Madhu half opened her sleepy eyes and turned her face to the other side when sun kissed right on her eyes.
A smile formed on her face seeing her husband sleeping so close to her, breathing on her neck. His left arm was loosely wrapped on her chest.
Gently she brushed the shock of hair off his eyes and slowly weaved her fingers through his hair.
"You need a haircut." Madhu whispered.
"Hmm..." he groaned and turned his face away from her.
"My Mr. Grumpy" she chuckled. She laid on the bed wide awake for few more minutes thinking about yesterday's event. They were close to death. She shuddered at that thought and choked in her own breathe.
She felt a hand rub against her soft tummy. It was her husband. Even in his sleep feeling her shudder he was trying to calm her down. Aww...sweet! Her sudden heavy rise and fall of her chest got normal and she felt safe and protected lying beside him.
She sat up on the bed taking his hand off her belly and clamped it closer to her chest.
"Madhu, dare you think disturbing his sleep. Let the poor soul sleep for some more time." she chided herself in her head. "Now, take your pretty little ass to the shower, get ready and go down. You are at your parents in law place and they will expect their daughter in law to rise up early in the morning and cook breakfast for them." she reminded herself. Times like this only she will miss her home because it will be just the two of them and they can do whatever they please. She loved sleeping late after watching a movie till one in the morning as she waits for her husband to return home and they go to bed together, sometimes they simply go to sleep as soon as they hit the bed and sometimes they make love till they pass out. She loved to wake up late in the morning to the smell of delicious food cooked by her husband. At times she wondered how efficiently he manages both work and home.
"Madhu... stop there. You are getting late." she reminded herself again.
"God, I don't want to get out of the bed. I just wanna snuggle and sleep with my husband." she whined loudly.
"Then sleep" Rishab said and pulled her down by her waist.
"Hey, you up?" she asked. He didn't open his eyes but he just held her waist.
"You don't get up. You go back to sleep. Just let me go so I that I can shower and go down to make breakfast for us. Oh wait, tell me what you want me to prepare for breakfast? Dosa or Paratha? Hmm... I better do upma for all. It's simple and quick. Rishab, will your parents eat upma?" she kept talking nonstop and he didn't bother to reply to her.
"Hey, I am asking something. Answer me?" she shook his arm waking him up.
He raised up his upper body a little balancing his weight on his elbows as he looked at Madhu and blinked his eyes twice.
He looked so cute with sleepy eyes and messy hair.
"What?" she asked confused.
"Do you have any grudge on me, Madhu?" he asked her softly.
"No, baby" Madhu shook her head and caressed his cheek, scraping his stubble.
"Do I treat you bad in anyway?"
"No, baby" Madhu said wondering why he was asking such strange questions.
"Are you angry with me?"
"No, baby" she said, now cupping both his cheeks with her hands and placing a kiss on his forehead.
"What's wrong? Why you are asking me such strange questions?" Madhu asked looking straight at his eyes as worry edged her doe eyes.
"Then why the hell you are not letting me sleep in peace, ever?" he asked through gritted teeth and she quickly release his face from her hold and clutched the duvet tightly as she gulped in fear. He looked like a predator. Not able to stand his heated glare she threw the duvet over his head and jumping out of the bed in a jiff she rushed to the bathroom and slammed the door loudly. He pulled down the duvet from his head and after sending bullets through his eyes to the closed bathroom door, he flopped back on the bed and resumed his sleep.
After her shower, Madhu walked to the bed and sat on it as she towel dried her wet hair. While scooping her hair from back to her right side shoulder few water droplets flickered on Rk's face. He wiped the pearl like drop of water from his eyelid and fluttering opened his eyes. When he turned his head to his side he found his wife sitting at the edge of the bed and busy drying her hair. This time he wasn't going to shout at her for disturbing his sleep as he got to see her so fresh as flower draped in a simple tan color cotton saree with black border hugging her body like her second skin. Her blouse was deep showing her pale skin. Rk leaned forward and kissed her back making her jump in surprise dropping her towel on the floor. He quickly held her shoulder making her sit back and pulled her against his chest and started kissing her neck.
"Rishab..." Madhu moaned arching her neck.
"What you are doing? Stop." She tried to pull herself away from him but he weaved his fingers through her wet hair and brought her head closer to him and took her lips in his. He nibbled her soft lip.
"You taste divine." He muttered against her lips and kissed the corner of her mouth before moving on to her neck to kiss, lick & suck.
Madhu couldn't resist herself. He was tormenting her with his sweet teasing kisses peppering all over her neck region. She lost it when he hit her sensitive spot. He kissed the back of her ear making her moan unashamedly.
"Rishab... Please" she begged not even knowing for what she was begging. "Kiss me" she found the reason for her desperate begging. When he didn't budge but kept tasting her soft skin of her ear. The place where she pierced her ear was so soft like silk and her husband loved to nibble and pull it with his teeth.
"Oh please..." She started panting. She held his neck and pushed his face a little up so that she could claim his lips.
"I didn't brush..." Rk said getting conscious. That was the reason he left her from kissing her thoroughly and moved on to her other parts of her body.
"You still smell and taste yummy." She said and licked the outer lip line of his lips. And that was enough for Rk to take advantage of her and he crashed his mouth on hers and kissed hardly almost tasting her blood. He rolled her and she was now lying beneath him on the bed as they made out passionately.
"Rishab, we should stop here..." Madhu whispered against his lips. Suddenly she remembered about preparing breakfast. Well, they have already started cooking without fire. No, scratch that. There was fire and burning passion. Their desire for each other was erupting like volcano.
"I have to go down and help mom in making breakfast." She almost moaned not wanting to leave what they were doing but still she had to so she gently pushed his chest. Sighing, he let her go and sat up.
"You should have waited till I have got up then we could have showered together." Rk grunted.
"You should have told me so then I would have waited for you to join me... but what you did? You literally kicked me out of the bed." she scowled at him
"I didn't kick you. You just ran like a scared kitten." He said.
"You know what? No one will stand your angry glare. If your eyes had laser then you would have cut through my skin." She said seriously but he laughed at her.
"You know you are so funny." Rk teased her as he walked to the closet to pick put his outfit.
"When we will go back to our home?" Madhu asked following him to the walk in closet.
"Why? Is there any problem staying here?" Rk asked with a frown.
"No! No! There is no problem. Mom and dad are really sweet and I am happy staying with them." She said with a smile. Her parents in law treat her like their own daughter.
"Then?"
"Simply. I kinda miss our home."
"Just few more days, Madhu." He said patting her cheek with his two fingers.
"But why actually we are staying here?" She asked curiously. She didn't bother to ask him yesterday why they were heading to his parents place. She was actually in shock when he dragged her to the car once they escaped out of the death trap elevator.
"I want to keep you safe..."
"But for how long we will be here?"
"At least till I get a lead on who was behind the incident." He said with a shrug.
"Okay." She nodded and rubbed his chest with her palm before hugging him.
"Rishab!!!" She yelled pushing herself out of his embrace. "What the hell you have done?" She asked angrily picking up her saree from the floor. He had just tugged her saree from being tucked in to her in-skirt around her waist. He loved to dishevel her saree and make her mad.
"I like you this way better." Rk said smirking as he jerked her back by pulling her saree pallu and hugging her from behind. He traced his fingers over her belly and slowly, sensuously, seductively started circling around her belly button where she had pierced and hooked a small gold ring.
"I love this." Rk flicked his fingers over her belly button ring.
"You look sexy wearing this." he whispered near her ear.
"Oh! Finally you noticed my piercing and the gold ring after 3 and half months of our marriage?"
"This was the first thing I noticed on our first night when I removed your cute baby pink pajama." he said huskily.
"Really?" She asked smiling.
"Why don't we lie down on bed for five more minutes?" Rk asked nuzzling the back of her neck.
"Let's not start again." She hissed though desire spiraled all over her body.
"Leave me and go take your shower." She reluctantly pushed him and marched to the dresser bunching her saree in her hands. She stood in front of the full length mirror looking at her messed up state and all she could do was blush profusely. She just loved her husband's playful side.
~~0~~
"Good morning, mom" Madhu said to her mom-in-law excitedly entering the kitchen island.
"Morning, Madhu" Radha wished her back as she continued cooking.
"Mom, sorry, I got a bit late... I thought I will make breakfast for you all but now you have almost done it." Madhu said guiltily.
"It's okay, Madhu. You can make another day. Don't you have to go to office today?" Radha asked.
"No. I am taking the day off."
"Oh why?" Radha asked.
Madhu shrugged. "Rishab is taking off so I thought I will also take off and spend some quality time with him." she said slightly blushing, fidgeting with her saree pallu.
Radha looked at Madhu for few good seconds with a mischievous smile playing on her face and then went to the refrigerator to get something. "Here..." Radha passed a small cup.
"What's this mom?" Madhu asked at the same time opening the lid of the cup. "Butter?" Madhu asked looking up at her mom-in-law.
"Apply it over the cut on your lip." Radha said and pressed her lips to prevent herself from bursting in to an uproar laughter. Geez! The blood dripping kiss!
"Mom!" Madhu hit her forehead with her palm and slowly dragged her hand down and covered her face to hide her embarrassment.
"Now, I get what kept you occupied and made you come late down here." Radha continued her teasing. She wasn't going to let it go without having some fun at Madhu's expense.
"Mom, stop, please." she begged. By now her cheeks had turned blood red. "I know I am late but I swear it's your son's mistake. He just didn't let me go. He was so needy... ugh..."
"Whoa! Whoa! Now you stop young lady." Radha said grinning. Her innocent daughter in law can easily forget with whom she was talking and what she was talking and blurt out everything even some of their private stuffs.
"Damn you mouth! Shut up!" Madhu chided herself
Radha laughing hearing Madhu talk to herself loudly.
"Did I say it loud?" Madhu asked biting her little finger.
"Yes, you did." Radha laughed and giggled like a teenager.
"Mom, I love you." Madhu couldn't help but hug her mom-in-law tightly. "You know you are so funny, so sportive, so full of energy... you are the best" Madhu said to Radha holding her at arm length.
"I know I am the coolest mom-in-law in the world." Radha said showing attitude. Then both Radha and Madhu burst out laughing.
Madhu had to rub her stomach to ease her sudden pain shot out of excessive laughing. Radha's eyes moved to the middle of Madhu's body to detect any bulge on her tummy but to her disappointment it was so flat. Poor lady was expecting to hear some good news from her son and daughter in law after all they were married for nearly 4 month.
Madhu narrowed her eyes wondering why her mom-in-law was staring at her belly. She kind of felt creepy so she slowly pulled her saree covering her exposed tummy. Radha snapped her head up and gave Madhu a sheepish grin.
"Soon you will have to remove that belly button ring" Radha said as she garnished her dish.
"Huh? Oh okay." Madhu didn't get why she said so. "May be she didn't like it" She thought.
"You taught Rishab how to cook, mom?" Madhu asked to break the silence as they set the table for breakfast.
"No. He learned everything on his own. He is one self made man. He was never dependent on me or on his father. He was very calm and studious boy. You could say he was a nerd but the handsomest boy in his college." Radha said proudly after all he was her son. "He studied well and got into his dream job. He always made us so proud." Radha smiled with pride shining in her eyes for her son. "As far as I could remember I did things for him only till he was 4 or 5 years old. Oh after that age only recently I did one important thing for him" Radha said with wink.
"What was that?" Madhu asked curiously.
"I found him a beautiful wife." Radha said literally patting the back of her shoulder for her excellent job. Madhu stuck out her tongue like a small kid and grinned widely.
"I thought he will end up marrying our neighbor Mrs. Sharaddha's daughter Ria." Radha said making a disgusted face showing clearly she didn't approve that girl Ria.
"Yeah, Rishab told me she was his girlfriend for the longest period." Madhu said nonchalantly but inside she was so jealous.
"Madhu?" Radha called her.
"Haan, mom?" Madhu asked without looking at her. Her full focus was on the carrot she was slicing with a sharp knife to make salad.
"Spare that poor carrot. It's not Ria" Radha said getting back to her teasing.
"Mom!" she scolded. She didn't like her mom-in-law rightly reading her mind and knowing that she was actually taking her anger on that poor carrot. She could so imagine Ria's fingers in place of carrot.
"Are you jealous of that girl Ria?"
"Why should I? I have my Rishab. I know he has moved on and now is in love with me. I know he will be loyal to me..."
"But still you can't help feeling jealous" Radha said the rest.
"Mom... you are so right" Madhu accept her defeat. "I start burning in jealousy whenever I find him with other girls or whenever he talks about his Ex's" she said taking a deep breath. "I'm so possessive for him." Madhu said and bit her bottom lip.
"It just shows how much you love him, Madhu." Radha caressed her hair and kissed her forehead affectionately.
~~0~~
Rishab and his father sat at the head seats on either side of the dining table and their spouses sat beside them as they all ate their breakfast. As ever Rishab was the silent spectator watching his wife tittle-tattle with his parents.
"Aunty" Rishab was the first one to notice his mom in law Padmini walking into the dining hall taking long strides. She went straight to her daughter and hugged her surprising everyone with her dramatic behaviour.
"Madhu, you okay? Rishab beta you both didn't get hurt nah?" Padmini asked crying. Rishab and Madhu shared a look radiating tension.
"Padmini... Calm down. First you sit and we will talk." Malik held her shoulders and pulled her back from crushing Madhu.
"Padmini-ji why are you crying? What you are talking about?" Radha asked in a soft tone yet concern was clear in her voice.
"You didn't know anything Radha-ji? They didn't tell you?" Padmini asked in shock looking at Madhu and Rishab.
"What we didn't know?" Mohan asked.
"About the incident happened yesterday." Malik said hoping they would know what they were talking but still Radha and Mohan remained clueless. Madhu subtly moved closer to her husband and held his arm.
"How they found out?" Madhu asked in a whisper. Rishab shrugged.
"Yesterday their apartment elevator collapsed and they were in it." Malik blurted out.
"What?" Mohan shouted in shock. Radha gasped and covered her mouth. She knew there must be some reason behind their sudden visit and even staying at their place but never thought they were in a terrible accident. When Radha looked at her son worriedly he gave her a reassuring smile and that was enough for Radha to calm her nerves.
"Rishab..." Mohan snapped out of his shock and turned to his son. "Care to explain?"
"Dad, it's just an accident. Nothing happened to us. We both are fine. We both were shaken a bit so thought we will come over here and stay with you for few days." Rishab said in a calm tone wrapping his arm around Madhu's waist. He quickly told them how they were stuck in the elevator and how they escaped by breaking the ventilation hole. He wrapped the part where there was a bomb planted in it. He didn't want to scared them. He felt sorry for Madhu's mother who looked ready to faint. So fragile like her daughter. Rk thought.
"How you guys come to know about the incident?" Madhu asked in a kitten soft voice. Her curiosity kicked in.
"We called your phone yesterday but it went straight to the voice mail. We couldn't reach Rishab's number as well so today we went to your apartment and your neighbors told us everything and we came here to check on you both that you are safe and sound." Padmini narrated.
"Why you went to our apartment?" Madhu asked
"To invite you both to tonight's party?" Malik answered.
"What party, papa?"
"Our companies annual day celebration, Madhu. Didn't I tell you already?" Malik asked. He had already discussed with his daughter about the annual day function few days back over the phone and they had decided to make it grand this year as it was the 25th year of their company.
"Oh right. It just slipped out of my mind." Madhu said. She had been through a lot in the past few days and the party was the last thing in her mind.
"I will call the event manager and ask him to cancel tonight's party." Malik announced and took out his phone.
"Uncle, please don't cancel the function. We are fit to attend the party. In fact that will be a good change of us." Rishab stopped him.
"You sure?" Malik asked. Rishab nodded his head affirmatively.
"Elevator malfunctioning? It's strange. Don't you think so, Rishab?" Mohan asked still reeling over what his son had just told. He wanted to make sure his son wasn't holding back anything from them.
"It's just failure of breaking system in the elevator, dad. It's purely an accident." He lied. "You don't worry, okay?"
"But Rishab..."
"Mohan, let it go. If he says there is nothing to worry then you better stop worrying." Radha intervened. "Padmini-ji, you too stop crying." She ordered. "My son will take care of your daughter." She promised looking at Rishab and he nodded his head agreeing with her. Padmini gulped and quickly wiped off her tears. Radha looked like a strict school principal to her.
Then turning to Malik, Radha said "My son and daughter will attend the party tonight..."
"We want you both to attend as well. We are here to invite you and Mohanji too."
"Oh good. Then we will also come." Radha agreed instantly. "Madhu, you are helping me dress up for the party." Madhu looked at Radha in daze. How could she be so calm, cool and composed? She didn't panic or cry hysterically creating a drama like her mother instead she is bossing around. Madhu wondered with parted mouth. "You are so bossy" Madhu muttered under her breathe.
"I heard that" Radha said trying to keep a straight face but couldn't pull the act and end up laughing.
"Rishab, beta..." Radha called her son so sweetly when he started walking back to his room.
"Haan, mom?"
"You cook lunch for us." Radha gave her final order to her son.
"Mom!" Rk whined.
"You can get your father and father-in-law's help. I am sure they won't mind helping you make lunch." She turned to her husband and glared at him challenging him to deny her.
"Of course we will. Won't we Malik?" Mohan said and looked at Malik. Having no other option he too agreed.
"Good. We ladies are going to dress shopping so that we can wear it for tonight's party and you make sure lunch is ready by the time we return home."
"Mom, you sure you want me to cook lunch or dinner? Because I don't think you ladies will return any time before sunset" he teased her. Radha slapped his right arm making him wince.
"Rishab..." Madhu worried.
Radha took a step closer to her son and softly said "Don't think I haven't noticed that your right hand is injured and I am sure your wife has already tended your wounds..."
"Yes, she did. But why you hit me knowing my hand is injured?" Rk asked.
"Punishment for teasing your mother..." Radha said menacingly. If anyone could scare Rishab then it will be his mother. "...and also I want you to stop acting as if you are perfectly fine and hiding your wounds from me. Take off your full sleeve shirt and leave it open so that it will heal soon."
"Yes, boss" Rishab mock saluted his mother. He really wanted to take off his shirt. The itchiness and irritation increased every time the fabric material touched his burned skin and it was getting hard for him to not to show it in his face by grimacing it.
Later, the ladies went out for shopping and the men made the meal.
... To be continued!!!
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