"Ranvijay, Please naaa! You promised!" whined Niharika.
"Niharika try to understand. The deal is really really really important for my company and the client will be here for only a month. I can't leave right at this moment," quipped Ranvijay.
"Can't you manage something?" countered Niharika.
Ranvijay sighed and stoop up in front of her and held her hands, "I really can't promise anything, I myself don't know how long will it take."
Niharika aggressively pulled her hands out and huffed, "I hate you!"
Before Ranvijay says anything, she moved out of the room and being helpless Ranvijay only sighed.
So the ruckus was about Ranvijay promising a holiday to Niharika and then when Niharika wanted it, he couldn't take a leave because of an important deal. Niharika was mad about it and refrained from talking to him the whole day.
The breakfast was all silent, even Ranvijay didn't get his good bye hug too.
"If I lose any deal today or do something stupid, the blame is on you," he texted her sulking in the office.
"You are already stupid," she replied sassily.
The day went on. Both of them busy in their works.
At night
Ranvijay rang the bell returning home, long gone was his habit of using his keys. He likes to wait at the door for his wife, who would open the door and smile at him like he was all she needed right at that time.
Niharika opened the door with a sullen face and went back to kitchen with out a word immediately after unlocking the door.
"Okay, so she is still angry. Time for Plan B," thought Ranvijay.
He carefully opened his bad fishing out the packet of chicken and cheese nuggets on his way home.
He tried to say as joyful as he can, "Niharika, look what I got today!"
.
.
No response...
.
.
So he went to her, and showed her the packet. She stopped what she was doing, and took the packet from his hand and put that in the refrigerator and resumed to chop vegetables.
.
.
Okay. So, Plan B flopped. "Niharika, I also bought ice cream, see." She again ignored him, simply putting it the refrigerator.
One by one, all his snack-bribes failed to do their job. Each and every cute arrow of him, got blocked by the angry shield of Niharika.
Pouting to himself, he back-hugged her tightly nuzzling his nose in her neck. Although, Niharika struggled a lot to break through his grip, he held her tightly.
Having no resort, she gave in sighing. Ranvijay continued nuzzling and mumbled countless sorry to her. "Talk to me na! I promise to make it up."
"Don't, you always break them!" Sure she was over reacting. But, she has had enough of getting bypassed by her husband. She tries to be understanding but she also do has her limits and expectations. Everytime she wants to go out with him, he will give an excuse. She also wanted to have some time from him.
On the other hand, Ranvijay's patience was also thinning. He never really did so many things before. His priority was his work.
So, when Niharika broke free from his hug, he was irritated. "Okay. Stay like that. Do whatever you want. If you want to go so badly then why don't you go on yourself or invite whomever you want! I can't jeopardize my company for your silly anger."
This added to her anger more. "Yes, you are right! I can invite anybody to come along with me. It was just stupid of me to expect my husband to spend some time with me. It was YOU, with whom I wanted to go out. But, thanks. For proving me, I will always come second in your life. Heck, I don't think I even have place in your priority list!" Niharika screamed.
"Do me a favour, order something to eat or fry those chicken nuggets by yourself," she put back the vegetables in a bowl and stuffed that in the refrigerator, before storming into the room.
Ranvijay was still processing. How come this trivial matter like not going out become as big as not having a place in the priorities of his life.
How more silly can she be? Have I ever gone snack shopping for someone? Have I ever tried to persuade someone? I said right that I will make it up to her. Why is she making this such a big deal. Ranvijay thought to himself.
On the other hand, Niharika was mad being ignored multiple times. She also had some expectations which was not wrong on her side.
He opened the door only to find her lying down in darkness with earphones plugged in her ear. What he didn't see was the tears flowing from her eyes.
"What a waste. It would have been more useful if I stayed back in the office and finished my presentation. It was useless to comeback early leaving behind my pending work." So he went back to his office to continue his pending work, but in a fit of rage, he forgot to take his mobile and office bag along with him.
Time skip, 12 am.
Niharika was somewhat calm now. She thought to herself, "He did try to pursue me right, I shouldn't have lashed out that too when he just came back. I didn't even offered him water." She felt guilty, " Has he eaten? He didn't even come to the room, has he not changed yet?" So she went out of the room to find him.
"Ranvijay?"
She looked for him in every corner of the house. No signs of him. Her panic sky rocketed. She went out in the balcony searching the pavement in front of their apartment, if he was strolling.
"Where did he go? It's almost 12:30." She called her, but his phone rang in the hall. Her heart started hammering so as to where he could he has gone. She started blaming her self, " Its all your fault. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."
His office bag was also lying on the sofa. She started pacing around the hall thinking what she can do and where to find him. She went out and searched in the nearby probable places.
No signs of him.
She came back home and started crying her eyes out thinking, what may have happened.
In the office.
He couldn't focus on his works, making it longer to complete than usual. He was irritated. No matter what, her words were reeling in his head.
He looked at his watch. It was 1:19 am. He decided he should go home. But to his bad luck, his car was not starting. He didn't find his phone also, which made him remember that he hadn't informed Niharika that he was coming to office.
He cursed himself and started walking to home.
Walking back alone in the night, he pondered upon her words.
"Do I really chicken out every time she wants to go out?" He searched his brain for glimpses of when he had gone out with her. Never. Except for the times, she had to urgently go to her parent's or her sister's place. He felt guilty.
He remembered all the times his employees took a leave for celebrating their anniversaries or going on a trip with their wives. He even forgot his annieversary. But, Niharika straight away ignored the fact, and arranged for dinner and a movie night for their celebration. In that also, he slept midway into the film.
"She isn't completely wrong to feel what she is feeling. But, the deal, I can't miss it. Why me? Of all people, why do I have these much to take care of? Why can't I just sit back and relax."
With a heavy heart he went back to his home, and unlocked the door as quietly as possible thinking Niharika must be asleep.
2:07 am at home.
Niharika was sitting on the couch of the living room, with head hung low in her hands. She was sick worried about Ranvijay.
"Niharika?"
Her head shot up at his voice. He was standing there all fine in his glory, with a disheveled hair, shirt sleeves rolled upto his elbows, tie hanging low and two three top buttons opened, staring at her with confused eyes.
She ran to him, hugging him as tight as she can, sighing in relief, "Thank God, you are okay."
As if she just got back her oxygen.
This added to his guilt way more. She was worried about me? I am such stupid.
She hid her face in his sweaty neck, bursting into sobs, "I promise I won't complain, I will never complain. Please, don't leave me like this. I was dead scared. Where did you go? " she rumbled between her sobs.
Ranvijay's heart broke into million pieces. "What are you saying? Silly girl! I just went to the office." He hugged her back tightly, patting and caressing her head, rubbing her back lovingly.
"Don't ever do that!" She sobbed more.
"Shh..It's okay. I am here. Nothing happened." He soothed her cradling her left and right in his arms, kissing her head.
She was in no mood to leave him. Already she was upset, and angry, then she was scared out of her life.
Noticing that her grip isn't loosing, Ranvijay started walking forward with her hugging him. "Niharika, I walked home, and I am smelling, let me shower atleast!"
"No! You ain't smelling and I ain't leaving." She pouted while maintaining her grip.
Ranvijay chuckled and let her hug him.
"I am sorry," she mumbled, "I won't bother you about this anymore." He loosened the hug, and cupped her face. "I am Sorry too, and I promise, for real, that I will take you out once I deal with all the mud in my office. I know, I shouldn't be asking, but you will wait for me right? I have none to ask something from except you. You will wait for me right?"
She nodded and hugged him again. "What's with you today! Are you fulfilling your hugging quota from the morning?" asked Ranvijay.
"Why? Don't you like my hugs? I am sorry." She was about to untangle herself, but he stopped her. He placed a long kiss on her forehead, and whispered, "You are thinking way too much, today."
She asked with her teary eyes, "You won't leave me right?" He gazed in to her eyes thinking for sometime, " Can you live without chicken? How can I then?"
"Sheeesh," she giggled and slapped his chest, "From when did you start becoming cheesy?"
"What can I do when I live with a literal drama queen?" She hit him again smiling, "I like my Ranvijay as the coldie he is!" He smiled and replied, "Jo hukum, meri rani sahiba (Whatever you order, my Queen)."
They both giggled.
"Okay now let me shower and sit, I have walked for 40 or more minutes just to come back home!"
"Why what happened to your car?"
"It punished me for making you sad!"
"Uh?"
"It wasn't starting and I forgot my phone home, so couldn't contact any body."
"You could have went back in your office and use your office landline."
"Ohh shit, you're right. How stupid of me!"
"That you are."
He fake glared her.
"Okay go and shower now."
"I am hungry."
She slapped her forehead.
"Sorry, out of anger, I kept you hungry. Okay, you get fresh, I will cook something."
"Have you eaten?"
"Not yet. We will have dinner together."
He quickly showered and changed his clothes and ran down to find Niharika frying the nuggets, he brought earlier.
He back hugged her.
"Careful, the oil is hot." She scolded him.
"What's for dinner?" He nuzzled in her neck kissing there.
"Chicken nugget and cheese sandwich, but if you won't stop distracting me then burnt chicken nuggets and half cooked sandwich."
"How about these?" He asked and started nibbling her ears.
"Ranvijaaay," she squirmed, "Stop".
Ranvijay turned off the stove, and turned her to him, smashing his lips on to her. Her toes curled in the intensity. He cupped her face with his left hand angling her head to sweetly torture her with his lips. She gave in, clutching his tee shirt.
He brought her closer, as closer as possible to his body by her waist. She was losing control over her balance and he was losing control over his sanity.
He sneaked his hand into her dress caressing her bare back. She gasped and clung on to him. He entered his tongue using it to explore her mouth. Both of them was dazed in their lust for each other.
She ran out of breath and pushed him away with all force. Both of them panting with the after effects of the hot make out session.
He looked in to her swollen red lips, and attacked her again not letting her taking a breath. He was busy ravaging her mouth, while she clawed his shoulders for support.
But, Niharika's stomach grumbled loudly, and both of them erupted into a fit of giggles. She hide her face in embarrassment, smiling at the dumb reaction of her body, and he. He just laughed it off cradling her in his arms, placing a chaste kiss over her head,"Let me help you, is there anything I can do?"
"No, it's almost done."
"Let's eat whatever you did, we have icecream and other snacks, we will manage with it."
They sat together and had their dinner while sharing stories of childhood. It was mostly Niharika talking and Ranvijay laughing. After dinner, when they went to sleep, Niharika cuddled into him, which he replied with some more cuddles.
"Niharika.."
"Hmm?"
"The clock is about to strike 4."
"So?"
"Let's go out."
"Huh?"
"Let's go out on a walk."
She smiled fondly staring at him. "Only if you let me hold your hand althrough."
He put his arms up in a surrendering gesture, "All yours!"
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This is a gift for yukinishizawa as she is having her that time of the month. So although I decided to end the series, I wrote it because of her and Blacky047, who are my constant 2 readers of this series.