Here After!

25. Balancing Love and Work

Anu

I woke up to the intense sensation of sunlight hitting my eyes. Blinking, I tried to open them and scan my surroundings. I realized I was still in Giri's embrace, his face nestled in the crook of my neck, partially draped over me. Through the glass ceiling, I could see it was already daytime—late morning, perhaps. I tried to locate my phone and spotted it on the nearby table, just out of reach.

Carefully, I attempted to slide out from under Giri without waking him, but he stirred slightly and tightened his hold on me. Smiling at his unconscious gesture, I gently whispered his name, trying to rouse him.

"Giri, it's morning," I said softly.

He mumbled something incoherent and shifted, allowing me a bit more freedom to move. With a bit of effort, I managed to stretch my arm far enough to grab my phone from the table. As I brought it closer, I noticed several missed calls from Mom, along with a final message saying she had tried to reach us since she didn't see us in the morning. She had figured out we were on the terrace and told us to come down without hurry.

Realizing it was past 10 in the morning, I knew I needed to get ready for work. I felt slightly uncomfortable and thought a hot water bath might help. I was a bit unsure whether to wake Giri or not, feeling a little shy about facing him after last night.

Gathering my thoughts, I gently nudged him. "Giri, it's past 10. We should get ready."

He stirred and slowly opened his eyes, giving me a sleepy smile. "Morning," he said softly.

"Morning," I replied, feeling my cheeks warm up. "I need to get ready for the office. Do you mind if I go take a shower first?"

"Of course not," he said, sitting up and stretching. "I'll tidy up here and join you downstairs in a bit."

I nodded, grateful for his understanding. As I headed to the bathroom, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions—shyness, excitement, and a newfound sense of closeness. The night had brought us closer in a way I hadn't anticipated, and despite my initial hesitation, I felt content.

After a soothing hot shower, I felt refreshed and more composed. Dressing quickly, I made my way downstairs, ready to face Mom. She welcomed me with a smile and asked me to wait a while so she could freshly brew some tea for us. I nodded and stood by her side.

She asked if Giri was up, and when I mentioned he was taking a shower, she told me to call him for breakfast once he was ready.

I headed to our room to relay the message. Giri was getting dressed when I walked in. Seeing me, he raised his eyebrows in a silent question.

"Mom asked me to call you for breakfast," I said with a small smile.

"Got it," he replied with a grin, finishing up quickly.

"Are you okay? Any discomfort?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

I felt a little shy to face him when he asked that. I just shook my head and avoided his eyes, murmuring, "No, I'm fine."

He smiled reassuringly. "Alright, let's head downstairs," he said, pulling me into his arms and kissing my forehead, catching me by surprise.

When I came back to reality, he had already let me go and was walking out of the room with a casual ease. I stood there for a moment, touched by his gesture, before following him downstairs.

As we reached the kitchen, the comforting aroma of freshly brewed tea greeted us. Mom looked up and smiled warmly at the sight of us together.

"Good morning, Giri," she said cheerfully.