Perfect Mismatch

Ch 58 - Packing

Shehnaaz was a mess at the moment. The panic of packing for a considerably long trip, separation anxiety, the stress of ticking off all to-do lists along was driving her mad and yet, she was trying her best to manage everything efficiently. Despite the panic, excitement and the dread her driving force and the reason for her breaking into a wide grin at the oddest hour of the day was the the fact that Sidharth had taken a four day off to spend time with her and help her figure out things and she could not help but express her gratitude for it in her own ways.

"Puttu, ye le..."she walked up to him with a cup of chai as he was going through the list of items that were left to be packed and making a list of items required to be shopped.

"Darling, tu idhar aake chup karke baith. Chai ke liye Ritu hai, who banayegi. Tera zyada important kam idhar hai na Shehnaaz" he chided her but then immediately kissed her head, pulling her into a side hug as she puted at him. She happily cooed and kissed his chest with a smile.

"Ken dresses aur shoes pack karvake bhejega suitcases. Apne normal kapde, chappal, samaan wagairah maine daal liye they toh jo tere paas list hai who, aur bas medicines baaki hain. Aur ek extra chord chaiye phone ke liye" she told him.

"Likh ke kaam kyun nahi karti be tu. Aise reh jayega last minute, phir problem hogi tereko" he noted down the last of her requirements on his list while she clinged on to him like a monkey.

"Tu miss karega na mereko?" she asked him.

"Nahi. Bhag yaha se bhi. Main Adith ko bolta hun, aur I'll also take the other car and go. Ye wala main hi le aaunga" he said, gulping the entire cup in one go, making her wonder.

"Main bhi chalun? Hum kitne din se bahar nahi gaye hain Sidharth!" she whined, but he paid no heed to her.

"Shehnaaz, yaar, pap ho jayenge, phir unko request karna padta hai mat daalo ye wo. Aaj itna discussion ka mood hai nahi mera. Tu cross check kar ki kuch reh toh nahi gaya. Agar rehta hai toh bata, main leke aaunga. Caal kariyo mereko theek hai?" He patted her back and left before she could open her mouth to retort.

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"Do din baad iss time flight me hogi tu, na Sana?" Ravi Jiju reminded her as the family sat together having ice cream. Shehnaaz nodded nervously at the thought and Preeti Di, understanding her conflicting emotions rubbed her back sitting next to her.

"Tu call karna hum sabko, jabhi bhi tereko akela lage okay? " Preeti Di suggested and Ma smiled warmly.

"Arrey, itna kuch hai nahi akele lagne kya. 7 din rahegi ye hotel mein quarantined, uske baad iske khudke paas phone uthane ka time nahi hoga. Aur bhai logon se baat ho gayi?" Sidharth asked her, trying to give confident answers on her behalf.

"Haan...main jaungi" she told him and then explained about her cousins staying there some family friends.

"Arrey, Canada me toh teri extended familt hogi! 'Kanedde' me!" Jiju teased her and she laughed, but didn't say more. Her anxiety was again acting up a little.

"Bacche, maine na laddu banvaye they aaj Ritu se. Very health – one laddu for each day. Roz khana hai. Aur kuch theple banva dungi travel day pe. Kabhi kabhi man nub jata hai na bahar ke khane se, toh kha lena, 3-4 mahine chal jaate hain theple. Koi problem nahi" Ma told her gently and her eyes widened.

"Ma! Haye aap kyun mehnat kar rahe ho. Aur main waise hi salad/fruits hi khati hun...aur ghar jaisa hi hai wahan...log hain apne. Koi itna bada issue nahi hoga...kuch aur mat karo aap bas" she requested Ma, not wanting her to trouble more.

"Bacche tu bas apna dhyan rakh. Theek hai? Aur ye Sid ki tarah nahi karna. Mereko roz phone karegi. Time dekh lena tu apne hisaab se" Ma told her.

"Ae, hello! Sid jaisa kya hota hai? ....Yaar aap logon ko mere se problem kya hai!" Sidharth whined, throwing a cushion on Shehnaaz's face.

"Tu satayi hui bahu hai na saale!" Ravi Jiju laughed and threw the cushion back at him.

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"Idhar hi so raha hun" Sidharth announced, as he entered her room. She was already in bed as it was a little after midnight but was wide awake.

"Aithey aa..." she called him closer and he rolled his eyes.

"Aithey ke alawa aur kahin space bhi nahi hai darling, sone ke liye" his comment made her whine.

"Chupkar yar...tu kitna non-sensitive hai! Meri feelings ki koi kadr hi nahi hai!" she murmered hiding her face into the pillow.

"Idhar aao!" he pulled her onto him, making her fall on his chest with a loud yelp and wrapped his arms tightly around her tiny body.

"Chilla mat, aur pehle to non-sensitive nahi, insensitive...aur doosra, chapet padega, chupkar ke soja mere saath abhi" he was curshing her with the hug.

"Kutte saans nahi aarahi mereko! Chhod!" shesquirmed trying to pull herself out and he let her with a loud laugh.

"Main kaat lungi tereko!" she bit his bicep angrily to protest and he hit her head, pushing her face away to ged rid of his arm which was being bitten against by her.

"Tu pagal hai?!" he laughed, but then pulled her into a warm hug and she gave in, suddenly breaking down into a whimper and then silent sobs.

"Abbey! Oye! Gadhi! Ro kyun rahi hai ab, psycho aurat!" he rubbed her back, pulling her body completely on top of himself and holding her between his two legs. Her tears wet his chest and he kept rocking her body.

"Main pagal hui padi hun...main tereko chhodke kaise rahungi Sidharth! Main nahi reh sakti! Sidharth, kya hoga..."she complained in one go.

"Oh, hello. Break lagao thoda. Phone hota hai aaj kal. Video calls hoti hain. Tu jail nahi jar ahi hai, na jehennum. Call karegi subah uthke. Raat ko son eke pehle. Aur beech me bhi yaad aayegi toh karlena. Bina time dekhe. So bhi raha hoga toh neend me baat karlunga. Samjhi? Ghusa kuch idhar?" he patted her head and she nodded, her lips never leaving his chest.

"Tu uthayega mera phone na? Sidharth, kuch galat toh nahi hoga na?" she asked nervously, her head resting flat on his chest while he drew circles on her back.

"Kya galat hoga baby? 40-45 din matlab 6 hafte laga le. Tereko pata bhi nahi chalega...itna busy ho jayegi shoot mein" he explained to her lovingly.

"Aur tu? Tub hi miss karega na mereko?" she asked, raising her head up to look at him.

"Abbey yaar..."he pushed her off him, landing her right next to him and then, cuddling close to her.

"Woh kal bataunga...so ja darling, kal we have a very long day ahead of us. Energy recharge kar abhi" he patted her , as if putting a baby to sleep.

"Haye kutte, ek baar bhi nahi bolta ki miss karega...bhaad me jaa tu" she whined, kicking his legs, making him laugh.

"Filhaal toh tu Canada ja...bhaad ka trip main baad me plan karta hun!" he laughed, teasing her more. She resigned and cuddled closer to her with an "Ammaaaaaa". 

He chuckled but then bent a little and placed a chaste kiss on her lips, which she did not respond to. Her eyes were closed, her breath heavy and yet, she did nothing else, as he kissed her, took her lower lips into his. He frowned and with a small peck of finality broke away and looked at her in wonder.

"Kya hua baby?" he asked in almost a whispered. She did not open her eyes, but smiled.

"Save kar rahi thi, memory me. Phir bohot din ho jayenge na. Toh.." she explained, without looking at him. 

"Mera baby!" he reclaimed her face and showered many more, all over her face/