t w o
"taylor, behen..."

7:00 a.m.

"It's going to be a good day, it's going to be a good day," Sara hurriedly chanted to herself as she dashed to the kitchen to cook food. Putting a claw clip in her room, she came out of her room, only to find her husband in the kitchen, wearing a floral apron.

"So, real men do wear floral, hm?" She commented and he squinted his eyes at her, not understanding her A Good Girl's Guide to Murder reference.

"What?" He mumbled, visibly confused.

"Nothing, what are you doing Shubman?" She asked, smiling at him.

"Cooking, " he answered, as if stating the obvious.

"For me?" she unsurely questioned.

"Of course! You have an important meeting today, right? So you wouldn't have time to cook yourself lunch, " he asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, I mean...I just-

Shubman took a quick taste of the sabji he had prepared.

"Sara, it doesn't taste bad, I swear, " she shook her head.

"You cook well, Shubman," she complimented him with a smile on her face.

"Really? Or are you saying it just because I'm being nice to you and cooking for you and everything?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"No! No, of course not," she hastily added. "Thanks, Shubman,"

"You're welcome, Gill," he cheekily replied as the duo burst in laughter, the house reverberating with joy and exhilaration early in the morning.

🪷

Sara's keys jingled as she unlocked the door. Shubman had a few meetings before he came back home. It was weird to come to an empty house.

Especially after her in-law's departure.

They made her feel safe and at home with them. But the empty house didn't bother her today. It was too good of a day to pout. Her day at the workplace had gone well, as a client had signed a huge deal with her firm. The deal assured her an increment but also added to her resume, and a promotion was surely in the cards. Nothing could ruin this day for her.

She quickly changed into comfortable clothes, going straight to the kitchen to fix herself and her husband some dinner. She hummed along to Bollywood songs, as she made herself mac and cheese. She wanted to get over it quickly and watch Queen Charlotte while filling her stomach with cheese. They had plenty of ice cream in the refrigerator too.

And just when things couldn't get better, the door bell rung.

"Madam delivery,"

"Deliver? I didn't order anything," she softly mumbled, raising her brow.

Must be Shubman.

"Pay karna hai?" (Do I have to pay?)

"Nahi ma'am," (No, Ma'am) he said, scurrying away. Sara glanced at the parcel curiously.

Seems like food.

She took her phone to call her husband when she got a call from her best friend.

"Hi Ali," Sara chirped.

"You got the cheesecake?" Alisha asked.

"Oh wait, this is cheesecake?" Sara excitedly asked as she opened the brown package.

"Yup, I had it today and I knew you had to have it too!" Alisha said, voice laced with cheeriness.

"You sound happy, found your earring?" Sara asked as she kept the call on speaker, putting the cheesecake in the refrigerator.

"I did, it's with Abhishek," she said.

"Abhishek Sharma?" Sara asked, surprised.

"Hm, I was sitting right beside him at Ishan's apartment if you remember, he said he found it in the coat he was wearing. Must have fallen then,"

"I see," Sara mumbled as she sat on a dining table chair. "Party was nice, right?"

"Oh, it was wonderful Sara!" Alisha dreamily commented. "You know a year ago, I didn't think you'd be here," her voice was gentle as she spoke.

"Here, as in?"

"So loved by someone. When you told me you were getting married, I didn't instantly approve of Shubman. I couldn't trust my best friend with any guy- then be it such a famous cricketer," Alisha said, her voice tinged with sheer fondness.

"Oh really Alisha?" Sara chuckled.

"But he's the best thing that has happened to you," Sara felt the guilt strike her again as her best friend declared. "He has made you happy again. He brought you out of the shell you his yourself in Sara, he brought my best friend back. The way you're always smiling and laughing around him, the way your eyes hold a spark when you look at him. You two were really made for each other," Alisha paused, her eyes moistening.

"I'll be forever indebted to him for making you so happy,"

Sara felt words stuck in her throat at Alisha's observations.

It was fake, it really was.

"And don't get me started on your little speech," Alisha seemed to be in a zone, talking about all her observations about her best friend's marriage in the past year. "Making coffee, letting you- wait, did you exaggerate?"

"Exaggerate?"

"Does he always let you play your favourite songs in his car?" Alisha's eyes widened as she questioned.

"...Yes," Sara replied, confused. What was the big deal?

"I mean the speech you gave and the speech he gave, I mean he literally called you an angel and everything. Thanked you for the smallest things, like the wallet thing and blah blah, I don't really remember everything. It was all very adorable, Sara. And you know? You deserve it, every bit of it," Alisha rambled on while Sara intently listened.

But these are all the things we actually do for each other. She didn't mention our actual exaggerations like all 'I love you' s and the 'you made my life better' and whatever we said.

"God, I wish to be loved like that too,"

Sara smiled softly, shaking her head.

"You're going to find love Alisha, mark my words. You're going going to meet your Prince Charming, who would be the epitome of kindness, honesty and would worship the group you walk on,"

"Would he be the epitome of good looks and hotness too?"

"Shallow bitch," Sara rolled her eyes, laughing.

"Oh please, only you get to have a loving and hot husband? Not anyone else?" Alisha giggled as the two friends shared a hearty laugh.

🪷

Sara was cocooned on the sofa, watching the first episode of the period drama she had planned on watching when Shubman arrived. He seemed a little tired, walking lazily.

"Hey! How was your day?" She asked cheerfully.

"It was good, how was yours?" He mumbled, tossing the keys in their 'keys bowl'.

"Shubman!" She gleefully shared, "it was one of the best days of my life. I told you about that deal, didn't I? We got it!"

"Oh," he nodded. "That's amazing Sara! I knew you'd do well," he offered, smiling at her warmly.

"Anyway, go freshen up- I'm famished!" She urged him and he nodded.

Shubman was forced to watch Queen Charlotte with Sara as a punishment for not eating the Mac and Cheese she had made. Begrudgingly, he ate his pasta as he watched at British people in the olden times, silently yelling at each other.

He glanced over at his wife, who was at the edge of the seat, watching the show without sparing a glance at her food. It's that interesting?

Unintentionally, he started to pay more attention towards the show, finding himself get immersed into the fictional world of the characters.

Sara gasped at the last scene, shocked at the turn of the events.

"Why did you marry her if you wanted to leave her alone? Why marry her if you don't plan on loving her? What kind of stupidity is this?" She yelled at the television as King George left his new bride in Buckingham palace, and went to Kew.

Shubman spared a secret glance at her.

Why did you marry me if you didn't plan on loving me, Sara?

God, Gill- you're insufferable. Shut up.

Sara tilted her head, smiling at him.

"Soooo," she unnecessarily enunciated on the word and he raised his brow.

"So?"

"Want to watch the second episode? I'm sure you liked it, Shubman," she pleaded with her eyes making him sigh.

"...Sure," he mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned to face the television again.

🪷

( the next day )

Sunlight peeked through the blinds as a new day dawned. The sound of birds chirping was audible as Shubman woke up.

6:30 a.m.

He opened his eyes to feel a bunch of hair on his face. His eyes naturally squinted, as he moved the hair.

Sara?

His brows knit in confusion as he saw his wife, sleeping on his arm.

Why are we sleeping together- sleeping beside each other?

His mind flashed back to the previous night, when he and Sara were binge watching the show till late night.

Must have slept while watching Queen Charlotte.

He gently took away her hand and she turned over. He placed a pillow from the sofa under her head. He breathed in, scanning her face for a moment.

She looks peaceful.

His heart skipped a beat, god- she was beautiful.

Shubman Gill was falling hard.

"Taylor, behen...I really am down bad, crying at the gym," he mumbled to himself as he let himself gaze at his beautiful wife for a few moments before the day begun.

A/N: We stand a Swiftie husband🫶🏻
I know this was super cliche, but I love cliches. Plus, I did say that this book is dedicated to all the people who grew up with cricket and Bollywood.

P.S: Sara to Alisha- You'll find a Prince Charming, who'll be the epitome of kindness...
Abhay- Bro Sara, meri itni tareef!?