“We have to go” She told softly with a blushy smile.

“Where?” He asked while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Out. Get ready” She told pushing him back. He was about to hold her when she chuckled and ran out of the room leaving him smiling like a fool.

Leaning on the wall, she couldn't help but rewind that moment again in her mind. She touched her neck only to feel a flock of butterflies in her stomach. Shaking her head, she adjusted her saree properly before walking to the couch and sitting there.

“Let's go?” He asked on coming out while rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

“But where exactly are we going?” She asked confused.

“To buy mobile for you right?” He asked.

“I wore this saree for buying mobile?”

“What else did you think?” He asked confused.

“You told me to be ready in the evening right? I told we're going on a date or something. Never mind!” She told and he looked surprised at her.

“Date?” He asked and she shrugged.

“Is coffee date fine?” He asked and she smiled as she nodded.

*

“Shivaay, you know about features right? Can you understand what he's saying?” She whispered to him in the pretence of checking the screen of mobile.

“He's saying about camera clarity” He whispered back while looking at the screen.

“Let's take this then?” She asked confused.

“Battery life is not good” He told and she sighed.

“I'll go and sit there. You select one and buy it” She told frowning and he chuckled.

She returned the mobile back to the salesperson but while taking it, the man caressed the back of her palm while she took her hand back quickly.

“Did you like this one's colour?” Shivaay asked moving her to his left while holding her shoulder making her confused.

“It's nice” She told confused and he nodded.

“Which nerve do you cut to put a person in coma?” Shivaay asked looking at Anika.

“Why?” She asked chuckling.

“Isn't there a nerve in the hand? Do you have your scalpel with you?” He asked and Anika smiled realising he saw that.

She looked at the salesperson before smiling sweetly at him making him gulp.

“Pack this. We'll come and take it in a while” Shivaay told giving the mobile to the salesperson who nodded quickly.

While turning to walk, he intertwined their fingers together making her smile. They walked to the coffee shop and sat on a table there.

“I forgot to ask you. Why did you break my phone actually?” She asked and his face changed.

“What do you want to have? Cappuccino? Latte?” He asked taking the menu card. She took it from him and kept it back on the table.

“Shivaay look at me” She told and he sighed.

“The call wasn't from your mom” He told and she took some time to understand what exactly happened.

“Arre wah! In anger, you just don't say all nonsense but break mobile also? Where did you get all these weird habits from?” She asked and he chuckled.

“Sir, ma'am, your orders please?” The waitress came to them and they turned to look at her.

They gave the orders and the waitress went away.

“From when did you start breaking phones?”

“Leave that Anika”

“No tell me” She told controlling her chuckle.

“I don't even remember how that habit started. When I get angry I want to throw my phone. If not phone, whatever is near me” He told.

“So you get angry and I'm near you, you'll throw me? Hey shivji! Save me from this pheku insaan” She told dramatically and he chuckled.

“Are you happy with me?” She asked after sometime making him confused.

“What do you mean?”

“We started off really badly. I mean you didn't even regard me as your wife. Are you happy with the marriage now? With me?” She asked.

“I started feeling lazy to go to office nowadays because I can't see you for those few hours” He told and she looked at him with a smile.

“Then why don't you talk to jhanvi ma?”

“Why can't you understand Anika? If she asked me to give a chance to our relation, with a little love, I would have happily done that because I seriously can't refuse her anything. Instead she blackmailed me, forced me to marry you. Forcing and asking is different. I never thought my mom would make a deal with me on her life. Do you know how different our life would have been if she asked me to give a chance to the marriage instead of forcing me?” He asked and she looked at the table instead of his face.

“It wouldn't make a difference Shivaay” She told softly.

“It would Anika. It would have definitely made a difference. I wouldn't have ever ignored you. I wouldn't have ever behaved indifferently with you. You wouldn't have gone through all those loneliness you went through. We could have dated for an year or two and get to know each other. By that time you would have completed your studies. We could have married happily like every other couple deeply in love but now, do you know how much hate was there in my mind while I took pheras with you? While I made you wear mangalsutra?” His voice choked

“You were smiling at me when I filled your hairline but I was busy cursing you in my mind. All these wouldn't have ever happened Anika” He told as he looked away as he slightly rubbed his eyes with his index and thumb.

“Shivaay it's ok” She told holding his palm across the table.

“It's not ok and it will never be ok. All those three months will stay in my mind like a sting till my death” He told and she sighed.

*

She scooted closer to him before raising her head slightly to look at him.

“Didn't you sleep?” She asked surprised.

“Do you have plans to operate me after I sleep?” He asked as he switched the bed lamp on and she chuckled.

“Haan that is why I was checking if you slept. Then only I can inject the anesthesia and take out your heart” She told and he turned to look at her.

“You can do that without injecting me. Do you want to see?” He asked and she looked confused at him.

“How?” She asked confused.

He put his hand inside his kurta and took it in the pose of holding something while shaking his hand to the beats of heart.

“Show your hand” He told and showed her palm with wide eyes.

He kept his palm on hers.

“Take care of my heart ok” He told holding both her palms together and she chuckled.

“I will take good care. I will give a bath to it every morning, then give it cholesterol free breakfast and then make it sleep after singing a lullaby in night” She told and he burst out laughing.

“You looked gorgeous in that saree today” He told and she smiled.

“It was your gift” She told making him confused.

“My gift? I never gifted you anything”

“Jhanvi ma gave me saying it's your gift. So basically I thought you didn't want to give it to me straight and gave it through her but now I know, you didn't even know about it” She told with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

He caressed her cheek before kissing her forehead bringing tears in her eyes.

“I hurt you a lot” He told while wiping her tears with his thumb.

“You're hurt than me now” She told caressing his beard and he kept his palm on top of her palm.

Taking her palm he kissed her knuckles as she smiled shyly. He pulled her towards him and hugged her close to his chest as he pecked her head. Hearing his heartbeats, she closed her eyes smile with a smile.

••|To Be Continued|••