Taken As Reward (The war of politics and love BOOK 2 )

12. Mehfooz

Leaving me completely aghast, this is not him at all. This directness, he is conserve and respectful and doesn't utter a word unless it's completely important. And he knows I am scared of him, he never steps boundaries.
But this? It was beyond at parameters set for our relationship - Is there any relationship?

I stared my eyes widen, as he let go of the duppata and passed by me. I twisted around little, his mother staring us with a smirk herself, "What? Go hand him his clothes and what he needs!" She said, well, isn't that what good housewives do.

I turned around and followed him in his room, he entered and without second thought he took his kurta off over his head, and his bare back with the same tattoo I have witnessed years ago, still as fresh as that day.

He turned around when he heard my anklet, "I needed to do that, for us to be on good terms!" He instantly said, I would say my subconscious mind already knew that. I gave a nod. He turned around, his curious eyes resting on me. Both of staring at each other when suddenly he took his phone out pushing it ahead,

"Later?" I asked him, and he nodded taking it back. "Should I serve the dinner?" I asked him, and he gave a nod.

Weird. All my teenage life I had been wanting to be with this man. And the time played the biggest game and manifested it in the weirdest way possible.

I wouldn't lie, I have dreamt to be in a relationship, a marriage with the faceless letter-guy I knew. And I am in it now. But it is like either of us are standing in two cubicles of thick brick wall. And none of us could walk out of it.

I have imagined hundred ways of how I will meet him! Even the most unexpected circumstances. While I was raped innumerable times in that brothel when I was left alone, I use to think of what I will say to him.

He is before me, and we both don't have words to speak. Is it that in last 6 years we have spoke to much? Or that the last 6 months when we didn't speak at all, both of us turned mute for life?

I did not know what to say? Yet I felt like I knew everything about him? Which one was it? The first or the latter?

I turned around, but he called me, I twisted back, when I saw him pushing his hand in his pocket of kurta in his hand, and took out a ball of paper, and opening it.

"It crumbled a little." he said, and he opened the broken gajra, he picked up the edge, from both sides, keeping the paper down, as he walked towards me.
I looked front again, indicating him to help me wear it.

He is too decent to ask me himself, also what happened previously, I can see him hating himself. I took the first initiative, and he did not hesitate.

He settled the gajra on my bun, and tied it at the below, when it was settled I walked towards the mirror and tilted myself in the angle I can see myself. And it was fit perfectly. I smiled looking at myself.

In one of our letters he had mentioned. That someday he will out the gajra on me himself. I guess that day indeed came.

I shied away, walking out.

Setting the dinner in the television room, he came little later, Dev smirking at his brother. While he sat beside him, Divya bringing the plates and glasses.

I sat beside him on the long couch again, with Dev next to him. His mother and Divya on the stool.

I pushed the food in my mouth, "I think it's time you both should bless this house with a baby? Maybe that will stop his anger problems?" I coughed on my food. He shut his eyes, shaking his head.

"I think so too? But you and Divya just came here out of nowhere. How are they going to get the privacy to create one?" Devakshaya intentionally teased us.

I felt the punch Daiwik gave on his brother's side. Who just turned up laughing. The rest of the night I did my usual routine with Divya helping me.

I have heard both Dev and Daiwik calling Divya, by her name the whole time. Yet weirdly in every single letter I have gotten I have heard him call Divya his monkey sister.

When the house was clean and Divya went to sleep with her mother, I entered the bedroom I and Daiwik live in for now. There he was half seated on the head board, while he was doing something on his phone.

I entered, taking out a light pair of clothes, but he stood up and picked up his cushion, I walked up to the bed when he walked around, sitting on the edge of the bed, "Don't sleep outside today." I instantly revolted, him staring at me.
"Your mom will misjudged me again. And whatever it is, she is not aware. I don't want her to think his son is living a miserable life because she came at her own house." This was the most I have spoken to him ever. And I felt like this was beginning.

I hate to say that I am scared of him, but I also want to live the life with him that I have always dreamt off.

"You don't have to worry about her. You just be comfortable." He said, and he was about to walk out but I called him again.

Whispering, "It's okay Daiwik," He instantly halted and turned around, once again those mixture of coloured eyes were shocked. This might be the first ever I call him by his name.

His eyes looked surprised, and he blinked repeatedly asking himself if he heard it wrong. He took a step closer to me,

He shook his head a little turning around but he kept the blanket and pillow down on the edge of the bed. This room did not have any sofa or couch, so he started to look duvets that he can use to sleep on the floor.

Throwing one on the floor, he shut the door, as he started to hook the door. My heartbeat rose, this have happened before. Someone just shutting the door. And opening my wounds every night.

The traumatized images played in my head, my hands tightening on the mattress, gulping down hard, the sweats covering my forehead, my breath heaving up and down.

"Zehra? Are you okay?" he implored me, and I gave a nod.
"I am okay," I said, as I forced myself on my feet.

I wanted to change, I needed to go out so I can breathe.

"You don't look okay?" He said taking steps towards me.

He won't hurt me, he won't hurt you Zehra. I reminded myself but him getting closer to me, made me take a step back. And he realised it. He froze, staring at me.

"Can you give me your phone? Let me talk to Ammi?" I asked, and he gave me a nod, he handed out the phone. I sat back and called her. The second I heard her voice, all the world that crashed earlier was relieved back.

I finally breathe closing my eyes, talking with her I was back to peace. When I cut the call, I saw him sitting by the cabinet on the duvet, while he had some paper like things in his hand.

He stared at me, as I went over handed him his phone.

I came back to the bed, and taking my dupatta down. I lied down on the bed.

"Why did you stopped sending me letters?" I asked him, I could feel his gaze at my back.

"Zehra. You should sleep. You must be tired from the work." he said, dismissing me.

"I waited for days. Even hours before I was married. Hoping you would come to save me."

"Zehra don't. Please." he repeated,

"You are getting angry again?" I asked, turning to see him sitting with his knees plowing out and his hands in a fist. His jaw gritting and he closed his eyes reminding himself not to get angry. He was not that day angry, he was angry like the way when he brought me to this house.

I am scared of whatever it was either. "It was not me who should have been your knight in shining armor!"

~~~

I don't know about you! But my heart flutters! Hope so yours to? I don't know! They are very....mmm...sweet together.

What are your thoughts?