Chronicles Of My Darling Husband | ✓

91. Kumud (Part 1)

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"For the love of your Kanha, at least get a hickey from your husband tonight." Devika winked as she whispered, her voice dripping with playful mischief. Nishita blushed deeply at her friend's outrageous suggestion, swatting Devika's arm in mock indignation as she giggled her way out of the room. She left Nishita alone in Jagdish's bedroom, her laughter lingering in the air.

The room filled softly with the chime of Nishita's bangles as she idly traced patterns in the rose petals scattered across Jagdish's pristine mattress. As the late-night stretched on, the weight of the elaborate ornaments dug into her skin, a physical manifestation of the stifling expectation to be a perfect, demure bride. Though she hadn't adhered to all of Mami's rigid traditions, she had attempted to conform, a hollow effort that brought no comfort.

The earlier hours of the evening hadn't been as bad as she'd feared.

Stepping into the throng of Trivedis had felt like navigating a minefield, a consequence of Jagdish's grandmother's dire warnings. But the fabled judgmental stares never materialized. Dadi's pronouncements, it seemed, had been a touch embellished.

The Trivedis, in reality, had been a warm, welcoming bunch. Neelima, practically her age, had become an instant confidante, their connection mirroring the easy bond Subhadra had forged with her. As the night had flowed, the initial stiffness had melted away. She had soaked in the gentle teasing and lighthearted banter. Jagdish's youngest cousin, the vivacious Gayatri, and the mischievous twins, Luv and Kush, had brought back playful memories of Krishna and Subhadra's playful sparring during their first meeting at Vaishali's. On the other hand, Pratyusha had exuded a quiet strength, a reflection of Jagdish's steadfastness. Perhaps she had been the family's anchor.

Beyond the immediate circle, a broader circle of Singh relatives, though not as intimately known, had filled the room, who weren't half as bad as her own relatives.

A tremor of apprehension shot down her spine whenever someone addressed her as "Badi Bahu." The weight of the title, signifying the eldest daughter-in-law, settled heavily on her. It was a lifelong role she had never imagined for herself. The constant chorus of praise surrounding Jagdish only amplified her anxieties. Krishna's words rang true—living an idealized life, held to an impossible standard of perfection, would be utterly draining. The thought of being part of such a flawless man's life was a bit terrifying for her.

But then again, when they had been alone, Jagdish had revealed a different side—carefree, a bit cheeky, and passionate.

She sighed, clicking her tongue as she eyed a de-petaled rose. She picked it up, her gaze shifting to the door. It had been quite a while, and she was starting to overthink everything. Clearly, boredom was setting in.

Where the hell are you, Jagdish?

She aimed the rose at the door and threw it with all her might.

Just then, the door swung open, and the rose smacked Jagdish directly in the right eye before he could raise a hand to shield himself. The sudden impact caught him off guard and he stumbled inside.

Oh, fuck!

Nishita gasped.

"Fuck!" He grunted, pressing a hand to his eye. He looked straight at her, and she squirmed in embarrassment.

"Sorry, I was..." she started, but his light chuckle made her stop, her cheeks burning.

The click of the lock echoed in the room as Nishita watched Jagdish stride towards the wardrobe. He plucked a white kurta out, muttering, "I need a change. This just isn't comfortable."

Oh, hello, I'm wearing an even more annoying dress than yours. Did you see me complaining about it?

Nishita's eyes narrowed in a silent challenge, but Jagdish avoided her gaze. "I'll be back in five minutes," he tossed over his shoulder as he started to walk away. She wanted to scream but remained silent, watching him retreat to the bathroom and lock the door.

This just isn't comfortable...waewaewae. Asshole!

She grabbed a handful of petals and hurled them towards the bathroom. "Go fucking sleep there!" she muttered, glaring at the white door of the bathroom. "Why the hell should I not sleep!?"

With the notion that it had been stupid of her to wait for him that long rather than sleeping alone, she started removing her ornaments. She carefully placed each piece of gold on the nightstand beside the bed. With each item she took off, a sense of ease washed over her. Finally, she glanced one last time toward the bathroom.

I'll be back in five minutes... Nonsense! It's been more than fifteen minutes now, who takes this much time to change?

Removing her dupatta from her head, she muttered a curse under her breath about being married to a man who seemed to prefer the bathroom over the bedroom. She flopped onto the bed, sinking into the comfort of the mattress. As her back touched the soft surface, it felt as if an invisible lullaby was being sung just for her, so soothing that she couldn't help but sigh in relief and her eyes closed immediately.

Hickey or not, at least I can sleep peacefully.

"Wifey..."

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A/N

I was laughing so hard at Nishita hurling petals toward the bathroom that it took me quite a while to calm down and start writing again. Gosh, such anger, much wow XD

Kumud (White Lotus/Water Lilies) are known to blossom only at night. While searching for a meaningful name for this set of chapters, I realized that the scenes I envisioned resonated with the pure heart and love that blooms under the night sky, so I named it Kumud. Am I giving away spoilers for these chapters? I probably should have saved this explanation for the end, but oh well.

Anyway here's "Kaun Mera". Sunidhi's soft voice is such a delight to hear, it's nothing but ecstatic in every sense, love this song like anything. :)

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