Simple and Sweet

1.The Flight

He places their passports on the counter as his wife explores the bustling airport. She taps her foot impatiently, stealing glances at her husband, her lips bitten in indecision.

She longs to tell him about her preference for a window seat but hesitates. Despite being married, they had hardly conversed during the wedding ceremonies. His busy schedule as an HR professional and her demanding job as an accountant in a jewelry company left little time for personal conversations.

As he drops their suitcase at the check-in counter, she hesitates and lets go of the idea. Sighing, she hangs her handbag over her shoulder. "Enjoy your flight, sir and madam," the attendant smiles as she hands over their tickets to the newly married couple.

He holds the tickets, and his wife walks alongside him. As she gazes upward at the airport's roof, her mind wanders to the recent news of structural failures. Shaking off the unsettling thought, they proceed to the waiting area, still an hour before their flight.

Silent and observant, they both take in their surroundings. She steals a glance at him and finds him gazing out through the large airport window where several airplanes sit idle. Glancing down at his hands, she notices him tapping his thumbs together and shaking one leg. That's when she realizes she's doing the same.

She looks down at her lap, unsure of how to break the silence. She wonders how their honeymoon will unfold in this quietness. "Hmm, I look good in this blue kurti," she thinks to herself.

"Dharia," he says, breaking the silence. She looks up, waiting for him to continue. "Have you ever traveled by plane before?" he asks, and she offers a small smile. "Yes, but just once, to Norway with my parents when I was 7," she replies.

He nods and she then asks him if he ever traveled by plane. "Yes, twice. Once with friends to Kerala, and then to the USA with my family," he responds, lost in the memories.

Once again, an unfamiliar awkward silence fills the air until his phone rings, shattering the quietude. He answers the call, informing his mother that they are waiting at the airport sitting in the waiting area. Passing the phone to Dharia, she chats with her mother-in-law for a while.

"Enjoy, dear, and don't let Mahir take work calls. Scold him if you need to, you have every right," her mother-in-law advises her, and she hums in response before ending the call and passing the phone back to her husband.

As they prepared to board the flight, she followed closely behind him while he searched for their seats.

He paused by E1 and E2 and asked, "Do you have anything important in your bag?" She shook her head, indicating that she didn't.

He gestured towards the window seat and said, "Yours is the window seat," as he stowed her bag in the airplane cabin.

She looked up at him in surprise, fighting back a delighted grin as she glided over to the window seat. He took the seat next to her, and like an excited child, she peered out of the window, anticipating a heavenly journey.

Sitting next to Mahir was an elderly lady who took out steel needles for weaving. She smiled at Mahir and Dharia and gently poked Mahir's arm, inquiring, "Newly married?"

After briefly glancing at his wife, Mahir nodded in confirmation.

"Is this your honeymoon?" the old lady asked, smiling.

"Yes," Mahir replied.

"Enjoy," the old lady said with a happy expression. "I was thrilled as well when my husband let me have the window seat."

Mahir smiled warmly in response.

The male host then appeared to guide the passengers about the flight. Dharia looked at him and couldn't help but think, "Handsome! Sooo handsome." She stole a glance at her husband, wondering if he noticed her admiring the attractive male host.

Mahir was not conventionally handsome — just average-looking, with no six-pack abs, but with a fit body and good height. Dharia also considered herself average with simple features and an okay figure, not the ideal type. Their decision to marry was based on their positive vibes, mutual understanding, and family Values. Dharia had been rejected for her figure, while Mahir had faced rejection due to his brown complexion and looks.

If only people could value good hearts more than physical appearances, the world would be free from insecurities.

Mahir caught his wife, Dharia looking at the flight host with an unwavering gaze, and a smile crept onto his lips as he observed her. Handsome guys always attract the girls he thought in his mind taking a deep sigh.

She heard her husband sigh and her focus got back at him. The simple sweet guy who will be with her for life time.

She wants to know, How newly wedded couple start opening up because it is not her cup of tea to initiate anything and nor she has ever been before in her life.

Mahir look at her again and found her looking at him this time. He raised his eye brows at her and she blinks and responded "Umm...The male attendant is saying to tie the seat belt" she said, sitting upright with an awkward smile, fastening her seat belt while her husband observed her.

Finally, the pilot announced, "Hope you enjoy your flight to Tokyo," she took a deep breath as the plane began to move. Mahir took out some chewing gum and handed it to her. "Chew on this. It'll help prevent your ears from feeling uncomfortable and pain when the plane takes off," he explained.

"Ear pain?" she inquired.

"Yeah, sometimes," he reassured her, popping a piece of gum into his mouth.

Mahir unwrapped the gum for her, and she started chewing it quickly, gripping the armrest of her seat.

He gently tapped her shoulder, and she glanced at him, raising her eyebrows at him.

He signaled with his fingers, "One," then added another finger, "Two." She looked at his fingers as he counted, "Three," "Four," "Five."

Pointing toward her window, he directed her to look outside. As she turned her head, she saw the plane lightly moving through the sky, making the city look tiny from above, and a smile adorned her face as she gazed at the breathtaking view.

Mahir leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms, and the elderly lady passing by him smiled kindly and remarked, "I saw what you did there."

Mahir chuckled softly, "Just distracted her."

During the flight, Dharia peered out of the window, capturing the mesmerizing views, and also watched a movie on the screen in front of her, while Mahir either dozed off or watched a sports match!

Soon they landed in Tokyo for their Honeymoon !