S U H A N A
"toh kya laau tumhare liye?", he questioned me through the floor as I could hear the hustle and bustle of Delhi's traffic
[Translation: so what should I get for you?]
"Hamari shaadi ka rishta", I find myself answering as I bit my lower lip to control my blush
[Translation: our marriage alliance]
"Vho toh mai launga hi per abhi kya laau tumhare liye?", he chuckled and I found myself falling in love with his voice yet again
[Translation: that I will surely bring but for now tell me what should I bring for you?]
3 years, it's been three years since our relationship, yet nothing changed, our love only grew more. A week after our confession of the day of departure from Nani's village Neil had confronted about his sudden visit to Mumbai. He knew I would break down with the idea of our separation yet he had been calm all along and given me enough time to process things. I was devastated yet I gathered my broken pieces and stood strong, for him, for us.
"I know that I'm hard to love. Some days I'm all smiles and affection and then other days there's nothing I want more than to be quiet and lie in bed.
Sometimes I get angry about stupid things and won't want to talk to you. Other days I'll think that you're the most perfect person in the world.
Please don't give up on me. I know it's not easy but I'll always come back to you, promise", he had confessed showering me with lots of kisses on the day of his departure at the airport. I remember bawling my eyes out and crying like a baby in his embrace.
"I'll miss you a lot, remember to have proper meals on time and take care of yourself", I had spoken out my voice breaking from all the crying
"Abhi bas na Jaan, I won't be able to go if you cry like this", he had cooed gathering me in his arms, shielding me away from the harsh reality.
[Translation: enough now, love, I won't be able to go if you cry like this]
He was supposed to move to Mumbai for the new project, which meant we would have to be away for more years, with no meetings, no nothing just texts, phone calls and video calls as painful and heartbreaking as it sounds I think the wait was worth anything.
I can't think of any greater happiness than to be with him all the time, without interruption, endlessly, even though I feel that here in this world there's no undisturbed place for our love, neither in our house nor anywhere else except our hearts. And I dream of a grave, deep and narrow, where we could clasp each other in our arms as with iron bars, and I would hide my face in his embrace escaping the harsh reality of our separation and her would hide his face in the crook of my neck nobody would ever see us any more.
There were days when I would stay in the silence of my room grief-stricken because of his absence, and days when we weren't able to text all call each other because of our careers. But everything was worth it, the pain, the suffering, those days, everything.
And now finally he was returning home and I couldn't be any happier. He had finally gained his father's trust and I know my man is so proud that he won't be able to stop ranting about how great he is and how gracefully he handled everything all by himself. My man! My Neil!
I jumped out of bed and dashed towards the halls to get prepared for his arrival. He informed me that first he would go to his house, freshen up and directly come to meet me. I was near the dinner table when I stumbled upon a Yug who was playing with his remote control car.
"Careful bacche!", I scolded him softly balancing myself on my feet
[Translation: careful kiddo]
"Dikhai nhi deta hai kya?", he pouted angrily and I stared at him shocked. Ek toh chori aur upar se sena jori!
[Translation: can't you see and walk
: a Hindi idiom]
"You know what Yug, I won't give you any chocolates that Neil will bring along with him", I glared at him my hands on either side of my hips
"Sorry na Suha di", he apologized trying to appear as innocent as he could. Bhai yeh bacche hai ya tufan mel? Jitna jaldi dhoni stump out nhi karta usse jaldi toh yeh apni fitrat badal lete hai.
[Translation: today's kids are so crazy. They change colours even before a chameleon can]
Suddenly we heard car horns and my heart started beating so loudly, that I could hear it in my ears. Mummy and Papaji both came downstairs to welcome him while I stood rooted in my place. My heart leapt inside and I felt my stomach twisting when I saw him enter through the front door dressed in my favourite black Polo t-shirt and grey jeans. Butterflies danced in my stomach, my hands felt sweaty and I licked my dry chapped lips. Dear Tummy, Sorry about the butterflies. It's not my fault. I swear. It's his.
"Namaste aunty, namaste uncle", he greeted and bowed to touch both of my parent's feet. The whole family was aware of us and gladly no one had any problem with it, rather they appeared more excited about us than we were.
My parents blessed him and he walked towards me with slow steps teasing me. He knew I was longing for him and I know he was too as I noticed the spark and emotions flooding in his eyes. He was here, finally here.
He stood in front of me and without wasting a second I plunged my arms around him, cocooning in his embrace. I was feeling him close, so close after 3 whole years and I wanted to feel the whole of it.
"I missed you", I choked as I felt my throat heavy with emotions and a few tears escaped my eyes drenching his t-shirt.
"Bas-bas I'm here now", he consoled rubbing my hair and tightening his hold on me
After my emotional breakdown and a hearty lunch, we moved towards my bedroom and were lazing on the bed, my laptop screen illuminating with DDLJ where the iconic train scene was being played.
"I wish to recreate this too", I announced my demand as we lay cuddled inside the warm blanket. I was partially on top of him, my arms wrapped around her, too afraid to let him go.
"Tum kya khud ko Simran samjh rhi ho? Tumhare pass toh Avi- I mean Raj bhi nhi hai", he teased with a sly grin on his face and I punched his shoulder to which he winched
[Translation:Are you considering yourself as Simran? But you don't have Avi- I mean even Raj for yourself]
"Tum toh ho na", I said pouting and suddenly out of nowhere I sneezed really bad, bad decision to take a late-night shower.
[Translation: I have you]
Too afraid I looked up at Neil who glared at me with a strict look. He hated it when I didn't look after my health, I remember falling ill after taking a long shower on a rainy cold day and since then he had taken it upon himself to check on my fitness and health. Which meant regular video calls thrice a week at 5 o'clock in the early hours of the morning for a workout where he instructed me exercises and yoga. And even if I whined he wouldn't budge.
"I'll be back in a moment", he said and vanished out of my room. I sheepishly let him go without throwing any tantrums as he slid my body off himself
Minutes later he came back with a glass and much to my horror it was milk. I hated plain milk, I can drink chocolate milk but feeding me plain milk was a task. Even my very own mother had left pestering me after several failed attempts but this boyfriend of mine loved taking up challenges upon himself.
"Drink it", he ordered pushing the glass towards me. "no", I whined making a disgusting face but Neil being Neil caught hold of me before I could escape and made me sit on the bed again.
"Dudh meh kitni saari haldi dal di tumne, kitna pila pila hai, kahi mujhe piliya ho gaya toh", I stated horrified trying to find any excuse only to have him looking at me with narrowed eyes.
[Translation:You have put so much turmeric in milk, it is so yellow, what if I get jaundice]
I quietly took the glass and drank the content in a go making a yuck face.
"Good girl", he patted my face and took the glass from my hold. Keeping it on the bedside table he too joined me on the bed and we spent the next hours busy in the movie marathon.
It was midnight when he paused the screen as we were too tired for anything and only wanted to laze around. I was glad Mummy and Papa didn't disturb us or call us for dinner.
I moved in his lap, my knees on either side of him. He winced, mumbling this wasn't a good idea. I took his beautiful face in my hands, the moonlight illuminating him from the room's window, I continued staring straight into his love-filled eyes.
"Karna kya chahti hai aap mohtrma. Ek masum ka faida uthna chahati hai aap" his hand moved inside my t-shirt, gliding slowly onto my waist making weird sensations erupt inside of me
[Translation:What do you want to do, dear lady? You are trying to take advantage of an innocent person]
"You don't know how amazing of a boyfriend you are Neil, you will always love me right?", I find myself asking him the same question for the ninth time, the fear of letting him away from my side too strong and overpowering
With pink ears he nodded, cradling my face in his warm hands and pecking my lips slowly. Every time I ask him the same question he would still blush the same.
"And you'll be my husband too right? We'll get married?", this time his cheeks too turned scarlet making me chuckle
"Samjhti kya hai aap apne aapko ha?", he giggled, his facial hair scratching my palm. Since the time we started dating, he would always address me as aap, and every time he did, my heart would fill with a sudden warmth.
[Translation: what do you consider yourself?]
"Tumhari hone wali biwi", I teased and watched his expression going from amused to shy once and I'm too proud of the fact that I hold the power to make Neil Bedi blush and all flustered.
[Translation: your would-be wife]
Suddenly he pulled me closer against him. His arms were on either side of my waist as he stared deep into my eyes, my hands resting on his shoulders.
"I love you, Suhana, I love you so damn much my tamatar that I desire you. I burn for you. I can't sleep at night for wanting you. Even when I didn't like you, I lusted for you It's the most maddening, beguiling, damnable thing, but there it is", he whispered against my ear the temperature suddenly turning hot. He held onto me tightly as I quicker helpless in his hold my eyes closing on their own accord
"I want to be the thought that lulls you to sleep. The memory that gets you off I wanna be where all your paths end", He nipped my earlobe and traced his lips from my jaw to my neck and stopped at the junction where my neck and shoulder meet, his hair tickling my neck.
"I wanna do everything you do to me", he planted a soft kiss there before sucking me harsher enough to leave a mark. I moaned out loud as he continued to assault me, my fingernails digging into his flesh.
His hands travelled inside my t-shirt from my waist towards my chest and stopped on my clothed breast. He cupped one of them slowly as the nipples picked through them hard enough for me to wince. A breathy moan escaped from the back of my throat and I arched my back pulling him closer towards me as much as I could.
He looked up from my neck and met my eyes. The raw hunger was evident as I craved for him the same way he did for me. He gazed at me like a predator and then without wasting a single second he kissed me. he kissed me with all the power he could muster, making up for all the years, months, weeks, days, minutes, seconds our chapped lips hadn't been touching, and finally, finally, it felt like my world was no longer burning around me.
..............
Now this is finally the end.
Hope the story was up to the mark. To all the readers who wanted a wedding sequence, I'm sorry for not doing so because I wanted to wind up things before the new year.
Revealing the biggest news that, from now on Ishqiya would be on hold. My study commitments come first and now it's high time I focus on them. Which means that there won't be any more updates on Ishqiya anymore for the time being.
Don't be discouraged, I will be back soon with Fitoor, I am honestly not sure if you all will even like it or not but let's pray for the best. It would be out after board exams, means in the month of April.
Since I already have some of the written chapters I need to edit them and complete the book. Fitoor will be out once I complete writing it till the end so stay tuned and add the book to your tbr.
Follow me on Instagram for spoilers and updates and continue supporting me.
Thanks a lot for all the love and I hope we all will continue to grow more.
I hope the coming new year brings lots of endless possibilities, prosperity, happiness, joy and opportunities. Let the bygones be bygones and enter the new year with a fresh start.
So here's your author signing off with the last chapter of this very yes 2023.
Author🦋
Roop♡