Claret

t h r e e

Dumping the small white oily envelope with the subway on the table, Dhruv fell back on the couch, his feet wavering off the slippers as he pulled his leg above, on the couch. Putting the AC on he pulled out his mobile.

Dialling his home he closed his eyes, his body tired and back clenched.

"Hello, it's me." His voice was soft and tired.

"How is she? Did she ate?" His asked, his voice dripping with concern. 

"Okay. When will her counsellor visit?" He asked again.

"Okay. Okay. " His voice tired as he shuffled to shift on the sofa.

His head pounding with the thought of his sister after he hung up. 

A young lady who would always lad her tired body in pale sarees, her hair tied into a loose braid which was growing longer and longer day by day, she would plant saplings in the garden and then would simply sit in a room doing nothing. He wanted to observe his sister and was curious about how exactly she spent her twenty-four hours, but it was far from reach, her sister was far from reach now.

He was pulled back from his train of thoughts as he looked at the voice, dressed in yellow summer maxi Anushka smiled warmly at Dhruv.

"Is that for me?" Her voice was soft.

"Yeah. I had mine in the restaurant. Did you made the grocery list?" His voice dripping with tiresome, he sat back on the sofa.

"No, I didn't have pen and my phone was discharged." She nodded.

Unlocking his own mobile he opened the 'note' app and fisted it out for her. 

"Here, I will warm your food, you get done with this." He nodded and she sat back with a warm smile. She had all the list in her head and she could have bought everything with it but he had his own ways, she had already observed how planned he was. Every schedule of their's was planned, he had already told her they would be meeting doctor's tomorrow and today they were going grocery shopping.

Tapping on the smooth, fast mobile, Anu did manage to check the brand. 

She could hear the microwave on and clattering of plates. She smiled as after a few minutes he handed over the plate to her, the veggies and creamy cheese dripping in between the buns. She hid her smile as the thing came into her hand.

"Done." She returned his mobile and he nodded, lifting the right corner of his lips for a brief.

She competed of whether she should eat the food in her own warm room, or here in front of Dhruv. She was sure she would not be eating with any manner and it took her his clearing of throat to finally settle there with the subway in her hand and finally eating it.

Her soft moan shifted his mind, he looked amused as he contemplated at her.

When they took the flight from Mumbai to Spain, her activity made him sure it was her first time. She would stroll behind him and observe his every step, firstly he was just dizzy with her observant eyes but it turned out she was just making sure she was doing right. She had smiled at him when they had finally seated, he had deliberately given her window side to enjoy. She had smiled at the air hostess and glued her eyes on the instructor for the whole time. She had blurted out after an hour of the flight that it was her first time.

He wanted to add, he observed it but instead, he said 'You were perfect.' making her twinkling eyes shine brighter. 

Now, when he gazed at her he knew she didn't really care what people think, she was literally hovering over the tiny subway.

"Well." He trailed off getting busy with his mobile.

Taking the plate to the kitchen she observed the little platform, they were staying in suite and the place was so beautiful, it was like a dream.

"Anushka?" he called out when he looked outside as sun drowned down the horizon.

"Yes?" Her voice soft behind him as she looked where he was looking, the red sky.

Beautiful

"I thought you read since you worked in a library?" His voice soft as he turned around, her gaze shifted to his. He was tall and handsome, she felt herself fluster for a second.

"Yeah?" 

"Kindle. You can add books of your choice and language. This will help you with time." He forwarded the thin device towards her. She accepted it with brief nod, her eyes narrowing. This device was cursed by her million times since last year because it was the reason why her heavenly smelling hardcopies were left behind. She smiled lazily at the device.

Who knew we would meet?

"You ready to go?" He looked at her smiling at the device, concluding she liked the little gift he asked her.

.

"We should have brought the stuff from India?" She snapped back little too hard as he looked amused, his hands falling inside his pockets. They had met only thrice before coming here and stayed with each other not more than three days and she was commanding him.

He was a very friendly person, just a little far away from being called 'extrovert'. He wanted to make Anushka feel home, friendly, turns out he succeded. 

"No, really. Look at these?"  she pointed at large stocks of meats.

"We can go to restaurant often."  he tried reasoning.

"Well, I agree the bun was very tasty, but no not every day." her hands raised up to surrender. She looked angrier than he had expected her to be.

"Calm down Anushka. We will do something." He reasoned. His voice was small as they passed to the sections of the bun.

"Shouldn't we try eating something new." He asked pulling bunch of buns and throwing them in the basket.

"Yeah, right." She muttered. 

She was a total Indian food person, she knew she would gag at liquid no spices food, it made her feel sick already. She narrowed her eyes at the meat. She was vegetarian for god's sake and almost vegan if that was the thing. 

Breathing in she locked her eyes with Dhruv's back, his muscles tensed. She breathed in, she realised she was being too harsh on the man who was actually paying for her every breath for a whole year now. Wasn't this too unprofessional?

"I am sorry. I was just too unprofessional." She voiced out keeping the jar of sauce in the basket.

"Yeah." He breathed in with a smile.

"But that is okay, we should have thought about cuisine too." He added and she narrowed her eyes.

"Look I was right, at least a few packets of lentils." She muttered and he rolled his eyes.

. . .

Feedback? :) 

Tomorrow there will be update for 'Terrace'.

Do read it if you haven't yet.