The Second Bloom • 18+

17. Seeing her (Varun's POV)

I returned home by late evening.

It was really busy day today. All I want to do right now is go to my bedroom and sleep on the lap of my wife. One stroke of her fingers into my hair will help me relax up immediately.

Just when I entered inside my house, I found Nandani, my childhood friend sitting in the aangan along the my mother and talking.

I frowned when her eyes fell on me, “Tum abhi tak ghar nahin gayi?”

She stood up immediately, moving towards me, “Gaye the, hume laga tum jaldi ghar wapas aaoge, isliye tumse milne aa gaye.”

I smiled, “Woh toh theek hain.”

She stood infront of me, “Hum dono ne kitni dinon se baatein nahi ki na Varun? Hume tumhe dher saari baatein batani hain.”

I nodded my head, “Woh toh hain. Zaroor karenge. Par raat hone wali hain abhi, tumhe ghar nahi jaana.”

Maa spoke from behind us with a smile on her face, “Itne dinon baad ghar wapas aayi hain, humne kaha humare saath hi khana kha lo aaj.”

I gave her a nod with a smile, “Theek kiya, Maa.”

I looked at her, “Hum aate hai.. kapde badal kar..”

She nodded her head with a wide smile on her face. 

Before moving inside I looked in the aangan, and kitchen for my wife, but she wasn't there. Must be in her room.

I opened the door of our bedroom and entered inside, only to find her sitting on a chair beside the open window, her knees hugging her chest, and her eyes gazing the purple sky outside.

I slowly close the door behind me, place my things on the table, and walk towards her.

“Malini?” I called her out in a soft voice.

She startled upon hearing my voice and her eyes snapped to me.

She immediately stood up from the chair, “Aap kab aaye?”

Within a second, I lifted her up in my arms, and walked towards our bed.

She held the collar of my shirt, “Kya kar rahe hain, Varun, koi aa jayega.”

I whispered, “Humara kamra hai. Humare kamre mein kaun aayega humse Bina puche?”

I placed her slowly on the mattress and hovered over her.

“Aaram kiya tha aapne?”

She nodded her head.

Slowly, her hands moved to palm my cheek.

“Thakk gaye honge na?”

I smiled, “Bohot.”

“Aapki aankhon mein dikh raha hain.”

Intertwining our fingers, I whispered, “Aapki baahon mein sone ka Mann ho Raha Hume Aaj. Poori raat.”

She smiled, “Humne kabhi mana kiya hain?”

I shook my head.

“Kapde badaliye, Varun.”

I chuckled, “Kyu? Humare paseene ki khushboo aa rahi hai kya?”

She scrunched her nose, pushing me back,

“Chi, Varun. Khusboo? Aapko pata hain na Hume aaj-kal kisi bhi tarah ki sugandh chaar Guna badh kar aati hai.”