Chapter 49
"But when a soul, by choice and conscience, doth
Throw out her full force on another soul,
The conscience and the concentration both make
mere life, Love. For Life in perfect whole
And aim consummated, is Love in sooth,
As nature's magnet-heat rounds pole with pole."(E.B.Browning)
Ashutosh devouring the sight his eyes yearned for all day leans forward to pay his homage and she stops him, almost in a daze, she manages to mumble, "Ashutosh I forgot to have medicine"
He inches forward and pecks her lips with a groan, "You think your husband can forget, for the next five days you are off the medicines my love."
Nidhi responds in wonder, "you remembered and counted the days. How?"
Pecking her forehead, he straightens her tresses,"You are the half that completes me, my life. How can I forget?"
She smiles looking at him with veneration and he responds, "Hmm, now let me taste my sweet dish and do remember this is not for you"
She gives him a questioning look and understanding dawns on her when he stuffs a piece of chocolate in her mouth. She tastes and he allows her to suck for a while, then he leans forward and brushes his lips to her, "Now I want it back".
She pops out her eyes and shakes her head, "Nooo"
With her opening her mouth, he gets the desired access and next she finds his tongue in her mouth. She resists, but he finds his way to taste every nook and cranny of her mouth, he takes every bit of chocolate and when the need for air forces him to come apart her deep groan followed by grumbling pout makes him to chuckle and kiss at her swollen lips.
"If you want to have, you can have from here"
Ashutosh eats a slice and looks at Nidhi in an intense passionate stare. With her eyes locked with him she slowly moves her hand that was resting on his back, to his head and pushes his head gently but he more willingly brings his head forward and stops with his lips touching hers and raises his eyebrow challenging her. Nidhi pecks on his lips and he tightens his lips. She pouts and he smiles. She slowly brushes her lips to his and he closes his eyes, loving the sensations of petal soft touch. Now Nidhi raises her eyebrows, her eyes expressing how was that?
She smirks and trails the seam of his lips with her tongue and he digs his fingers in her shoulders, his hands conveying the effect she is having on him, she trails the opening of his lips softly, feeling the tautness easing she applies a slight thrust and delves deep into his mouth tasting her favourite chocolate. She takes her own time relishing every bit, he allows her till she loses the senses and fails to realise how and when he started savouring her again.
Early morning, he wakes her up with a soft but lingering kiss on her lips. She smiles, opens her eyes and looks at him blearily to find him dressed ready to leave. With her arms hanging around his neck, she asks, "you up so early? Where are you going and why didn't you wake me up?"
Pecking her lips, he replies, "Ah! Only I know how much I wished and how much I missed my wife, but I didn't have heart, you were sleeping so sweetly and soundly that I preferred to get ready on my own"
Brushing his lips to hers and leaving soft kisses on her cheeks, he adds, "Okay! Jaan got to go, there is an emergency"
Giving a tight hug to her and after receiving a kiss from her he leaves for the hospital.
Ashutosh remained busy. He couldn't even take his usual rounds. At 2 Pm when he very tired plopped himself in the chair in his cabin, Malika knocked on his door. Ashutosh was surprised to see her with her lunch box in her hand, he asked, " you here?"
Malika smiled," Yes Ashutosh I thought to share my lunch with you, like we used to do long before, I've cooked Brinjals your favourite dish"
Ashutosh couldn't say a word in response, he was wishing to talk to his wife, but now with Malika around he drops the idea.
Malika sat on the couch and called the ward boy for plates and started serving lunch. Ashutosh checked his phone and found two SMSes from his wife, one on reaching hospital and second in the afternoon. Both texts of her stirred his suppressed yearning and kindled desire to see or talk to her. He was about to write to her when the ward boy knocked and entered with a lunch box saying, "Sir! Dr. Nidhi has sent lunch for you"
Ashutosh's face lightens up, all his tiredness vanishes. He gestures ward boy towards the table and stands up to have the lunch.
Malika was surprised, she exclaimed, "you bring lunch now"
He shrugged his shoulders, "No Malika, Nidhi has brought this, I didn't have any idea, but I see she makes it a point I never miss lunch"
He writes her an SMS, "Thank you Love" but erases feeling he doesn't need to thank her.
He writes another one,"Lunch seems tasty, but you know what I'm hungry for"
Malika didn't miss the gleam and smirk in his facial expressions. He had his tongue in his cheek while writing to her, suppressing his chuckle and anticipating the glow of her blush his face glowed as well. He responded Malika's inquisitive glance with a drab face and called Nidhi yielding to the tickling yearning for her that bloomed in his heart.
Nidhi answered instantly, hearing her Hello he asks, "where are you? You had your lunch"
"No, not yet"
"Come here, I'm waiting for you"
Malika's heart twinged, but she smiled at Ashutosh and offered him the plate. He placed the plate on the table and fiddled with his phone waiting for her.
In a few moments Nidhi taps on the door and comes in. He welcomes her with a smile. She was surprised to see Malika, but she greeted her and took her seat next to Ashutosh. He was sitting in three seater couch.
Ashutosh gestured her to serve lunch for him. She smiled and leaned forward and served food on his plate first. Malika offered him the Brinjals saying "your favourite dish Ashutosh."
Ashutosh accepted her box with thanks and waited for Nidhi to serve to him and to her own plate. His eyes popped out when he saw 'lotus roots' on his plate, the same dish he tasted in Kashmir during their Honeymoon, his heart warmed he looked at Nidhi in stun and she winked in response. He took a spoonful and savoured, "Hmm, tastes delicious"
Nidhi smiled and Malika looked up from her plate feeling happy Ashutosh tasted her dish and liked it, but her face falls when she catches him smiling and his eyes at Nidhi. Her eyes moved from his face to his plate and noticed he had not tasted her Brinjals yet.
Ashutosh seemed surprised, and Malika's percept got concreted when she heard him ask her, "Where did you find this? And how you cooked this?"
Nidhi smiles, 'I bought this yesterday on my way back"
"And how you cooked this?"
"I knew its recipe, that hotel's chef gave me"
Ashutosh more surprised at the revelation raises his left eyebrow in his typical style and Nidhi smiles, seeing Malika watching them, she lowers her eyes.
Ashutosh takes a bit from Malika's dish so that she doesn't feel bad. She noticed and offered him some more, but he declined, saying, "I'll have more later, but you please taste this, " offering the lotus root dish from his lunch box, "Taste this Malika, this is delicious"
Malika takes a spoonful from his box and asks, "You seem to like this very much"
Ashutosh responds, "Very much, this is delicious. I ate this in Kashmir and liked very, very much"
Malika smiles in response and acknowledges after some time, "Yes Ashtoush, this tastes great. Kaka always cooks delectable"
He exchanged a glance with Nidhi and she blinked expressively in response and he continued with his lunch.
After some time Malika asks Nidhi, "You didn't taste Brinjals"
"I'm sorry, Dr. Malika. Pursing her lips, I don't like Brinjals"
"Strange! Brinjals are Ashutosh's favourite"
Nidhi only gives a smile in response.
"Your likings are so different"
Nidhi rebuts, "Yes Dr. Malika we are differently alike"
Ashutosh glances at Nidhi and both exchange a knowing smile.
Malika's heart was continually twinging, she had a few spoons and excused herself, "I'm done, you guys carry on" with that she gets up and leaves, thanking them both for the lunch.
Ashutosh understands her discomfort seeing her grim face he feels helpless and stares at the door for a long minute. Nidhi places her hand on his thigh and he turns to look at her. He raised his left arm and invited her in, holding her tightly to himself, he kissed her cheek and kept his cheek to hers, feeling her presence.
They stayed like that for some time when Nidhi asked to divert his attention, "So how was lunch?"
He took a deep breath, kissed her cheek again and answered with a smirk, "Hmm...deliciously delicious, but not like my favourite food," making his voice groovy he adds, "which I so crave to have"
Nidhi mock punches him and he chuckles and holds her in a tight hug. She hurries to leave and he adds, "I may get late tonight"
She smiles, retreats and leaning a bit pecks his cheek, "Okay! But I'm going to miss you."
Baba was having dinner when Ashutosh returned home. He was surprised to see Kaka and Baba only at the dinner table. He walked in and looked around. Baba smiled seeing his son's eyes searching for his wife. He interrupted his seek out by calling him, "Ashu you are back beta, come have dinner"
Ashutosh smiled at him and asked, "Baba! Why are you having dinner alone? Where is Nidhi?"
Kaka answers, "She is in her room, she had a little headache"
Ashutosh gets concerned, "Headache! Since when? I'll check her"
Baba replies, "Yes beta, go and check her and make her eat a bit, I'm done I'll move to my room"
Ashutosh nods and moves into his room. He opened door slowly and found Nidhi lying coiled on the bed. The room was dimly lit with only night lamps on. He walked up to her and sat on the side of the bed. He placed his hand softly on her head and she opened her eyes turning her head a bit to have a look at him.
He quickly asked," What happened Jaan? You aren't feeling well?"
She smiled and winked at him, "Yes, I'm good. I was missing my hubby"
He leaned a bit and pecked her lips and asked,"What?" And after a pause, he adds "Please?"
She smiled, "I'm fine, you had your dinner?" with that she tries to get up.
Seeing her grimace, his stare turned tender and concerned and Nidhi responded, "Nothing serious, have back ache and my legs are hurting, quite normal, had to bear every month"
Ashutosh pulled her in his arms, Cuddling her for a while he asks, "Come let us have dinner"
She comes out of his arms and answers, "I don't feel like, please"
He frowns hearing her words and she narrows her eyes adding after a while, "You change and freshen up, I'll serve dinner for you" and with that she moves to stand up, but he quickly stops her placing his hand on her thigh and grabbing her shoulders he lays her down softly. Pecking her forehead, he speaks in her ear, " you please rest, I'll have my dinner, Kaka is there, you need anything?"
Nidhi shakes her head and he stands up quickly and moves towards the restroom. Nidhi was having very acute backache, but she tried to smile and hide her pain, not knowing her husband felt her every grimace she looked amazedly at her husband's back who surprised her by yielding to her request so easily. She turned and curled up again hugging and holding her legs close to her chest.
Ashutosh emerged from the dressing room freshened up and changed into his night dress. He stopped, glanced at the curling form of his wife and quickly moved downstairs.
After ten minutes he comes with a tray full of dinner. He quietly pulls a table and places on the side of the bed. Placing the tray on the table, he softly caresses her head and she opens her eyes, smiling at him she places her hand on his cheek and asks, "had your dinner?"
Playing with her locks he replies,"In absence of my wife"
His words stun Nidhi and she alarmingly gets up, "you didn't have your dinner yet" and with that her eyes catch the table and the tray having a platter and bowls filled with food. "What is this? I told you I didn't feel like having my dinner"
He in response picks a bowl and offers a spoonful of soup from the bowl saying," You have this hot soup, You'll feel better, I'll have my food. "
Unable to utter a word in response she opens her mouth and sips the soup, taking the bowl from his hand, she fiddles with the spoon to clear her clogged throat, emotions choked her voice and she gulped back the tears to clear her throat. He takes his plate and gestures her to have her soup. Both silently finish their food, feeding each other intermittently from their respective dishes.
Ashutosh moved to ascend back to his room after piling up plates back into the kitchen. He switched off lights and lying in bed, waited for Nidhi, who was in the restroom.
After a few minutes when she emerged from the restroom and came to lie next to him, he turned to his side to look at her. She smiled in response and mumbled "Good night " and slouched in bed with her back to him.
He responded with Good Night and asked, "Still hurting?"
She responded with a 'hmm'.
He saw her curling her body again and he allowed her to be. But feeling the emptiness in his arms, he couldn't sleep. He remained stretched out quietly, trying not to disturb her, but he couldn't stay long like that. He turned to his sides and when Nidhi felt him tossing and turning she remembered the night in Kashmir. She straightened herself and turned to face him. He smiled and giving her a tender look he closed his eyes. Nidhi forgot all her pain, her eyes turned moist pondering what made her so lucky to be loved so immensely, she inched forward and placed her hand on his heart. Ashutosh opened his eyes, dazzling with bliss, the bliss, her touch only can course in his body and in his every cell. He opened his arms and asked, "You want to come here"
She answered, "You think I can live out of my shell'
He pulled her softly and in a sigh of contentment, he embraced her squeezingly asking, "Then why you stayed away"
"I didn't want to disturb you"
"You think your pain can't disturb me if you remain poles apart from me"
She giggled, "Poles apart! I was lying next to you"
"A distance means distance, doesn't matter what is the measure"
She bites his earlobe and mumbles snuggling up to him, "Now sleep quietly"
He pushes her more to him, placing his hand on her waist and entangles their legs. Her hurting legs feel balmed, and after a while, his massaging hand on her back makes her eyes droop and she dozes off to a dreamy sleep.
Next day morning Nidhi woke up to shower of kisses on her face. She tries to fend him away, but he didn't budge.
"Hmm, I don't want to get up yet, let me sleep"
"I'm leaving"
Her eyes wide open she asks, "Am i so late?"
He chuckles, "No love I've to leave early, you remember that patient hurt in a train accident, whose wife gave birth to a baby and succumbed to injuries," she nodded her head "his condition has worsened," pursing his lips, "so got to go, now give me a hug to buoy me up"
Magnetized by his open arms, she smiles and springs up and he rocks her in his arms for a long moment, kissing her forehead, he bids her bye and leaves.
For the next few days Ashutosh remained busy, he left early morning and returned late almost at dinner time, but he made up for the loss, they stayed up till midnight, one night was spent nestled in bed in each others arms, watching the pictures and videos of their wedding. The second night he took her on a long drive and she enjoyed and he came to know how crazy she is about long drives.
The next night they went to meet Col. Verma and Dadi Bua. They were having dinner when Ashutosh and Nidhi knocked at their door and joined them in their dinner. Dadi Bua fretted why they didn't inform her beforehand so that she could have prepared a proper dinner for her son-in-law.
Nidhi gave a sheepish smile, but Ashutosh was relieved that his right decision saved him and helped him to escape Dadi Bua's some torture as she wasn't easy to contain, the moment she saw her Son-in-law entering her house, she kept Chote Sarkar on his toes. Col. Verma was all smiles seeing his daughter and son in law visiting them so unexpectedly. And his heart swelled with pride and joy seeing Ashutosh taking care of his daughter. He smiled contentedly seeing Ashutosh force feeding her as Nidhi used to have a very low appetite during those days.
By the time they had finished dinner, Solanki's joined them and after spending quality time with them they left for their home. Ashutosh's apology for visiting them so late made Col. Verma to take his son-in-law in a side hug and ask for his assurance, "promise me you'll always consider this house as your own and will always come here like a son visits his father's house, his own house, with every right. This is your own house Ashutosh"
Ashutosh had to give an assuring smile and nod to his father in law in response.
Nidhi was getting ready, her face was glistening, past few days she experienced and understood the new meaning and the new depths and heights of his love. The way she was being pampered by her husband was completely making her experience the quivering happiness she felt at the beginning of their relationship. She was experiencing her love touching new zeniths and was falling for him all over again. She tapped her head as she remembered she forgot to remind her husband about the Ahana's birthday party.
She can't miss her birthday party she has to be there for her friend, she decided to grab a chance to ask and implore upon her husband to accompany her to Ahana's party, but what she was sure about was his denial, she knew her husband doesn't like partying and she wasn't ready either to force him. Moreover, he was already against her travelling alone to city outskirts as Ahana has planned her party at her farmhouse. And in her heart of hearts she herself wasn't willing to go and remain away from her husband; a slight blush tinged her face when she remembered the glint in her husband's eyes when he fed her the medicine last night. She has been yearning to feel her husband, his shower of love which has been lying stifled in him, and she wasn't unaware of and revered him more for that restrain he imposed on himself for her. Making a resolve she'll leave early and will return by the time he is back home, she grabs her purse and leaves for her duties.
At lunch time when she thought to send lunch to him as she carried everyday lunch for both and send him through a ward boy, she thought to deliver that personally. She tapped at his cabin door and in came a stern response, "Come in"
He seemed in a foul mood as she saw him talking severely to an intern. Dr. Malika was present there and Nidhi heard her assuring him, "She will soon take the patient for tests, go Dr. Aditi quick and you both stay with him till his MRI is done"
Dr. Aditi and intern leaves and Malika extends the file in her hand towards Ashutosh and asks for his signatures. While Ashutosh reads and signs her file he asks Nidhi, "Yes Dr. Nidhi anything special"
Nidhi gulped "So he is still miffed" she suppresses her chuckle, early morning she was in mad rush preparing breakfast and lunch when he was ready to leave for hospital after having his breakfast and was gesturing her to come to their room but turning naughty she denied and he left home fuming without giving a glance to her. She was sure had there not been Baba, he would have grabbed her and landed her in their bedroom and kissed her hard as he was wishing. He had even gestured her, his desire that he wanted to kiss her by brushing his thumb intently on his lips, but she wrinkled her lips and carried on with her cooking.
She talks informally, "Ashutosh It's Dr. Ahana's birthday today and..." before she could complete he stops her, "I think we are in hospital you should have talked about this at home, in the morning" in the morning was uttered with a stress.
She bites her tongue, and he continued, "I think I've made it clear, you are not going there"
Nidhi retorts, "But she has invited us both"
"I'm busy and you know I don't like parties," he turns to Malika, "Dr. Malika, hope we are ready for the surgery"
She nods her head saying, "you have your lunch, we still have half an hour left"
Nidhi's phone buzzes with a message and she leaves saying, "Ashutosh please have lunch I need to go" and with that she retreats. Ashutosh felt a twinge in his heart; he was waiting for Malika to leave to settle his morning score.
He returns file to Malika and before turning to leave she tries to make him understand, "Ashutosh I think you should allow Nidhi to attend Ahana's birthday bash, she is young and all her friends are going, Ahana has planned this all for her friends, today's youth like parties a lot"
Ashutosh got up and moved towards couch saying, "Can I have my lunch?"
Malika nods and leaves.
After sometime Nidhi receives an SMS, "Thank you Dr. Nidhi for the lunch"
She pouts reading and answers, "That lunch was cooked and brought by your wife, say thanks to her"
He smiles, "I don't say thanks to my wife"
"Why?"
"Her right is to cook food and my right is to eat"
"Then why you got miffed in the morning"
"She should understand food can be cooked by anyone but???"
Nidhi smiles and sends him a kiss emo.
"How about giving a real one"
Holding her tongue in her cheek she writes, "All the best for your surgery" she quickly sends another one, "See you after the party"
"You are not allowed to go"
She pouts and stomps her foot.
Nidhi was leaving when she made a detour to the common room to inform her friends that she is not coming to the party. Priyanka and Jyotika grumbled, "why Nidhi? We are not going to enjoy, you know that"
"I'm sorry; you know Dr. Ashutosh doesn't like parties so can't come, please"
Jyotika retorts, "What does that mean? If he doesn't like parties, you are not going to attend as well".
Nidhi pats her cheek, "That you won't understand, wait till you are married off"
Priyanka smiles and Nidhi passes on her birthday gift for Ahana, "please give this to Ahana and convey my birthday wishes to her"
Nidhi leaves and Jtotika grumbles, "Just see she as a wife can't disobey him, heart stone!"
Priyanka smiles responding, "With difference in tastes and likes, they have a huge age difference Jyotika, and as you said he is the heart stone very difficult to coerce, poor Nidhi"
They both grimaced, not knowing someone was watching and hearing them.
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