Sweet Tidings

Chapter 12

Good relationships don't just happen. They take time, patience and 2 people who truly want to be together.

-anonymous

I want to be your favorite hello and your hardest goodbye

-anonymous

First get your tool belt. Fasten it tightly about your waist. Feel the power? Good. Now decide what to repair restore or demolish in that order...the phrase kept ringing in Abhi's ears as he took the stairs 2 at a time. First in the list...repair...he has decided to give their marriage a chance to grow, whether it flourishes or not, it depends on time. He needs to repair the misunderstanding between him and his Chasmish. He found the lady tiding up their room; not bad he has started thinking of the bedroom as their room and not his room. He grinned as he went to stand behind her. "Pragya", he startled her into dropping the cloth in her hands. Both reached out to grab the dropped cloth and banged their head. "Ouch!" "Your skull is as thick as a stone", Abhi yelped. "Well yours is as hard as your stubborn nature", she responded back while pressing the area where their head had banged. "Another round of knocking is required, if not we will grow horns, as it is you scare me with your ghostly look, with horns you will look like a devil", Abhi grumbled. "Yup, you need another knock", saying so, Pragya grabbed his collar and brought him down. Their foreheads met and so did their lips. Before Abhi's brains could start to function, Pragya nuzzled his neck, slipping her hand from under him to loosen his tie. "Pragya." "I'm just helping you, you need the air, right?" she bit lightly on a slot just below his ear, trailed her hot tongue along the cord of muscle that ran up his neck. He braced himself against the rush of desire that shot through him. His blood was already boiling, his body iron hard at the thought of finally having her. Curling her hand around Abhi's nape, she brushed her thumb against the hot supple flesh on the side of his neck. She slid her fingers into his hair, loving the feel of its silky warmth. His arms tightened around her waist. "Pragya?" "Hmm?" Her breath whispered against his temple.

She blinked, feeling a flush heat her cheeks as he continued gazing at her. "I'm not going to pressure you. You have enough to deal with right now, but we need to talk and work on this relationship. I want to give it a chance. I can't just turn my feeling on and off like a water tap" At that, Pragya's face broke into a smile. "I don't think I have the self-control to keep from kissing you." His gaze lingered on her lips, slid lower. "Or from touching you. You're driving me crazy," Abhi continued earnestly. Pragya felt her stomach dip in delicious anticipation. She loved his touch on her, wanted more but she felt shy. "I've been thinking," Pragya shyly started. "Yeah?" Abhi murmured. "About us?" he asked. She nodded. "My feelings are changing," she said quietly. His big hand closed on her waist, squeezed. He waited.  Her pulse skittered. "I want this relationship to work to, for Dadi, for my mother but mostly for us. But I need to know you mean this and are not trying out like a new project. I need your full commitment to try to work out something. If it doesn't work out, we need to part as friends. Not enemies. I mean really be sure. Don't start this if you are going to give up half way," Pragya finished in earnest.

Abhi searched her face, saying huskily "you told me what you want and now I finally know what I want. You and me, together." "Positive?" "Absolutely positive" he confirmed. He brushed his lips lightly against her to quiet her. She gripped his biceps, pulling him away because the feel of him, the taste of him, was too intense for the present moment. There were still too many things left unsaid. They had to start somewhere. The present was the best moment. Any physical relationship without the minds connecting would be disastrous. She was glad to see his pulse beating as fast as hers. "Let's get ready for the planned dinner and get the media off our backs," Abhi gently pushed her towards the wardrobe.

"Bhai! Bhabi is ready. Have fun," Alliya smiling exited their bedroom. Abhi walked in into the room, for a second he forgot to breathe in, felt suffocated before he realized he was holding his breath. He took a deep breath. Hell-o. That was Pragya? Wow! Wow! She looked incredible. Alliya had waved her magic and transformed the duckling (really Abhi? Pragya was never an ugly duckling, she was a swan hidden in her duckling looks... Abhi's mind reminds him) into a graceful swan. Her long tresses was shinny and fluffier than usual. It was curled around her face. The ankle length coral gown winking with small gold beads, hugged her trim figure. "I'm ready if you are." Pragya arched her brows towards his jacket which was lying on the bed. "Thanks," he said gruffly, stooping to pick it up. Pragya turned for the door and when Abhi got a look at the back of her dress, he froze in mid-step. His hand clenched in the dark fabric of his jacket. The back of her gown was cut out, and from her nape to the small of her back was one sleek bare expanse of skin. The elegant lines of her body were jaw-dropping sexy. And there was a slit that stopped at the back of her knee, flashing a teasing glimpse of leg as she walked. Oh man. Oh boy. Oh bloody hell. There is no way Pragya was walking out of the house dressed this way. "Stop! Change the dress now," he snapped. Pragya was confused. "But why? Alliya said I looked ok," Pragya was perplexed by Abhi's reaction. Looking at his face, Pragya without continuing the conversation changed into  anarkali suit and came out. Abhi, held her hand and both walked down to the living room, where the rest of the family members were gathered. "Bhabi, why did you change," Alliya questioned. "I told her to change. She is not Tannu and will not dress in revealing cloths," Abhi instructed. Alliya and Arjun smiled conspiringly. It was their plan to get Abhi jealous and it had worked. They high fived behind the couple. "What do you mean, the way Tannu dresses?" Tannu snapped quietly at Abhi while daddi was giving last minute instructions to Pragya. "I meant what I said. Pragya is my wife, she will not show her physical self to all sundry," Abhi answered without preamble. "What am I, your s**t?" Tannu was really mad. "Control your tongue. Respect yourself. You are Alliya's best friend and will remain as my friend too. That's it. Nothing more from today onwards. So, I expect you to respect my decision. I can't hurt daddi or spoil the Mehra name. I need to set good example to my sister." Abhi walked out pulling Pragya with him, leaving a gapping Tannu in his awake.

Atta boy! Abhi self-patted himself. He has repaired his relationship with Pragya, restored his brotherhood and sibling relationship with Arjun and Alliya; lastly demolished his affair with Tannu...Now, next scene...Alliya and Arjun. For that he would need Pragya's support... Let the fun begin...