Darmiyaan

Garden of Eden

 Ram was sitting in his bedroom, having breakfast and discussing some important paperwork with Adi. It was a beautiful morning and the birds were still chirping outside the window. Translucent rays of sunlight penetrated through the sheer curtains and casted a soft glow in front of the dressing mirror. Ram picked up a strawberry, and was just about to yell at Tarun- who eats strawberries in breakfast on a Sunday?- when the bathroom door opened.

Ram felt like the door to a paradise was just opened and something magnificent had come out. Vedika was there, dressed in a white chicken-kari kurta pyjama, drying her hair with a towel. She stood in front the mirror and the rays stopped at her face, illuminating it. Not to mention she was already glowing. All the air was sucked out of Ram's lungs and he felt uneasy. Uneasy to do anything. Even to yell at Tarun to bring him actual breakfast. He just wanted to stare at her, for as long as he could, which he knew for sure could be forever.

Vedika felt his gaze on her, and as much as she liked when he stared at her like their was nothing else in the world worth looking, she liked it more when he would be brought out of his transfixation and then be embarrassed for blatantly staring at his wife. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, and seeing that he was completely gone, turned around and threw the towel at him.

Ram came out of the oblivion, looked around as if he was just struck by a heavy current, and found Vedika grinning. 'Tum kabhi sudhar nhi sakte na. Hogye embarrass?'

But this time Ram didn't get embarrassed. He threw the towel aside and walked up to her. She knew what was going to come, but as she was about to head for the door, Ram held her waist from behind and made her stand in front of the mirror. Her hair was wet so he could feel little droplets of water on his face when they hit him. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled her scent- the hint of vanilla urging him to just stay there forever- making her feel dizzy.

'Apni biwi ko dekhne mein konsi embarrassment? Mai darta nahi kisi se.' Ram hugged her tightly from behind, despite her protests, his body engulfing hers. He placed his chin on her shoulder, making a mischievous face while looking at her in the mirror.

'Acha ji, prove it.' Vedika was loosing herself rapidly and when Ram moved her hair to her back and his beard touched her collarbone, she was gone. He kissed her softly on a part of her shoulder covered with the kurti, then moved towards her shoulder blade. She exhaled deeply when he reached her nape, lining the entire surface with kisses. His beard was brushing through her neck, and she felt herself collapse. Luckily, Ram caught her and was holding her upright from her waist, his chest giving support to her entire back.

'Vedu.' Ram whispered in her ear, and she felt chills down her spine.

'Don't.' Vedika exclaimed.

'Don't what?

'Don't stop.'

As if waiting for her approval, he spinned her around, and looked at her, deep into her eyes. Vedika took in a sharp breath and pulled him closer, tugging at his maroon kurta. Their noses touched. They both closed their eyes. She could feel his breath on her lips, so warm and full of comfort. Ram slid his hand from her waist, up her arm, making her shiver. He removed all the strands of her hair from her face, skipping a beat every time. He held her face with one hand and kissed her slowly on the cheek. Vedika had a look of utter bliss on her face. His beard-her favorite thing- rubbed against her jaw line, and she held his face in both her hands, not allowing him to move away. She slowly moved her face in front of his, and without looking up, kissed him.

It was so soft, Ram thought Vedika would dissolve in his arms. Still he wasn't able to comprehend how he felt so weak and so powerful at the same time. He felt her pulling away and wrapped his arms more closely around her. He didn't want to let go. Their lips were softly going around each other. He slid his tongue on her lips, as if asking for permission, and she happily obliged. The moment their tongues touched, a low voice escaped Vedika's mouth, making Ram go in deeper. It wasn't a movie, and they weren't the main leads to any romantic song, but in the that moment, it felt like violins were playing in the background, the sunlight was like a spotlight bringing attention to their love, and there was nothing to be said, because the song of their intimacy conveyed all their feelings for each other.

MERE ISHQ KE, HAR MUQAAM MEIN,

HAR SUBAH MEIN, HAR SHAAM MEIN,

EK RUTBA HAI, EK SHAAN HAI,

DONO TUJHPE, HAAN TUJHPE, DONO TUJHPE, KURBAAN HAI

EK DIL HAI, EK JAAN HAI,

DONO TUJHPE KURBAAN HAI...........

Ram and Vedika were in their respective bedrooms, holding their head in their hands, trying to forget what they just dreamt. But it was impossible. Even if they forget what just happened, they won't be able to control their minds next time. Every time they had one of these dreams, it worked as a small escape from reality. Like a paradise full of bliss away from the mansions they lived in. Everything got blurred and it was just these two who were the focus. But every time, they had to come back from this paradise, and every time, they had a sense of regret of that not being true. And a forceful acceptance that it wont ever be true.