FF: New York times with Maan&Geet Thread 4 09/13 - Page 72

She was light, airy and buoyant ever since that night, like a wisp of cumulus had permanently moved beneath her feet. He'd left without a word, like a phantom of the night, after secretly loving and holding her the entire time she'd struggled to fall asleep. There was a strange joy that came from predictability, life's meaningless pleasures like waking up to a steaming cup of coffee that guaranteed bliss or her Daadima's hugs that hit the exact spot every time she needed it. It was how she felt when she knew she could take the elevator down to find him in the coffee shop in front of their apartment building. He'd been there every afternoon since that weekend, for she volunteered at the animal center right next to it.

The old grey times that now seemed like a past life came back to her.

She was 15 then and he'd been 17 when he'd first exhibited similar unyielding behavior. She remembered clearly in the days that had followed her last hospital visit, he'd demanded a kiss - in compensation for the black and blue he had taken from her then boy friend - and followed her like a lost kitten. He would keep his distance, never too careful to approach her or annoy her with incessant phone calls. In reality he would only follow her from home to the tuition center and back; the rest of the time, they were at school any ways. She smiled as he remembered his bike and her cycle with which he tried to match the pace with. He'd continued being the silent stalker for an unbearable week, when she'd gone feverish with the constant pair of eyes following her. The night she'd not turned up at school, he had sneaked into her room like a thief despite the guards at their Khurana mansion. She had panicked and had immediately broken into a sweat, breaking the fever. Oddly, with no time, she'd calmed down having him seated next to her on the bed. He'd brushed her hair aside and tipped her chin to face him.

"You don't have to be scared...I wont do anything to you" He'd said with a smile on his face, while he caught in the corner of his eye her hand stretching the short nightdress that didn't quite reach her knees. She couldn't look him in the eye for fear of giving away something that she had fearfully carried around since the time she'd seen him go limp underneath the hockey stick, although he was brawnier than the boy who was thrashing him.

He'd taken the shaky hand and held onto it for a long time. She'd gone immoveable as a stone with the painful silence that had ensued. However his gaze never left her anxious face and he kept at it until she would see him.

"I will leave if you want" He'd motioned towards the window through which he'd climbed in, but fearing he truly meant to leave her alone, she'd clutched on his arm in force. It had been all that he had wanted to feel and his face lit up with an unknown joy seeing her face scrunch with worry.

"We can't kiss...we didn't even profess our love to each other" She'd said with her pulse in her throat, rapidly racing like the thousand thoughts that created a whirlpool in her head.

"Only immature kids do it...we are beyond all that" He'd said, when she raised herself to lean into the pillow, he'd plopped right behind her. He settled close and her hands fidgeted in her lap as her feet again had picked up moisture from her pores. Lord! Why was he doing this to her? She screamed mentally, when his face cupped one cheek and he leaned in closer.

Her eyes had told him that she liked him just as he did and it did wonders to his courage. Before he knew, he was feeling her lips. 

What compelled her to meet his lips, she didn't know. But the moment was inexplicably explosive. She wanted it to stop and freeze and yet she wanted to feel his palm on her arm and his lips on her mouth. He tasted mint and lemony, his breath was balmy from the mouthwash. She failed to comprehend the laws of attraction then and it later came to her that there were none, except a raw pull that roped them together. There was no theory or logic why she chose him for her first kiss, when she'd been obstinate about it with her current...oops ex-boyfriend.

"You have to open your lips" He nudged her by her shoulder, when all they had exchanged until then were just soft pecks.

"I don't know...what if I don't do it right?" Her eyes had turned liquid, her face draining color, from what he'd asked and he backed out in surprise realizing what she had revealed. It was her first kiss dammit! And he instantly felt the pressure in him mount up many folds.

"We won't find out until we kiss" He'd said pretending his former composure and had waited longer this time around before he caught her lower lip.

"Don't use your teeth" He'd whispered, taking in her lips and tracing a wet line over her succulent mouth.

She'd tucked in her stomach, despite it being flat and she'd felt awkward moving her arm around, not knowing the right way to hold him. He'd tasted divine and she was beginning to lose herself amidst the mix of self-consciousness and delirious haze, when he'd pulled away.

"Wait...lie down, that way you will relax" He'd said. She looked horrified and at that he added, "I promise I won't do anything"

She had frightfully laid herself on her back and he moved in with her onto her bed. Holding himself on his elbow he bent down and she shut her eyes fast and tight, waiting for the sparks to surface wherever he would hold her. She waited...and waited...and waited...

"Why aren't you kissing me?" She asked in a low voice, with her eyes still squashed into the pits of her skull.

"I won't...if this feels like a caterpillar crawling on your skin" He seemed genuine and his face looked sorry. Embarrassment crushed her that second and she turned away.

"I have always wanted to kiss you...to know if this was just attraction or something more" She gathered herself to face him.

"You make me feel like jelly when lay your eyes on me...why do you do that to me?"

"I do?" she asked daunted with surprise. She wondered why, but that moment she felt it was the sweetest thing anyone had told her and above all she liked jelly too. How could a man, who can crush her with his sinful body feel like jelly from her one look? His declaration had oozed liquid strength inside her and she coyly smiled.

All that resolve to have her want him dissolved without a moment's notice when he saw her smile that up close, like he had achieved the impossible. His arm traced her waist on its own accord and he caught her lip once again. This time it was perfect as she suckled back on his lips. He'd kissed many girls before but she was opening up a side of him that he didn't know existed. It felt like his first kiss too, when she tremulously held his face as he kissed her. Like a flood of water had just hit him, he was floating...carried away into another world.

Her toes curled this time and her bent knees raised as if it was a barricade from keeping him from moving on top of her in the rush and heat that, she was sure, he was feeling within. She felt it on her lips as he sometimes crushed them in a fervency that belied his sangfroid. Their kissing orgy had extended for such lengths of time that she'd even smiled at how parched and insatiable it felt. Letting go of his lips did not seem like a good idea then and he hadn't either until he'd tasted every inch of her mouth.

And before he could leave her room, when he was lying next to her under the covers, as if she had surreptitiously reeled those words out of him, he'd whispered 'As crazy as it seems, this is beyond attraction and I think I'm in love with you Naini" he'd said.

"Abhi..." She'd called him then, making him chuckle at his new nickname but the frivolity melted when she'd acknowledged her love for him too.

She watched her wiggling toes as she sat by the window seat and peeking at the coffee shop that was floors below. The tingling feeling was all him and there was no way she could bring it back without him around her. She was lucky it was even happing after all these years of marriage. Their separation and the anguish were stirring the magic back into the air. It was only a matter of time before she would take the elevator down and see him sitting with his mac and headphones. And it would all start again, the ever watchful eyes, would turn and follow and straighten with sighting her...pooling tingles inside her body, just like the old days.

To be continued...

Let's just treat this as a silly update 😳 I couldn't help it. This Part will be a series of updates about Naini and Rishabh...THANK YOU all who have been reading without my PMs. It means a lot when you comment and press the LIKE button.

"Go home Abhi...its like I'm 15 again...you following me and all" She sat down in the chair opposite to him.

He looked away from the waiter and was pleasantly surprised at her stopping by.

"Make that two" He nodded at the waiter and he eagerly pulled himself closer to the table. He waited until the waiter left to respond and she kept her gaze down at her fidgeting fingers, clutching her purse. She was seated by the edge of the chair, clad in jeans and a t-shirt, giving away she was nervous as hell and perhaps even had no intention to stay for coffee.

"It's good then...those were the best times of our lives" He said.

She got up abruptly, but he jerked up, reaching out to hold her arm "No...Stay...one coffee. It's been so long" He didn't get to feel her arm, but she reluctantly sat down.

Of course she knew those were the best times, didn't she? Else she wouldn't spend hours reminiscing those times, living and re-living them.

He studied how carefully she looked at everything that surrounded them, except him. He gave a mock-smile at that and tried to make conversation, trying to cut through the heavy air that was laden with awkwardness. When did it get this complicated? It was his Naini for god sake.

"How is it going at the animal center?" He asked and she met his eyes with momentary disbelief that he didn't want to discuss any of their bleary pasts; or even try bringing up the very ubiquitous topic of them having to get back together.

"It's fine. Papaya might deliver tonight. I will be doing an extra shift. I'm taking a break now" She said, looking slightly disinterested, although, this time she met his eyes for a brief time. Somehow it was easier to look at him when the fake confab was not about them. She couldn't deal with his ever apologizing eyes...no...There was little of her left that was not already broken.

The waiter placed two cups of chilled coffee, topped with fresh cream and a drizzle of caramel, on the wrought-iron table and left them under the shade.

"Go on" He said, tugging his cup. She moved to grab hers and timidly shuffled in her seat, like it was her first time in the big city. He wondered what had turned, shifted or was stolen from her that his wife had gone this silent. He pondered if moving away to Canada had done it to her, but it troubled him that possibly, she was always a silent person and only he made her go bonkers, causing such frenzied outbursts. Lord! He needed to do some real looking back.

"It's a dog?" He felt the shot of caffeine hit him and it made him furrow his forehead from the rush.

"Yeah! a yellow lab, it was abandoned or even a lost dog. They brought her in four days ago. We named her Papaya"

"She's sick. I'm scared she might not make it" She continued looking worried and he peered at her a little longer. She was about to break into tears anytime and when he sensed the moment was close, he pulled himself into the chair next to her.

"May be I can help...if you don't mind that is" He placed an unsure hand on her fists, dreading she might pull away. He couldn't take it, that she couldn't stand being touched by him and it was one of the reasons, he always kept a distance.

She knew her husband was good with animals. He took care of Cricket all by himself, didn't he? She could sure use his help, but she didn't have the words to acknowledge his offer.

Just then a pale white female, dressed in gothic ensemble, came running out of the animal care center.

"Naini...Oh! Dear I think its time..." Even before she could wait for Naini's reaction, she turned and fled the same way she had come out.

Naini rose to her feet with biting worry and turned about her spot. "I didn't think it would be so soon...God!" She sighed as she skedaddled on her toes and rushed inside.

He followed, pursing his laptop and leaving some dollar bills underneath his cup. The place was damp and the officious stink greeted him as he wandered inside. The coos, gurgles, barks and murmurs echoed from the crates, inside of what looked like an old office converted into a pet center. The rescued and abandoned came here for the length of time before they were adopted and it wasn't entirely ironical she'd taken to the place, he thought now. He saw her hurrying to tie an apron with bundles of towels lying on the floor nearby. He dropped his bag at the front-desk and scurried, folding his sleeves up.

"What should I do?" She asked, strangely settling at the sight of the shivering mother.

"Oh!...Let's wait...Hand me the towel" The stubby girl said.

He hunkered down next to her pocketing his watch, but she hardly noticed it. They sat in grueling silence, except the murmurs of the wheezing mother dog. Sometimes he felt her lean and graze the side of his upper arm, however, she would catch herself in time and would position herself in a comfortable stance. She was muttering in fear, perhaps a prayer.

The visiting doctor had informed her that the lab had too many litters crowded inside her belly and that there was a chance she could die of internal bleeding. Ever since the ominous news had reached her, she'd diverted herself every chance her mind came back to the laboring mother.

He saw that she was almost slipping into a trance, shivering and breaking into a sweat out of anxiety. What was she hopelessly trying to save? Some withering side of her?

"Hold this" She dumped him the bundles of towel "lay them down neatly" She ordered forgetting the animosity and the distance that she often made it a point to highlight.

He did as she asked him, but when the first litter fell onto the towel, the Goth girl was holding next to the dog, he saw his wife shake like a leaf.

She chuckled delirious; indeed she was, at the first litter that the mother had popped. Good Lord! She was going mad in the mix of joy and worry. It was a bittersweet feeling being a part of a life-giving phenomenon, when she doubted the mother might not make it after all.

One by the one the dozen litters had arrived, but the mother was continuing to wheeze which kept her in a constant state of panic. She left to wash the pups, unable to watch the mother in unspoken pain and agony. They were scalding hot as she touched them to lower them into water filled tubs. Ah! what fur balls they were, as she scrubbed them clean and handed him two of them to be dried in the towel, he was impatiently holding.

"We lost two already" The other volunteer girl, came running into the washroom.

"What?...No they can't die on us" She cried in a whimper hugging the pup she'd just cleaned.

He carefully balanced the two pups in his stretched arm, close to his body and rubbed her back.

"It's bound to happen baby" He said.

"I'm scared for them" She said to no one in particular and walked in the direction of the crate where the mother was resting and stabilizing.

The mother looked much better with time and it brought a smile on her face in same proportions. They lost three more in the next half hour and now seven remained all cuddled up next to their mother. She was lying down sideways, holding her head and occasionally reached out to soothe the mother. The short girl, stayed close and he stood leaning on the wall, by the corner of the room. Eyes closed and crawling its way out, one little pup had staggered close to her stomach. The warm ball of fur, tickled her and she cooed not expecting the pup to be there.

"Awwhhh! You are lost are you little one?" She said, picking the pup in her hands and brought it close to her nose, rolling onto her back. She talked to it in ooey-gooey language, shaking her head in small movements. While she was playing with the pup, another one had wandered off and in no time, all seven were out and lay scattered on the floor like crumbling snow cookies.

He folded his arms and watched her as still as a devout in awe. He had seen her cozying herself to Cricket, but this was new to him. He wondered if there would ever be a time, he would know everything there was to know about his wife. But people were built that way, to never cease surprising their spouses even if sixty years had passed by. And they hadn't done 10 yet and so he knew there was many more to come, if she would give him the chance, that is.

Right then, she turned and looked at him, as if she was secretly reading her mind. He took an involuntary step towards her. Sitting right next to her, he took a pup into his arms and right on cue, the pup puled and barfed into his shirt.

"I hope it's not an expensive one" The girl said, handing him a towel.

"Nah!" He denied, but she knew he never wore anything less than a couple hundred dollars. She turned away and let out a smile, noticing him take it lightly. And that stream of thought made her think why he was here, helping her watch the mother and pups.

The girl had understood from the coldness that layered between the couple, he must be the man in her life she often seemed to be lost in. She hadn't bothered enquiring further, once they were drawn into the delivery and now the moment was way afterward to be concerned about the proprieties of greeting. She let it be, just as any other New Yorker would do.

The scene was one out of her modern fairy tale books. He was sitting next to her, feet folded and he was lying on the floor. The pups were all over them like they were all a big happy family.

"I'm going to call this one Sneezy…this one Sleepy" She pointed each one as they looked like critters moving around " Dopey, Doc, Happy, Bashful, this little one Grumpy" The girl laughed.

"That makes you Snow white I guess" He said sounding shamelessly corny. He thought it was a good repartee, but the volunteer girl was uncomfortable enough that she left giving a lame excuse. She simply stared at him that instance and got back to her pups. Inside, she had chuckled thinking her 17 year old Abhi was still inside somewhere, abruptly making such delicate appearances.

She didn't know why she attached herself to lost souls so emphatically, but their well being always was the shade of her mood until she was certain, she'd saved them in her own way. The color was pink now, a hazy glowing pink like one from a wintery afternoon. They were all better, including the mother.

"Joey has come back, we can all scoot" The girl announced, appearing in the hallway.

She was half-minded to leave them, but she needed her strength for tomorrow and the consternation she faced today, had drained her enough. To top it all, her husband had lingered close almost all day and that was one reason good enough as any to retire early.

Shooting one last look at them, she picked up her Louis Vuitton utterly mismatched for the place she was in and left as he matched his step with hers.

Today was as unexpected as snow in August and he could see some hope in the time she'd not shunned him out of the weary time she was facing in the animal center. It told him, she didn't mind letting him be part of her life, whatever little part that was.

They walked in silence, while crossing the road to get to their apartment elevator. She didn't meet his eyes, but as they waited for the steel doors to drag open, he held her cheek taking her by surprise. Her eyes went wide, but he simply smiled and said "You did a good job there...I'm proud of you".

He turned around and walked out of the building before the reaction on her face could fade away. That is when she realized he had simply kept her company all the while and she hadn't even asked him for it.

She stepped into the elevator and pressed her floor button, processing that the jittery moments were all just a blur in her consciousness. Her eyes closed as she recollected him, rubbing her back, calming her down and muttering "It's all going to be fine baby" tirelessly, until the point, she had indeed relaxed.

Why would she act with feigned indifference when she craved for him every minute of her waking day? She was shaking again, closing her eyes, living every second he was with her...only this time, he wasn't there to hold her.

To be continued...

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