Framing Shards

Prologue

Sometimes time tides over us all, engulfing us in such a way that we either lose ourselves completely or rediscover ourselves all over again. But sometimes in very rare and special cases we find ourselves surfing in a beautiful balance.

His tempted fingers ran down the slender hand laying beside his own, bedecked in a cluster of gold bangles at the wrist, sliding down underneath them touching the smooth skin, jingling the circular jewels while the room remained submerged in the soft crackling and whistling of the red embers in the small fireplace, the wind lashing against the window every now, the tinkling sounds of his wife's bangles and their own peaceful breathing mingling into a soothing melody.

A gentle tickle on her hand steered her sleepy fluttering eyes towards the source. A fond yet lazy smile lit up her face glowing in the golden light of the low fire mingled with the silvery moon light streaming in from the tall glass windows overlooking the New York landscape.

"I thought you fell asleep dear" he said this time not hesitating to interlock their fingers which he had been refraining from for a long time afraid to stir her out of her slumber.

He let his gaze linger on her, observing her features from the golden hue on her cheekbones to the sparkle in her eyes. His fingers itched to touch her rose tinted cheeks, but deciding to contain himself by tightening his hold around her hand instead.

"I nearly was" came the soft response while the pair of the hazel eyes still bearing the remnants of kajal met his brown ones.

"But I did not wake up on your accord, I was holding myself from falling asleep in all these" she added quickly on seeing the concern shoot up his handsome face, "In all these heavy sarees and ornaments"

"You don't have to bother with those" he muttered half complaining, quickly placing his strong arm around her slim waist preventing her from getting up.

"I have to dear," came his lover's reply as she gently tried to maneuver his hand away, which he obliged soon after a bit, sitting up as well, taking a moment to admire her admire the angel that pranced into his life lighting it up with her quirkiness.

"You should have thought before causing us both to fall on bed so suddenly and so ungraciously" she added playfully taking some careless steps to the closet letting out a small yelp.

"What happened...what happened?" He asked urgently ,rushing to her side in a jiffy, "Do your wounds hurt again?"

While he searched the doe eyes looking up keenly at him for any clue of the source of discomfiture, a merry laughter from her end drew a relieved yet astonished gasp from his end.

"The kid leaves his toys all over the place" she muttered fondly picking up a soft toy bunny with atrociously long ears and with a blue tie around its neck "Remember how shocked he was when he saw you and the rabbit wear the same accessory around the neck."

A soft chuckle left his mouth, lighting up his handsome face, his eyes crinkling at the corners, his lips set amidst his well trimmed beard, drawing up in a smile wider than what he had been accustomed to for most part of his life.

"That is why he is a kid sweetheart" he answered, stepping closer holding up her hands carefully, consciously ignoring the conspicuous white bandage around her left wrist starkly contrasting against the gold wrapped one he had just been fondling with, the blue light from the center of his chest washing over them.

Only the soft jingling of earrings indicated a nod from the feminine perfection next to him, the flickering firelight reflected back unwaveringly in her eyes. He gazed at her wanting to cocoon her forever in his tender protective love.

"You are a very brave lady dear" his deep baritone rang out reverently, "No elements on earth not even fire can mellow you."

The fire crackled on shimmering and dancing much simulating how their lives had been not many weeks before.