ShaRa: The Journey Begins

A Pinch of Love and a Slice of Life

Raqesh was getting impatient. Five days of wedding ceremonies and he just couldn't see the end to the madness. He was grateful for the love surrounding Shamz and him, but the emotions stirring inside him were intense. In the middle of all the chaos, he had the strong urge to claim Shamz just for himself and not share their space and time with anyone anymore. Only if he could weave a cocoon around them and stay inside their personal web together. He desperately felt like swooping his gorgeous wife into his arms, throwing her over his shoulders like Big G the gorilla and carrying her to their bedroom.

He wanted nothing more than to hold Shamz in his arms, lay his head down on her lap, snuggle and whisper sweet nothings into each other's ears for a week straight. Perhaps even a week may not be enough. But then neither would a lifetime be.

From a time he stonewalled himself to Shamz, in OTT, to wanting to be cocooned along with her, it hadn't been an easy journey. But their being together was the best outcome of a strong connection. For most of the 44 years of his life, Raqesh had mastered the art of building walls around himself and locking everyone out. He did it as and when he needed to, as per his desire and requirements. But now he also wanted to enclose Shamz in those four walls along with him.

Shamita, too was a bit tired. For two introverts, like Raq and her, it was not easy being with people non-stop for the last ten days since their pre-wedding festivities started. She also yearned for some "we" time. Her ears craved for the sound of silence, Raq's arms to hold her and his chest to cushion her head as she lay peacefully reading a book or even scrolling through her phone.

That Raq was looking like a Greek god, in his sparkling white, Lucknawi chikan-work kurta, was not helping her case. His semi-transparent kurta stuck to his sculpted body, riding the ripples of his newly-built six-pack abs and his solid muscular arms. Her back hurt, and her heart ached for just them.

The two of them breathed a sigh of relief once the puja was over and the preparations for the lunch were underway.

Raqesh looked at Shamz when they got a quiet moment with each other.

"What now?" she smiled at him, pulling a long face. She could sense he was thinking too.

He shut his eyes and stuck out a bit of his tongue as if to say he was quite done. Grabbing her arm, he put his head over her right shoulder and groaned, "Uuuuunnnnuuu."

"Hmmmmm," she said wordlessly, patting his head. As an afterthought she added, "Me too."

Raqesh's eyes lit up. He asked, "Haan? Seriously?"

Shamita nodded.

"Should we?" he checked with her.

She blinked her eyes and nodded in affirmative. "But how?"

He showed her his right palm, put his left on his chest, lowered his eyes and nodded as if to say he'll manage.

It was Shamita's turn to smile. She mouthed, "I love you," without saying it in words. And added, "For this."

"Just this?" he queried in disbelief.

Both of them giggled.

They had perfected the art of conversing without saying anything at all.

Raq quietly went to Tai and asked her for Volini gel.

"Why? What happened?" she asked with concern.

"Shamz has a backache,"

"Ohh! There is still some time for lunch. Why don't you ask her to go to her room and rest for five-ten minutes." With this, she walked towards Shamita. Keeping a hand on Shamz's shoulder, she asked gently, "Shamita, is it hurting a lot?"