They went up the stairs and entered a square that had three doors leading off it, each one into a bedroom. There was one bathroom to be shared between two bedrooms, while the third one had a bathroom of its own. The place was well ventilated with large windows.
“So, what do you think, uncle, aunty?” asked Ram, signalling to Sameer to wait for them outside.
“It’s a beautiful house,” said Purnima. She had fallen in love with it the moment they stepped in.
Chittaranjan nodded his head. “I can’t but agree.”
They all walked down and Ram gestured for them to sit down on the sofa there. “Well, uncle. My plan is to invest in a property. This is perfectly within my budget. Now that you all like the place, I’ll clinch the deal immediately. I’d like you to shift into this house immediately.”
The boys stopped fooling around when they heard what Ram said. They came and sat down quietly, unable to absorb what they had heard.
Chittaranjan shook his head in a daze. “But…but…how can we accept this?” He looked at his wife, bewildered. Purnima was no help as she was sobbing.
Ram got up to put an arm around his motherin-law. “Aunty, please calm down.” He looked at Chittaranjan and said, “Uncle, you call me beta. Don’t you mean it?”
“Of course I mean it beta. But this is too big a thing. What will your parents have to say about it?”
Ram took his cell phone and dialled his father’s mobile on speed dial. “Hello Pappa, I just showed the house to Chittaranjan uncle. I’m giving the phone to him. He’d like to talk to you.” He handed the phone to Sapna’s dad.
“Mohanji,” Chittaranjan’s voice trembled with emotion.
“Chittaranjanji, how do you like the house Ram has chosen for you?” asked Mohan enthusiastically.
“It’s wonderful. But how could we…?”
“Do you really think your daughter and son-in-law will live peacefully in a big house, when your whole family is struggling in a small room? That too with millions in their bank account?”
Chittaranjan couldn’t argue with that kind of logic. “What can I say? We are truly blessed.” They spoke for a few more minutes before disconnecting.
Suraj looked at Ram. “Are we really going to be living here?” When Ram nodded, the boy hugged the older man tightly. “Thank you jiju.”
“There’s an excellent muhurat on Wednesday next. I think we should have a havan before shifting here,” said Chittaranjan, the others’ enthusiasm catching on.
“Perfect, uncle. I’ll bring Sapna over on that day. By the way, she doesn’t know anything about this. It’s to be a surprise.”
Purnima smiled through her tears. “Please do, beta.”
18
“Ram, you have missed the turning,” said Sapna, as her husband drove further down the highway.
Ram smiled, “Yeah, I know.”
She looked at him, surprise on her face. “You know? Then why?” She couldn’t wait to meet her parents and brothers.
“A little bit of patience? I’ll get you to your parents,” said her husband, mysteriously.
Sapna gritted her teeth and tried her best to follow his advice. They had come all the way to Pushkar. What did a few more minutes matter?
What was he doing, driving into this colony? Sapna had admired it many a time when she had walked nearby. The row houses looked so elegant. It’d be such a wonderful place to live in. Well, she could dream, couldn’t she? She was really good at that. Ram parked the car near a corner house, where a puja was taking place. The sound of the mantras could be heard from outside. There was a beautiful rangoli at the entrance while a garland of flowers decorated the doorway. Was her father performing a puja at this house today? Is that why Ram had brought her here?
She got out from her side of the car and waited for Ram to lock it. Placing a hand in his, she walked with him, her steps hesitant. Suraj and Shyam yelled out a greeting when they caught sight of the couple. “Sapna di, jiju.”
Sapna let go of Ram’s hand to hug her brothers. They dragged her into the house where her parents were performing a havan. They both smiled and waved as they continued with the ritual. Sapna noticed some of their relatives sitting on mats spread on the floor as well as on the luxurious sofas in the living room. Whose house was this? She wondered curiously.
She got her answer the next second when Suraj whispered in her ear, “Di, how do you like this house? Jiju has bought it. And we are going to live here from today.” His young voice bubbled with excitement even as Sapna turned shocked eyes to her husband, her face pale.
Ram had bought this house? How? When? Why hadn’t he told her about it? How dared he keep it a secret? Her anger knew no bounds as her grey eyes spat fire at him.
Instead of upsetting Ram, her anger amused and excited him. While his wife pretended to be cool, he could see how passionate she was. He basked in her anger, his charcoal eyes looking mischievous.
Sapna was feeling extremely frustrated. With her relatives around while her parents were performing the havan, she couldn’t very well shout at her husband. And look at him! He was sitting there with a big smile on his face. What the hell did he think of himself? Sapna decided to ignore him. She went and sat with her maternal uncle and aunt, chatting with them. She moved on from there, talking to the 20-odd relatives, one by one, while her eyes kept going back to the man who was irritating the hell out of her.
It was 10 pm. Ram and Sapna were sharing a bedroom after that one night in Madurai. And this time, it was a double bed. She glared at it, waiting for her husband to come up. He had been playing carom with her brothers when she left them fifteen minutes ago.
She didn’t have long to wait as Ram entered the room a few minutes later. The moment he shut the door, Sapna turned on him. “Ram, how could you?” Her anger shot up as she eyed his serene expression, his very calmness acting as trigger.
“What?” he asked, peeling his cotton kurta off his body.
“I…” Sapna gulped as she gazed at his naked torso. It was a month and a half since she had been held against that sculpted body, but she could still recall the sensations with crystal clarity. She wanted to throw herself against him, with his arms holding her close. She shook her head as if to clear it off such thoughts. What was wrong with her? Recalling the words she wanted to utter with great difficulty, Sapna continued, “How could you buy this house without talking to me? It’s for my parents, right? Shouldn’t any of us be consulted?” Her voice rose in proportion to her anger as she shut her eyes tight, trying to obscure the distraction he was creating, walking around the room, half naked.
Ram looked at his beautiful wife’s face. Colour had rushed up from her neck, to bloom on her cheeks. Whether it was in temper or temptation was anyone’s guess. He, for one, would bet it was the latter cause. Otherwise, why would she close her eyes? He grinned, walking closer. Standing right in front of her, with barely an inch separating their bodies, he whispered, “Look at me.”
“Huh?” Sapna’s eyes snapped open to see his wide chest up close. Resisting the urge to bury her face against him, she stammered, “Wh…what?”
“What’s upsetting you?” he asked, his amusement obvious.
Sapna tried hard to hold on to her temper, failing miserably. Turning away from him, she gathered her thoughts together to ask, “What’s the need for secrecy?”
Ram shrugged. “There’s no secrecy. I bought this house only after showing it to your parents.”
She whipped around, visibly hurt. “It was just me who didn’t know anything about it.” It was a statement. Raw anguish tore at her heart. Had he been lying when he said he loved her? If it was the truth, then why did he treat her so badly? He had consulted her parents, showed them the house before purchasing it. Why had she been left in the dark?
“Sapna…” Ram’s voice was soft and pacifying. “If I had spoken to you about this, would you’ve agreed to it?” His dark eyes looked into her angry grey ones penetratingly. “Tell me the truth.”<
br />
She held his gaze for a few seconds before looking away. Maybe not, but still…
“Exactly,” he said, as if he could read her mind. “Don’t you like the house?” he asked, tongue-in-cheek.
She raised her head to glare at him. “That’s not the point, is it?”
“So tell me, what is?”
“You don’t care for me, do you? You’d have told me otherwise,” she accused, not bothered about being illogical.
“Are you ready to know how much I care for you?” he challenged, desire blazing out of his eyes.
Sapna stared up at him, her temper disappearing in the face of a new threat. Was she? She didn’t know how to respond to him. Oh, she would love to know how much he loved her. But what after that? What will he expect from her in return? Was she ready to face the consequences? Sapna gave a tiny shake of her head. Not today! She had been roiling with resentment from the moment Suraj had spoken about the house belonging to her husband. She was too tired to face anything more.
She opened her travel bag to remove a nightie and was aghast to find that she had forgotten to pack one. Today of all days, when she was sharing the room with Ram. Damn!
Ram heard her swear and turned around, pulling on a t-shirt. “Now what happened?” he asked.
“I forgot to pack my nightie,” she said, glaring at him as if it was his fault.
Ever the gentleman, Ram pulled his t-shirt off and offered it to her. “Go on, take it. It’s sure to fall below your knees. And believe me, it’s probably more comfortable than your nightie.” His eyes twinkled with mirth.
Sapna snatched the t-shirt from his hand and went into the bathroom. Removing her sari and blouse in a hurry, she had a quick wash before donning his t-shirt. He had worn it for barely a few seconds, but it already smelled of him. She rubbed her cheek against the fabric, dreaming of being held in his arms. Her eyes turned slumberous when she looked at them in the mirror. Was she falling for her husband?
Ram settled down on one half of the bed, his hands folded below his head, his eyes half-closed, eagerly awaiting his wife’s appearance from the bathroom. He didn’t have to wait long. His breath caught in his throat when he saw her walk out wearing his t-shirt. It completely fell off one golden shoulder, hanging an inch below her knees. He shut his eyes the moment he saw her turning to check if he was awake. He wished he had pulled the comforter over his body as his arousal was obvious. But then, did it really matter? She had wanted proof that he cared, didn’t she?
Sapna walked to the other side of the bed and stared at it. Even if it was huge, she still didn’t feel safe sharing it with him. Taking a couple of extra pillows, she placed them in a pile in the middle of the bed, before settling down on her side. Within a few minutes of her head touching the pillow, she was fast asleep.
How the hell did she do it? Ram frowned, turning on his right side to look at his sleeping wife. He lifted the pillows she had placed in the middle and threw them with all his might, to the furthest corner of the room. Moving close, he put an arm around her, burying his face in the fragrant hair that was spread on her pillow. With a deep sigh, he shut his eyes, willing for sleep to catch up with him, a smile on his face.
19
“Do you want to go to the main market with me? I have collected the addresses and phone numbers of a few high-end beauty salons. You can check out the treatments they offer, maybe even get a few things done if you want.”
Sapna looked at her husband in enquiry. Did he think she needed a makeover? Maybe he wanted her to sport a more modern look. She nodded her head, her face dull.
Ram frowned. “What’s wrong now?” he asked. He had been under the impression that she was interested in knowing more about the beauty business. “I thought you might want to know what’s on offer. You remember, we spoke about extending your skills beyond mehendi art…”
Light dawned on Sapna’s face as her eyes lit up in joy. He’d remembered. She nodded her head vigorously, loving the idea.
“Sapna,” he moved closer, stepping into her space. “Are you giving me the silent treatment today?” he whispered close to her ear, his breath teasing the tendrils of hair that had escaped her braid.
Sapna shook her head automatically.
“Hmm,” said Ram, nuzzling her ear, his tongue tracing the shape. He was careful not to touch her otherwise.
Sapna’s eyes closed as colour ran up her cheeks, her nerve ends on fire. She clenched her fists, trying hard not to cling to him. Her mind ran over the scene in the bedroom the other morning at her parents’ new home.
That morning…
She had come wide awake at six, to find a heavy weight pressed against her chest. Only it was too pleasant. Raising her hands, she encountered silky curls and realised that her husband was lying with his head settled comfortably against her breasts. Still in a state of half sleep, Sapna ran her fingers through his dark hair caressingly. Getting bolder, she traced the shape of his head before her hands moved down further.
His shoulders felt so different from her own, all muscle and sinew. She loved the feel of it. And his back was so smooth compared to his hair-roughened chest. She ran her hands on all that bare skin, the nerves on her hands tingling. Completely unaware of what she was doing, she continued to give him a good rub, thoroughly enjoying the tactile sensation.
“Keep that up and I might become your slave for life,” said a soft voice close to her ear.
Sapna’s hands stilled as she slowly came down to earth. She opened her eyes a slit to look at her husband who was still plastered to her body. What had she been doing?
Ram kissed her on her cheek, a smile on his lips. “Looks like you don’t want a slave. Okay!” He shrugged, getting up abruptly, leaving her gaping.
Her cheek tingled from his kiss and she could still feel the scratch of his day-old beard. Why did he go away? She had thought he would kiss her like the last time they shared a bed, on her lips. That she was disappointed was putting it mildly.
Ram grinned to himself in the bathroom mirror. It looked like his patience was paying off. His wife wanted him. Let her stew some more.
Sapna came back to the present as she placed her hands on Ram’s chest. If she didn’t hold on to him, she just might fall down as her knees had turned weak with need. His lips were playing havoc with her cheek. She turned her head to meet him halfway as need tore through her.
Ram didn’t need another invitation as he pulled her into his arms, kissing her thoroughly. His teeth gently bit into her luscious lower lip. Sapna opened her mouth to accommodate him, sighing with pleasure as she felt his tongue explore her mouth. Going on tiptoe, she clung to him, her arms going around his neck.
“Shall we leave?”
It was like a splash of cold water. Sapna didn’t want to leave the cocoon of his arms. But what could she do? He was getting late for work. Or that’s what she told herself.
“Okay,” she nodded meekly, refusing to meet his eyes, worried of what he might read there. “Please give me five minutes and I’ll go with you.”
“Sure,” said Ram, placing two fingers on his mouth as if to blow her a kiss, and then quickly pressing the same fingers to her lips. “Come fast, I’ll wait for you downstairs.” He took the stairs two at a time, whistling under his breath.
Heat flooded her cheeks as Sapna stared behind him unseeingly before she became aware that she needed to get cracking. Wearing a new set of salwar kameez in a bright orange and pink design, she took her handbag and rushed after her husband, locking the door behind her.
Shyamlal was driving the car. Ram sat with her in the back, saying, “Shyamlal will take you to the salons. I’ve given him the addresses. I’ve sent you all the names and contact numbers on Whatsapp. You fix appointments with them. It’s best you get a treatment at every salon, so that you know how good they are. All of them take classes for beginners.”
He’d been thorough. “Thank you Ram,” she said, smiling.
He took her right hand in both of
his, tracing his thumb on her palm. “You are welcome,” he smiled, his eyes devouring her. “Do you have enough cash? And your credit card?” he asked solicitously.
She nodded. Recalling his teasing from morning, she said, “Yeah, I do,” making him grin widely.
They reached his office first. When she got down, he asked, “Are you coming in?”
“Yeah, let me fix up the appointments and then leave.”
“Okay,” he shrugged, as they walked into the showroom. They went to sit in his cabin after greeting all the staff.
Sapna called the phone numbers one by one, and requested appointments for a haircut, a hair treatment, a facial, a foot massage, a manicure and a pedicure at the final one.
Ram grinned again, busy at his computer. His wife’s spoken English was improving by leaps and bounds. “I hope you’re going to have a lunch break,” he teased.
“Oh yeah, the salon offering foot massage will also provide me with lunch, at a cost, of course.” She got up. “I think it’s best if I leave now.” Instead of walking to the door, she stepped towards Ram, surprising him. She placed her hands on his shoulders, bending down to place her lips on his cheek, her breath hot against his face. “Thank you again,” she whispered in his ear, before nipping his earlobe.
“Sss…” said Ram, trying to hold her back.
But she escaped, walking swiftly towards the door, turning to give him a shy smile, her face red. She waved a hand to him, saying, “Bye,” before shutting the door behind her.
Sapna enjoyed her day thoroughly, a permanent smile on her face. It did seem like her husband loved her. And maybe, just maybe, she was also falling for him.
The beautician discussed her hair treatment with her. She first had her hair massaged with almond oil, before she underwent steam therapy. Later, it was time to apply a herbal pack. Sapna sat back, running through some glossy magazines, trying her best to read. After half an hour, they washed her hair, shampooing and conditioning it. Then they set out to style it, without drying it out completely.
Flaming Sun Collection 2: Marriages Made in India (Box Set with 5 novellas) Page 7