you lack a taste of good music in your life, maybe that’s the reason you are so bland a person in general.” She said slow words and deliberation to make him understand the words.

He stared at her sideways in an angry gaze and his jaw locked up tight.

” You’re saying that if I don’t listen to that girly crap…then I become a bland person…?”He asked in a little disbelief of eyes, and Radhika nodded her head in a yes. His eyes turned freezing cold at that nod.

“That’s it. You’re getting out of the car.” He muttered in a gravel and through closed teeth.

Radhika flat out laughed at that.

“Don’t be silly. You can’t leave your wife in the middle of nowhere. How will the media react, if I go and hold a press conference about my brute of a husband and how he treats me…”She said slowly, sachharine sweetly in a blackmailing voice.

Her smile turned impish when his form froze and his eyes became like cutting stones, when she used his own words against him.

Yeah, you can dish it, but you can’t eat it, mister, she mocked him in her mind.

She turned to the front still smiling.

“And I need new clothes. These have become dirty since yesterday and…” She started again, but he started to curse heavily now.

“I prefer to stay in hell than bear a second of it, this torture.” He muttered low under his breath.

Radhika snorted unlady like.

“You already are registered in the top list there, I can assure you. So, don’t worry much about it.”

The car surronded more of the curses and displeased grunts and a whole lot of a chatter, that seem to go and go on, too much that the man’s ears really started to hurt and bleed.

**********

Radhika saw that he parked the car in some kind of an aclove. It looked like a little restero type, but more of a tree house thing. Whatever it was, she was hungry too much.

He got out of the car, but did not look back at her. Her nostrils flared at that. Arrogant much, she thought.

She got out of the car and kept walking with lazy drag of feet. It made a rough grating sound.

His head whipped down at her feet.

“I don’t like the sound of it. It’s annoying. Don’t do that.” He ordered her with furrowed brows.

Radhika’s lips pursed and her face went all taut.

“You don’t like this. You don’t that. You don’t like so many things that it’s hurting my head to think around the stuff…” She started in an insipid rant, but her mouth shut up and eyes widened, as he came around out of nowhere fast.

He caught hold of her arms and held her up and leaned his face to hers.

“If you don’t shut up, I’ll kiss you shut up.” He muttered in a husky voice.

His lips just inches away from hers.

“I have been patient too much for too long. If your verbal bout doesn’t stop…I have to take an action and that involves a lot more less words and lot more you and me in the car..it’s looks really inviting putting you there, so…”He indicated with his eyes of what he plans to do, with a caress all over her body.

Radhika felt a rise of goosebumps all over her skin. Words failed on her tongue. His lips quirked up at that. She flushed hot at his words and her cheeks bloomed pink.

“That’s good.” He said, as his finger slid all over her lower lip.

He moved away and walked forward in a saunter.

Radhika’s face burned and her skin heated up.

He crossed a circle of a round thick vined alley and went into the back of the restaurant. She followed along. It was mesmerising. A round small wood table was dug into the earth and there were two wiry wooden chairs opposite to each other, and an umbrella stand was too dugged in the ground. It shadowed the table from the sun. There weren’t many people, but only a few lingered.

He went about his business and sat down on the chair. Radhika too followed suit and perched in opposite to his chair.

A waitress, a small petite smiling beautiful woman of her age came around to their table immediately from inside of the restero tree.

“Hello, Sir, it had been a while you came here.” She smiled sweetly down at him, and fluttered her too dark an eyelashes.

He looked up and smiled back with a nod of acknowlwdgement.

The waitress with the long silky ponytail, with a uniform of a white skirt just gave Radhika a side glance sans any smile. Except her eyes were too cool and assessing.

Radhika growled inside. Witch, she thought.

She whipped a small notepad and pen out of her black apron she had on around her hips over the white skirt.

“What would be your order, Sir?” She asked him.

“The usual order. Scrambled eggs, toast, bagels, coffee and orange juice for two.” He concluded in a sleek, and smiled a little at the too blushing a girl.

Usual? How many times did he come here? And with how many woman?
Radhika’s stare fell on his bright smile. Ugh! How much are you going to show your perfect white teeth. They’re gonna fall off with too much smiling, Radhika growled in her mind.

The waitress smiled back, ignored Radhika completely and went away.

He kept smiling like that, and she stared and stared. He finally looked back at her and frowned. His smile dimmed. She glared back in too much distate. His smile was like complete ice melting, cheese melting, Butter warming, Sweet candy tasting, cloud floating, marshmellowy and was like a splash of rain in a sunny day. It was that good and that heart fluttering. No wonder the girl was blushing like crazy when he smiled up at her.

But, for Radhika he gave her thorns, porcupines, cactus and dried up stiff face.

“I don’t like it.” She muttered in a miffed tone.

He sighed and leaned back.

“You’re very verbose when it comes to show your displeasure. Go on now…what is that you don’t like about…”He asked her flatly.

Radhika settled back on the seat.

“I don’t like that you didn’t ask me about my order.” She said shortly.

Radhika thought of going on more but stopped herself remembering his double meaning threat.

His left raised up in surprise.

“That’s it?” He asked her in a deep husky voice.

She just shrugged.

“Yeah.”

His head tilted to the side and slid his gaze all over her face.

“What would you have ordered then?” He asked her softly.

Radhika took the menu card from the table and looked all over. Her face burned with embarrassment. She didn’t lift her eyes to his. It was all written in french. There was no english translation.

She looked up at him reluctantly and saw a small smile playing at his lips. Radhika gritted her teeth. The devil. He knew about this, that she couldn’t read French obviously.

“Yes?” He enquired again, with his face all innocent.

Radhika put down the menu, and looked away avoiding his eyes.

“The same order.” She mumbled.

“What? I didn’t hear you?” He wanted clawed to expose her humiliated self.

Her face turned too deep a red.

“It’s the same order.” She raised her voice to normal and repeated the same reply.

She finally caught his eyes, and they were dancing in mirth at her predicament.

“Really?” He asked still looking at her in a mock. He really was patronising her now.

Radhika’s body burned.

“Of course.” She glided her gaze back to the table.

His whole face changed and lined up in red as he started chuckling deeply for quite a while. She only stewed in irritation in a tiff all the while till there ordered breakfast came up to their table.

The plates were placed right under her nose. The smell of coffee called her senses. The round bagles looks soft and delicious with the icing power sprinkled over it. The eggs and juice watered her mouth.

He drew up the fork and started shoving the eggs into his mouth. He sipped on the coffee and munched on the bagles. Radhika stared with a drool forming in the corner of her lips.

He stopped chewing and gave her look and glanced down at her untouched plate.

“You’re not eating?” He asked.

Now he had time to look at if his wife was eating or not? The jerk.

She just grinded her teeth.

“I don’t want it.” She replied in a petulant tone.

He just shrugged his right shoulder in uncaring.

“Suit yourself.” He said flatly.

He then went on slowly applying butter to the toast. Radhika gulped as he again very slowly, bit into the bread. The yellow spread melted and absorbed right into the fluffy pores of bread. She was sure the drool slid down her chin looking at him eat. He made it look so s*xy and delicious all the same. His hands flexed. His jaw looked hot while chewing. His fingers were rough and big holding the bread. It made a slight crunch sound as he chewed, and she fell on the food like crazy.

She grabbed the fork and jabbed at the eggs and filled her mouth to full. She attacked the baggles and ate four of them in one go.

She grabbed the cold orange and gulped it down the delicious tangy and sweet combined liquid.

He chuckled again and shook his head.

“I want to go shopping after this.” She demanded between munching.

He grunted and scowled at her fiercely.

**********

They travelled away in the car after the hearty lunch.

He again parked the car in an area seeming of cleared off the woods and the forest. There were lot of small red colored brick buliding of boutiques around in three rows, except that, there was nothing but trees. He seem to know his way well around here, and Radhika wondered. Who in the god’s name lives in maroon? What kind of recluse was he?

She just sighed and shook her head. Too many question marks around his life. She knew next to nothing about him. Afternoon lazed about and the sun hid itself in the clouds. Radhika got out of the car and looked up at the darkening sky. Seems like it would rain. The cool breeze flew her hair up in the air.

He moved along the stairs and Radhika hurried after him.

The inside and outside of the boutique was all glass made. Bright golden small globe kind of lights hung from the ceiling.

He looked down at her in an enquiring gaze.

“What are you going to buy?” He asked her dubiously.

She just gave him a chin tilt in the chin.

“And why would I tell you that.” She shot back irritated.

Such a stupid question to ask a girl of what she’ll buy when shopping. Radhika would have bought the whole store if possible. There was an aisle of fantastic tops, dresses, Lovely scarfs and whole different shoe asile for women. Eh, she thought lightly, why not burn his pocket, Radhika smiled mischiveously.

Just as she moved forward a sales came running towards them. The girl was tall and s*xy as hell in the black skirt and shirt uniform and Radhika scowled.

Not one moment of peace would these girls spare them really.

The girl batted her eyelashes at him.

“What can I help with, Sir?” She asked coyly.

Radhika’s mouth hung open a little. Did she suddenly disappear for people to ignore her presence or what the hell? Hello, girl, why don’t you ask me what I want, she glowered inside.

Radhika gritted her teeth. She glanced at him. He stood beside her too cool, uncaring and broody. His demeanor was rough and arrogant. He made an appearance of a dark demi god in all his glory. Like the hercules from the ancient Greek. She looked back at the girl, who was checking him out shamelessly.

My god, he was a number one real deal chick magnet, she thought disgustedly.

Radhika moved forward and shielded the girl’s gaze and stood before him.

“Uh, yeah, you can help me, can you like show me the new design of…”Radhika grabbed the girl’s elbow and moved her away and into the deep closets of clothes aisles.

Radhika bought a few night dresses. A few pajamas and jeans. A few tops. And a few dresses. And a very nice three pair of cinderella shoes. Of all three different colours. A beautiful looking purple butterfly bag. All these became like six or seven bags of clothes and boxes.

She purposely stayed enclosed in an only strictly women’s aisle and giggled her time away thinking of his fuming face and pacing large body in the outside of the aisle of the small shop. Suits him well for treating her like trash yesterday. He was in a hell lot of torture for what he did. Meek wife he thought he wanted. Now he really must be regretting of marrying her. Radhika was having a merry time.

She got out of the enclosed rooms. The sales girl who ignored her before carried the shopping boxes and bags behind her in a huffing and puffing in deep strained breaths. Radhika smiled evilly and kept walking.

When she walked forward, she saw his form harden in distance looking at her. His jaw was locked tight. His face was full of fury. His eyes were dark brow flashy. All in all, he looked real deep in seethful of anger for him wait for god knows for how many hours. Radhika stopped just an inch away from his fuming form. She looked up into his eyes in a challenge. He stared down at her in silent benovelence.

“You can give the bags and boxes to my husband. He’ll carry it from here, thank you.” She said to the salesgirl in a slow deliberate voice.

Radhika pointed out and dragged the word ‘husband’…cleary indicating the girl that he was hers.

The girl’s face reddened. She scowled at Radhika, and pushed the bags in his reluctant hands and walked away in a huff.

“What the f**k is this! Did you buy the whole store, woman?” He grunted and looked down at her annoyed.

Radhika walked forward and out of the store. He seem to follow her trial.

“It’s not much. Just a few thing.”She said breezily….and turned around.

“And, don’t curse. I don’t like it. How many times do I have to tell you this..”She muttered under her breath and turned around.

She heard bouts of another string of heavy curses. She rolled her eyes heavenwards. He would never change, would he.

“I’m hungry.” She said casually.

He came around her holding the bags in both of his arms and stared down at her incredulously.

“You just had a large breakfast.”

Radhika gave him a..’are you kidding me look’.

“That was hours ago. It’s evening now, and how can you count my meals..it’s so embarrassing and I get anxious and dizzy on empty stomach..”She started talking again, but not before she heard a deep suffering sigh he took beside from her.

She heard him mutter something under his breath, but she ignored and kept talking about the weather.

“Frustrating woman.” He grunted.

“I think it’s going to rain. Don’t you think? See, I see the lightening creasing the sky all over. It never is like this the weather near my house….”

**********

Radhika walked along with near the boutique. A small restarant was close to the back of the small shops.

It wasn’t much grand but cosy and warm. It was very homely and she loved the ambience and the small cute corner tables.

He glanced down at her and frowned.

“I’ll just come. You go sit.” He muttered in a low voice, got out his ringing phone from his right pocket, and walked out of the door.

Radhika’s eyebrows strained looking at his disappearing back. She sighed and dragged her feet to the corner and slid down on it. She looked out glass window at the far away flowing trees forlonely.

A round stout jolly looking woman came around towards her. She was wearing the restero uniform. The woman, a little older than forty perhaps smiled down at her endearingly. Her eyes were warm grey. Her neck wasn’t visible because of the double chin. She had round red face with hair shortened to her ears.

Radhika instantly liked the woman.

“What I can get you, dear.” The woman asked her gently.

Dear? Radhika’s eyes watered at the endearment. She thought of her mother. How was she at home? What kind of trouble she was in now? She felt really uneasy suddenly.

She smiled wide to hide her rising anxiety.

“I’m waiting for my husband. He went outside for a minute.” She explained.

The woman smiled happy knowning now that she was a married woman. She looked out of the window.

“Oh, is that your husband? He looks like such a handsome boy.” The woman cooed.

Radhika looked out of the glass window and saw him there standing and talking over the phone. Ugh! He was always the charmer, wasn’t he? All girls go battering their eyelids at him. Even the old ones. Jeez, for one day, it was enough for her to see his magic around.

Radhika sighed sadly.

“Yeah, he is.” She said in a low tone.

Something in her tone got the woman, Sarah’s attention, as Radhika looked down at the name badge on her shirt. She frowned in a worry.

“You sound sad, my child. Doesn’t he treat you well?” She asked with a concern of an elder person.

Radhika opened her mouth hastily to clarify her doubt but closed it shut when an immediate thought occured.

Oh, yeah, why not dent his reputation a little. That way no s*xy or pretty waitresses would look at him. There were already some gathering near an another window literally fanning themselves with their left hands looking at him and giggling among themselves.

Time to let out the crocodile tears.

She started out a little sob and screwed up her features convulsed her face in a deep pain.

“Actually…he…he..doesn’t.” She said hacked fake sobs.

The girls all looked back at her curiosly.

Sarah, the stout jolly lady moved towards her and put her hand on Radhika’s shoulder in support.

“Oh, dear..” She mumbled feeling sorry for her.

“Yes…and he beats me up everyday…”She cried hard now, with tears streaming down her face.

Wow! She should be an actress, Radhika thought happily inside.

All the waitresses surronded her now. One of them offered a tissue from the box in sympathy.

“Thank you.” She said horsely in gratitude and smiled at of them.

She wiped the burning tears and blew her nose loud in it.

“How bad he is. You should complaint to the police.” One of the girls muttered in support of her.

“Yes, you should dear.” Sarah agreed with a nod.

“How can I go against him? He is my husband. My love.” She cried again with more tears flowing down her face.

Husband, my love, my foot! Radhika glowered inside.

And, Yay! Take that Arjun Mehra, your ever shining popularity had tanked down like a sinking ship deep into the waters now.

“See the cut on her forhead. I think he hit her there. Poor girl.” One of them whispered to the other.

Radhika did not correct their misunderstanding. Good good, she thought.

One of the four waitresses gave her flat stare.

“I don’t think he did any of that.” She looked across out of the window…”He doesn’t look like a physical abuser.” She concluded looking out and smiling slyly at her husband.

Radhika glowered at the too lean fair girl. She had a funk on her forehead and her hair was long and silky.

Hmm, he doesn’t look like one, huh? Well, it’s time to take out big guns now.

“He has a big black rash over his back.” She said dryly.

All the girls and Sarah stared at her with bugged out eyes.

“Rash?” One of them, the shorter girl mumbled in fright.

Radhika nodded her head.

“Yeah, a big one and it spreads to other people when he touches them or it tranfers to those who stands near him.” She explained at length in a shudder.

The lean fair girl still looked a little unconvinced. He looked all over at Radhika.

“I don’t see you having any rash..if it really does spread.” She said, squinting her eyes suspiciously.

Hmm, smart girl.

“I have taken the medicine for it, but he seems to want it spreading to other people. It is life threatening skin disease…he shouldn’t be going around in public. If I tell him that, he scolds and shuts my mouth…”Radhika wailed and cried again a little.

All the girls had their left hands over their hearts and were almost in tears looking at her. The lean fair girl too looked a little apprehensive now.

The door of the restuarant burst open.

Radhika wiped her tears.

“Can you guys move away…he would think that I was telling on him.” She hastily warned them.

The girls and Sarah got the indication and moved away.

He came around and sat across at her.

“Too many blo*dy damn mosquitoes here. What a vile place this is..”He muttered a few under his breath.

Radhika looked over his shoulder. The lean fair girl put on a smile, twirled her hair and tried to walk towards their table.

She saw her husband scratch his back, and the girl’s eyes widened at that. Now she seem to be in a confirm that he really had a rash.

“God damn, blood suckers had bit me everywhere.” He grunted, and scratched his shoulder.

Giggles rose in Radhika’s throat too much when she saw the lean fair girl give a horrified screech.

“Oh, my god.” She cried out and ran in a backward walk.

The incredible horror and shudder in her face made Radhika snort out a little in laughter.

Oh, dear..this was really funny.

He scowled across at her.

“What?..what are you laughing at?” He asked, still trying to scratch his back.

Radhika could not contain her laughter anymore. She burst out in complete mirth.

He just stared at her in a look of intensity that made her laughter tone down altogether.

His eyes became warm. His lips had a light smile on. His face became soft. She just kept staring into his eyes, but a clearing of throat of made her look to the side.

One of the waitress angled very close to Radhika, and stood to take the order. She was looking at Arjun in complete fear and disgust.

He started to say something, but the waitress cut him short.

“Your order, mam?” She asked hastily, trying to get away from there fast.

Radhika smiled in complete and utter happiness. Finally, no girl would look at him without disgust now. She doesn’t have to look around like a hawk vying away all the girls coy looks.

His forehead furrowed looking at the girl. He looked really confused and surprised that for the first time, somebody wasn’t taking his order first.

It was Radhika’s turn. She ignored him completely, she was too much hungry now to think of anything.

She clasped her hands happily.

“Two double chicken tikka cheese burgers, with extra mayo and jalepenos. French fries. One raspberry milkshake and a greek salad with extra dressing again…”Radhika kept thinking as a her stomach growled in hunger…”And that’s it for now I guess.” She smiled and concluded the order.

The girl noted it down. Her husband was giving Radhika a look of complete disgust.

Whatever, she rolled her eyes.

He started to speak to the waitress again, but the girl moved far away and escaped from their table.

Radhika snorted in a laugh again looking down at the menu. He looked back at her and Radhika rearranged her face into a serious one.

“Why didn’t she take my order?” He asked her frowning in confusion.

Radhika put on an innocent look.

“How would I know.” She said too in bewilderment.

He leaned back on the counch and stared at her in deep suspicion.

The order came immediately and Radhika sat upright looking at the cheese burger and the milk shake.

Sarah gave a wide smile down at Radhika when placing down the salad. She around in a glare.

“You must be ashamed of yourself.” She scolded fiercely in Arjun’s bemused face and walked away in anger.

His jaw gritted, his face morphed in an anger and fury.

“What did you say to her?” He asked finally, after glaring at het for more than a second.

“Nothing.” She mumbled.

“What f**k nothing. You did say something.” He gritted low in a dangerous voice.

Radhika got irritated. She forked the salad and shoved a piece of brocolli in her mouth.

“Why do you always curse. It simply gives you gas and unsettles your stomach. It does nothing but harm you…..

He settled back on the seat in a sigh.

“How did I ever fail to notice this characteristic of you.” He said in a calm tone.

“Well, I’m always like this but when did I ever spend much time with you. You are always growling, grunting, stewing and getting angry for no reason. Trust me when we grow old, and as you still will always be furious…I bet your appearance will not be like now and I will be as slim as ever and people will be wondering what I’m doing staying attached to such a non attractive pot bellied husband and….”She went on chewing and talking but stopped dead when he leaned forward and kept looking at her in that sudden intense weird way.

“What?” She asked abruptly feeling uncomfortable.

“When we both grow old together?” He asked her softly with an eyebrow raise.

His features morphed into a deep shade of tenderness and something else she did not understand. It made her really uncomfortable.

Radhika felt her face burn. How did she ever let out such words. The way he was looking at her made her uneasy and anxious.

Radhika just grabbed a burger and took a huge bite of it. She avoided his heated gaze and concentrated on chewing. The chicken was melt in the mouth.

She took a fry and dipped it in the milkshake, lathered it in the raspberry juice and popped it in her mouth.

“That’s disgusting.” He declared as his lips curled disgust.

He seem to shudder while popped a few more of the fries.

Radhika’s hands greased with the orange maya as it streaked down from the burger she held.

“I think, I just lost my appetite.” He said still in that disgusted tone.

Radhika smiled with mouth full.

“Aw, why not? Have this.” She said between muching and grabbed a french fry, she dipped it in the milkshake and pushed it between his lips.

He moved back and avoided her hand.

“Open your mouth. It’s very tasty.” Radhika sing sang.

She was really having fun making his life hell like this.

He grunted and caught hold of her right hand. Radhika’s smile vanished and her eyes widened. Her heart stuttered and her skin heated up looking into his eyes. He held her still with the look of pure warmth.

His mouth opened and he took the fry into his mouth. Radhika tried to free her hand but he didn’t let go off her hand. His mouth opened more and he grabbed her forefinger between his lips. A zing of electricity travelled into her body in a zap when he did that. All the while he kept staring into her eyes. His wet warm tongue rolled on her finger and he sucked off the milkshake coated on it for more than a second. She just gazing at into his eyes with her mouth a little open as she breathed heavily. Something low and heavy hit her stomach in a heat swirl.

He let go off her hand and wiped off his mouth and started chewing the fry.

“Yeah, it’s tasty.” He muttered in a very deep husky.

He smiled a dark one and got up. He moved out of the couch and moved forward, when he reached her, he stopped abruptly and leaned. He moved the hair away from her face kissed her cheek warmly on the corner of her lips. Radhika took a sharp intake of breath.

“I’ll pay the bill. You order whatever you want and come out.” He mumbled into her ear, kissed her earshell, and leaned away.

Radhika’s ear and cheek heated up and turned red as she still felt his soft warm lips on hers.

She could feel his footsteps going out of the restaurant. As soon as he went away, she hurriedly got and walked into the washroom. She ran walked to the white sink. She washed her hands and the index finger that kept burning too much. She splashed the cool water on her face hot face.

What the hell was he aiming at? her left hand went to her right cheek near to her lips where he kissed her.

She shook her head. Dried her face with a napkin. Her appetite really did go away. She cursed him for being too intimate and ruining her comfort. He seem to always have the last laugh.

She look down at the ring and felt an immense hurt cloud her mind and heart. A few warm hot tears rolled down her cheek thinking of the way he treated her. This was not she dreamed about. She wiped away her eyes and washed her face again and got out of the washroom and out of the restaurant.

She started to move towards the car, when a guy coming from the other side walked into her way. Radhika moved to the side but he again moved into her way.

She got irritated and looked up and saw the he looked kind of young and he did wantingly stopped her way. He was wearing a black jeans and tshirt with a short mohawk style hair cut. He smiled down at her.

Radhika gave him a glare and moved out of his way but he seem to bent on walking in her way.

“Excuse me, can you please not cut my way.” She bit out but, just as she thought of slapping his face, an arm came around her waist and she pushed back into a warm hard front.

“Do you have a problem with my wife?” A deep burring cut of sharp tone of a familiar voice questioned the guy from behind her and Radhika settled her body back in relief.

The guy looked over her shoulder and down at her and moved out of their a little frightened.

“Always getting in trouble, huh?” He muttered in her ear and moved her forward.

“I wasn’t getting in trouble.” She shot back in an annoyed tone.

He just shook his head and got into the car. Evening fell around them in a mist and Radhika shivered after too much of a day out.

She got in without much arguing and settled back in the seat. She switched on the radio and heard a deep groan of pain from beside to her. Radhika ignored it and happily hummed about through out the journey.

***********

Radhika showered and got into a pair of pink pajamas and shirt.

She burst into a laughter after thinking of about the rash incident. He had got of the car as fast and zoomed into the mansion without a backward glance at her. She thought, in only one day, he seem to be done with her. What would happen if stays all the while day and night in his house? Heaven only knows.

But, she was afraid, he didn’t trust her at all. He thought she was in with her father of whatever betrayal he was talking about. She didn’t know a thing about it. Radhika sighed, she was very much frightened of his extreme hate towards her.

Radhika walked around the room and felt really uneasy. The wall clock showed the time of 12AM. She never until 3 AM and sorts. She was kind of an insomniac.

With her mother crying all through the night with pain in her heart everytime, how can she sleep. She had always been awake since she grew up with the knowledge of how her mother was treated.

Radhika mostly never slept early in the night. She had restless insomia a little, but when she lighted up the specially made aromatic candles in her bedroom then sleep would come easily to her, but this was not her bedroom.

She glowered at the antique walls and dragged her feet on the floor and moved forward out of the room. She gaped at the number of rooms she encountered. It was too long a hall and too many stairs all around. Radhika shook her head in frustration and finally reached a large room.

She pushed the door open and walked in slowly. A sleeping figure on the bed drew her attention to it. She walked upto the bed and saw he slept on his back. He had on a t-shirt and track pants.

How convenient. Here she couldn’t even sleep a wink. She sat down and slid closer.

Radhika ripped the covers off his head in a hard pull.

“Get up. I can’t sleep.” She said out aloud.

Hair all dishevelled and thatched in different direction all over his forehead, he squinted sleepy at her. Even in deep in sleep he looked so like a handsome demon. Ugh! Not fair god.

“What the hell..” He groaned in irritation.

His bleery caught hers.

“What the hell are you doing in my room?” He growled irritatedly in a very unhappy tone.

Radhika sighed sadly.

“I can’t sleep.” She mumbled in a low tone.

His face cleared and went all flat.

“And I care why.” He replied in a dry, and settled his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes.

Radhika pulled the pillow from under his bed.

He was fast as he grabbed her hand and pulled her down over his body. She gasped as his body was all warm and hard over her soft one. He stared down at her in a sleepy lazy haze.

“Go to sleep.” He mumbled.

Radhika pulled away and sat upright. She drew her legs together.

“No. You don’t understand. I can’t actually sleep even if I tried.” She explained.

His eyes opened at that and his brows furrowed. He leaned up on his elbow.

“What do you mean?” He asked curiously.

Radhika cringed inside. She felt the need to beat her palm over forehead for blurting out too much.

She moved away and got out of the bed.

“It’s nothing.” She mumbled, and got out of the bed.

She heard a deep suffering sigh behind her. Radhika looked back and saw him too get out of bed.

He crossed the room and came around her yawning.

“What?” She asked, as he moved her forward by putting his hand over the small of her back.

It burned where he touched and she felt flutters in her stomach at his intimacy.

“Come on.” He said and slid his hand around her waist.

“Where?” She asked in confusion.

“Will you shut up for once and just move along.” He sighed irritated.

Jeez, somebody is not a night person.

Radhika shut it and moved along with his hand around her waist. Why was he always doing this? Touching her unnecessarily.

They both reached a room. Seems like it was a kitchen, as he pushed het forward softly.

He went towards the counter and dragged out the dishwasher. He took out a deep small bottomed out steel container. He put that over the burner. He moved towards the fridge and took out a milk carton.

Radhika intervened.

“I can make you tea? You know I make a perfect cup. All my sisters love it when I…” She started again, but the word melted away on her tongue when he gave her a very serious look.

She drew back a little in fear. Heavens, he can really glare.

“Come around here.” He ordered her.

Radhika frowned in question?

“What?” She asked with an eyebrow raise.

He sighed.

“Come around here.” He repeated again in a very firm deep voice.

“Oh, you want me to make tea..I get you now…but you should use more clear words for people to understand you..”She went on, and moved around counter and reached to where he stood.

She kept talking but he pulled her towards the counter and locked her before his body. His front was to her back as his hands settled over her waist and went inside her night shirt. Radhika shivered feeling his hands on her bare skin.

“Pour the milk in it.” He whispered in her ear huskily.

His breath fell over her neck warmly.

Radhika’s wobbled as she took the milk carton and poured it over the container. His whole heated front pushed on her back.

“Now, take out the cocoa powder from the top left cabinet.” He said in a low husky tone again.

His lips moved a hot trail over her neck.

Radhika pushed up on her tip toes and opened the door of the cabinet door. His rough long fingers moved up over her waist when she slid up. Her heart stuttered out several beats at his move.

She took out the cocoa powder packet and put it on the counter.

Her hand shook as she poured the cocoa powder in the heating milk.

“That’s enough.” He whispered and breathed heavy in her ear.

Every pour in her skin burned hot.

“Take the spoon from beside your hand and mix.” He ordered softly and squeezed her waist hard.

Radhika gasped and did as she was told with shivering of her hand. She tried to move away from his hold, but he stay her put and locked in his arms. His scent and his body travelled all around her senses and made her forget everything. She was surronded in the cool mist of his darkness.

“Pour the hot chocolate in two cups.” He whispered into the skin of her neck, his face burrowed in her skin as his other arms slid around her waist.

Radhika did the same and poured the cocoa milk in the purple cups.

He let go off her finally and Radhika sagged back in relief. He lifted one hot cup of hot choco and grabbed her elbow. He made her sat on the kitchen chair and sat closer and opposite to her in another chair.

His face was haggard and but his eyes now lost the sleep. Even in nightwear he managed to look like he just got out of a commercial advertisement for men’s clothing line. It was really hard to match with his personality. No wonder he went out with most of the hot looking women every week. She had seen his pictures in the papparazzi magazines.

He stared back at her while sipping on the cocoa.

“Drink, it will help you.”

Radhika took the cup and sipped on it.

“Now tell me, why can’t you sleep?” He asked her in a flat tone.

His eyes roamed all over her face and down at her body.

Radhika avoided warm lazy eyes on her.

“I just can’t.” She said evasively, looking down at the brown yummy swirl of the hot chocolate.

He moved closer the chair and leaned towards her. His face was only mere inches from hers. She felt his breath hit her lips. His left hand forefinger went under her eyes and caressed there for a while.

“Why can’t you sleep, baby.” He asked her in a low voice.

Radhika stared. Her heart thudded in her chest when he called her baby.

She gulped and looked away.

“I just can’t.” She mumbled again.

He pushed to her chin towards his face and gave her a slow stare as his gaze slid all over her face.

“Fine. Be this way.” He muttered annoyed a little, and got out of the chair.

He turned around and kept walking.

Radhika hurriedly put the empty cup down and ran after him.

“Hey! Where are you going?” She hung by his arm.

He looked at her side ways.

“To sleep. Obviously.” He said in a very sleepy tone now.

“But I can’t sleep.” She groaned in a sulk, still walking beside him.

“Like I said, I don’t really care.”

Radhika scowled and kept quite. He reached his room and she followed him in.

He moved towards the bed and laid on his back. Radhika sagged down too.

“Sing me lullaby.” She demanded insipidly.

He opened his eyes stared at her as if she was crazy.

“Go to your room and sleep.” He ordered her in a real high voice glare now.

Radhika too laid on her back and turned to his side.

“When I go to sleep whenever that is…I read a book…a story….so will you tell me a story?” She asked putting her head over her hand on the pillow.

He sighed quite heavily.

“You’re not going to leave me alone until you fall asleep, are you?” He glowered to the ceiling.

Radhika smiled impishly.

“You know me so well.” She said happily.

He glared at her for more than a second.

“Once upon a time..” He started, and Radhika smiled even more wide and closed her eyes settling more in the bed.

He took a deep breath.

“Once upon a time there was a prince…” He started with the story.

Radhika’s eyes flew open at that. Her forehead furrowed.

“How s*xiest of you. Why should it start with a prince but not a princess.” She muttered out irritated.

His nostrils flared looking sideways at her. His jaw ticked now and his face coloured in angry red.

“Once upon a time there was a princess…” He started yet again through clenched teeth.

Radhika closed her eyes kept listening.

“And there was a prince…the princess was a dumb fool and she talked a lot continously without a break, which annoyed and irritated the prince too much. One night the prince took a very fluffy pillow and smoothered the princess in her sleep, and finally after her death, the prince lived happily ever after as the castle filled with only silent peace around.” He concluded in a slow lazy tone of a narrator.

Radhika’s eyes went wide and her mouth hung open.

“That’s the most horrying and sadistic story I ever heard in my entire life.” She bit out hotly.

He gave her a glance.

“That’s a very nice story.” He said in husky voice and pulled her body hard into his arms.

“Now go to sleep.” He mumbled into her hair.

Radhika kept her head on his chest and sagged back. She closed her eyes finally and tried to find sleep. His right arm pushed her body more into his firm chest. His warmth spread into hers circling her mind a safe and secure pull.

The night had been breezy and his arms were warm.

After few seconds of silence, she talked again.

“I still can’t sleep.” She mumbled on his chest.

“Hmm, your voice is sleepy.” He drawled in a whisper, his chin rested on her head now.

“I’m n…n..not sleepy.” She whispered back, as her eyes drooped down completely.

“Yeah..”He whispered back, and seem fall asleep as his breath evened out.

Radhika’s mind went blank and washed away of every strain, sadness, and pain..and for the first time in so many years, she finally was falling asleep before even she could try……..

******//*****

Next update—(Gush of Freshness n moreeeeeee…….

*************

So, this was the update and realllllllllllllllllllly hope that you like it dears. Really really do hope. And I love u all for reading and commenting on my story. Means alot that you guys are taking time and commenting on my story even though it had loadsssss of mistakes. Thank u so much from the bottom of my heart. Love u dears soooooo… 😀

i really want to update all of the stories at once but finding really less time in the day guys 🙁

well sigh. I wil though try.

til den dear lovelies always smile and be happy and healthy. Warm tight hug and lots of kisses 😀

Credit to: kfar