Anything could have gone wrong.
In this entire universe with thousands of galaxies, millions of stars, billions of Planets, and trillions of people, anything could have gone wrong that would have prevented Uttara from meeting this man who now hung these stars and moons in her sky.
There was no 'meant to be' here. It was a pure coincidence. She had decided to step into that Balcony that night against her rationality, seeking seclusion but ended up finding him. Leaning against those steel railings, a stranger stared at her with bewilderment and later suspicion which soon turned into protection.
He protected her from every beast that lurked around in that party that night.
The possibility of that place being empty or the presence of someone else in his shoes often scared the living daylights out of her, a shiver of uncertainty passed through her yet she was, obligated to the power above for him.
She would remain forever grateful for that butterfly who winged and the air changed, leading them to meet, clash, and mold together in ways that no power in her world could separate them. There were a million moments that happened each day and so many things could have worked in ways that could prohibit their lives from entangling together, ending up married, or just being alive at this exact moment in time.
The worst would have been remaining strangers even after meeting once.
She would be forever grateful that somehow they ended up together. That somehow, in this infinite universe she was his date tonight.
She will forever be indebted to the one above for him, for them.
This man here was pulling all the right strings of her heart, giving her more than what she expected. He was giving her twinkling lights and endless skies, fairytale dreams and dancing shoes, effortless existence, sparkling joys, and heartful days with blinding smiles.
"It is here." He whispered from behind, earning her attention and shifting it towards the scenic beauty that stood before them.
"This..." She gasped, spinning to face him to make sure her head was playing no games.
He nodded and twirled her back, pulling her closer to him and holding her upper arms. "This is our tonight."
That smirk had her melt like a puddle in front of him. If not for his firm hold on her, she would have lost her balance and fallen to the ground.
"You did this?" She asked glancing between the setup and him.
"No. I did not." She would have frowned deeply, almost if he had not added the next words. "I made the calls and the team of planners did."
She chuckled at his modesty and cupped his face, wondering how she got so lucky to find a man like him. "I love you, Dr. Vidyut Chauhan."
His movements froze momentarily yet he composed himself quickly and pecked her lips, humming in response.
A hand slithered in her palms and she received her answers. Leading her towards the parked yacht on the dock, he made sure she was able to climb the wooden plank. He followed her inside the pristine white boat decorated elegantly with fairy lights, balloons, and splashes of red flowers that were hard to miss.
She kept staring all over the place yet failed to take it all in. She ran towards the bow and touched those delicate petals that were aligned beautifully to outline the area of the deck. The steel railings were dolled up with fairy lights and the floor had too many balloons that moved with her walking past them. In the middle, there was a dinner setup arranged with a low wooden table and cushions scattered around the white mattress. A bottle of Wine and two glasses are placed in its center.
"All this...is so beautiful." She exclaimed catching his eyes who nodded in appreciation around.
"We are glad you liked this, Mrs. Chauhan."
She turned towards the man who made his presence known, dressed in a white uniform indicating his designation.
"Yes, Captain meet my wife, Uttara Rai Chauhan, and Uttara meet the captain for this yacht, Captain Jack Elvis. Your team has made amazing efforts. It looks beautiful with these decorations." She nodded in confirmation while Vidyut shook hands with him and the man bowed in gratitude.
"Please be seated. The in-house chef will present you with your dinner in a short while." He nodded at them and left.
"There is an in-house kitchen here?" Her curiosity was carried until they were left alone as she started gushing questions for him.
"Yes." He answered leading her towards the table and gestured her to sit. She complied and he rounded the table and took his side. "There is a bedroom downstairs too. I can show it to you later."
She blushed profusely at the insinuation, throwing a fake glare towards him.
"You are giving a hard competition to these roses, Tara." Vidyut bit back his chuckle making her duck her head to rub her flaming cheeks.
"You are being very cheeky at the moment, Vidyut." It was meant to be a reprimanding but she ended by making it sound like a whine and he laughed at her antics.
"Wine?" He bit back the incoming fit of laughter and unscrewed the drink bottle, filling a glass for each one.
She took the sip to hide her grin. Watching him so carefree and laughing was doing things to her that were ready to make her cry with happiness. She blinked back the moisture and smiled brightly as the dinner was served.
The food was a mix of his and her favorites that she wondered how he knew. She dug into the Chinese platter and let the flavors hit her with force, bursting and waking all her senses at once. An audible moan left her throat and she could feel his intense eyes on her.
She ignored his gaze and bit back the smirk that threatened to rise on her lips making another deep sound in appreciation that made his fork drop with a cling.
His gaze turned into a glare.
"Another ear hears that and he will be punished, Tara." He growled and her stomach churned, heat seeping into her core and flush covering her neck and ears.
"S...sorry." She mumbled and concentrated on her next bite.
"Get up." He commanded and she looked at him in bewilderment. "Get up, Tara."
She scurried to her feet and stared at him waiting for his next words.
His finger gestured for her to walk towards him and she gulped in apprehension. He shifted back and pulled her down on him.
"Someone will see us." She gasped holding on his shoulders and wiggling in his lap, making a comfortable place for her.
"Stop moving." He let out a suppressed growl and she froze. He twisted her to face the table and pulled her plate beside his. "Start eating and ensure you are eating enough to last the long night ahead of us after all the little stunts you have pulled today."
The whisper caressed her nape and she shivered, leaning against his chest she let his warmth cool the goosebumps left by his husky voice in its wake.
"Are we not stargazing after dinner?" She asked after moments of comfortable silence, munching on her bite as she forwarded a spoon towards him. His eyes met hers, and taking the bite with the slowest movements possible in human history, he chewed the fried rice while watching her. "Which one is your favorite?"
"The one in my arms. Can you see?" He said earnestly, his hand climbed up her nape and cupped her jaw rubbing the corners of her lips. He leaned forward and his breath fell on her face making her smile in anticipation. "I am stargazing right here. Watching my star closely."
"Vidyut..." Her throat choked as her eyes turned blurry with the onslaught of fresh tears.
He continued pecking her lips to stop her from saying any more. "I mean it, Tara. NASA would envy me if they knew I needed no invention of theirs to see my star all day long. Emitting light so bright that the whole world fades for me."
She buried her face in his nape, letting the happy tears free and soak in his dress shirt. "I love, love, you"
He peppered small kisses on her hair and held her, like the anchor holds the ship, like a dying man holding his last breaths, like a drowning man holds his last hope of survival, and like the flowers are held dearly by their stems, fearing its loss if let loose.
"Stop, Tara." He pulled her back and gently wiped her cheeks. "I did not say all that only to see you cry."
"I was not crying." She pressed, trying to make a point at which he rolled his eyes.
"Of course. Let's eat now. I do not like cold food."
"Yes, right. You don't." She nodded fervently and started stuffing her mouth with food and passing some to him as her on his lap restricted his movements.
Soon the plates were cleared and the table was taken away by the staff, leaving a huge brown mattress below where she stretched her legs sighing in relief. She brought his arms around her waist and locked them with hers.
Tracing the lines, playing with her fingers, she trailed up to his elbow and again repeated. She was finding a weird comfort when he held her and let her do anything to him. At this moment, she felt as if she held his reign. He was hers to do anything and he would never decline her.
She turned her head and caught him gazing at her. She smiled and placed a quick peck on his lips, again, and, again leaving him wanting more. After the fourth kiss, he freed his hands and pushed her face on his, lips touching, nose brushing, and vision blurry but consumed by the other person only.
"Are we playing this game?" He murmured to her, capturing her lips again only to leave her breathless after plenty of those ministrations that his lips were capable of making to her soul.
Her fingers held his shirt while his hands on her nape yanked her back. He eyed her face and then the exposed neck and cleavage that was now giving him a perfect view as the straps loosened sliding down her shoulder. He tilted her head to get better access to her bare flesh.
He latched his lips on her neck. Licking, kissing, sucking, biting, and then soothing it with his tongue leaving a wet trail that made her shiver in the cold night air.
"I need to show you around first." He panted, moving away yet being pulled back as he placed her head on his shoulder. His cheeks brushed her neck and she shifted, changing her possible as she felt it.
The hardness pressed against her butt cheeks making her jump but she was caught back and brought down again on the hard shaft.
His deep chuckle filled her senses making her core clench and milk hearing that deep rumble. "You do this to me, Tara."
She pressed her face into his chest, wanting to hide the desire that was painted on her face. She mumbled, "Stop teasing me."
He hummed bumping his nose with her cheeks. "What do you need me to do then?"
"Anything." She shrugged, sighing in his arms, and gazing at the stars that blanketed the black canvas of night with small pearls that shined brightly. Unknown to the world, these stars were burning and dead long before we humans would stop seeing them. They were so far yet felt so close to her, to them like an illusion. She wished this was no star, no illusion but her fate. Being in his arms and spending each moment with his presence in her heart and mind. She glanced back at him, watching him gazing at her line of sight. Was he thinking the same?
He cocked a brow and she shook her head, snuggling closer to him.
"Let's give you the impending tour." He mumbled in his ears.
He made her stand and her eyes skipped toward his pants to confirm about the dent she was responsible for. It was still there, not so prominent but present.
"Don't." He grumbled like a kid and took her palm to lead the way towards the other end where the cabin and beside were the stairs that descended to a narrow hallway and a few doors scattered spaciously. "That door, the one at the back is the kitchen and this," He pointed to the door five steps away "is the bedroom."
She nodded in understanding and walked towards the door, glancing at him who watched her like a hawk as she twisted the knob and the door unlocked with a distant click.
She swallowed, her skin slick with sweat just from the anticipation of what things could unfold here once they stepped inside. His eyes followed her tongue licking her tongue licking her dry lips.
"We are not doing it." He blinked and the desire waived off making her stomach drop in disappointment.
"Why?" She asked bashfully.
He took his own time to reply to her. "You are not ready."
"And what indicates that?"
"You are nervous, Uttara." He pointed. "We don't have to do anything you are not comfortable with."
"I am comfortable with you." She retorted, striding hurriedly towards him. She stood with her arms closed, challenging him. "I want this, Vidyut. I want you."
He gulped and looked away. "If I start, there will be no to stop."
"I don't want you to stop." She decreased the gap between them, taking his hand and placing his palm on her chest where her heartbeat was. "This is beating because of you. Don't break it again."
"Are you sure?" He asked holding her brown eyes with his amber orbs.
She blinked with an answer. "Yes."
■ ■ ■
The steam of freshly brewed coffee hit his nostrils yet nothing could make him blink away from staring into empty spaces, places where he tried finding answers to questions only Shreya held answers for.
She had been unconscious for the past 5 hours and with each second that passed, Rakshit started second-guessing his thoughts, his words, his actions, and his night. It has been 24 hours from the spiral of events that had unfolded in ways he couldn't manage. As if life was throwing all the curve balls, made up of iron, on him at once. They were hitting him from all directions and now there was hardly any rationality left in his brain to think through his acts.
He had accused Dhwani, fought with his brother, ignored Shresth for straight five hours, and watched her sleep in that awful hospital gown enough to last a lifetime. In another few hours, he would be enrolling himself in therapy to strive and survive the days that are yet to come.
Rakshit Chauhan knew how long life would be and living each day like it was the last one was not happening anymore. He had to start seeing responsibilities that had been neglected for far too long now that he had offended his elder brother and could not bother Vidyut who had left for a much-needed impromptu trip.
"Have it." Shresth placed a cup of coffee infront of him wordlessly and went to sit on the opposite side, waiting like they had been doing for the past hours.
The surgery was wrapped up soon after Anirudh left and Shreya was wheeled inside a private ward. The doctor gave them an estimated period after she woke up and then left to attend to whatever cases he needed to.
"Thank you," Rakshit mumbled to him taking the cup and sipping on the semi-hot liquid, leaning back against the wall to take a deep sigh laced with lack of sleep.
"The patient is conscious now. You may go in." A nurse stopped and informed them watching two men exchanging eye rolls, glares, and deep sighs.
Shresth was the first to stand and discard the empty cup in a nearby dustbin, followed by Rakshit who earned another glare laced with disgust as he bumped his shoulder and moved passed towards the gate.
He exhaled through his lips and leaned his head back against the wall, feeling partial relief cross his heart.
She was up. She was awake and he could feel the power returning to his limbs. He has already started feeling better after the constant flashes of blood raking his mind.
Making sure his legs would not betray him, Rakshit straightened and took small towards the second door to his left. Pushing the knob, he took in her form wrapped in a light blue blanket, hairs tied back, and several machines recording her moments.
The sound did not catch the attention of the siblings who sat holding hands. The elder one glared at the younger. His jaw slackened yet his eyes spoke of vulnerability Rakshit was all too familiar with. Retracing his steps, he closed the door and decided to give some privacy to the two.
"Why would you do this, Shreya? How could you?" He heard Shresth's broken urge to fetch answers from him.
"I...I didn't think enough, Bhai." The broken whisper made him see red, his knuckles around the door knob turned white as the rage settled deep inside him.
"Didn't think what?" Her brother snapped. "Didn't think about us? About Ma and Baba? Or Me? You didn't think before you tried killing yourself? This is a crime, God damnit!"
"I am sorry, Bhai." She was choking, must be crying too. "That...moment, it felt...only right to...harm myself...I was tired...I didn't want...to live anymore."
"Why did you feel this way?" Came the muffled voice, the protective brother who was ready to burn the world was breaking piece by piece.
"I...I.."
"I am here, Choti. Please tell me." He urged. "Is it because of..." He hesitated "...Mrs. Chauhan?"
There was silence. A gut-wrenching silence.
"Dhwani Chauhan. She came here. She told us how you two were together. Did she say something to you?"
Rakshit could hear nothing and each passing second crawled on his skin.
"No." She admitted in a whisper. Something he would have never heard if not for being this close to the gate. "She...tried to help, Bhai but...she couldn't. No one can."
Rakshit's hold loosened and he stumbled back.
Turning on his heels, he rushed out of the main gates, into the bright sunlight that started filtering through the clouds protruding through the blanket of whites. The air had started turning warm and salty. He hunched on his knees, panting for air as the surrounding felt suffocating.
"Did you say something to her? You must have forced her and I know that you wouldn't let her insult you without a reply back. Did you say anything that could lead her to do this?"
"Why would you?"
The frustrated screech rang in his brain and his fingers clutched on his hair as he gritted his teeth painfully hard. Clutching his eyes shut, he screamed noiselessly as her teary eyes made their way back into his memories.
He had messed it up.
He was screwed, royally.
"How...could I?" He asked himself remembering every second he had spent with Dhwani. "She is my sweet child, most caring family member, and I...Why the fuck I would blame her? Her of everyone?"
Slumping on the wooden bench, he hit his palm down harshly. Hitting it until he could feel nothing. He brushed his palms down his face and cupped it, hiding it from the world after his doings.
"I am such an Idiot. Do I even deserve a chance to apologize?" He wondered, biting on his lower lip as they wobbled with the onslaught of angry tears. "I am sorry, Bhabhi. I am so sorry."
He kept mumbling the apologies in the thin air, in hopes of them reaching her for a period forgetting the other parts of the world.
"Hey!"
A hand touched his shoulder making him jerk in an upright position.
"Yes." Facing away he brushed a hand to wipe any traces of tears away from his bloodshot eyes, he cleared his throat and spun on his heels to face the owner.
"Go, see her. She knows you are here." Shresth jutted his chin towards the gate.
"She wants to see me?" He asked none in particular.
"I would prefer she won't." He grumbled with disdain but shrugged. "Go, don't make my sister wait or I will break this good-for-nothing face of yours."
Rakshit nodded distractedly and started walking.
"Wait," Shresth called behind him. He halted and turned back. Shresth gave him a long look of disapproval. "Stop being a simp and eat something after freshening up. She may be a girl in love but she still abhors dirty clothes and vomits because of smelling breaths."
He spun in surprise but found him scoffing in irritation and taking the same bench he vacated. "You approve of me?"
"Stop asking questions and leave, Chauhan. You are wasting my sister's precious time." Shresth rolled his eyes and dismissed him with one last scoff.
Nodding to himself, Rakshit walked back. Twisting the door handle, he dug through his brain to find the most suitable words to say.
"Do you realize how heavy you are?" The words stumbled out and his steps faltered at the realization. Eyes wide and staring at her who frowned at him.
"What do you mean?" She gaped, offended at his words.
He swallowed and tried smiling for the sake of mending this starting. "How do you feel now?"
"Alive." She grumbled before leaning against the pillow and closing her eyes. "If you are here to question me about why I did that? Turn around and leave."
He exhaled and glared at her stubborn form. "Okay. We won't talk about that but we can talk about..."
"About how you called me fat just minutes before." She pinned him with a glare.
"That wasn't the plan." He grimaced and rubbed his nape. "How about you forget about it and I will spare you from grilling? Let's call it a truce."
She shot him a side-eyed glare and shrugged. "Truce."