This Time, Her Turn [Completed]

Chapter 24

In the morning, Ramit woke up first. It was a rare instance. On his side, Geetha sported an uncanny smile with her eyes closed, still in her slumber. Her face looked as silly as it looked dangerous.

Amused, Ramit grabbed his phone from the nightstand and captured the moment.

Then, he gently shook her. "What are you dreaming about?"

Her voice wasn't clear but he heard what was close to "World domination. Hidden."

He pinched her cheeks until she slapped him away with watery eyes.

"What were you dreaming?"

She rubbed her eyes. With a delay of a few seconds, she smiled at him and said, "Good morning."

Ramit was too curious to give up and he questioned her again.

"Five years down the lane, we will be stable. That's the maximum period. We can pull it off in three years too, but let's have a cushion, so five. Fifteen years from then, we should be a big player if we manoeuvre through all the changes in the market, public perception and society carefully."

Ramit's lips parted slightly. She was planning to be with him for at least 20 years. 20 years was a long time, and by then she would be 44 and he would be 47. They would have lived half of their lives. Warmth flooded his heart and he replied with some giddy aggression, "Hidden is to make this world a better place! Not for your world domination!"

Geetha nodded. He somehow heard her dreams. She kept thinking about how he avoided her apology and she slept a bit late brooding over it. She quickly took her mind off of it. "That's good too! If we expand too much, we won't have time for ourselves," she said, finally sitting up.

She really had a bright outlook, he thought. He was still not very confident about the company. "One wrong move costs everything, you know..."

"If something happens, we can just go back to our jobs."

"What about Hidden?"

"Liquidate, what else? I'm more worried about you. Don't attach yourself too much to it and be more pragmatic." She checked the time and got off the bed and headed to the bathroom.

Ramit smiled looking at her back as she left. He hoped all the flattery she was putting his mother through was to win some points to really share her life with him. He hoped that she genuinely wanted to be with him as much as he wished for her to be in his life.

He disliked her doing so, but it gave him hope.

∼•∽

Their day was busy. Ramit and Geetha drove to their office directly and by afternoon they went back home and started packing their luggage.

"Be careful, okay?" He said, unable to shake off his thoughts.

"I will. Nothing will happen to me."

Then she went to the hospital for her checkup and in the evening they started their journey to the village.

The place was much quieter in general and smelled of fresh humus and burnt dung. Geetha had been there only once, shortly after her marriage.

By the time they reached, it was past 10. Only Ramit's mother was awake. Ramit's parents had already arrived that morning. That night they did not disturb the wisest and oldest man of the house since it was too late.

The next morning, they realised almost all of their extended family members were present. Greetings and small talk ensued. Geetha found the faces familiar but did not know much about anyone. She quietly followed Ramit around with a smile. At some point, she slowly held his hand. Ramit turned to her in question but she kept her eyes forward. He smiled and let her be.