The love of my life

42. Distance

The next morning, Ekansh woke up and heard the shower on, in his room. He stretched and slowly got up to reach for his phone when the shower was turned off. The door opened ajar, as he popped up on his pillow for the view.

Daman walked out with a towel draped around her body and another on her hair and ready to reach for the closet, set by the help from her suitcase to find something for the day.

"Isn't that a sight worth waking up to?" Ekansh said as her mouth fell open, and the towel almost slipped from her body, if not for her hand holding it to her chest.

"When did you wake up? Your alarm doesn't go up for another... 20 minutes." She said, looking at the wall clock.

"I am a morning person and this happens to me, but when did you start waking up without an alarm, not grumpy and composed?" He said amused.

"Hey, I was always a morning person." She said looking at a lacy sky blue lingerie, to pair it with a same colored panty, before going for a suit of the almost same color with a thin royal blue border on the shirt, sleeves, neck and dupatta.

"How do I get you to lose the towel?" He said putting his feet down on the soft fur-like carpet of the royal blue color, just like the curtains. The black headboard of the bed, and the couch, in contrast to light grey sheets, with grey and black abstract art on the walls.

"Nothing. I have to go and wake up Tejas, then get him ready for the day." She said, walking towards the bed as he got up and a step as his phone rang. He looked at the screen and groaned.

"Bismat?" She asked, as he chuckled.

"You look good, when you are jealous." He said, to accept the call and put it on his ear. She could make out a man speaking on the other end, as he kissed her head, inhaled her scent from her neck and walked out with the sweatpants hung low around his torso.

She got dressed, did her hair and went to wake up Tejas. She opened the door to see Ekansh holding him in his arms, his sleepy open eyes looking at his mom from the shoulder of the man he had met a few days ago.

"Tej.." Daman said, as Ekansh, who was typing something on his phone turned to look at her.

"Oh, he was up and you were getting ready... So..." He said as Daman opened her arms and he easily gave in.

"Hey and listen, I have a few chores right now but I was thinking Samrudhi and Sumit will be here. Tejas can play with them under the supervision of mom, dad and Narmada aunty while we do some shopping." Ekansh said, as Daman felt a little self conscious.

"Why isn't this suit..." She was going to say as he shook his head.

"It's mom dad's 40th wedding anniversary and there's a ball. I don't suppose you brought a gown." He said, as she shook her head.

"We can take Tejas if you don't feel like leaving him here, but we might have to walk a lot and he may get fussy. Not to mention mirrors and hangers and glass in the stores." he says as she nods.

"I'll talk to him, see if he's fine with staying and then inform you." She said as he nodded and decided to walk away before pausing.

"Just... Text... I might not be able to pick up the call." He said as Daman shook her head in dismay.

"Fine. Go. Stay safe." She said, as he kissed her forehead, and then Tejas' before walking away.

++++++++++++++++++

Tejas was more than happy in the home theatre watching harry potter re runs, with Sumit and Samrudhi, as Ekansh's mom sat with them, knitting a sweater.

Daman paired her sky blue suit with pearl drop earrings and a plain gold chain, as Ekansh walked to her in his bedroom.

"Did you have breakfast?" She asked as he shouted a yes before entering the washroom.

He was out wearing a towel around his center, before Daman had time to put her hair up in a bun.

She let out a quiet whistle as Ekansh chuckled.

"Thank you, i guess." he said, picking up a sky blue button down as she turned away from the mirror to look at him.

"NO."

"What no?"

"Ekansh, we are not matching." She said, as he had a Cheshire cat grin.

"Come and stop me." He said, as she looked at his semi-wet hair falling on the front of his face, and the drop of water slipping down his abs. She gulped and turned away to look into the mirror and redo her bun.

He was soon ready in a dress shirt and navy blue trousers and brown leather shoes from Armani.

"Let's go?" He said, as she was done applying her lipstick. He noticed, it was the only make up she had on these days, contrary to the usual mascara and a proper no make up look she used to have for their dates.

"Whose driving?" she asked, ready to go back in time.

"The driver? Or do you want to? Like we do need security so... Or I can have them follow us in another car behind us?" he asked, as she shook her head.

"Yeah, sorry let's just take the driver."

Soon she sat in the Rolls Royce, with the partition up from the driver and guard as Ekansh sat by her side. She wondered if she'll ever get used to this. Or should she even try?

"That road leads to the royal stables where all our other horses reside and that goes to the museum that was... Our old house or the original royal palace. I was born there." He said, as she looked around keen to learn.

"We should visit that someday." She said, as he nodded.

"Sure, but when we have Tejas too. Don't want him to miss the introduction to our grand history." He said, as something stirred in her.

"Ekansh..."

"Hmmm?"

"If... If we do this, would you want another... Heir?" She asked, as looked at her face.

"I would surely like to have a daughter as bossy as you." he said, as she smiled.

"You have no idea what you're asking for."

"I do infact. I'll have to kill a lot of boys for looking at her, if she's like you in looks."

"If we have a son?"

"Ummm.. Another attempt for a daughter?"

"And if we have a son again?"

"No, this time we'll fly to US, get IVF... Choose a female embryo and then get conceived." He says as Daman chuckles.

"That's some devotion." She said and looked out the window. She saw a plane fly and reminded herself to book a flight back for after the ball. She had to keep her job until she could reach a final decision.

"Is it possible?" He asks, as she turns to look at him..

"What?"

"Having more kids? Is there a chance you'll be okay with the idea of it? The final decision is yours." He asks, as she shrugged.

"I don't know." She said, as the car came turned to the basement parking of the mall and soon the guard opened the door for her as Ekansh ran to offer his hand.

"Will it be okay to hold hands in public?" She asks, as he shrugged.

"If you're okay with it, May I?" He asked as she smiled slipping her hand in his.

"Don't ever let go." He whispered looking up, as she pretended to not have heard it.