Married To A Stranger

Sreesha POV:

Karthik mentioned that he would be here at around 5 pm to take me back home. And the clock seems to be taking its precious time to move. I’ve been waiting for the clock to move its small and long hands to reach 5 and 12 respectively.

Is it too much to ask?

That stubborn thing, I tell you…

I even checked the wall clock hanging in the middle of the living room to check if the one in my room working properly.

Sadly, it does!

Couldn’t it move a bit faster so I can get to meet my husband whose smile can lift my sad mood?

After Tej left my room, my mother graced me with her presence yet with another lecture about ‘how to be a perfect wife and daughter-in-law and to avoid the further embarrassing events in front of elders’.

From when a kiss on the forehead is a crime?

I touched the place where he kissed and couldn’t get rid of the grin appeared on my face. I can still feel the tingles created by his warm, soft lips.

Forehead kisses mean a lot than the kiss on the lips. It represents the person’s care and respect, while a kiss on lips represents passion, lust and maybe love too.

I’m sure he respects me and my wishes.

But does he care for me?

Can I, by any chance make him fall in love with me in the meantime?

Love? As if!

There is nothing called love, Sreesha. Wake up from the daydream you’re currently enjoying and look around, will you? Have you already forgot what that word did to you a few years ago? It destroyed you. You better wake up before it’s too late. Happily, ever after’s is only meant for books and movies. Haven’t you learnt anything from your parents’ married life? Hoping for love from an arranged marriage is like searching for an Oasis in Sahara Desert. Don’t let your hopes high as they only ruin lives.

Stop giving her negative vibes you monster of a non-beating thing! What is wrong in expecting a little care from her husband? It’s not a crime. Every living thing and non-living thing deserves to be loved. Stop crushing her dreams and let me remind you failed in every freaking theory of yours. He passed your every freaking stupid test. He is a nice guy. There is no harm in having a crush on her own husband.

Crush?

Are you sure it’s just a crush? She is literally drooling a pool of saliva just looking at him a while ago. You stupid pumping and beating thing! You should know better than that. She is liking him. Next thing we know our poor Sreesha would be trusting that guy, which is definitely a foolish thing to do in just one day. Do you forget that I, the great brain, should deal with feelings while your work is to pump and purify the blood? So, stop intervening in my business, your services are not needed here.

How rude! Did you hear what it just said, Sreesha? This is the reason I had to intervene in your business. You’re plain rude and gives stupid ideas to our precious Sreesha while I give her a hope to live and love. And hello it is my business to deal with feelings too, did you forget that I will be the one who would be hurt when she faces a heartbreak. See even people call it heartbreak, not brain break.

“And here I thought my wife would be waiting for me with a beautiful smile on her face instead her face is adorned with a frown” a voice rudely interrupted the debate of my two vital organs.

Did he actually call my smile beautiful?

My frown deepened; did I just think his voice was melodic?

Only girls have the right to have a melodic voice. I forbid it, to the male gender. All rights should reserve under every girl’s name in the world.

What about aliens?

Then the female aliens can register their names too. Is that even a question?

“Hello, have you seen my wife wandering anywhere in your imaginary world?” Karthik! I totally forgot about him… again.

I did not have an imaginary world! I live on Mother Earth thank you very much. My sarcastic side yelled inwardly.

When will you learn Sreesha? No, don’t answer! I’m not ready yet for another debate.

I slowly raised my eyes. Our eyes met; I can easily recognize the amusement in his eyes.

Isn’t it a crime to have such beautiful eyes?

Only the eyes?

God might take his time to create a specimen like him. He blessed him with perfection. Every freaking feature of his scream’s perfection. Will you believe me if I say even his eyebrows are perfect with no wrong tilt?

You need some serious help, Sreesha!

I snapped out of my dreamland and gave him a shy smile.

“I’m sorry. I was just… thinking” I said trying to cover my red cheeks.

He walked up to me without saying a word and shocked me with a big bear hug. I stilled in my place. I couldn’t move a muscle. His hands were rested on my back while his head on top of mine. I can feel his heartbeat quicken, making mine increase its pace two times. If this is how it would be every time, he was near me, my heart may give up at a very tender age.

“Are you ready to go home?” I heard him mumble inhaling the scent of my hair. My heart shut my brain completely. It knows my brain would only try to ruin the moment.

“C-can we wait for Tej? Umm… if it is okay with you” he sighed.

He gently placed his palms on my cheeks. My breath hitched at the lack of place between us.

He wouldn’t, would he?

Taking a deep breath, he said “Sree, all you have do is, tell me that you need to talk with Tej before we leave. Just tell me what you want to do but never ever beg. You’re Sreesha Shekhar, my wife not my slave. The soon you accept it, the better”.

How can I be so lucky?

I heard a throat clear. My gazed shifted to the door and my eyes widened. I placed some space between Karthik and I, almost immediately. My mother stood there with a look of disappointment.

That is what I was to them, A disappointment.

Did I just say I was lucky? Scratch that.

Karthik gave a small smile to my mom and greeted her. She gave him a forced smile and said Tej is waiting for me and left but not before giving me a stink eye.

What did I do now? Can’t I hug my husband when we’re alone? She is the one who came entered without knocking.

We took our parents blessings. Tej gave me a big hug again and I reciprocated his actions but didn’t say a word. I waved my hand at Tej as a goodbye.

Those were the luxuries he got for giving me my favorite chocolates.

He needs to work more to get me to talk to him.

Our ride back home was silent. After reaching home, Karthik slumped on the couch tiredly. He leaned back on the backrest and placed a hand on his eyes. I took a step towards him but stopped myself.

What if he wants to be left alone? I don’t want to act like a clingy wife.

I make a beeline to our room and selected a simple saree to wear as the new bride should always look good for the people who visit to see her.

As if she was an alien from Mars!

I snorted.

Who am I kidding? They definitely look at the new bride like she was some new version of monkey turned into a human.

I didn’t saw my in-law’s downstairs. Where were they? Don’t they live here? I did not check the other room in this house, it must be their room. I better go, start cooking before my MIL thinks I’m incapable of doing household chores.

I was stunned to see my husband in the kitchen, cooking.

I’m a very bad wife, Ain’t I?

I should’ve asked him if he needs something to eat before going upstairs. I should be the one, who takes care of him.

I’m such a failure!

My father was always right, wasn’t he?

“Hey, why are you standing there? Come here” I thought he would yell at me for not doing my work but here he was smiling, melting my heart without him knowing.

“I’m sorry. I should have asked you if you’re hungry. I thought -”

“Sreesha, I’m not the one who is hungry,” he said making my eyes wide.

“Is it your mother? Oh my god! She might think I was a lazy girl who couldn’t cook or work. She might think I was a-” my voice muffled when I felt his finger on my lips. A shiver ran through my spine making me stiff.

“My parents won’t live with us, Sreesha. They own another house far away from here. So, no, my mother will not think of you bad. She might just ask me to appoint a maid to take care of our home. My mother likes you, Sree. Stop worrying so much, will you?” His finger left my lips making me sigh in relief but a tiny part in me was disappointed. A very veryyy teeny weeny part.

“If it is not you, then who is hungry? Do we have a guest over? ” I inquired; my eyes wide.

“Yeah, I’ve someone over in our home. But she is not a guest. She is one of the owners of this house”

A she?

Who is she?

Is this she a permanent guest?

He said one of the owners, what if she is his ex or something?

My thoughts were faster than a bullet train. Whoever said trains and flights are fast, just check with my thoughts and imaginations.

It can go from one place to another within a blink of an eye.

“And that my dear wife, is you. You’re the one who’s hungry. And don’t try to deny because I know you only ate chocolates since morning ” he gave me a stern look.

“I- choc… Tej insisted” I lied. Tej did insist to have lunch with him but I ate chocolates instead. Technically I’m not lying.

“Tej insisted you to eat chocolates? Then pray to tell me why he asked me to feed that empty stomach of yours which by the way growling like a monster as soon as we reach home?” Did Tej say that? Did he have a death wish or what?

My stomach growled when I tried to deny his accusation. I did not notice my stomach was growling until now.

How embarrassing!

“I’m sorry” I mumbled.

“I don’t want your sorry, but I do need a helping hand. Can you help me a little? ” he asked stirring something in a pan.

“You take rest. I’ll cook for us” I mumbled and tried to take spatula from his hand, but he nodded no.

“Just cut these veggies for me. I want you to rank my cooking skills” he grinned.

Holy freaking Himalayas! I know you are far away from where I live but listen to me and listen carefully, if you don’t melt now, I’ll make sure to pay a visit to you soon.