"Happy Married Life, Shivya Pathak" I weakly smiled seeing my condition, mangalsutra dangling in my neck, vermilion in hair and both hands filled with gold bangles.
"Come out quickly or do you want me to break the gate," my husband knocked again...
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"Aap idhar dijiye, main jaldi jaldi sab kar deti hoon." Shivya tried to take the container filled with wheat flour from her husband's hands, but he refused to give it to her.
[You give it to me, I'll do it quickly.]
"Nahi, aap sirf batayiye, baaki hum khud se kar lenge."
[No, you just tell me , I'll do the rest myself.]
For almost an hour, the two of them had been in the kitchen. It was Vedant's second day at the office, and when they returned home, Shivya had planned to quickly prepare dinner, assuming he would be as hungry as he had been the previous day.
Instead, he followed her into the kitchen and insisted that she only give him directions while he made the parathas for them. She had tried several times to tell him that he didn't need to do it and that she could manage everything herself, but he simply wanted to learn.
"Mere pairon mein dard ho jayega agar main aise hi khadi rahi to." She let out an exaggerated sigh and folded her arms across her chest. Vedant glanced at her crossed arms.
[My legs will hurt if I keep standing like this.]
Without saying anything, he placed the flour container on the counter beside him. Shivya narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Before she could ask what he was doing, he stepped closer and placed both hands around her waist.
Her eyes widened, a startled yelp escaped her lips before she could stop it. "Vedant!"
Ignoring her protest completely, he lifted her as though she weighed nothing and settled her on the kitchen counter. Shivya immediately grabbed his shoulders for balance, glaring at him in outrage while her heart fluttered wildly inside her chest. Though she would never admit it aloud, she liked the way he picked her up.
"There. Ab pairon mein dard nahi hoga."
His hands were still resting on her waist. Even though the fabric of her kurti acted as a barrier between their skin, she could still feel the warmth of his touch and the way his hands lingered there for a moment longer than necessary.
"Chaliye... kaam kijiye." She stammered, trying not to look bothered by his actions, though it was obvious from her voice that she was struggling to sound stern.
[Now do your work]
Vedant stepped back and watched her with quiet satisfaction as she folded her legs beneath herself, making herself comfortable on the counter.
"Aata ko uss bartan mein nikaliye." She picked up a medium-sized bowl and placed it beside the utensil containing the flour. "Aur thoda sa isme bhi daaliye."
Vedant did as she instructed. She then asked him to pour a little water into the flour and start mixing it with his hand. A moment later, she told him to add some more water. He was about to pour it when she quickly grabbed his wrist to stop him.
