U And Me Will Always Be Together

Chapter 22

By the time they reached home, his anger subsided a little but didn't utter a word. He did sense that she was scared at the drunkard but didn't try to comfort her.

Frustrated he was about to get back to his room when he felt Rishika pulling him to Raji's room.

"What the hel-" he shouted only to stop mid sentence as he felt Rishika's hand on his mouth. He noticed Rishika glance at the watch and it said 11.55 pm. He then watched her taking out a box from the packet and it was a cake.

He peeped in to look what was written on it happy birthday RAJI?? He froze as it made sense to him. "Hell, it was Raji's birthday and I forgot. And Rishika went to get a cake?' he thought to himself.

Rishika watched the change of expression on his face from frustration to shock then to guilt and regret. Before he could utter a word to her, she went to Raji and woke her.

As Raji woke up in a flash not expecting any disturbance that too at night, Rishika hugged her tight and sang "Happy Birthday to you." Which was soon joined in by Santhosh.

Raji was dumbstruck looking at the beautiful cake infront of her. As her eyes welled up she looked at Rishika and then to Santhosh.

As tears started to roll down, Rishika hugged her again and said "Aww aunty, Please don't cry it is your birthday afterall."

As Raji wiped her tears away and thanked her, Santhosh felt a little left out. He was supposed to do this but then he was sleeping like a pig forgetting about it.

And when Rishika took the chance, he slapped her. He felt extremely guilt looking at Rishika's face. He was she was just holding back the tears that would spill at any moment.

Rishika drew back and gave Santhosh a chance to wish Raji. He hugged her and wished her never taking his eyes off Rishika whose eyes never met his. He watched her hands still quivering as she placed the handles on the cake.

Soon enough, he forgot about his guilt as he saw Raji smiling and cutting the cake giggling like a teenager. He was even more surprised when Rishika asked him to feed Raji first.

After another 30 mins of silent party, Raji asked them to go to sleep.
"I'll fetch some water for you." Saying so Rishika rushed out of the room t the kitchen while Santhosh ran after her.

As Santhosh, reached the kitchen, he spotted Rishika gulping down the water eagerly. Then she closed her eyes and leaned against the fridge.

"Rishika?" she jumped slightly as she heard his voice. As she looked at him for a brief second before turning away, he noticed her eyes full of tears. His heart twisted in pain looking at her.

As she turned around and was about to leave, he pulled her back and held her in his arms, tight. He knew she was just scared and to add more to his feeling of guilt, she was shivering with fear. He pulled her even closer and mumbled "I am sorry."

As she heard him, she sighed and let out her tears. She encircled her hands around his waist and held him tightly.

She needed a protective and a warm hug and he gave her the same. "I was scared Santhosh." she said in between her silent sobs. He rubbed her back trying to ease all her fear.

After a couple of moments, she drew back and wiped the tears off her face. "Thanks" she mumbled and added "I am sorry. I should have not gone alone."

"Yeah. That is true. I thought I was dreaming about you waking me up but my heart almost stopped beating when I didn't find you in the room later."

He said looking at her and added "When I remembered about you talking about bakery, I really thought you were-" He realized what he was saying and quickly shut his mouth.

Rishika frowned at him as he left the sentence incomplete and asked "You thought what?"

He grinned at her and said slowly "Promise me you won't kill me later." He said which made her all themore impatient. As she nodded her head he said "I thought you were pregnant."

He ducked quickly to escape a plate that came right into his face.
"You moron. How could you think that?" she said throwing a napkin at his face which missed him.

"What am I supposed to think when you wake me up at midnight saying that you want to go to a bakery and that too when I was half asleep. I heard women have weird cravings only when they are pregnant."

He defended himself and the next moment they burst out into laughter.
 "You know what, you are crazy." she said to him as they started walking upstairs to their rooms.

As she was about to step into her room, Santhosh stopped her. He took a step forward closing the distance between them. He raised his hand and caressed her cheek, which he had slapped, with his knuckles and whispered "I am sorry. I didn't mean it. I was so mad at you then."

Rishika was taken aback at the sudden closeness. She could feel his warm breath on her face and it made her all the more uneasy.

They were in close proximity many a time but this time she felt it was different, something new. Her heart beat frantically and she stiffened under him.

Santhosh felt her go stiff under his hold and drew back immediately. He wished her good night and ran back to his room.

'God! What was I doing? Why the hell did I touch her cheek? Couldn't I just say a sorry. What she might be thinking?' Santhosh thought as he lay wide awake on his bed. But the devil in his brain had an answer for him. 'She was too pretty today in saree.

Since afternoon, all I wanted was to touch her. She was too tempting?' Santhosh sat up in a startle. "Did I just say she was tempting?" he asked himself loud. He gulped down the glass of water "Think straight Santhosh, she is your friend" he told himself and lay back on his stomach.

He ignored the devil in his brain which said 'But she is my wife'
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suganthi beemed into Raji's room and shouted hugging Raji "Happy birthday Raji." Raji hugged her back and said thanks shyly.

Rishika, whose sleep was disturbed by the loud voice, woke instantly and watched Raji and suganthi hugging each other. Smiling, she got up and said "Good Morning aunty"

Suganthi smiled looking at her and replied back "Good morning beta. I guess you had a good sleep." As Rishika nodded at her, she turned to Raji. "Raji, get ready by 10. We have-"

she stopped mid sentence as she realized something and turned back to Rishika.

"Rishika? Why did you sleep with Raji?" Rishika's eyes widened in horror as she heard to suganthi's words while Raji choked on her breath.

Then suddenly it struck Rishika. As she was Santhosh's wife she was supposed to be in his room not here. 'Damn it! How come the thought never came to my mind?' she cursed herself as she looked at suganthi frowning at her.
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phew!! so how is it? 
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With Lots of Love
NavyaAS