"Good Night Ishita! Tum change karke sojao"

Did he just say that!?

Why oh why?

Doesn't he want me?

Is he still miffed on me?

Does he think I am doing this out of guilt?

I was hell confused at the sudden transformation of his hot gaze into a cold Good Night.

And I needed to clear this right now...

I opened my eyes followed by opening my pursed lips...

Pursed lips????

Oh my! He is got the wrong signal...

I had pursed my lips in nervousness and he must have taken it as a NO from me.

No...no...I didn't mean to back off...

"Raman I..." I began to say

"It's ok Ishita if you are not ready yet"

"No Raman...I am not..."

"Maine kaha na, its alright. Mai janta hun this feeling is new for you. Mujhe accept karne keliye tumhe ek saal laga hai. Ab is rishte ko aage badhaane keliye bhi tumhe waqt ki zarurat hogi. Honestly I am fine with it. Mujhe koi jaldi nahi hai"

"Tum yahan change karlo. Mai dusre kamre me jatha hun"

"Par Raman..."

"Shhh..." he signalled me to keep quiet

Arre yaar! Banda sunne ko hi tayyar nahi hai! Ab mujhe hi kuch karna padega!

"Take your time Ishita. Mai..."

He was unable to complete as I pulled him closer gripping his collar and placed my mouth on his.

There Mr.Bhalla! Now you know that I am ready! I said mentally and stepped back

"Ye kya tha?" he asked stunned, baffled, confused

"Abhi bhi nahi samjhe? Abhi sahi kehte hain. Aap buddhu ho. Raman mai apki biwi hun, girlfriend nahi aur ye shadi maine apne pasand se ki hai, kisi ke zabardasti pe nahi. Apka mere upar haq hai aur mera apke upar. Aur mai haq se kehti hun ke mujhe poori tarah apna lo" I said trying to knock some sense into him

He crossed his arms across his chest and kept smiling looking at me. That irked me.

"Aise kya dekh rahe ho? Show chal raha hai yahan pe?" I spat in a fit of rage

He continued giggling

"Kya hai? Hans kyun rahe ho?" I asked annoyed

"Bholi bhali Ishita ki sherniwali roop enjoy kar raha hun. BTW I love this Jhansi ki Rani" he winked

"Kuch bhi. Maine aisa kya kiya ke aap mujhe sherni bula rahe ho?"

"Achha? Tumhe nahi patha tumne kya kiya?"

"Maine kya kiya? Maine to bas aapko kiss...Ayyyo" I said clamping my mouth

Ayyyo! I kissed him!

"Kiya so kiya. Aur jo kaha usse to mai aur bhi hairan hoon" he said stepping ahead and I kept stepping back

"Ek baar action replay hojaye?" he asked winking

"Kaisa action replay?" I asked feigning innocence

"Wahi jo kuch der pehle kiya aur kaha"

I nodded my head from right to left denying his request and pursing my lips

"Theek hai jo kiya usko bhool jate hain, jo kaha wo phir se keh do" he stepped forward again and I stepped back until my back hit the wall

He caged me between the wall and his body.

"Kaho na please" he begged

"Aapne suna to" I tried arguing but my tone was nowhere near argument as it came as a mere whisper

"Tum mujhpe haq jataati ho to achha lagta hai. Baar baar sunne ka dil karta hai"

Our eyes locked and they conversed silently telling each other how much they loved the other.

"Kaho na please" he begged

I could not deny

"Maine kaha ke..."

"Hmmm..."

I struggled to say in the same tone as I did before but all that came out was a soft whisper "Maine kaha ke mai apki biwi hoon, girlfriend nahi...aur..."

"Aur?"

"Aur maine ye shadi apni choice se ki hai, kisi ki zabardasti pe nahi..."

"Aage?"

"Hum donon ka e doosre ke upar haq hai"

"Hmmm...aur?"

"Aur..."

Ayyamma...How can I say it! I didn't realise what I said when I said that. But now this proximity, his intense gaze, my bold confession...Amma...too much to take...

"Mai nahi ke sakti" I said and covered my face with both the palms shyly

"Jhansi ki Rani bangayi Sharmila Tagore! Apne kitne roop dikhaogi mujhe aaj?"

I immediately looked up into his eyes trying to comprehend the meaning of his last sentence. The smirk and the naughty glint made the internal meaning of his words crystal clear.

That made me more shy and I lowered my gaze.

"Kaho na" he said lifting my chin making me look into his eyes

"Kya?"

"Wahi jo mai sunna chahta hun" he said bringing his face closer

"Kya sunna chahte ho?" I asked in a daze

"Wahi jo tum keh nahi rahi ho" he said nuzzling my cheeks

"Ramannn"

"Kya?" he voiced out huskily joining our foreheads

There was no escape now.

Although I was totally sandwiched between him and the wall, it was his eyes held me captive.

I closed my eyes giving up and softly spoke "Aaj meri mulaqath Ishita Raman Bhalla se kara do"

Mujhse hi aaj mujhko mila de

"Kyun?" he asked in an equally soft tone

"Khud ko apnki nazr se dekhna chahti hun. Apne har nas me apko mehsoos karna chahti hun"

Dekhoon aadaton mein,

Tu hai ki nahi

"Meri ankhon me dekho Ishita" he demanded

I listened to his every command like I had no control over myself.

My heart raced and breath quickened.

My breath mingled with his conveying to him to close the minute distance between us.

Har saans se pooch ke bataa de

Inke faaslon mein, tu hai ki nahi

Blood rushing vigorously in the veinsBreath racing madly in the lungsButterflies flying freely in the stomach

Oh! Too much to take! Too much to take!

I put my arms around him for support and hid my face in his chest. "I Love You Raman" I said involuntarily

Main aas-paas tere

I waited for his response. My knees were falling weak. I would fall onto the floor if he didn't hold me.

Aur mere paas..

Tu hai ki nahi

Next moment his arms were around me holding me in a tight grip. "I Love you too Ishita" he said

And then I knew my feet was off the ground and I was in his arms.My hands locked around his neck and my eyes locked with his eyes.

He gently placed me on the bed, tucked the half-wet strand of hair behind my ear.
His face came closer with every passing second.

First his intense eyes met my quivering lips,Then his warm breath fanned them,Then his lips met...

Oh hello! Aap log yahan kya kar rahe ho?Don't you know Pati ke Patni ke kamre me jhaankna buri baat hai?
Patha hai! Patha hai! Maine hi aap logon ko apni zindagi me access di thi.But ab aur nahi. Kuch baatein sabko batayi nahi jaathi.Kyunki kuch cheezein aapas me hi achhi lagti hain.
Ab jao. Mujhe disturb mat karo.

Hmmm...mai kahan thi?
Haan...
First his intense eyes met my quivering lips,Then his warm breath fanned them,Then his lips met...

Arrey! Aap log abhi tak nahi gaye?Besharmon ki tarah ghoor kya rahe ho?Yahan koi adult movie nahi chal rahi.Yeh mere aur mere pati ka bedroom hai.So just stay away!

Ok...coming back...
First his intense eyes met my quivering lips,Then his warm breath fanned them,Then his lips met...

"Ramannn" No! That was not a moan...it was a whine...

"Kya hua Ishita?"

"Dekho na Raman. Ye log abhi tak yahin hain"

"Koun?"

"Yahi...Char Kadam ke readers. Kitni baar bola ke aise mat jhaanko phir bhi nahi maan rahe"

"Rehne do na Ishita. Hum continue karte hain"

"Nahi...Mujhe nahi batana inhe ye sab. It is only for me and you"

"It's ok baba. Bechare jaanna chahte honge ke iske aage kya hua"

"Itne hi bechare lag rahe hain apko to jao unhi ke paas. Mere paas mat aao"

"Hey bhagwan!" slapping his forehead

Now facing the readers and joining his hands in request "Aap sab readers se binti hai ki kripya apni ankhein aur kaan (#SelfishMe! I don't want you to hear her moan my name) band kar lein. Please guys maan jao. Show pe to biwi se pyar karne ka mouqa nahi milta. Kam se kam is kahani me to karne do. Please Please"

"Gaye ya nahi?"

"Patha nahi Ishita. Lagta hai abhi tak yahin hain"

"Ye nahi sudhrenge. Aap ruko"

Knock Knock

"Maanvir"

(Author) "Kya hua Ishita?"

"Ab tum hi hamari madad kar do"

(Author) "Your wish is my command!"

Lights Off!Curtain Closed!Volume muted!

(Author) "Ab na kuch dikhayi dega, na sunayi dega. Ishita Raman you continue!"

Two hours later
I gazed at the sleeping form of my husband reminiscing the events of the day.Waking up to his face and sleeping off in his arms.It was a dream come true.

Henceforth my every wish, my every dream would begin with him and end at him.

Daudte hain khwaab jinpe

Rasta woh tu lage

Every night I would go to sleep with his face in my eyes.

Neend se jo aankh ka hai

Waasta woh tu lage

My life, my world has changed completely since the Valentine's Eve.

Tu badalta waqt koi

The moment when I chose him as my life partner and accepted him wholeheartedly is the best moment of my life

Khushnuma sa pal mera

And now I know this moment will never end. And I look forward to days to come with him by my side.

Tu woh lamha jo na thehre

Aane waala kal mera

I supported myself on my left elbow and my right index finger traveled on his bare chest making an I, a heart and a U

"I Love You too" I heard him mumble

"Aap soye nahi?" I asked wide eyed

"Itni pyari biwi ke hothe neend kise ayegi?"

"Ramannn" I slapped his chest playfully and then placed my head on his right shoulder hugging him.His right hand gathered me in a side hug and he kissed on my hair.

Mai aas paas tere

Raman's POV
My right shoulder felt lighter. So I patted the spot on my right side

Aur mere paas

Tu hai ki nahi

I woke up with a frown not finding her there.A sharp fragrance of strawberries filled my nostrils and continuous jingling of the bangles hit my ear.A smile instantly formed on my lips.

In labon pe jo hasi hai

Inki tu hi hai wajah

Just 2 days of marriage and she had already become a habit. So much that now it's impossible to imagine a life without her

Bin tere mai kuch nahi hun

Mera hona bewajah

I shifted my gaze towards the source of the sound of the bangles.

She was standing near the window pulling apart the curtains.

She faced me and the sunlight peeped in from behind her waiting for her permission to enter.

She smiled pulling the thread and the sunlight hit my eyes.

Dhoop teri na pade to

Dhundhla sa mai lagun

I spread my arms for her.

She sat beside me on the bed and I pulled her closer.

I breathed in her fragrance that seemed to give me fresh breath of life.

Aake saansein de mujhe tu

Taaki zinda mai rahun

I caressed her slightly bruised lips with my thumb and inched closer to bruise them again

Mai aas paas tere

Her hand met me instead of her lips

Aur mere paas

I quirked my eyebrows quizzically as to why she didn't join me

Tu hai ki nahi

"Pehle brush karke aao. Kitne germs honge apke moo me"

"Dentist se shadi karne ke side effects" I mumbled inaudibly

"Kya kaha aapne?"

"Kuch bhi to nahi"

"Pakka?"

"Haan meri maa. Ab mai jaaun? BRUSH karne keliye?"

"Ok...Jaldi se fresh hokar ayiye"

"Itni jaldi kyun?" I asked flirtily thinking she was anxious for the kiss

"Kyunki humein walk pe jaana hai"

I smiled at her as I knew what this walk meant for her.

Ishita's POV

We locked our hands together and set off for a walk to create another milestone in the walk of our life: Another Char Kadam.

We retraced the path that we walked on last night which technically was our first Char Kadam.

I would not call it the as the best Char Kadam of my life, for I know that with him by my side every walk will get better and every Char Kadam will create new memories for us.

We have walked miles together and we will walk miles together.

Is kahani ka anth ho sakta hai,

par ye CHAR KADAM to ab CHAR KANDHON par hi khatm hogi!

Did I just say that!?

-------------------------The End for a New Beginning--------------------------------