Part 18

Part 18

Sai woke up in the morning to the beautiful reality. She was lying naked in Virat's arms. Her head was on his bare chest. She kissed him there and tried to get up but he was holding her tightly.

She somehow pulled herself up a little and kissed him on his forehead, "Virat, uthiye subah ho gayi." Sai said.

Virat smiled in his sleep and slowly opened his eyes. For few seconds Sai was scared again how will Virat react but then she her fear vanished when Virat smiled at her, "What a way to get up" Virat said as he caressed her back under the sheet.

"Leave me....der ho rahi hai....taiyar hona hai pooja karni hai aapka breakfast ready karna hai." Sai said as she blushed.

"Wo sab toh baad mein bhi ho sakta hai pehle kuch bahut jaruri kaam khatam kar liya jaye." Virat said as he rolled over her.

Sai gasped at sudden change of her position and made futile attempts to get up. Virat started nuzzling her neck giving her ticklish feeling. She giggled as she tried to stop him but soon her giggles died down in her mouth as he captured her lips in to a kiss and took her again to the dream land.

Later, Sai hurried out of the room as she realized she is late for her daily chores. After completing her pooja she came into the kitchen to make coffee for Virat. She seemed happy today. There was a smile on her face. Ashwini noticed it and smiled thinking her plan worked after all. Not only Sai but Virat was also in a good mood. Sai kept stealing glances at Virat while Virat openly gazed her every now and then.

"Something had definitely changed between them." Ashwini thought with smile. Their chemistry was very visible to all.

Virat finished his breakfast and asked her mother. "Any plans for tonight...anything important?"

"No, nothing why?" Ashwini questioned.

"Don't make dinner for me and Sai. We'll be going out for dinner date tonight." Virat said as he looked into Sai's eyes which have went wide with surprise then she dropped her eyelids as she blush crept up her cheeks and made them pink.

Virat saw his father was still having his breakfast. "Dad, I am going. I have called our lawyers for meeting before signing the deal." Virat said and stood up.

He picked up all his important papers and Sai as usual said goodbye to him but he came close to her and unashamedly kissed her on her cheek as he said goodbye. Sai was surprised and her pink cheeks now turned into tomato red as she blushed profusely. She looked at her in laws from the corner of her eyes they too looked surprised like her but they were smiling. She couldn't stand there any more and ran away into the kitchen making some excuse.

"Chalo Ashwini...main bhi chalta hoon ab bye." Ninad said and got up after sometime.

"Kuch seekho apne bête se....itne saal ho gaye shadi ko aapne kabhi mujhe aise goodbye kiya hai....hamesha bas feeka sa....chalta hoon ab Ashwini...huh." Ashwini replied then went away without even looking back while Ninad kept looking in her direction shocked by her reaction.

"Looks like my son has raised the bar high...after all these years now I have to make extra efforts to make my wife happy. Great!" Ninad muttered and let out a deep sigh.

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Virat came home in the evening. Sai was already waiting for him all decked up for their first ever dinner date. "I'll go freshen up tab tak tum bhi change kar lo then we'll leave for the restaurant." Virat said.

"But I am ready to go." Sai answered as she again looked herself in the mirror to check if she is not looking good enough to go to the date in this attire. She was wearing a really nice A line kurti and palazzo, completing the look with big chand balis in her ears.

"I can see that but I want you to wear this." Virat said as he handed over her the shopping bag. I was passing by the mall, suddenly my eyes fell on this dress on the mannequin and instantly I remembered you. I thought it will look great on you. Just try it on.

Sai looked into it and found a very beautiful peach color dress. "Wow, its beautiful." Sai praised it.

"Not now, it will look beautiful once you wear it." Virat told her as he pushed her to the changing room.

Sai changed into that dress she looked herself in the mirror. She really liked the dress. She was looking even much better now. She couldn't help but notice that the dress was perfect fusion of Virat's preference of western outfits and Sai's comfort of not wearing too revealing dresses. It was sleeveless and had decent neck line in the front but deeper cut on the back. It reached below her knees in length. It was tight upto her chest then free flowing beneath it. Little silver sequences on the dress were enhancing its beauty.

Sai came out wearing it. Virat looked at her totally mesmerized by the sight before him. She looked even more beautiful in that dress than he has imagined her to be while shopping for it. Sai looked at Virat he had changed into casual clothes. He chose stripped white T shirt with classic denims and paired it with brown jacket. He was one of those rare people who have the ability to look handsome and different with different outfits. In his office formals he looked all serious, arrogant, straightforward businessman while in casuals he looked cool, carefree, fun loving guy.

"Shall we go" Sai asked.

Virat brought her towards mirror and opened her hair which she had tied in a bun and then he took out a small box from his pocket. He opened it and took out the delicate chain and diamond pendent set from it and placed it around her neck. He then pushed her hair towards one side and tied the chain lock.

"Now you look perfect." Virat said as he kissed her on the shoulder.

Sai blushed at the compliment. She couldn't believe her luck. She had dream about her perfect date night with Virat millions of time and it was all happening like her dreams.

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They reached the restaurant. Sai was once again surprised as it was her favourite Italian food restaurant. "Why we have come here? You don't like Italian food." Sai questioned.

"Ya I don't prefer Italian food much but its not like I hate it and besides I came to know that its your favourite restaurant." Virat replied.

"How did you know?" Sai asked.

"I was talking about leaving early from office for our dinner date when I asked about the good restaurants in Nagpur as I don't know much about it now. So your father told me about this restaurant and also that its your favourite." Virat explained.

Manager showed them to their reserved table. Sai looked at Virat, she knew he was really trying to make efforts just to make this date special for her. "Virat, you don't need to do all this for me." Sai said as she sat on a chair Virat pulled for her.

"Why? You do so many things for me everyday. Why I cant do anything for you?" Virat asked as he took his chair opposite her.

When Sai remained silent Virat holds her hand, "Sai, I thought our marriage would be like any other arranged marriage where couple takes time to know each other and bond with each other but you already know each and every thing about me. That's why in our relationship you could easily mold yourself according to me but I still feel like stranger. I am swamped by the depth of your love and feelings but the fact that I don't even know general trivia about you, it disturbs me a lot. So I want us to experience the dating phase like any couple do in their initial days of courtship, know you, your likes, dislikes, hobbies, things you love, things you hate....everything about you. Just tell me. We have closed the physical distance but I have to bridge this emotional gap too to sustain this relationship and make it stronger.

Sai was touched by his gestures. Now he was really making efforts to know her and to make this marriage work. So she decided to open up to him. "I don't believe that knowing basic trivia about me is a big deal. For me, your efforts and intention are a proof enough that we will work it out sooner than we even thought but still if you insist then....well, knowing me its not that difficult. If you know yourself well then you know me already. Everything I like, dislike is somehow related to you only." Sai answered with a smile.

"How?" Virat asked curiously.

"I like Italian food because you used to like it in your childhood. May be over the time your taste changed but I still like it. I learned singing and dancing because there was a time when you wanted to be a rockstar and you kept on planning with your friends to run away to Mumbai to follow your passion." Sai said as he remembered young Virat making plans with his friends. Virat laughed as he remembered his rockstar obsession phase.

"I have a habit of doing pooja everyday because you used to go to the Radha Krishna temple with your mom everyday for sandhya aarti and I used to follow you to the temple. I love wearing sarees and Indian dresses because your aai has always wear Indian dresses and all the accessories and as a child you always used to say that your aai is the most beautiful woman in the world." Sai shared some more details.

Sai continued. "I was not at all interested in doing PG but you have always favoured higher education so I took the admission. My favourite color is white because once in your childhood you saw a christian wedding in our town and you found the bride looked so beautiful in white dress. My favourite actor is Akshya Kumar because you were fan of all his 90's action movies. My favourite actress is Kareena kapoor because you said you fell in love with her when you saw her in her debut movie. My favourite song is 'chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko' because when your heard it the first time you kept singing it all day......."

Virat stopped her from saying anything further as kept looking at her, inundated with her profound feelings for him. Sai took his hand in her, "I have not only loved you.....I have lived you all my life Virat."

Virat couldnt believe she could love him this much. She had said that her mind, body, soul belongs to him only but Virat now first time really understood that those were not only empty words but were the truth of her life.

Sai continued telling about herself, "That's why in my mind I already married you long before our actual marriage. I believed my soul belonged to you. When that day you brought Pakhi with you I lost all hopes. Life was over for me that instant. I felt like somebody sucked the soul out of me and I was empty from inside ....left to wander around on earth." Sai said and shivered as she remembered that horrible moment again.

"Stop it. Don't talk about that day. It was my past and its gone....for better." Virat said as he brought her out of that horrible memory.

He held her hand, "You have hero worshipped me all your life. You have given me much higher place in your life than I was worthy of.... but I am only a mere human...full of flaws...I don't know if I ever will be able to love you as much as you love me but I give you my word that I'll try my best....give my 100% to this relationship...try to be worthy of your love." Virat promised.

Sai couldn't hold her tears. Virat wiped the tears from her eyes. Just then the music started to play and some couples started dancing. "I am not as good dancer as you but not a bad one too...you must have guessed it on our reception. Wanna try again?" Virat asked as he extended his hand for her. Sai took his hand stood up. The song started-

Tu hai ab jo baahon mein,Qarar hai

Rab Ka Shukrana

Saanson mein hai nasha, Khumar hai

Rab Ka Shukrana

Tu hi ab mera deen hai, imaan hai

Rab Ka Shukrana

Mera kalma hai tu, Azaan hai

Rab Ka Shukrana

Rab Ka... ...Shukrana

Virat slipped his hands on her waist and pulled her closer. Sai closed her eyes as she almost hugged him by putting her hands around his neck. They started moving slowly to the beats of music. Sai looked at Virat as she remembered the day Virat had come to ask for her permission to get married to Pakhi then how things changed and they ended up marrying each other. She felt as if she was dying and he gave her life once again. She didn't want anything from God now as she has him with her.

Tu mila toh sabmila

Ab kisi se kya gila...

Tujhme simtu, aa main bikhru

Teri baahon mein fanaa ho jaaun main

Tu hi ab duniyameri, Jahaan hai

Rab Ka Shukrana

Khabon ki khayalon ki udaan hai

Rab Ka Shukrana

Virat kept looking in Sai's eyes and waves of her undying love washed him over and over again. He still find it hard to believe that its humanely possible to love someone with such intensity. She must be an angel sent to him by God. Whenever he thought, that now he knows the extent of her love for him, she surprises him by crossing the next level of madness. Mad...she was truly mad for him and he was grateful that he has her in his life. He is definitely never going to let her go away from him.

Sab se ho jaaun pare jo Ishara tu kare

Abb toh rehna hai tujhi mein

Gumshuda hoon main

Ho teri baahon mein....

Jazbo ka toh naya bayaan hai

Rab Ka Shukrana

Naya rutba nayi shaan hai

Rab Ka Shukrana

Tu hi ab mera deen hai, imaan hai

Rab Ka Shukrana

Mera kalma hai tu, Azaan hai tu

Rab Ka Shukrana

Song stopped but Sai and Virat kept hugging each other for sometime. Round of applause by some people at the end of song brought them out of their trance. They came back to their table and enjoyed dinner silently as they felt there was no need to say anything now. They enjoyed their meal in the comfortable silence, occasionally gazing into each others' eyes. The crowd of the restaurant was disturbing them now, they needed privacy, just two of them. The inevitable urge to have each other now was pushing them to their edges. After having the dinner none of them was interested in having dessert as both were in a rush to reach home.

Virat drove the car as fast as he could and parked it in a hurry bumping it into the garage's gate. He didn't even bother to look at the damage as both of them hurried inside their house. It was dark and seemed like parents have slept already. Virat started kissing her in the middle of living room. Sai somehow pushed him away as she reminded him that they were not in their room yet. They somehow managed to reach their room leaving a trail of clothes, shoes and accessories behind in the passage which they stripped of each other. The moment Sai closed the door of their room Virat lost his patience as he pinned her against the door and claimed her there only without even bothering to go on bed. The last coherent thought Sai had was that she has to get up early to pick up all their things from the passage before anyone notices it.

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to be continued.....