She opened her book to study but she couldn't concentrate in anything. Being angry to herself, she was about to close the book when the door bell rang.

“Babita di” She told with a sigh as she got up from the couch and walked to the door. Without looking at the person, she walked inside as she knew it was Babita.

“Babita di, I'll just go and take a bath and come quickly” She told and was about to go when her wrist was held.

“Anika, I'm sorry” He told and she turned to him, shocked.

“You?” She asked with wide eyes and he sighed before holding her in a warm hug making her eyes dilate in shock.

“I'm so sorry. In that anger, I just. I'm sorry” He told but sensing her standing like Mr bean, he parted while removing her hair from his beard.

“Uh—Sorry I—” He stammered but she shook her head and smiled faintly.

“It's ok. Mistake was mine. You didn't drink your coffee so I was bringing it for you but then you came out and my hand——” She told doing actions with her hands and only when she felt his fingers on her cheek did she realise that tears had rolled down her eyes.

“I—I'm sorry Shivaay. I didn't mean to do that” She told as she tried not to cry in front of him.

“It was not your mistake” He told holding her palms in his.

“My temper! I'm short tempered and I say all nonsense when I'm angry” He told and she looked at him.

“Do meditation na. Short temper is very bad you know” She told and he chuckled.

“Even my papa didn't shout at me like that till now” She told and he sighed.

“I'm sorry?” He asked holding both his ears.

“I don't hold grudges so no problem” She told and he smiled.

“Then give me a hug” He told spreading his arms and she widened her eyes.

“Anika, I just asked for a hug. I mean friends wala hug” He told and she smiled before taking a step forward.

She fidgeted with her arms for sometime not knowing what posture to hug. He shook his head and pulled her closer to him while she involuntarily wrapped her arms around him with wide eyes.

“You don't know how to hug?” He asked and her ears turned red.

“Hugs are not my thing” She told softly.

“Then you should make it your thing because I hug everyone I'm close to” He told and she raised her head slightly.

“So I'm close to you?”

“Why do you think I'm hugging you?” He asked and she smiled.

He parted from the hug and looked at her.

“Is there puri left? You were talking, I was listening. In between I forgot about my food you see and——”

“You're hungry. Say that clearly na. Why do you twist words so much?” She asked chuckling as she walked to the dining table and opened the casserole.

“Only one is there” She told and he sighed.

“Something is better than nothing” He told and she smiled as he quickly took a plate and sat on the chair.

“What will one puri do? You wait, I'll make something for you” She told but he shook his head.

“It's ok”

“It's not ok. I'll make some more puri. Wait here” She told before rushing to the kitchen.

He sat there for sometime and finally losing his patience, he walked to the kitchen and sat on the counter with the plate. She chuckled and put the puri directly to his plate.

“Even Papa doesn't have the patience to wait till food is brought to the table. In the pretence of checking the taste of things, he'll come and sit like this and finish half of the thing” She told and he smiled .

“Shivaay can I ask you something?” She asked carefully and he nodded while slowly blowing on the hot piece of puri and putting it into his mouth.

“Why don't you talk to Jhanvi ma?” She asked and he dropped the puri back on the plate with a sigh.

“If she wanted me to have a happy married life, this was not the way to be used. I never expected her to behave like that. I mean she literally said 'Shivaay you won't see me alive if you don't agree for this marriage'” He told with a frown.

“That was past. You know what is the biggest quality of human beings? We know how to forgive. Look at snakes. They don't know how to forgive. There was an uncle in my pardadi's village ok. Once while passing through a small alley during night, he stamped a snake” She told with wide eyes while rolling the dough.

“That snake bit him right?” He asked and she shook her head.

“He immediately took a stick and tried to kill that snake so that it doesn't bite him. The snake escaped into the forest and he quickly went home. After that, he didn't go through that way. After a month or so, he went abroad also. Some five years or so later, he returned back to the village and on a similar night, he walked through the same place. Do you know what happened? A snake bit him on his throat. He was found dead, all blue the next day” She told and he looked shocked at her.

“The same snake?”

“That I don't know but pardadi told it's the same snake. Snakes are such. They don't forget things and even after many years, they take their revenge. That's why we call wicked people snakes. They even bite from behind for revenge” She told as she put a puri in his plate.

“But I worship snakes” She told making him shocked.

“Why?” He asked with wide eyes.

“Arre pardadi told if you worship snakes with pure heart, there's nothing you have to be scared of. Also haven't you seen the snake around shivji's throat?” She asked excited.

“You're a big devotee I see” He told and she nodded with a smile.

“When I was small, I didn't believe in any God. I was a strong atheist. Once I went for vacation to my pardadi's village and from then, I became such a strong devotee. Papa and mumma were so shocked to see me entering puja mandir in our home. Dadi told me so many stories of Shivji and there, I fell flat” She told chuckling.

“You fell flat? How?” He asked.

“More than worship, I'm a fan of shivji you can say. Haven't you heard the legendary love story of Shivji and Parvati ma? How much he loves her. Every girl would want a husband like Ramji as he was always said to be the perfect husband but according to me, Shivji is the perfect one. Hayee! You know, your name was one of the reasons I said yes to this marriage” She told and he chuckled.

“You're a gone case Anika” He told and she chuckled.

“Even my friends say that. Glad you realised at least now” She told and he chuckled but suddenly started coughing as the spices went in the wrong tract.

“Careful” She told making him drink water and he looked at her while she made him drink water with her hand while he held the glass above her fingers.

She looked at him and then at their palms before keeping the glass on the counter along with his hand while he kept looking at her. She slowly took her fingers back and was about to turn when one of the moon of her chand bracelet got stuck in his watch.

“Uh—I—” She stammered as she tried to remove the moon from his watch.

“Let me try” He told pulling his hand closer to his eye along with her hand. So as to not break the bracelet, she moved closer to him standing between his legs.

“Let me do” She told holding his wrist and going close to him. She somehow removed it carefully but that's when the over heated oil made a loud sound.

“Ahh” She screamed and held him startled hiding her face in his chest.

“Anika it's the oil” He told holding her and she raised her head to look at the oil. Her eyes widened seeing the black smoke and quickly switched the stove off.

She breathed a sigh of relief and looked at him only to realise his arms were on her waist bringing a sudden tingle there. Awkwardly, she removed her hold from his shirt while he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as he looked at her features carefully. She closed her eyes and parted her lips as his fingers that tucked the hair moved down her neck.

••|To Be Continued|••