*Please excuse the mistakes*
The next morning Neha was all ready and she just had to wake Arun up.
She sat beside him and called him, "Arun, wake up. Don't you have to leave early today? Get up."
Yes, he was leaving early because he has to travel quite a distance to reach home and after that, he is going to the office too. Opening his eyes he found a smiling Neha sitting beside him. He smiled back and wished her a good morning.
"Good morning. Now get up and get ready while I go and see mom," 'for the last time', Neha said in mind. He mumbled an okay.
After having his breakfast with everyone, Arun was all ready to leave. He kept his bag near the door and bid bye to his in-laws promising to come again soon. He was looking for Neha.
'Where did she disappear now?' Arun thought in mind. Sensing his roaming gaze, Neha's mother called out to her.
Arun's expression turned into a questioning and confused one when he saw Neha coming towards him with her bag in her hand.
"Why are you..." he started to ask only to be cut off.
"Bye dad, bye mom. Princess is going to miss you both very much. Miss me and come to meet me," Neha said and hugged them tightly. She shook her head lightly, gesturing Arun not to say anything now.
They both stepped out and sat in the car. Arun gave a questioning stare in his wife's direction.
"Why are coming with me? Didn't I tell you that you can stay?"
She gave a sheepish grin and said, "I wanted to come home. I know you had said that I can stay if I want to. But, seriously I wanted to come with you. And don't worry about mom. I had talked with her in the morning, she isn't sad or anything."
"What did you say to her?"
"That's a secret between best friends. You are not supposed to know."
He smiled at her reply. Putting his arm around her, he pulled her closer. Neha smiled and leaned on him as they both traveled to their home.
______________________________________
Knowing that he is going to be late today, Arun had made sure to take the house keys. Getting out of his car he made his way towards the main door. There was a smile of happiness on his face even after the weariness of the busy day. He always felt happy to come home knowing that there is someone waiting for his safe arrival. Arun had never thought that he would feel this way, this kind of happiness on coming home....a feeling, that for him his home is now his Neha. But maybe it's the "love" that is affecting his mind.
He entered his room to see Neha lying on the bed with her eyes closed. She had her earphones on. Arun shook his head smiling at his stubborn wife.
Flashback
Standing at the main door of the house, Arun kissed Neha's forehead, a habit now, and said, "I'm going to be very late today because of the meeting. So I'm taking the keys with me. Tell mom and you too, do not wait for me. Go to sleep, okay."
Neha just smiled at him and said, "I'll inform mom."
"Don't wait for me Neha," Arun said again stressing on the 'don't'.
She smiled more and just pushed him, gesturing to go on, "Now move or else you'll be late."
Arun shook his head, still hoping that she'll not ruin her sleep.
Flashback over
Neha was looking beautiful in the pink saree with her long hair neatly spread on the pillow. A small smile appeared on her face. 'Probably a favorite song' Arun thought looking at Neha's smile. He was going to get up but was stopped by Neha's voice.
Astonished, Arun sat down again looking at...no hearing the new talent of his wife. She was singing. Actually, she was singing along with the song that was playing on her phone, completely unaware of the audience she has.
Aap ki nazaron ne samjha, pyaar ke kaabil mujhe
Dil ki ai dhadkan theher ja, mil gayi manzil mujhe
Aap ki nazaron ne samjha
(Your eyes have found me worthy of your love
Oh, beats of my heart stop now I have found my destiny)
Neha's voice was soft, clear, and silvery. Her song was not perfect but still, it had a soothing quality to it. It was sweet and strong enough to capture her husband's attention.
Ji hamein manzoor hai, aap ka yeh faisla
Ji hamein manzoor hai, aap ka yeh faisla
Keh rahi hai har nazar, banda parvar shukriya
Has ke apni zindagi mein, kar liya shaamil mujhe
Dil ki ai dhadkan theher ja, mil gayi manzil mujhe
Aap ki nazaron ne samjha
(I accept this decision of yours
My every glance is thanking you, benefactor
Because you have happily included me in your life)
She was singing with all the emotions that were inside her. She was smiling and blushing while singing the song. Nowadays whenever she listened to a romantic song, she had a face to picture. It was like she was imagining herself singing these lines to Arun which made her blush.
Aap ki manzil hu mein, meri manzil aap hai
Aap ki manzil hu mein, meri manzil aap hai
Kyu mein toofaan se daru, mera saahil aap hai
Koi toofanon se keh de, mil gaya sahil mujhe
Dil ki ai dhadkan theher ja
Mil gayi manzil mujhe
Aap ki nazaron ne samjha
(I am your destination and you are mine
Why should I fear the storms when you are my shore
Somebody tell the storms that I have found my shore)
As she wasn't that fair, her cheeks only had a tinge of red when she blushed. But Arun always found her more beautiful with her blushed cheeks. He was just sitting there captivated by her voice and beautiful face.
Pad gayi dil par mere, aap ki parchhaiyan
Pad gayi dil par mere, aap ki parchhaiyan
Har taraf bajane lagi saikadon shehnaiyaan
Do jahan ki aaj khushiyan, ho gayi haasil mujhe
Aap ki nazaron ne samjha, pyaar ke kaabil mujhe
Dil ki ai dhadkan theher ja
Mil gayi manzil mujhe
Aap ki nazaron ne samjha
(Your shadow has fallen over my heart
Countless Shehnais (a musical instrument) are playing everywhere
I have found the happiness of the two worlds today)
As the song neared its end, Neha's voice cracked a bit. She didn't sing the last line but just said it in a low voice. She turned her head to a side and pressed her eyelids tightly.....still a lone tear escaped her eyes. She suddenly remembered about Arun's confession and the guilt came back.
Arun's eyes that couldn't mask the hurt he had felt and his words, always disturbed Neha's mind. She had never come across a person with such patience and she was feeling like she was testing it. The question mark that was formed at the end of her feelings, always made her feel her like she was just being a coward. But, at the bottom of her heart she knew that when she will say those three words, she wants to mean them. And to honestly mean them, she has to first be clear of what she feels.
Sighing at her thoughts, Neha opened her eyes to be greeted by Arun's gaze that was directly on her. Her heart skipped a beat in surprise, but she quickly composed her mind and got up. Wiping her eye and removing her headphones, she asked,
"When did you come? I'm sorry about this," she waved her earphone, "I didn't hear you. You haven't changed yet? I'll heat the food till you freshen up, okay?" she said smiling at Arun, forgetting about all her worries.
She was going to walk past him towards the door, but Arun held her hand. She stopped and looked back.
"Why were you crying?" he asked. Arun was keenly watching her and so the tears from her eye didn't escape him.
'Shoot' Neha cursed in mind before answering, "I wasn't crying. It's just that the lyrics of the song made me a bit emotional."
Arun believed her reason.
"Why are you awake when I clearly said not to wait for me?"
"Because I wanted to," Neha simply answered.
"But..."
Neha cut him off, "No buts now. Don't say those lines again whose answers you already know."
"Yes, I know that you are very stubborn."
Neha grinned at him. "You know me so well," she said teasingly.
At the table, Arun was having his dinner while Neha was just sitting and looking at him. Suddenly she remembered something.
"Arun" He looked at her.
"I was thinking....now that we are again busy the whole time, how about we plan something. Like, plan in advance about taking out some time for ourselves. What do you say?"
Arun was hesitant about taking a holiday again. "Like a vacation?"
"No, not a vacation," Neha replied, "Just one day. One day or at least one time of the day when we keep aside all our works and just be with each other," she said with a dreamy sigh. Neha really missed the time when they had gone on their honeymoon. That was the last time they had been with each other with no worries around them. And...she was missing it.
"Okay..." 'That's not a bad idea' Arun thought in mind. "So how about if we decide a day in a month and spend the evening with each other. Then we can also go out to have dinner and come home after that."
Neha gave a bright smile and kissed his cheek saying, "That's a perfect idea. An evening also would suffice. Can't wait for it."
Arun smiled at her excitement and started thinking about taking a holiday. 'Anything to keep that happy smile on your face' he thought in mind.
A/N
I liked the song very much. So thought to put it here.
So, how was this update?