Relationship Status - It's complicated

Chapter 17 - Someone is blushing

Anjali

Everybody had left after the roka ceremony. Pooja's parents Lata Aunty and Ashok Uncle stayed back for a little while. Papa and Ashok Uncle were engrossed making lists of all the arrangements that needed to be made while Lata Aunty helped me and mom clean up in the kitchen as we had also hosted dinner for Shiv's family. After cleaning up, Lata Aunty said she and Uncle had decided to sponsor my mehendi outfit as the wedding outfit was to come from grooms side of the family. 

I knew Aunty had good intentions and she didn't mean anything but I felt genuinely bad. She had given me designer saree's when I married Manish saying I was just like her second daughter. I felt like nobody had any obligation to give me anything this time and so I refused to accept anything from Uncle and Aunty. She however insisted and said that they will end up buying the outfit anyways so it's best if I accompanied her and Pooja and bought it per my choice. I said ok and thought to myself to buy something that was simple and not expensive. Also, from my first experience, mehendi tended to ruin the dress a lot and so it was best to get a dress that was not too heavy and easy to carry and most importantly, easy to pee in. 

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I was sitting on my bed and making my own little list of to-do's even though I was tired from the Roka . Pooja was going to help with most of it but there was work related stuff that I had to care of by myself. So, I had begun already charting out work tasks. After typing away the obvious to do tasks before the leave, I began thinking about the un-obvious to-do tasks. 

If Arya had not come in, would he have held my hand? Would he have just held it or squeezed it? How would that feel? How would hugging him feel? Surely, it would mean being engulfed in warmth as he was big. Wonder how will it feel when he will tower me, would it feel like covering myself in a large heavy blanket?. I felt a tingle within me and I blushed at my stupidity. I was acting a teenager who was going through her first crush. 

He was really cutting down on food, barely ate anything for dinner after the photographs. Reducing some weight would be nice but he still looks very handsome. Strong personality, soft soothing voice, and a gentle demeanor. Everybody said we looked good together. What does he think about me? Does he find me attractive if he was trying to hold my hand? 

Just as I was thinking, I received a text from Shiv and like one excited teenager who had received a message from her crush, I swiped my phone to quickly open the message.

</ Hi Anjali - Sorry for messaging so late. Awake? Can we chat for a few minutes?/>

I read the message again and then again and then I smiled at the message. Biting my lip, I responded 'Yes' and the next instant he was calling me and before I knew it my heart was already racing.

"Hi, Shiv" I answered trying to sound normal despite my elevated heart rate.

"Hi Anjali, sorry, I know this is really late. "  

"It's ok. I was awake. Shiv, anything important?"

"Yes. I completely forgot to say that you looked absolutely pretty this evening. The pink color looks good on you."

I blushed and lowered my gaze from nobody in particular. I wasn't expecting a compliment but something along the lines of arrangements. I should compliment him too, right? But what should I tell him. 

"Thank you. The dress was actually Ma's choice." Before, I could say anything, he said

"The dress was Aunty's choice but the woman wearing it is my choice and I said You looked pretty. " Was that his teasing tone?

I giggled on the phone. "Shiv?"

"Yes."

"I am applying for 4 weeks of leave from work. 2 weeks before marriage and 2 weeks after marriage. Is that ok?" I wasn't sure if that was ok.