(Four years later)
Ankita's POV:
Relationships are not always a bed of roses. Everybody know there will be too many ups and downs. My relationship with Raghav is no exception from it. We fight, argue, not talk for a day or two but we were mature enough to make up later. I have my doubts if he loves me the same way like he did four years before or am I the only one hopelessly in love. He spends too much time with our three year old daughter Ahana, which I don't complain even though it upsets me a little deep inside. I feel like he doesn't care about me anymore.
I try my level best to not argue or complain for everything but sometimes if I don't argue I can't sleep at night.
"Raghav why is that you are not free only during my relative's functions? You always have free time for your relatives." I asked Raghav who was sitting on the bed working in his laptop. He tries to works from home as much as possible so that he can take care of Ahana while I'm busy studying my master's degree from home. Raghav wanted me to finish my master's as soon as he came to know I wanted to do it. He even permitted me to go for work. But I want to be a good mother to my daughter so that I plan on working from home since Raghav cannot work from home always as he is the boss.
"Don't assume things Ankita. I'm usually busy during month ends. Who asked them to arrange weddings on month ends?"
"You want them to get your appointment before fixing the date?"
"Yes if not they shouldn't expect me to come."
"Please Raghav. It's been so long since I met them. You can take your laptop along with you. You come to the function, sit in a corner and work."
"Please speak some sense Ankita. Now stop disturbing me, I'm busy with my work."
"Then I'm going alone."
"No you're not. I can't send you alone to your house. And this is the end of the discussion. I've to work."
"I hate you Raghav." I whined.
"Mommy sstawp." Ahana spoke this time instead of Raghav. Raghav took her palm and gave a HiFi himself.
"Baby you're on mommy's side. Daddy is saying no to picnic." I told her even though I was not sure if she will understand.
"Mommy sstawp." She repeated.
"Ahanaaaa." I yelled pissed off.
"Mommy sstawp." She repeated the same again.
"Can't you hear her? Stop it Ankita. You're disturbing my babygirl." He kept aside his laptop and carried Ahana into his arms. He held her up and swayed her in the air from left to right.
"Starve tonight baby. This Mommy is going to eat both of your food." I tried frightening her.
"Mommyyyy sstawpppp." She placed her hands over her lips and yelled back.
This little rascal. Raghav has spoiled her completely.
I stomped my feet and left the room.
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Raghav's POV:
Will she eat my dinner? But I'm hungry. So I decided to go convince her. I feel bad for her when I can't give her the attention she seeks. But since Dad retired, work has taken a toll on me. Even though it is difficult to work from home, I do it for Ankita to learn and Ahana to have a parental care.
I carried Ahana to Rishi's room.
"Rishi look after her. I've to go console her mom." I told him.
"Your wife fought with you again?" He asked.
"Well yeah."
"Poor you. Look at my wife she never fights with me. She loves me so much." He boasted pulling Krithi closer to him and kissed the side of her head.
It has been less than a year since they got married. But I've to say our pair looks much better and cuter than them. They are good too, but a percent lesser than us.
Krithi kicked her elbow into Rishi's side.
"Remember I'm his wife's best friend before becoming your wife." She told him.
"Well done Krithi." I gave her a thumbs up.
"I'm not blaming Bhabi, honey. I'm blaming her husband. Look at him always irritating his wife. But look at me how good I'm to you." It took him only a minute to change stories.
"I will do anything to my wife. Why do you care? You just mind your own business." I told him.
"Yeah thats what even I'm saying. I will also do anything to my wife. So take your kid away from here."
I immediately rushed out of the room with Ahana in my hands. I don't trust that guy. He might do something weird in front of my daughter.
I saw Sheela aunty doing something downstairs. I called her and asked to watch Ahana for sometime. I went to the kitchen and found Ankita slicing carrots with a gloomy face.
Aww baby!!
"Ankita." I called her leaning on the opposite side of the countertop.
No response.
"Anki." I saw some peas in a bowl of water. I took one and threw it on her.
"Psht." She was irritated but didn't talk.
"Anki." One more pea hit her face.
This isn't working.
"Oi Monkey."
Worked out. She gave me a death glare.
"What? When I called Anki nobody responded. But when I called Monkey, a monkey responded." I know I'm adding fuel to the fire.
"Get lost piggy." She berated.
"Piggy in the kitchen, my wife wants you to get lost. "
"Oh puh-leeze Raghav. I'm not in the mood for your nonsense." She seems to be extremely pissed off.
"Can't you have mercy on me? Is it so hard to forgive this cute little guy?" I placed my palm over my right cheek and looked at her with a puppy face.
She looked at me with disbelief. "Is this your new tactics?"
"Good looks should be used at times baby. It is not given to keep in the showcase."
"I wonder what your mom fed you when you were a child."
"Oh you wonder how I got my good looks? It is not because of food. I was born with it."
"Bullshit. I asked if she fed you food or spoonfuls of narcissim."
"Aye Aye. I'm not narcissistic, I'm just quoting the truth." I reasoned.
"Okay whatever. Aren't you busy? Go continue with your work or play with your child. Why waste time here with me?"
I understood talking will not suffice. I went across the countertop to her side and stood behind her.
I pulled her cheeks with my hands from behind. She suddenly pointed the knife which was in her hand towards my neck.
"Oh my. Calm down woman." I was so startled.
"I hate you." Her voice seemed so broken. I could see tears forming in her eyes.
I turned her to face me. I wiped her tears and kissed her cheek.
"Am sorry baby. I know I'm not able to spend more time with you. But trust me, you're not the only one feeling sad about it. Everytime I feel tired, I would crave to run to you to sleep, laying my head on your lap. Everytime something upsets me I would crave a consoling hug from you. But unfortunately I don't have the luxury to romance with my wife. I promise you this is not permanent. These days will pass by soon and once I have less work to do, I'm going to stick right beside you, up to the point where you would be fed up of me."
"I don't think there would be a day where I would be fed up of you." Ankita replied her voice almost inaudible.
I engulfed her in a big hug.
"Mmm. Now that I'm a little free should we do something productive?" I asked stuffing my face into her soft shoulders.
"This is a kitchen."
"So what?" I cupped her face and took her lips into mine. I pushed a lock of her hair behind her ears and quickened the pace.
I pulled her as close to me as possible. I let go of her lips and turn my diversion to her neck.
Just then we heard footsteps approaching us. Ankita grabbed my hand and ran. We hid in the cramped space behind the fridge and the wall sticking to each other. Ankita was standing on top of my feet.
Okay why are we hiding now? We could have just pretended to be talking. Maybe Ankita wants me to continue.
So I lifted her head and smashed my lips on hers again. She clutched my shirt tight and kissed me back. I totally forgot the footsteps we heard until I heard it in the voice form.
"What the hell are you doing inside my kitchen? Just now I witnessed the same scenario upstairs. At least I can understand that they are newly married.I liked your courtesy to hide but what about the 'ich' 'ich' sound you make? Remember there is a child in this house. What if she had walked in? God! Nobody is able to walk freely in this house." I heard mom yelling while I was too busy kissing my wife.
Seeing we didn't stop my mom walked away.
We came out of the cramped space so that we could kiss freely. I pushed her against the fridge and started nibbling her collar bone.
"Mommyyyy sstawp." I heard Ahana's small tender voice.
Ankita pushed me away and I stumbled thrice before getting a balance.
Ugh Ahana! You yourself ruined a chance of getting a sibling. I noticed her standing near the doorframe. I can't blame Sheela aunty because I know Ahana can't stay at a place for more than five minutes.
"What baby? Are you hungry?" I asked walking towards her.
I carried her in my arms and came back to Ankita.
"No you're not going to get anything Ahana. You haven't apologized to mommy yet. So your dad will eat whereas you will starve." Ankita told sternly probably upset she disturbed our make out session.
"Come on mommy. Forgive me also." I spoke for Ahana.
"Not until she apologises." Ankita seemed stubborn.
"Baby ask sorry to mommy." I told her.
"Ssawry mommy." Ahana being a good girl listened to me.
"Haan? You keep your ssawry with yourself." Ankita imitated Ahana.
Cuteness was overloaded inside the kitchen. I don't know on which of my girl I should concentrate.
"Why? She asked sorry, just forgive her." I told Ankita.
"No. Why can't she ask sorry when I tell? I don't want the sorry which you made her say."
I understood what Ankita's problem was. She is possessive of me spending so much time with Ahana whereas she is also possessive of Ahana spending more time with me at the same time.
I realized it was high time we three spend more time together.
An hour later I noticed Ankita feeding Ahana for more than forty minutes. I remembered how she made a fuss that she will make Ahana starve.
It made me smile. Ankita is the best mom and I know if Ahana spends more time with her I won't stand a chance to be Ahana's favourite.
"Hey bro. It has been five years since you got married but still you look at Bhabhi as if you are seeing her for the first time." Rishi sat beside me on the couch and spoke to me.
"What do I do? Your Bhabhi is like a book having million pages. I'm not yet done with half of it."
I suddenly remembered what mom told me earlier when I was kissing Ankita.
"What Rishi? I heard you were doing something." I asked hinting him naughtily.
"Nothing you haven't done brother." His reply shut my mouth close.
"I don't do it in front of mom." I told him after sometime when it clicked my mind.
"Eww. Even I don't. We forgot to close the door in a hurry."
I laughed out aloud. I can't stop him from having fun, can I?
Ankita completed her dinner after Ahana was done with hers. We went to our room together.
I recited Ahana boring stories so that she sleeps as soon as possible. After forty minutes which literally seemed like one lifespan Ahana drifted off to sleep.
But that's when I noticed Ankita was already asleep.
After contemplating for five minutes I decided to wake up Ankita. She can sleep any other night. Not tonight.
"Mmmm." She slapped my hands away in sleep.
I grabbed both of her arms, climbed on top of her and shook her wildly. She tried getting up startled, but I pressed her down to the bed.
"Tonight is no sleep night." I whispered in her ears and took her ear lobe in between my teeth.
"Ahana is sleeping here." She warned me.
"It's okay. We can explain it to her that we were working hard, so that she has a sibling." I told and smashed my lips over hers.
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So it is officially the end of the book *wipes tears.*
I thought it would be fun to have an interactive session with you all.
You can comment here anything you want to ask or say to me.
And I've a few question for you.
1) Where did you find my book?
2) What made you read it?
3) Did it meet with your expectations? Answer honestly. No judgements will be made.
4) One more thing I'm curious of is, Did my book put a smile on your face anytime while reading?
PS: I'm so eagerly waiting for the silent readers to comment so that I know they read my book and I'll be grateful for them.