Falling For You: A MaAn Story

5: A Step Closer: Reassurances and a Healing

The scene is continued from the previous chapter. They ended their dinner date with a small walk on Riverfront. Both turned back to walk towards their car.

Anuj tightened his grip over Anu's hand and halted. Anu looked up.

"Kya hua, Anuj? Ruk kyun gaye?"

"Thodi der aur ruk jaayein? Jaane ka mann nahi kar raha.."

"Thik chhe. Chaliye wahan wo bench par baithte hain."

They both go sit on the bench, and Anuj wraps his arm around Anu's shoulder. Anu was starting to feel cold now, so she snuggled a bit more into him, basking in his warmth. She felt so protected, so safe. It seemed as if nothing, absolutely nothing, could harm her happiness right now. She was with her Anuj, and he was there with her. They were always going to be there. Together. Nothing more mattered now. She started playing with his fingers in his lap. They both looked at the moon, and sighed in contentment.

"Tum itni jaldi maan gayi, Anu? Mujhe to laga tha daant padegi ghar jaane ke liye mujhe."

She giggled softly and said, "Mm-hmm. Daant nahi, main bhi to yahi chahti thi. Thodi der aise aapke saath time spend karna tha mujhe bhi..."

Saying this, she looked down, blushing, anticipating a teasing retort back. Instead, she felt a lone tear fall on her hand resting on his lap, and looked up to see him teary-eyed.

"Kya hua Anuj? Aap ro kyun rahe hain? Aap thik to hain na?"

"Haan. Khush hoon main. Bohot zyaada khush. Yeh khushiyaan sambhaal bhi paaunga ya nahi, inke qaabil bhi hoon ya nahi, nahi jaanta main..."

Anu did not say anything. She just cupped his face and looked deep into his eyes. Anuj could see the love there like he always did, but there was a different intensity to it at this moment. He felt her soft touch on his cheeks and felt his face heating up. He was shy but couldn't look away. Her gaze had him captivated. She pulled his face down a little, and, raising herself, pressed her lips on his forehead. She lingered there for a moment. The kiss was firm yet gentle as if asking him to stop questioning his love again and again. As if assuring him that now she was going to be his constant. His partner. She pulled away and looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"Mil gaya jawaab aapko, Kapadia Ji? Aap itna hi nahi, isse zyaada aur bhi bohot kuch deserve karte hain. Bas itna na, apne dimaag mein fit kar lijiye. Ki main sirf aapki hoon, aur aapse...woh kya kehte hain aap? Haan. Main aapse beintehaa mohabbat karti hoon."

Anuj was speechless, as he kept staring into her eyes. He didn't even realize when his tears started to flow, unchecked.

"Arre, kya hai yeh Anuj, aap to aaj kal mujhse bhi zyaada rone lage hain," she giggled, wiping his tears softly.

He said nothing. Just took her hand in both his hands, and pressed his lips firmly on the ring, closing his eyes. It was an unsaid promise, of loving her, till his last breath, and perhaps even after it. They didn't need words now. Words would never be able to explain the bliss, the emotion, the protection they felt in that moment, in each other's arms. Anuj wrapped his arms around her shoulders, while Anu's snaked around his waist, and both held each other tightly.

"Thank you, Anu, thank you, mujhe sab kuch de dene ke liye..."

"Thank you, aapko Anuj, mujhe apne aap ko dene ke liye."

They stayed there, looking at the slow flowing of the otherwise still water of the Sabarmati. They then walked back to the car, and Anu refused to drive this time on. She also wanted to sit beside, looking at her handsome man. Anuj blushed, and opened the passenger's seat for her to settle in. He started driving towards their home. Anu slowly put her hand over his on the gear. His heartbeats paced up. Even the slightest of her touches, even now, could send his heart racing. Anu kept holding his hand. While she had her window pulled down, and was looking out on the road. She had a soft smile playing on her lips, and a sweet blush reddening her cheeks, adding a subtle glow to her face. One unruly strand of hair kept flowing in the air. Anuj was mesmerized. It took a lot of self-discipline to keep his focus on the road.