Chapter 2

‘Welcome beta…’ Mrs. Mehra welcomed the bride and groom in their home. It was Akanksha’s first visit to her parents, after her marriage, and it was no less than a ceremony. All her near and distant relatives had come to visit her, Akanksha, in so many guests, just lost the track of Shrey.

‘Hey Jeeju!’ Natasha hit Shrey from behind.

Shrey turned to see who it was, he faintly recognized the face, then he was suddenly reminded of the girl in blue saari in his wedding, who was standing with a plate in her hand on the gate when the baaraat arrived.

‘How are you, umm…?’

‘Natasha…my name is Natasha…’

‘Well, Natasha, you can call me Shrey, no need to call me Jeeju and stuff. I’m not a typical one!’ Shrey winked.

Natasha was catching up Shrey in quite a different way than he tried to present him. He was just being friendly, while Natasha was mistaking it for flirt. Nevertheless, she didn’t mind unless she was enjoying it.

‘So, how was your honeymoon?’ she raised a brow, and looked at Shrey with a suspicious sight. Shrey didn’t know what to answer, so he just chose one word to describe it all, ‘Adventurous’.

‘Adventurous? This is bizarre, well, people say romantic, erotic, sensuous, and you’re saying, adventurous? What’s the problem? My sister is too boring, eh?’ Natasha chuckled.

‘Well, the only adventure I enjoyed on the trip was Akanksha, and that doesn’t makes her boring at all, excuse me…’ Shrey stepped aside and went to meet his father and mother-in law.

‘God bless you, son!’ Mrs Mehra blessed Shrey as he touched her feet.

‘How was the tour?’

‘Everything was fabulous, aunty…’

‘You can call me, mom now! I’m not your aunty anymore.’ Mrs Mehra laughed, and people around them also shared the happiness.

‘Getting such a nice, well behaved, decent and intelligent son-in-law is next to impossible these days. Boys and girls prefer their own choices, but Shrey is someone who believed in Arranged Marriage even in this fast forward era, right Shrey?’ Mrs Mehra questioned Shrey in front of a hall full of guests.

He didn’t know what to answer, he could only think of his 27^th Birthday party, where his father suddenly announced his wedding, and he thought he was doomed for a lifetime. It was that time that he cursed himself for agreeing for an arranged marriage, while now, he was enjoying every second of it.

‘Mom, I never believed in arranged marriages…’ Shrey caught the attention of every single person present in the hall.

‘Actually, don’t look at me that way, all of you, please!’ everyone laughed, Shrey continued, ‘I always thought; how can you spend your entire life with someone you don’t even know!’

‘Exactly!’ Natasha acclaimed, but immediately shut up as the crowd was diverted from Shrey  to Natasha.

‘But, I was proved wrong, by my loving wife Akanksha, who told me that arranged marriages can be successful too. There’s a kind of newness, and freshness in them, which you can’t expect in love marriage…’ Shrey completed his word by staring at Natasha, who seemed to dislike his thought.

After hearing the most awaited son-in-law speak, people were busy discussing their own things. Akanksha left the hall after meeting every single person present. They both went to Akanksha’s room for resting for some time before leaving for home.

‘My cheeks are hurting!’ Akanksha pressed her cheeks with her palms, and Shrey pulled them apart.

‘Ouch! It’s not a joke, Shrey. I’m smiling and laughing from past 3 hours now, it’s really painful.’ Akanksha was pressing her cheeks constantly.

Shrey approached her and bit on her cheek lightly.

‘Ahem!’ Natasha entered the room without any prior warning.

Akanksha shuddered and almost ran away, but Shrey held her from her waist.

‘Wow, wow!’ Natasha said after watching Shrey holding Akanksha and kissing her cheeks.

‘What wow? She’s my legal wife, and we have the right! Don’t we, sweetheart?’ Shrey kissed her cheek again.

‘Yes, yes! You do have all the rights…but kindly take all the romance to the sheets and not to the streets…’ Natasha winked, shut the door and went out.

‘Shrey! You’re so immature, she’s a kid and she’ll now tell everyone, what we’re doing here alone.’

‘So? You’re my wife, I’m your husband. We’re newly married, we just came back from a sexy and seductive honeymoon, and what do you expect me to do? Become an untouchable in public? Sorry, sweetheart, but that’s so not me!’ Shrey said, again held her from her waist, and hugged her tight.

He gently slid aside the border of her maroon chiffon saari. Akanksha was constantly pushing him away. He managed to slide the blouse as well and kissed on her shoulder.

‘You know what, sweetheart? I have an idea!’

‘And I’m not interested, let’s go. Please! I have innocent memories associated with this room, don’t spoil them with your vile intentions, Shrey!’ Akanksha held his hand, and told him to go home.

‘At least, listen! It is my fantasy, to make love to you, in your house! We’ve got a chance now…what say?’

‘This is a very bad, ridiculously stupid idea as I’ve got a crowd of relatives and guests, who may want to see me anytime soon. What will I tell them? I can’t come because I’m satisfying my husband’s sexual urges?’

‘That’s a valid reason, yeah, you can tell them that! Now come on…’

‘Ugh! Shut up, Shrey, and please come on…come, let’s go.’

‘You’re an unromantic wife, sweetheart. I won’t even give you passing marks.’

‘Passing marks? In what?’

‘In the glorious exam of romance and love, you failed miserably this time. Better luck next time…’ Shrey pulled her hair mockingly and got out of the room.

In a fraction of second, Akanksha saw Natasha approaching her room. She adjusted her dislocated blouse and saari border, and sat on the couch.

‘Hey sister! Tell me everything, from the beginning, to the end, everything with every single detail, just as everything happened!’

‘Breathe! Girl, breathe! Hold your breath and relax first of all…’ Akanksha held her from her shoulders and made her sit down near her.

Then she started narrating the story of her honeymoon to her, and Natasha was enjoying every bit of it. Soon Akanksha finished it up, and Natasha hugged her tight.

‘I love you so much, Akanksha, and I’m so happy for you! Just stay this way, and don’t change…ever!’ she kissed her on her cheek.

‘And one more thing…’

‘What?’

‘Shrey is one hell of a hottie!’ Natasha winked, ‘Just kidding, sister!’

Natasha went away, but left Akanksha sceptical.