Where Have You Been All My Life

43|He Started

Taking off some pillows, he slipped next to her. The most natural act she would do even in a death-like sleep is to embrace him. How serene it felt, even though his heart was not at peace. When he slept off, she has done sleeping. Watching him sleeping with those wry frown on his forehead, nose cutely crunched, she could get things vivid that her husband is scheming in his mind. Those made her chuckle and kissed his temple lovingly.

Making a hot tea for him, she came inside the room to see him sleeping with their kids. When did they conquer the bed? She pushed the quilt down and pulled Raman by his wrist, was sleeping in the middle of them. He got up making funny noises and hugged her, keeping his head on her stomach. Caressing his back, she whispered a good morning and handed the tea that he sipped without even opening his eyes.

"Everyone went for shopping Raman. Only we didn't go." Ishita said folding clothes that she has kept on the couch while Raman looked on. "Amma and appa are waiting for us. I think we should get ready and go with them. I didn't wake you up because you were so exhausted. And huh...you take that suit only. I liked it." She smiled imagining him in that dress. "Adi ko nah...I want to buy a nice tuxedo. He'll look handsome like you. Aur Ruhi ko...pata nahi...I'll get confused whenever I..." Her words trailed off when she felt his hands around her waist from behind.

"Aur mere madrasan ko kya...?" He husked against her ear.

"As usual...a saree or lehenga!" She said actually.

"Huh...I know right." He chuckled. "But I want you to buy a backless blouse." He scraped.

"No ways!" She pushed him off.

"Arey...you've long hair. Koyi nahi dekhega...Trust me...I won't let anyone see you...!" He came back. "Pretty please." He pouted.

"Raman no...It's...chee! If you want...I'll wear one here...in front of you." She colored.

"Ohh...!" He made an "O" face and smirked. "That's what I actually wanted."

"Raman aap!" She smacked his chest and continued folding.

Going to his in-laws', sipping the morning tea, he could not help but remember something wicked and immaculate that crushed his heart into pieces to mingle with hers. He felt like he has gone back to that phase from where he started. When it seemed that he would take a jaunt to the past a very long haunting past, a repetition of returning of the old rude Raman Kumar Bhalla, now it seemed a resurrection of the slept off lover boy.

"Nahi appa. I've some urgent video conferences. So I won't be able to come. You both take Adi and Ruhi along with you. Or...ermm...you can take Ishita also with you. She'll buy for me. Actually she has already selected my dress." He smiled meekly but the second suggestion was a complete pretention.

"You didn't tell me Raman!" He heard her exclamation from behind. In fact, he had heard her anklets' noise long before he has forwarded the matter. She glared him and turned to her parents. "My babies are ready appa...even I'm." She said dropping Ruhi on the floor who sat on Viswa's lap and Adi stood beside her watching what is going on. "But it's okay...I'll come with Raman. You people take them. They'll get bored here when Raman will be all cold!" She made faces.

"Arey yaar...what's this cold-cold. I can't be cheesy with my business partners!" Raman said frustrated.

"Yeah whatever!" She shrugged her shoulder.