The tiny hand which was clasped in his made Aryan smile as he opened his eyes lazily to stare at his wife who was sleeping facing him. He looked at her face intently to find a frown itched instantly Aryan felt like chiding himself knowing the possibility of 'He could be the reason'.
I did not marry to sleep alone in bed.
He could not help but curve his lips up remembering her spilling out and how embarrassed she was. She indeed needs a mouth filter oh perhaps it wasn't needed. He liked her little clumsy and blabbering self.
In that way, he could know right what running the pretty little head of hers.
His gaze shifts from her face down to find her holding his palm with her both hands. He Finds it amusing to see how tiny her fists are. She needs two of her puny hands to hold his. Shaking his head due to his thoughts he moves her hands and turns over to grab his phone from the nightstand. Taking the phone in his hand, he swipes while the screen shows up to enter the password. His fingers linger on the keypad as his eyes read the comments. Comments of the post he updated the night prior.
This was a show.
All of it is a show.
His eyes scanned through the comments under his posts, under his family's posts, and under all the tagged posts. Although the comments under his Instagram post made him chuckle.
What's with all these girls whom he doesn't even know crying over his wedding?
___aryan___ : wife.
He let out a small sigh and decided to reply to a few comments. Entering the first letter but stops shifting his gaze from his phone to the tiny lady, who was precisely His Wife, turning around to the other side pulling the duvet and covering her whole self. Then throwing the duvet angry at himself for letting his guard down walks to the closet grabs his suit and a towel, he paces to have a shower in the washroom.
Thirty minutes later, Shreya lazily stretches her hand yawning, pushing the duvet away she sits up lazily rubbing her eyes continuously trying to get rid of the sleepiness. She rests her back on the soft bed headrest still yawning continuously. She opens her eyes hearing footsteps, She passes a warm smile seeing him but then frowns seeing him not even returning the smile, and then her eyes shift to his clothing. He was dressed in his crisp white shirt and formal grey pants.
"Are –you – going –for work?" Shreya asks in bits slowly as she was pissed right now.
She could not show it to him, it would not be nice to show her displeasure to her husband on the very next day of their marriage.
"Yes." Came to as his reply.
"Khadoos." She mutters under her breath seeing him spraying cologne not even bothering to pass a look at her.
Soon as Aryan walked out of the washroom, his lips curve up amused seeing her shaking her head from side to side and rubbing her eyes continuously sitting cross-legged on the bed but his lips curve down immediately as his mind wanders back to the days he does not want to.
Shaking his head slightly trying to get those thoughts out of his system he walks towards the dresser.
He knew she was gazing at his every move intently but he was least bothered right now. When she asked whether he was leaving for work, he felt guilty indeed what he was doing wasn't right. Leaving to work on the very next day of their marriage but the thoughts which had clouded him since morning would not be doing any good to him or either of her.
He was low in spirits and at least that was what he wanted to end up lashing at her or no fault of hers. Thus, he found it better to avoid the situation by getting to work. Wearing his Rolex watch around his wrist and styling his hair he walks out without even bothering to pass her look.
Shreya fiddles with her fingers too hurt seeing him walking out without even passing a glance at her. She never expected this. She had seen how newlyweds behave the very next day of their marriage. She did not either expect him to behave romantically with her but at least expected him to behave generously assuring her that she will be fine in his place.
Suddenly she felt like crying remembering her parents. She wanted her mother right now. Wiping away the tears which had dropped hastily she decides to shower and get ready quickly – She cannot disappoint her In-Laws The Very NextDay of Their Marriage.
Draping a saree was easy yet so confusing. The outcome of wearing a saree was satisfying but what about the process? It was of course tedious unless one had practiced and perfected it over the years. Shreya huffed looking at herself in the mirror because she looked ridiculous. The heavily embroidered long piece of cloth was all over the place. The pleats looked shabby and uneven, and the loose end of the saree reached only until her mid-back, not long enough. Now even making her blouse look weird.
Shreya pushed the hair out of her face and glared at herself through the mirror. Three weeks. It's been three weeks that she's been trying to practice wearing a saree, with her mother's help. Where her mother did the majority of the work, and now she doesn't even know how to drape a saree.
"Wahan pein pehle din Saree pehnna hain tumhe. You're a newly wedded bride. It'll look elegant."
"You're going to have to wear a saree there on the first day. You're a newly wedded bride. It'll look elegant."
Shreya's mother's words rang in her ears. New bride. Saree. Husband. In-laws. Expectations.
Sniffling, she decided to try once again and loosened the pleats but the more tried, the messier it became, and before she even knew the tears of frustration were falling from her eyes.
I can't even drape a saree, how am I going to fulfill other responsibilities in this marriage?
Shreya pondered, looking at the mess she created.
Soon, there was a knock on the room's door and it startled her as Shreya as she looked at her state in the mirror and immediately wiped her tears. Her kajal was smugged slightly. She hastily collected the saree heaped at her legs and looked towards the door in panic.
"Shreya, baccha, aap thik toh ho na?" Gauri sounded concerned and Shreya was momentarily relieved that it was her mother-in-law and not anyone else. Not her Husband.
"Shreya, dear, are you alright?"
"Jee aunty, mein bas thodi der mein baahar aarahi hun." Shreya replied, cursing at her own self for not knowing how to perfectly drape a saree, even after her mother taught her how to do so.
"Yes aunty, I'll be out in a couple of minutes."
There was no reply from the other side, and Shreya almost thought that her mother-in-law left.
"If there's anything wrong, don't hesitate to tell me, okay? I just saw Aryan leaving a few minutes ago. He's downstairs, shall I call him for you?" Gauri asked softly.
Shreya fumbled trying to wrap the cloth around her quickly. Calling Aryan? Him looking at her in this state? No. Big no.
She knew she was going to take an eternity in there if she kept trying to wrap herself in that long cloth, however, she was embarrassed to take her mother-in-law's help.
"Aunty woh—" Colour rushed to her cheeks as she bit her lower lip.
"Umm Aunty--"
This is so embarrassing. Instead of saying anything further Shreya chose to simply walk up to the door and open it. She kept her gaze lowered, not having the courage to see the disappointment in Gauri's eyes. Her daughter-in-law was already turning out to be an idiot. When she heard a chuckle, her eyes squeezed shut and she cursed herself again.
You are a laughing stock now.
Shreya pondered.
Gauri Shah Rukh Khan, her mother-in-law, stepped in and a second later she felt a soft touch on her chin, making her look up.
Shreya expected to find anger, disappointment, and judgment in her eyes but was met with a mixture of adoration and humor. Gauri saw the confusion on her daughter-in-law's face and sighed softly. She knew Shreya was expecting much worse but the slight hint of vulnerability in her eyes told her that she was trying hard.
"Let's go inside." Gauri said nodding her head towards the room.
Shreya obliged and moved to the center of the room with her half-draped saree looking like a lost kid. In the next five minutes, she found me wearing a perfectly neat saree, and it amazed her that her mother-in-law could do this so easily. What a superwoman!
In the two weeks that she has known Gauri Khan, closely, she has only found the woman to be a sweet, patient, and caring person. She is soft-spoken and always has a smile on her face and if her lips are not curved upwards, it is her eyes that has Shreya fascinated.
Her eyes are almond-shaped and they are dark hazel in color, glimmering in the dark. Her eyes smile even before her lips do. It is always enchanting to watch something like that.
"Thank you, Aunty." She thanked her shyly and Gauri glared.
"Phirse ye 'Aunty'?" Gauri showed her fake anger.
"Again this 'Aunty'?"
"Oh-sorry, Maa." Shreya said with her sweet-convincing smile.
Gauri smiled patting her head lovingly before leaving the room.
Watching at Gauri Khan's retreating figure Shreya's mind recalled their previous night's conversation. The one they had before Suhana and her mother-in-law helped her settle in Aryan's bedroom.
"Never give up on him, Shreya. I repeat, never. Please. I know my son. He's stubborn. short-tempered, sometimes he decides something too quickly and goes to any extent to satisfy his motive, but that's not all of him. He may portray a tough exterior, but he's soft as cotton on the inside. He's like a coconut. I know I can't expect you to love him so suddenly, and I don't expect him to do so as well. This is all new. You don't know each other well. But, this was needed, and I can't thank you enough for what you agreed to do for us. Shah Rukh and I are in your debt, for life, as Aryan's parents." Gauri said slightly squeezing Shreya's tender palms.
[Shreya's look]
I'm a bit occupied with some Uni works. Writing this one in haste. Do lemme know how you guys are finding this story.
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