ANUGAAMINI- The Boundaries

28. Contrasting

Anupamaa took heavy steps in the room and this was the first time in months, that she wasn't waiting for Vanraj. She wished she could sleep before he returns but she has to wait to serve him dinner. She was getting restless and images of today's incident kept popping up in her head. She brought back the visuals of Anuj's hand that clutched her saaree and freed it on time saving her from embarrassment. She had thanked him in her head for like a gazillion times but nothing seemed enough.

The sound of bike engine pulled her out of her thankful reverie. She couldn't go downstairs, her legs felt too numb and soon Dolly opened the gate. He walked upstairs wondering why didn't Anupamaa come to him all running like always.

"Anupamaa...", he called placing his bag on sofa, shutting the door and she was out in the balcony. He hugged her from behind. "I missed you!!", his chin rested on her shoulders.

"Aa...p... Aa gaye... Main... Khaana... Garam...", she freed herself and turned only to be caught by him again in his grip. "Do minute me chalte hain na itni jaldi kya hai... Aaj kitni acchi hawa chal ri hai na... Thodi der yahi khade rehte hain.", he said softly.

"Chhoriye ne... Hum baahar hain ghar ke... Koi... Dekh lega... Mat kijiye...", she tried unlocking his hands from over her waist.

He took a quick scan of the surroundings and Anuj's balcony attached to his balcony and there was no one around. "Arey koi bhi to nahi hai... Aur hai bhi to... Dekhne do...!!", he teased and pecked at her cheeks. "Chhor... Dijiye ne... Rehne dijiye abhi pl..eajj...", she tilted away her head as he tried kissing her face. He held her tighter and set his chin in the crook of her neck. "Kyun yaar...!? Romance hi to kar ra hoon karne do na...", he asked in a low gentle voice. She squirmed badly and pushed him away hard.

"MAT KIJIYE KAHA NA MAINE!!!", she shrieked. "NAHI ACCHA LAG RA MUJHE ABHI!!!"

She panted badly and Vanraj was shocked to see her shout for romancing her when in the past all he had known about her was she would melt like chocolate in his arms when he gets close to her. She closed her eyes and relaxed herself.

"Anupamaa... K..ya... Hua?"

"Suri... V..o... Main... Kuch ni bas mann ni hai mera. Aap kapde badal ke aaiye main khaana lagaati hoon!", she regretted her reaction but was too disturbed to wait and give him a submissive apology. She walked out of the room.

"Ab isko kya ho gaya yaar!! Ye poora din main yahi karta rahoon kya!! Kabhi Baa ko manaao, kabhi isko, kabhi Ishika ko...!! Ye auratein normal kyun ni reh sakti hain!!", he pressed his temples taking subconsciously Ishika's name without giving it much of a thought, "Khaana khaa ke ata hoon phir dekhta hoon kya hua ise... Kyun itni frustrated sound kar ri!", the she got his clothes to change.

~

Arunimaa was sitting on her bed placing her head on Manik's shoulders as he had wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Mani... What if they send police after Anuj... Hum jaante usne galat intention se nahi kiya aur shayad Anupamaa ki jagah koi aur ladki hoti to bhi uska aisa hi reaction hota haan shayad ek aadha haddi kam tootti... Par kanoon ki nazar me to galat hai na jo usne kiya...!! Aur aap to jaante na Manini ke husband ko... Vo to intezaar me hi tha ki kab mauka mile use aur vo apna so called badla le sake humse... Koi aur hota to we could've placated but... I fear not him!!"

"Main bhi yahi soch ra tha... I don't know Aru how I am gonna do it but I won't let him go to jail and that's for sure. Iss umar me ek baar aisa koi case file ho jaaye to bahut problem hoti hai... Par mujhe bahut tension ho ri uski... You heard him right na... Anupamaa vahan se na gayi hoti to pata ni vo kya haal karta uss ladke ka... Aur agar use kuch bahut serious ya major ho jaata to... Ya hua ho to we don't even know... Vo hurt tha, gusse me tha so I didn't press him into getting more details in that moment but... He might get into some serious trouble for what he did...!!"