Sneha was the one who woke up first. She looked in the direction of the digital clock that read 6:23 a.m. She decided to reach the hospital by 8 a.m. so that she can proceed with the formalities of discharge.
A yawn escaped her mouth and she looked in the direction of Viraj who was still peacefully sleeping with his mouth slightly parted. He was sleeping in his favourite position, as she recalled...flat on his chest.
Without disturbing him, she came out of bed and directly walked in the direction of the washroom. She did her routine, washed her face and brushed her teeth using one of the new toothbrushes from the cabinet.
Soon, she came out only to find that Viraj was still sleeping.
'That is why you should have slept early instead of wasting time looking at me.' She thought sarcastically. Silently, she exited his bedroom and walked in the direction of the kitchen to make breakfast.
"Perfect!" Sneha sighed when she realized that there was nothing in the kitchen that she could actually cook for breakfast. He didn't even have fruits! Then she recalled him telling her once that he doesn't really keep stock in the kitchen.
"At least, he has coffee." She mumbled on seeing the coffee machine. It took her a moment to understand how it works. After about fifteen minutes, she was able to prepare two cups of well-brewed coffee.
She opened one of the drawers in search of cups. And, she did find it. However, along with the cups, there also lay six spoons and six forks.
"So, you lied to me that day." She chuckled realizing that he lied about not having a fork just so he can feed her himself.
Why was everything that he did in the past made her smile, instead of feeling angry over his petty childish tactics? She wondered.
Pouring the coffee into the cups, she walked back to the bedroom. She frowned on seeing him still fast asleep. Sitting beside him, she kept the cups carefully on the bed.
"Viraj..." She called for him lowly.
"Viraj..." She spoke loudly this time.
He slowly stirred and opened his eyes. As their eyes met, he smiled and pushed himself to take the seating position in a cross-legged manner, just like her.
"What a pleasant morning!" He began the day with another cheesy line, making her chuckle.
"I made coffee." She offered the cup.
"No morning kiss?"
"Viraj..." She complained but he surprised her by coming close to her and kissing her left cheek.
"You have no idea...This is like a dream come true. I had always imagined you making breakfast for the both of us and waking me up with a kiss." He smiled.
Seeing his smile, she finally let the shyness escape for a while. So, she kissed his cheek as well. Strangely, she liked the feel of his stubble.
"I should have kissed you on the lips." He teased her.
"And, I should have checked your kitchen on the day you fed me noodles." She changed the topic.
"What?" He asked while taking the coffee from her grasp.
"I saw forks in the kitchen."
"Okay?"
"That day when you offered me noodles with chopsticks, you said that you didn't have a fork in the kitchen."
"Yeah, because I didn't. I got it, I think, about a week later. I also asked my PA to get some other stuff for the kitchen, just in case you would need it. All these cups and bowls...why do you think I would keep them in my kitchen. I don't even use them."
"Really?"
"Oh God, you doubt me so much!"
"I am not doubting you...I just thought...Okay, I am sorry." She accepted her mistake of concluding too quickly.
Viraj cornered her hair gently.
"It's okay. By the way, what are you making for breakfast?" He asked, taking a sip of the coffee.
Before she could reply, he added.
"Mmm, it's so good." He appreciated the coffee and Sneha couldn't help but feel proud of her work.
"Thank you. And, I thought of cooking something but there isn't anything in the kitchen to cook."
Viraj nodded.
"I'll ask Gunjan to buy some vegetables and other stuff by evening." He said, referring to his PA.
"Don't buy now. I'll be going home tonight. And, since you can't cook, you will have to order tonight too." She said as they took a sip of their coffee.
He looked at her for a moment with a blank face as different strategies planned in his head to make her stay. To avoid an argument, he nodded.
Talking about this and that, when the coffee was almost done, he grabbed his phone and unlocked it.
"I'll order your favourite again." He said as he tapped on 'Repeat order'.
"No!" Sneha quickly piped in, surprising him.
"What?"
"I mean, not pasta again."
"What do you want to have then?" He asked.
"Let's have your favourite today." She proposed.
"So, what is my favourite?" He playfully asked as he searched for something continental.
The question surprised her.
"I...don't know."
He chuckled.
"Wow. My own wife doesn't know my favourite."
"Well, my own husband doesn't know my favourite either." She retorted to his sarcastic comment.
Viraj looked at her with a smirk.
"I like you calling me your husband."
"Don't change the topic, Viraj. It has become your habit, it seems."
"Fine! I do know your favourite. You like pasta."
"No, I don't."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You always choose it. That means it is your favourite."
"I just chose it once because it was closest to me out of all the dishes laid on the table. And, at that time, we were in the kind of relationship wherein I just said 'yes' to whatever you said. So, when you asked if the pasta was my favourite, I lied and said 'yes'. In reality, it is not my favourite." She finally revealed the truth.
Viraj gaped at her in shock.
"Just how many more lies are there between us?" He asked and Sneha wanted to hide somewhere.
"I am sorry...I just never felt the need to be sincere with you. But, I am being honest right now." She mumbled with pursed lips.
Viraj nodded.
"So, what is my wife's favourite?" He asked holding her hand in his.
"But, we are ordering your favourite today."
"Still. I'd like to know yours."
Sneha smiled.
"Well, there are many. But, the one thing I can never say no to is 'chole bhature'. In fact, my entire family is a die-hard fan of it." She said excitedly.
"That's so unhealthy."
"It is not like that. Anything in moderate amount is healthy."
"Okay, madam." He mumbled and finalized the order in the cart.
"So, what are you ordering? What is your favourite?" She asked.
"See for yourself." He said and suddenly came out of bed.
"I will drop you at the hospital at 9 since I have a meeting scheduled at 11 and I need to reach the office by 10 for the preparation. Will you be okay by yourself?"
"Obviously, Viraj."
"Keshav will be with you though. Let him know if you need anything. And, I will be available on phone always." He said.
"You didn't pick up my call last time." She asked as he took out his new shorts from the closet.
Viraj laughed.
"I was...a little angry at you at that time."
"Angry at me? Why?"
Viraj stopped at the bathroom door and thought over it.
"I don't know." He mumbled and entered the bathroom. He didn't lock it from inside though.
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Sneha contemplated when the doorbell rang fifteen minutes later. When Viraj still didn't come out, she decided to answer it. Thankfully, it was the food delivery guy.
Taking the pack of food, she closed the door and walked back to the spot where they had their supper last night. She heard his phone ring and curiously she looked at the caller id. The name made her eyes go wide.
It was Gaurav.
She wondered how he'd react if he'd get to know that she had spent the night with Viraj. He was so clear in his warnings!
'Why do I care what he thinks about me?' She told herself but still felt uneasy.
Ignoring the call, she sat on the sofa again.
And, in the absence of any work, her mind wandered off to wonder how everyone she knew would react to the fact that she had accepted Viraj's proposal. Indeed she was anxious about Viraj's family's attitude and whether they would accept her after the stunt she had pulled, even though his father was the major one to blame.
But one person scared her the most. And, it was her father...her very own father. Her heartbeat escalated on thinking about her father's reaction when she'd ask for his permission. Various scenarios played in her mind. But one was sure. Her father would scold her really badly.
"What are you thinking?" She heard Viraj's heavy voice ask her as he approached her in a fresh pair of clothes. His hair was wet and he had clean-shaved his face.
"Nothing. Let's eat. I have kept the package there."
"Tell me." He asked as he followed her towards the table.
"Nothing." She faked a chuckle for him to forget about it.
"You seemed to be in deep thinking."
"I was just planning my day. I wonder if the ration at home is still fresh and what should I cook for the dinner seeing that all three of them should have something healthy. Just these things." She mumbled confidently and he believed her.
With that, she opened the package carefully.
"This is not fair, Viraj." She complained when she saw the content.
It was a surprise for her to see that Viraj had ordered chole bhature instead of his favourite.
He just smiled and grabbed one of the plates.
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"Are you ready, Sneha?" Viraj called for her from the drawing room as she changed her clothes. Surprisingly again, he had not discarded her clothes from the closet. So, she chose a new pair of dress to change into.
"Yeah, let's go." She said and quickly came out of the closed room. He noticed how he was completely in formal clothing while she was wearing casual jeans and a T-shirt.
Taking her hand in his, he guided her towards the elevator.
"So, you will shift with me in a week, right?" He asked.
The question took her off guard.
"Uhh, I will try to talk to Papa about us on Sunday."
"I'll tell my parents in the evening."
"Why so early?"
"Unlike you, I am not afraid of my parents. In fact, my father would be very happy to hear this. He had been pestering me to get married to another girl of his choice, as he had been doing for many years."
"I am not afraid of my father."
"Oh, really!"
"Yes. I am not afraid of him. I am just afraid of breaking his trust and hurting or disappointing him."
"Choosing me would disappoint him?"
"I don't know! I don't know how he would take the news."
"That is why I am telling you to let me talk to him about us."
"No, Viraj! I...I'll talk to him. Please!"
"Fine!"
The elevator door opened with a ding sound and Viraj pulled her out gently. Sneha followed him closely as they walked hand-in-hand. However, she came to a sudden halt when she saw a man fast approaching them.
Viraj too halted and looked in the direction where she was looking.
"Gaurav!" He greeted his friend with a smile. However, surprisingly to him, his wife and friend were looking at each other...more like, Gaurav was glaring at her while she was hesitantly meeting his eyes.
"Gaurav?" This time, Viraj demanded his attention.
Gaurav, who was horribly shocked to see his friend with his so-called wife, finally looked at him.
"I thought we could go to the meeting venue together." He said while again giving short glances to Sneha, clearly demanding an explanation. He remembered asking her to stay away from Viraj. Turned out, she was doing just the reverse. Their entwined hands didn't help either.
"You go first. I'll come there after dropping Sneha at the hospital." Viraj said.
"I'll explain later." He added when Gaurav gave him a questioning look while looking at their entwined hands.
Gaurav nodded and left, but not before giving Sneha a glaring look.
"Why was he looking at you like that?" Viraj asked Sneha in wonder.
"What?"
"Gaurav was giving you serious looks."
"I...uhh...don't know."
"Sneha, are you lying?" He could see it clearly.
It took her a moment to reply. She didn't want to ruin their friendship.
"No, I am not. It's just that, I am seeing him after so many months...and, it is a little awkward seeing our past." She lied.
She remembered the promise she gave him about not lying to each other. But, she realized that it was impossible to not lie to her partner.
Perhaps, sometimes lying is also an equally important part of any relationship...just as important as being faithful to each other. She had a lot to learn.
Viraj nodded and they resumed their walk towards his car.
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It came as a huge shock to Keshav when he saw his boss and Sneha enter the hospital hand-in-hand. But, he maintained a poker face when Viraj stood in front of him.
"Is everything alright?" Viraj asked Keshav.
"Uhh...yes, sir. The papers for discharge are ready and the doctors recommend two follow-ups per month."
"Meet me outside for a moment." He told Keshav and faced Sneha as Keshav left the scene.
"I'll pick you up at pm, okay?" He said.
She was about to say yes when she remembered the current situation.
"But, I'll go home with my family tonight. What if Papa would see us together!" She placed her worry.
Viraj hesitated before replying.
"Okay, then. Let's meet tomorrow?"
Sneha nodded with a small smile.
"Thank you for dropping me here."
In response, he only hugged her since he knew she didn't like displaying affection in public.
"Bye." She said first as her face remained submerged in his chest.
"No goodbye kiss?" He teased her.
"You are getting late. Go." She pushed him as she knew people were giving them glances.
Viraj chuckled and stepped back to leave.
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Keshav came back to Sneha after talking to Viraj in private.
"Ma'am, how are you?" He asked happily as he understood that the couple had reunited.
"Hi, Keshav I am good. How are you?" She asked out of habit.
"Good. This is your handbag. Your phone was ringing many times but I didn't check it."
"Oh, thank you. By the way, why did you lie about Viraj's engagement?"
It took him a moment to understand what she was referring to.
"Oh! I am so sorry, ma'am. I...was...just hoping that it might make you jealous."
She looked at him awkwardly.
"Why do you think that would make me jealous!"
"Because I thought you too liked him."
Sneha didn't know what to say.
"Can I say something?" He asked when she took a long pause.
"Yeah, please."
"I am...very happy that...you and boss got along and have decided to be together again." He said hesitantly with a smile.
"Uhh...I...Thank you, Keshav. But, how did you know?"
Keshav chuckled.
"Everyone can see that. You two came hand-in-hand and boss was looking at you as if he didn't want to leave your side."
Sneha pursed her lips shyly.
"Also, he told me about it just now."
"Oh." She mumbled. She wondered if he'd tell about this to everyone?
"Keshav, can I ask you something?"
"Yes, ma'am. Of course! Do you need anything?"
"No, no. I hope you wouldn't tell my family about Viraj and me. I want to tell them myself. Please don't even give any hint to it."
"Oh! Okay, ma'am." He nodded in understanding.
"Thank you, Keshav! At what time will I be allowed to take them home?" She asked, referring to her family members.
"Uhh...about that...ma'am, I need to discuss something with you."
The tone of his voice panicked her.
"Is everything okay?" She asked.
"Yes, yes. Nothing to worry about."
"Then?"
"The doctors asked me to request you if you could allow your parents and sister to be admitted for three more days."
"Why?"
"There are some trainees who want to explore the surgery your father went through abroad for research purposes."
"Uhh..." She was about to deny it since she knew that her family members had been in the hospital enough. It was time for them to have some proper rest at home.
Keshav could sense that.
"But...but, they said, if you don't want to, then it is okay. They don't want to pressurize you for it. It's just that your father's case is an important and unique case of recovery that they want to study more about for future possibilities. It might, you know, help other patients of a similar case." He said while playing reverse psychology.
And, Sneha clearly and easily fell victim to it.
"Uhh...okay. Just three days, right?"
"Yes." Keshav immediately nodded.
"Then, we will proceed with only my mother and sister's discharge, right?"
Keshav panicked again.
"No. I mean... Wouldn't it be challenging for you to juggle between home and hospital to take care of your mother, sister and father? I suggest they all should stay here for three more days. In this way, their progress can also be monitored." He said.
"Oh...You are right. Okay, then...I guess, we can wait for three more days. Please ask the doctors to be a little more careful with my father. The last time he was conscious, he seemed very tired."
"Of course, ma'am. I'll inform the doctors." He said and left to inform...not the doctors but Viraj, who was the mastermind of the plan.
And, the naive girl would never know that her own husband plotted the strategy to spend a little more time with his wife. Viraj knew that once her family members would be discharged, she won't be able to spend quality time with him. And after their union, he knew he won't be able to stay away from her for long. At least the three days would give him some satisfaction.
When Keshav gave him the news of Sneha's acceptance of the proposal, he couldn't help but smile. He knew that his wife was soft at heart. He was a great manipulator and he should be ashamed of fooling his wife just to spend more time with her.
But, he was not ashamed of his act.
He was desperate.
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{Hey everyone!
So, if you thought Viraj has changed into a golden heart, then I guess the lover boy disappointed you. But, then again, please look into the situation from his perspective and you will feel how innocently selfish he is for his wife.
I am not a fan of cheesy daily soaps where the main characters have absolutely no flaws. All the characters of my book are flawed and they will behave just like us in most of the situations. So, please get ready for many more such acts from Viraj (and also, Sneha) as he learns to control his rogue emotions.
I really wonder how Sneha's father will react to this situation of his daughter willing spending time with a criminal! It reminds me of Nitya and her father. If you have read 'Guns and a Rose', then please comment what Nitya's father did at that time. I'd love to read your memory.
Finally, I am extremely sorry for updating late and not being able to respond to your comments properly. I was stuck at a plot for some reason and thus, I was trying to sort out the jumble. I guess, the road is clear for me to write more regularly.
Thank you for your support and love. I just read someone commenting that we are a family here and that I should respect your loyalty for coming here everyday to check for updates. It really touched my heart. I guess, I was also a little selfish to have not taken this into account. I'll try to find time to write a little more everyday.
Thank you once again.
BYE!!!