Sonakshi was drying her hair, standing in front of the mirror in a towel wrapped around her when she felt his arms wrapping around her stomach from behind, hugging her tightly. She smiled at the mirror seeing his face nuzzle into her neck.

"Good morning,'' he whispered.

She gave a soft chuckle, "Good morning ek baar ho chuka hai Dr. Surgeon."

"Phir se good morning. Best morning! Best se bhi best morning..."

"Okay, okay I got it." Sonakshi laughed. " Ab jaaooo... fresh ho jao, hospital nahi jana?"

"Nahi jana...yahi rehna hai. Tumhare paas. Pure din," He nuzzled more into her neck, making her giggle.

"Rohit! Chodo! Tumhe kahi jana ho ya na ho, mujhe jaana hai! Shoot pe!" Rohit tutted at that. "Arre bahut shoot baki hai. Kal ka to cancel ho gaya...phir bank bhi jama karwana hai... taki reception ke din finally chhutti mil jaye mujhe."

"Are abhi to bas baat huyi hai reception ki, date bhi fix nahi hua...tum abhi se hi pareshan ho rahi ho...relax Sona."

"Nahi par aaj shaam ko aane wale hai na pandit ji. Aur mumma bhi ane wali hai...to mom, badimumma aur mumma date fix karlenge aaj. I hope meri schedule ke sath match ho jaye bas." Sonakshi protruded her lower lip in distress.

"Arre nahi hoga to change kar lenge date. Koi baat nahi."

"Nahi kar sakte na change.You know mumma ...har cheez grah ke anusar karna hota hai unhe. Aur sundari bua bhi ane wali hai...unke jaane ke dates ke bhi khayal rakhna hai na"

"Kuch din pehle hi to aake itna hungama macha ke gayi thi ... ab phirse kyun wapas aana hai unhe! Aur mom ko bhi sirf unke liye pure khandan ko reception party throw karni hai."

"Rohit! Ab hai wo important mumma ke liye, to thik hai na! "Rohit rolled his eyes. "Waise bhi unki bahu hai itni awesome to thodi show off to banta hai." Sonakshi beamed at him, winking. "Aur tumhari Nandini maasi bhi aa rahi hai london se. To unse se bhi milna ho jayega."

"Nandu maasi aarahi hai?" Rohit exclaimed.

His reaction made Sonakshi curious. "Haan, kyun?"

"Bahut difficult hai Nandu maasi, Sona." Rohit intentionally frightened Sonakshi.

Sonakshi gulped. "Sundari bua se bhi?"

"Are, Sundari bua to kuch bhi nahi hai unke samne. Unhe impress karna impossible hai."

"Achchha..." Sonakshi looked tense.

Rohit suppressed a smile and decided to not tease her anymore. "Are, par meri Sona to best hai. Sab ko impress kar leti hai."

Sonakshi tutted, not convinced.

"Are mazak kar raha tha main, Sona. Chida raha tha main."

Sonakshi scowled at him. "Matlab difficult nahi hai wo?"

Rohit swayed his head. "Difficult to hai. Par meri Sona se pyaar na karna is impossible."

Sonakshi beamed at that confidently, gloating.

"Aur agar na bhi kare to-" Rohit said, disappointing Sonakshi "-to maine kya kaha tha tumse? Sabko impress karna tumhari responsibility nahi hai."

Sonakshi pressed her lips and sighed. She was still working on that.

"Waise wo aa rahi hai na reception mein?" Rohit said with a mischievous look, to change the mood.

"Kon? " Sonakshi frowned.

"Arre wo." Rohit emphasised.

"Kon, Rohit?"

"Wohi...Ishi maa. Kya naam tha... haan Divyanka." Rohit said as he noticed her expression changing rapidly. "Usse zaroor invite karna Sona. Kahi bhul mat jana ."He gave a covert smirk at her jaw tightening.

"Haan kar dungi invite. Tumhari 'Divyanka' ko...aur sath mein uske pati ko bhi." She retorted sarcastically as Sonakshi tried to wriggle out of his arms . But Rohit held on tight as he laughed out loud. Sonakshi smacked on his hand lightly for teasing her, laughing along.

___________________________________________________________________

Sonakshi hurried to the mirror, getting out of the washroom, as she struggled to undo her necklace. The current one wasn't going with the dress. Her sister in law Tanya sent her multiple options for the reception. They were supposed to do trials and decide in the afternoon together. But as usual Sonakshi's shooting kept her longer and messed up every plan. And now she was running late. Rohit was already ready, but she couldn't spare even a glance at him. Getting frustrated with the string she called out at him. "Rohit! Kya kar rahe ho? Help karo na meri! Already itna late ho gaya hoon main."

Rohit took over as she frustratingly pulled at the string. "Haan okay, okay, ho jaye ga. Relax." He attempted to calm her down as he tried to untie the knot. He bent down to use his teeth. Sonakshi suddenly stilled as she shifted uncomfortably. The accidental touch of his soft lips and rough stubble on her neck threw all her stress out of the window replacing them with a craving. She felt a sense of déjà vu, remembering how much she was affected by his touch even the last time they were like this. Rohit hadn't noticed her staring at him through the mirror as he kept doing what he was. Sonakshi stretched her neck to feel more of him. That's when he looked at the mirror, noticing the desire in her gaze. Sonakshi felt her heartbeat fasten as he deliberately bent down again without breaking eye contact with her and tried to undo the knot with his teeth again, this time his lips touching much more firmly and precisely. Sonakshi inhaled sharply as she next felt his slow sensuous kiss on her neck, his tongue rousing her skin. She gulped, closing her eyes as his hands slid down from her shoulders over her arms and landed on hers, entwining his fingers with hers. He brought their right hands around her stomach, holding her and put her left hand on the mirror, under his, balancing them as his lips moved over her neck and shoulder, leaving trails of sloppy kisses. A part of Sonakshi's mind wondered if the mirror would break from pressure, another part reminded her of the ticking cloak and the reception waiting downstairs. But another big part of her didn't care about anything in the world and just melted in his arms. She turned suddenly and crashed her lips on his. He returned the kiss with equal passion pulling her against him. After a while she pulled back reluctantly. "Late ho raha hai hume party ke liye." She said in between before putting her lips on his again.

"Hmm..." Rohit only moaned.

"Jaana chahiye hume." She said again in between.

"Miss karte hai" He mumbled, kissing her jaw, bending and moving his lips to her throat, sucking on her skin.

"Humari reception ki party hai! Hum miss kaise karenge!" She breathed out as she stretched her neck,tilting her head backward, closing her eyes.

"We can be a little late." Rohit mumbled against her skin. Her silence made him stop as he stretched back straight, leaving Sonakshi disheartened but bent down the next moment and picked her up. He moved to the bed and put her down, bending down himself and placing his lips on her.

___________________________________________________________________

"Sona! Kaha reh gayi thi." Veena came straight to Sonakshi as they came down. Sonakshi looked at Rohit before smiling awkwardly at her mother-in-law. "Kab se wait kar rahi thi! Arre mujhe tumse Mrs. Sinha ke sath introduce karani hai, aao." She dragged her as Sonakshi looked back at Rohit, going with her mother in law. After going around a while, meeting and talking with people Sonakshi was looking for Pooja when she felt someone following her. Her whole body froze as she gulped. She felt like she couldn't move. It wasn't supposed to happen now. Not in a room full of people. It had only happened in isolation before. And she made sure not to be alone the whole day. To not ruin the day. It wasn't supposed to happen in a crowd. She couldn't bring herself to turn around, to see who was following. She felt blood rush to her face as she forcefully smiled at a guest. She couldn't breathe. A waiter passed by her, probably the one who was behind her coincidentally, whose presence felt like 'following'. Sonakshi felt a pair of arms wrap around her sideway as she dragged air into her lungs. Rohit looked down at her, concern written all over his face as he hugged her sideways with one arm, holding her hand with the other hand, rubbing the back of her hand gently. Sonakshi felt her body calming down a bit slowly. She felt her legs would give up anytime. She leaned to him slightly as they both nodded at another guest. Sonakshi breathed steadily, trying to get a grip on herself, feeling conscious of her surroundings. He picked up a glass of water from a passing waiter and made her drink, holding her chin softly.

"Better?" His voice was tender as he put a strand of hair behind her ear. She nodded. "You want to go back to the room?" He asked again. Sonakshi shook her head. "You can rest for sometime." He brushed the back of his fingers on her cheek soothingly.

"I'm fine, Rohit." Sonakshi muttered, hoping she could last through the night.

"Are you sure?" Rohit asked one more time and she nodded.

—

"Beta haath se gaya tumhara Veena." Sundari sneered as they all followed Sundari's gaze, on Rohit sticking to Sonakshi all around the party. Veena took a moment to register her taunt before laughing awkwardly.

"Bilkul apne dada ji pe gaya hai." Sukmani Sippy replied with a hint of pride in her voice. "Wo bhi jab hamari nayi nayi shadi hui thi tab aise hi hamesha mere peechhe peechhe rehta tha."

"Haan... aur Rohit Sonakshi ko to phir bhi waqt nahi milta ek dusre ke sath...warna Veena bhabi aur Naren bhai yaad hai mumma..chipke rehte the hamesha sath mein.." Nishi laughed, enjoying ganging up against her not-so-favourite cousin sister as Veena glared at her.

"Naren to bilkul unromantic tha..." Sukhmani disagreed. "...bilkul apne baap pe nahi gaya... Rohit to bilkul parchhayi hai apne dada ke."

Sundari twisted her lips in displeasure at that.

"Waise jaldi shaadi nahi karwa di tumne Veena? Thode wait kar lete. Jaan lete thoda aur Sonakshi ke bareme." Nandini, Veena's cousin sister, asked.

Nishi, as much as equally disliked Nandini, agreed on that. "Haan bhabi. Thoda time dete unn dono ko. Main bhi london se wapas aa jati. Aur un dono ko bhi ek dusre ko thoda aur janne ka mauka milta jata."

"Arre, janne ke liye to puri zindagi padi hai.Ab jaanle jitna janna hai ek dusre ko. Waise to pyaar, shaadi in sab ko leke hamare ghar mein koi pressure nahi hai. Chahe wo Rohan-Tanya ho, Akash- Deepa ya phir Ajit. Jo jaise khush hai waise rahe bas. Lekin mere Rohit ko leke mein koyi risk nahi le sakti thi." Veena put up her palms in absolute refusal. "Pata nahi kab kiska man badal jaye!Ek to tumhare aur Suman ji ka laga rehta hai hamesha." Veena remarked. Nishi opened her mouth to protest but Veena didn't give her a chance as she continued, "Aur upar se Naren ka kuch bharosa nahi, bahut mushkil se mana hai. Isse pehle kuch aur ya koi aur bigad jaye maine jaldi jaldi shadi karwa di un dono ki. Ab jisse jo karna hai, jo manmani karni hai karo. Bas mera Rohit khush rahe.Aur usse sirf Sonakshi hi khush rakh sakti hai. Chahe lad le, jagad le par khush rehta hai mera beta uss ladki ke sath."

Nishi nodded, agreeing with Veena's point. "Waise ye to sahi hai. Ki Rohit ke liye Sonakshi se achchha match koi nahi ho sakta. Matlab Naren bhai bhi galat nahi hai par ..."

"Nishi, apne bhai ki tarafdari karne ki zaroorat nahi hai." Sukmani said. "Usse apni soch badalni chahiye. Wo bahu hai ab iss ghar ki. Jab wo itna adjust kar rahi hai iss family ke sath hume bhi uske lifestyle se adjust karna parega. Agar Sonakshi ki baat pehle maani hoti to ye pura matter jyada samajhdari se handle kiya ja sakta tha."

Sundari, who was quiet all this while, now chimed in. "Waise Pooja ki birth itne saalo se kaafi achchhe chhupaya aap logo ne. Hume bhi nahi pata chala." Sundari grunted. "Kher wo to shukar hai, ladke walo ko is se koi problem nahi hai ki Pooja Sippy khandan ki beti nahi hai."

"Sundari!" Nishi snapped, "Didi '' she added, greeting her teeth. "Pooja meri beti hai, iss ghar ki bachchi. Koi ehsaan nahi kar rahe wo log humpe. Aur mujhe iss waqt Pooja ke liye rishte nahi chahiye. Wo abhi bahut chhoti hai aur apne career pe focus karna chahti hai. Jab wo taiyaar hogi khud bata degi."

Nishi's firm stance and Sukmani's support didn't leave much room for the ladies to give anymore of their unsolicited opinions.

___

"Rohit! Maine kaha na ki main thik hoon abhi." Sonakshi snapped at Rohit.

"Haan to? Maine kaha bola ki thik nahi ho?"

"To pichhe pichhe kyun ghum rahe ho meri?"

Rohit gave her a look. "Wo Divyanka nahi aayi na abhi tak. Warna uske peechhe ghumta. Tab tak tum se kaam chala rahi hoon." Sarcasm dripped from his tone.Sonakshi glared at him. "Arre biwi ho tum meri. Aur kiske peechhe ghumungi?"

Sonakshi opened her mouth to retort when Tanya came to them. "Bhabi, You are looking beautiful."

Sonakshi turned her attention to her. "Thanks to you."She touched her necklace. "Waise kahan reh gayi thi. Dhund rahi thi main tumhe. I'm so sorry, shaam ki plan cancel karni padi."

"It's okay, bhabi."

"Rohan ke sath late ho gaya hoga, nahi? Don't worry, we understand." Rohit looked at Sona teasingly, emphasising on 'we'. Sonakshi shook her head.

"Nahi, Rohan ko to last minute pe kisi meeting ke liye jana tha." Tanya's voice was weirdly monotonous and cold which Sonakshi didn't miss.

"Is everything okay, Tanya?" Sonakshi asked. Tanya nodded, smiling blandly.

"Sona" Suman hugged Sonakshi. "Bahut pyari lag rahi hai meri bachchi."

"Jai mata di." Rohit hugged Suman, chuckling.

"Kitni der laga di mumma. Kaha reh gayi thi. Aur mujhe yaha lag raha tha ki main late ho gayi hoon."

"Arre aur bhi pehle nikalne wali thi, par yeh Pari ki nakhre."

"Kaha hai wo?"

"Shoot pe gayi hai. Last moment pe kisi adshoot ke liye call agaya usse."

Sonakshi frowned. But before she could question further Pooja interrupted them.

"Bhabi, apke guests agaye." Pooja informed Sonakshi.

"Haan, chalo." Sonakshi moved to greet her colleagues as she promised Pooja to introduce her to some of them.

__________________________________________________________________

Sonakshi freshened up and was putting moisturiser on her hands. It had been a long night as the uneasy feelings lingered throughout the party. If not for Rohit's constant company she would have burned out long before. Rohit came from behind and engulfed her in his arms. He kissed her temple. Sonakshi closed her eyes at the feel of his lips. She sighed. Sonakshi opened her eyes to see him looking at her. She smiled playfully at him. "Aaj bare mayus huye hoge tumne." Rohit looked confusedly at her. "Tumhari faaavourite Divyanka jo nahi ayi."

This time Rohit chuckled. Then feigned disappointment. "Haan wo to hai. Dil tut gaya mera. Kitna expectation leke wait kar raha tha main, Sona. Tumhi ne hi invite nahi ki hogi. Jalkukdi jo tehri"

Sonakshi gaped at him. "Oh hello dr. Surgeon. Uska shoot tha isiliye wo nahi aa payi. Usne message bhi kiya mujhe."

Rohit laughed at her defensive tone. She turned around in his arms. He touched her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb softly. "How are you feeling?"

She smiled and nodded. "Fine, Rohit."

He kept looking at her. His gaze was tender. Sonakshi looked questioningly at him. He just shook his head and held her hands in his. "I'm sorry." He muttered.

Sonakshi frowned. "Kyun?"

Rohit shrugged and shook his head again.

"Rohit? Kya bol rahe ho? Kya hua?"

"I'm sorry Sona." Rohit didn't meet her eyes. "For not going with you that day. For letting you go alone."

Sonakshi looked on in confusion. "Letting me go where alone? Kis din?"

"Shaadi ke din,"

When Sonakshi understood what he was talking about She took a deep breath. "Rohit..."

"It was all my fault."

"Nahi..." Sonakshi shook her head vehemently.

"Mujhe tumhare sath jana chahiye tha. Mujhe uss...uss darinde pe bharosa nahi karna chahiye tha. I should have checked up on you. I should have known. Mujhe pata hona chahiye tha. Wo mere ankho ke samne sab kuch kar raha tha aur main..."

Sonakshi felt tears making her eyes prickle at the recalling of the incident as she kept shaking her head.

Rohit looked at her as if his heart was breaking at the sight of her. He touched her face. "I'm sorry, Sona. Yeh sab kuch meri wajah se ho raha hai. You're in this pain because of me."

She shook her head as she kept her hand over his. "I'm not."

"I know Sona. I can see. Chahe tum kitna bhi chhupane ki koshish karo. I see you fighting it everyday."

"Rohit," Sonakshi held his hands. "Tum takat ho meri."

Rohit looked away. Sonakshi held his face and made him look at her. "Tumhe pata hai us din main wapas kaise aayi? Tumhari wajese...Every second I was thinking of you...of getting back to you... not even to get married. All I wanted was to get back in your arms." Sonakshi took a step closer and cupped his face. Rohit held her wrist. "You're my strength Rohit. My safe space. Even now. Everyday. Jab wo...wo yaadein mera peechha nahi chod ti, mujhe kabu kar lete...tum... tum mujhe takat dete ho. Tumhari baatein, tumhara sath, jab tum dur hote ho tab bhi, tumhari awaz, tumhara ehsaas mujhe sukun deta hai Rohit. Really. To aisa kabhi mat kehna ki in sab ki jimmedar tum ho. Tum hi ne to mujhse kaha tha na yeh sab meri galti nahi thi. Ki hum kisi aur ke gunaho ka boj apne aap pe nahi le sakte. To wo tum pe bhi apply hota hai Dr. Surgeon." Sonakshi swayed her head and he gave a soft smile. "It's a bad past, Rohit. A bad memory. I want to move on Rohit. Jaise tum ne shadi ki din kaha tha. Mujhe yeh sab bhulake aage barni hai."Sonakshi tilted her head to meet his eyes. "Madad karoge meri?"

Rohit stepped closer and kissed on her forehead. "Hamesha."

Sonakshi closed her eyes, hugging him as Rohit bent down and put his chin on her shoulder, pressing his lips on her skin as they remained like that for a while.After a few moments Rohit said, "Sona..."

"Hmm..."

"Ek baat bolu?" Rohit parted, still holding her, "Galat mat samajh na."he stroked her hair.

Sonakshi nodded.

"There is Dr. Swati."

Sonakshi nodded again, listening attentively.

"She is a therapist in our Psychology department. Tum miloge unse? Shayad tumhe achchha lage unse baat karke"

Sonakshi smiled at him and then tilted her head sideways, agreeing. "Milungi."

Rohit beamed at that. "To main appointment fix karu unke sath?"

Sonakshi nodded again, smiling.He hugged her tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too." Sonakshi replied.