The Winter's Widow (MISHBIR VERSION)

Part Twenty~

Rushing to the ringing phone, Mishti shoved it between her shoulder and bent face as she made the bed "Hello".

"Mishtiiii" Kuhu yelled excitedly.

Cringing at the decibel that shot like a bullet through her ear to her brain, she almost dropped the call as she fumbled not to release the mobile from the grip she had on it.

"I was just wondering what time Kunal and I should get there for cake?" Her head shook, "I mean for Abir's birthday?" Blushing, she dropped onto the sofa.

"Oh uh," she really wasn't sure how to break this to her. "Abir wanted it to just be us, but you could come tomorrow? I'll save you food".

"Oh, you hear that?" She spoke to her bump, "Aunty Mishti is going to save us lots of nice food" giggling at the returned kick, she rubbed her stomach lovingly.

"A-Aunty?" Gulping, she sat down slowly.

"Yes, you're not an Uncle are you" rolling her eyes, she laughed again.

"I've never" she paused, exhaling loudly, "I've never been called that before" her heart clenched tightly. Aunty was a word you'd call family, family was never something she thought she'd be to anyone. "Thank you, Kuhu".

"Aww, no problem Mish Dish, mind if I call you that? It's a compliment, I like sweet dishes and you are the sweetest dish I have ever come across" winking at her husband, her legs crossed. "Can I ask why Abir wants it to be just you two? We haven't done something wrong have we?"

"No, no" Mishti assured her quickly. "He said something about not wanting you guys to see him in his birthday suit and-".

Kuhu choked loudly, hand smacking her chest after each cough that burnt her throat "Well I should hope bloody not". Placing a hand over the mic, she turned to Kunal, "Dirty, aren't they? I totally got with the wrong brother". Turning back to the phone, she pushed the loudspeaker button "Mishti, do you know what a birthday suit is?"

"Uh, a suit you wear on your birthday?" Speaking slowly, her nose reddened.

"No, no it means" she turned her voice to a whisper, "Naked".

"Oh my god" Mishti jumped up only to fall back onto the freshly made bed again. "Really?"

"Really" she giggled. "Look, I'll leave you to have a very romantic day, tell Abir we said Happy Birthday and uh" she looked around, shooing the man she loved away with her hand so she could get some privacy, "I want all the details later".

Dropping the phone, her head fell into her hands. What had she done? What had she said? God, he must've thought she was crazy! Tip-toeing to the bathroom, she threw the door open "Abir about earlier, I" squirming at the sight of his hand tightening a towel around his waist, a squeal throttled her throat "Eek, s-sorry, sorry" dropping her face, she huffed.

"Mishti" Abir hid his smirk. "Usually I don't expect guests in the bathroom, anything I can get you?"

Smiling shyly, she peered through her fingers "Um, I just wanted to say sorry about earlier, I can be so silly, I don't want to um, you know with anyone but, but you" hoping she'd made her point clear enough, Mishti sighed loudly as she turned to leave only to feel his hand on her wrist. Twisting her head over her shoulder, her brow rose "Yes?"

"But you want to, with me?" He had to be sure, consent was a fiddly thing and he didn't want to pressure her into something so intimate unless she really wanted to. Tipping her chin up, his eyes searched hers "Mishti?"

"Uh okay".

"No, not okay, yes or no" watching her eyes shut a little more with each rise of her chest, he wound an arm around her waist and tugged her to him. "Yes or no?"