One True Bond (COMPLETE)

Gauri Khan

"Shah Rukh," I hug him close to me as he steps through the door. He puts his arms loosely round me.
"Hi," he breathes as I hug him tighter and tighter, "Aryan around?" I release him and smile.

"Of course it's his party," I laugh and close the door behind him. I may have signed the divorce papers but I'm not ready to call it a defeat yet. I am going to get Shah Rukh back. I follow him into the lounge where friends and family are sat or stood chatting.

"Papa," Aryan runs towards his father and hugs him.
"Happy birthday," Shah Rukh laughs handing Aryan a gift.
"Drink," I manoeuvre Shah Rukh towards the drink table. He smiles awkwardly and grabs a paper cup.

"Just some lemonade please," he says. I take the cup from his hand.
"Go play with Aryan, I'll get it," I smile. I'm wearing a very flattering dress, low cut at the front, shaped at the waist right down to the floor, in a red silk. Shah Rukh always used to say I looked beautiful in this dress and I have noticed him looking at it. I pour a drop of Gin into the bottom of the cup-well maybe a shot or two-before topping it off with lemonade and a drop of cherryade to hopefully balance out the flavours. I take it over to Shah Rukh who is sat with Aryan showing him his new remote control helicopter. Now this is what it should be like. Shah Rukh should be here playing with his son everyday, not off in some dingy hotel trying to find an apartment to live in. I have no idea who this 'other woman' is who he has feelings for but she evidently isn't helping him if he is staying at a hotel.
"Here you are," I hand Shah Rukh the cup and he takes it.
"Thanks," I notice him glance up and down my dress. Stage one, to look too good to resist, is complete. The party is going well, everytime Shah Rukh goes over to the drinks table I offer to pour it him. He has no idea he's slowly getting tipsy all thanks to stage two, make Shah Rukh feel tipsy-complete. I grab the nibbles and chatter to people, always keeping an eye on Shah Rukh. He looks sad. He must be missing us, his family, the people he is supposed to be with. A few more drinks and he'll be feeling a lot happy. I walk over to the hi-fi system and turn on some music. This family party needs livening up a little.

"Come on Aryan," I pull Aryan off the sofa and hold his hands. He smiles and begins to giggle as we move around the lounge wiggling our hips to the music. Others join us and we are soon all laughing as Aryan takes center stage and throws some shapes. Well everyone is laughing bar from Shah Rukh. He's rubbing his head with his fingers and staring at the wall in a totally different world. I sigh, what is with him? Usually I'd know straight away but he's so unpredictable right now. I walk over to him and grab his free hand with mine pulling him off the sofa.
"Dance?" I smile. Shah Rukh rubs the back of his neck with his hand and shakes his head.
"No I'm okay watching," he tries to sit back down but I pull him towards me. He's unsteady on his feet from the alcohol so stumbles towards me. I put my arms around his neck and he puts his arms around my waist. I smile, looking into his eyes. Shah Rukh tries to smile back but it fails to reach his eyes. We sway together to the beat of the music for a while and it feels so perfect. So perfect that I let my head drop onto his chest. By nine o'clock people begin to leave and Aryan looks tired.

"I'll put him to bed," Shah Rukh offers and I accept, it'll be nice for Aryan to be put to bed by his father. By the time he comes back out everyone has gone and I'm tidying up the lounge, which means putting everything into a bin bag and piling it by the door for me to take down tomorrow.
"Don't just stand there," I laugh, "help me!" Shah Rukh obliges and begins throwing paper plates, paper cups and half eaten food into a bin bag. With Shah Rukh's help it takes around half an hour for the lounge to resemble a lounge.
"I should go," Shah Rukh wipes his eye and smiles sadly at me. It's now or never I realise. I saunter over to where Shah Rukh is standing by the door. I lick my lips and put my arms around Shah Rukh's neck bringing his face closer to mine. Then our lips are touching and I feel Shah Rukh put his hands around my waist. Stage three, be irresistible and win back Shah Rukh is certainly completed. I pull him in the direction of our bedroom still kissing him. Shah Rukh moves his hand up my back and feels for my zip, slowly pulling it down until it reaches the bottom. I let the dress slip off me as I undo Shah Rukh's shirt and throw it on the floor. Then we fall into bed. This is how things should be. Shah Rukh should be here with me and Aryan!

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I caress his cheek as he sleeps. He looks so peaceful. I used to do this when I couldn't sleep at night. Shah Rukh has the ability to make everything better.
"Mmm," he mumbles trying to move my finger away from his cheek.
"Come home," I whisper in his ear, "come back to me Shah Rukh. You belong here. You belong with me and Aryan."
"What?" Shah Rukh murmurs a smile spreading over his lips. My heart flutters. It's working he wants to come home.
"I love you Shah Rukh," I whisper again, "I think this divorce was a mistake." The smile on Shah Rukh's lips slides off like melting ice-cream. His eyes fly open and he slowly removes his arm from around me shoulder. His eyes turn to look at me.
"Wha-" Shah Rukh stumbles over his words. I look back at him confused. Why is he confused?
"Shah Rukh?" I question. He pushes the duvet off himself and rubs his head with his hand.
"Have I been drinking?" Shah Rukh asks sitting up and dragging his legs over the side.
"What?" I question again.
"Shit," he mumbles, "this was a mistake." The words stab me like a knife.
"No," I put my hand on Shah Rukh's back but he shrugs me off, dragging on his trousers and reaching for his shirt shrugging it on.
"Gauri," he looks at me with a sad smile on his lips, "Gauri I don't love you like that. I love someone else and I should never have come here. I thought you understood. I was here for Aryan for his birthday but I wasn't and I'm not here to rekindle anything with you. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea but that doesn't explain why my head feels woosey and..." He just shakes his head.

"No, no Shah Rukh, I know deep down you love me. You know you love me too and that this divorce is a mistake," I try to talk to him, try to make him understand, "you looked like you needed loosening up. I just want you to be happy and you can be happy here with me and Aryan."
"No," Shah Rukh gets up off the bed and rushes to the bedroom door, "I am happy. I am happy with someone else Gauri. I can't believe I've done this." And with that he hurries out of the door, leaving me again.