Iridescent

CHAPTER 34

"Jai!" she screams, but there's a hint of laughter in her tone.

Still holding her hands, I push her away gently and pull her back with full force so she almost hits my chest.

"Jai!" she screams again, but she is laughing with joy.

We continue doing this again and her laughter fills the air, making my heart brim with the affection I feel for this woman. At this moment, I realize how happy she makes me, how complete she makes me. And so, I cup her face, and with all my heart, whisper, "I love you."

She freezes. "You don't have to tell me just because I told you."

I shake my head. "No Amy, I really love you. So much!"

She pulls me for a kiss. It's a short kiss, but it's filled with meaning. With tenderness. With love.

After a while of kissing, dancing and just grinning at each other like idiots, I decide to take a shower and get ready to go to the market.

When we reach, the mart is brimming with people.

"Why did everyone decide to shop today itself?" Amy whines.

I chuckle. "Today is a Sunday. Obviously, they will come today."

"What do we do now? This was my favorite mart."

"Um, we could go street shopping?"

Amy looks at me warily. "Do they sell good stuff?"

"Yes, they do! Let's go. We can walk from here."

We get down from the car and start walking. The weather is pleasant and we walk together, holding hands, like the in-love couple we are. When we look around us, there are no people in work clothes hurrying to reach their office like we usually find on other days. Today, we see families.

That's the specialty of Sundays. There's no work and people spend it with their loved ones. Sundays bring people closer. No wonder people don't want it to end.

I look at Amy. She is smiling. I bring our joined hands to my lips to press a kiss on her hand. But I don't know how it happens, but I end up kissing my own hand.

I look subtly at Amy, hoping she didn't see this. But she is already looking at me, eyes shining with humor, lips pressed together to suppress her laughter. But a giggle escapes her mouth, then another, and another, and then she's laughing. And I'm standing there with this giant blush on my face.

Amy pinches my cheeks. "So cute!"

I scoff. "Cute? I'm hot."

She shakes her head fondly at me. When we turn to resume our walking, our gaze falls on Avanti, who is standing in front of us and looking at us.

"Oh, hey Avanti, " Amy is friendly as ever.

Avanti looks uncomfortable. She obviously repents calling Amy a bitch.

"H-hey."

"Did you finish shopping?" Amy asks, looking at the bag of vegetables in her hand.

"Yeah, almost. Look, I'm sorry I was so rude to you the other day." She looks at me then. "I'm sorry, sir."

I don't want to forgive her. She called Amy a bitch! How can she? And the said lady is speaking to Avanti like they are long lost friends. Both of them look at me, waiting for my reaction to her apology. I look at the ground, avoiding it. Amy pinches my hand and gives me a look.

"Okay, you are forgiven, " I huff.

Both of them smile.

"Thank you, sir."

I nod at her and slowly start walking, pulling Amy with me.

After we are a good distance from her, I ask Amy, "How do you forgive people so easily? First me, for stupidly ignoring you, then Jeremy and now her! How?"

"I don't know, Jai. I feel like I shouldn't hold grudges. It's not like I don't hold a grudge at all, I do. But when I think about the actual reason behind it, I feel it's so silly! That's why I forgive them. I forgave you because I value you in my life, Jai.
Jeremy, I pitied him. And also, it's because of him I met you. So I felt instead of holding a grudge, I should be kinda thankful.
And Avanti? The girl had a crush on you, Jai. She was just trying to fence her property. Can you blame her? I forgave her because she was acting the same way I would if I met someone romantically interested in you!"

I kiss her lips softly. "You are amazing. You know that, right?"

She smiles. "Okay, enough. Let's go street shopping!"

***

Okay what?! I just realized only TWO more chapters (plus Epilogue) are remaining! I don't know how I didn't understand this earlier!!

Wjddipalsjdndm!