This is my favorite chapter so far! You'll find out why pretty soon.
Arriving home, Vaidehi immediately went towards the kitchen, Raghuveer following close behind. "Chai ya coffee?" (Chai or coffee?) "Chai." She nodded, tonight was a chai kind of night. The rest of the family had left the wedding earlier and were already in bed by the time Veer and Vaidehi arrived. Veer handed her the things she needed and watched her silently as she unconsciously made the chai. They sipped from the small cups, because drinking caffeine at night should be avoided as much as possible so yes, small cups, and basked in each other's presence.
Raghuveer clicked the bedroom door closed behind him. "Vaidehi." As she turned around, he hauled her close, wrapping both arms firmly around her waist as her hands landed on his chest for balance. He held her gaze, and said, "I love you." She was still for a moment, then her eyes widened as she absorbed what he said.
"I wanted to plan something romantic, a grand gesture. Then I realized, neither you nor I are like that. After these past few weeks away from you, after today, I don't want to waste any more time. You slowly but surely dragged me out of the rut I was in and showed me how colorful life can be. You have a heart of gold, and you care so much for our family and our loved ones. I've already given my heart to your safekeeping. Now, I only want that heart of gold to be mine. I love you, meri jaan, and I'm selfish enough to ask you to love me back. Do you love me?"
"Yes..." "Say it for me, love." "I...I love you, Raghuveer-ji." Vaidehi could feel her cheeks flushing, but despite her shyness, she couldn't take her gaze away. Raghuveer smiled boyishly before pulling her closer. "I have one more request, may I kiss you?" Vaidehi couldn't answer, lost in his gaze. "Is that a no, love?" "No," the whisper slipped out of her mouth. Her eyes closed as he smiled wickedly, then he leaned in and kissed her. It was slow and sweet at first, sending tingles up Vaidehi's spine.
But soon, it deepened and became more passionate until Veer finally let Vaidehi pull away, gasping for breath. If it weren't for his arms around her, she wouldn't have been able to stand. Her eyes stayed closed for several moments as she caught her breath, and he continued caressing his thumb across her cheek. Finally, Vaidehi opened her eyes, melting at the love and lust that was visible in Veer's eyes. "Mujhe change karna chahiye." (I should change.) He kissed the tip of her nose, then propelled her towards her closet. "Go, I'll change, too."
The next morning, Vaidehi was basking in the sun on the balcony, letting it wake her up, when her husband's arms wrapped around her from behind, and he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to do this." "Good morning," she said quietly. Vaidehi still hadn't completely registered what had happened the night before, it felt like a dream. "Good morning, wife." He placed kisses going up her neck.
"As much as I love this, I'd love to do far more." She was snapped out of her self-consciousness by his words. "Itni subhe aise baatein kaun karte hain?" (You shouldn't say such things so early in the morning.) "Subhe hone se kya lena dena, biwi?" (What does it matter if it's morning, wife?) Vaidehi simply looked at him, as if it was such an obvious thing. Realizing their position, she averted her gaze and tried to push away. "Raghuveer-ji, chodiye. Mujhe taiyyar honi hain." (Raghuveer-ji, leave me. I need to get ready.) He only pulled her closer, and she allowed herself to relax slightly into his arms. "Pehle mujhe Raghuveer-ji mat bulao." (First, stop calling me Raghuveer-ji.) "Phir kya bulao?", she asked innocently. (Then what should I call you?)
"Veer. Jab tum sabke saamne mujhe Veer kehke bulati ho, mujhe accha lagta hain." (Veer. I like it when you call me Veer in front of everyone.) "Theek hain, Veer-ji." (Alright, Veer-ji.) She was surprised when he still didn't let her leave. "Veer-ji nahi, sirf Veer." (Not Veer-ji, just Veer.) "Lekin Veer-ji, main..." (But, Veer-ji, I...) He pecked her lips, stopped her words, and she parted her lips slightly in surprise. "Main aisa..." (How can I...) He pecked her lips again. "Par..." (But...) One more kiss. Finally, she whispered, "Veer." Slipping his hand into her hair, Veer cupped her head and pulled Vaidehi in for a long, leisurely kiss. "I love you," he whispered as she ran away.
The next few weeks passed by with Vaidehi and Veer slowly coming closer. The change in the couple's relationship was evident in the past several weeks, a source of joy for their family, but it was even clearer in recent weeks. Vaidehi finally confessed that she had secretly celebrated their monthiversary by giving him disguised gifts, and to make up for all he missed, Veer planned a night in for them on their eighth monthiversary, and brought Vaidehi not just six, but several more gifts. While she jokingly complained that he was spoiling her, she was grateful that her husband cared so much about her. It was that night that she signaled her consent for them to take the next big step in their relationship. It was an unforgettable night for both of them.
I know some people won't like the way Veer and Vaidehi confess their feelings, just spontaneously. But, I think it has some merit. Personally, I treasure the little things, and would rather have someone speak to me with heartfelt emotion rather than a specially curated moment. Not to say that organized proposals or dates are bad, but I think both should be appreciated, and there's a time and place for everything which is unique to each couple. Do you agree?