What Will She Say?

A quiet Sunday morning was disturbed by an alarm. Krish's right hand reached out & shut the alarm. He turned over to his left & pulled Vishaka closer. She snuggled into his chest & made herself comfortable. Her warm breath touched his skin & he smiled with closed eyes. An hour later, a loud sound in the neighbourhood startled the sleeping couple.

He kissed her forehead & whispered, "Good Morning, Sunshine."

While she groaned, turned away & muttered something incoherent, he grinned at her & got out of bed. He went about his morning routine & cooked breakfast. The sound of the cooker whistle woke her & irked as though it had caused the hangover. She dragged herself out of bed & managed to reach the dining area. She gulped the homemade hangover remedy waiting at the dining table. She rested her head on the table & let the remedy do its work.

When he placed a bowl of breakfast in front of her, she raised her head.

She complained, "Pongal? Seriously? On a Sunday morning?"

He chuckled, "After last night's Cognac run, this is the best option."

She ate quietly; at least it tasted better than the hangover remedy. She offered to clear the dining area & make chai. While she filtered chai into mugs, her chaotic mind reached breaching point. At the other end of the house, he calmly went about the laundry & checked on Ayra's return. As usual, the contrast in their mindset was evident. The duo sat at the table, sipping chai without uttering a word.

He broke the silence, "Nice chai."

She sneered, "It only took 2 years."

He laughed & articulated, "Last night was a massive revelation. Every time I think I've cracked you, you say something that I wouldn't have thought of."

She smiled at him, sipped chai & her eyes reflected the ache in her heart.

She interrupted, "I do not mean to hurt or upset you. Just that how I'm wired."

He resumed, "I know what you mean, I get you. At the same time, I'm still trying to absorb everything you said. I may not have comprehended everything. I will need time to get where you are."

She stared at the spot on the dining table & quietly sipped chai. The silence was killing him.

He offered, "We can go for couples therapy."

Something within her snapped, she raised her eyes & looked at him sharply.

He calmly said, "In the coffee shop, you had suggested Meera & I go for therapy. We did go & it helped, especially after she fell sick. I continued to go for sessions after her. So, I know it works. We will make this work."

She sarcastically remarked, "I like your confidence."

He pleaded, "Baby, please don't do that. We will put in effort & stay committed. Aren't the last 2 years a testament that we belong with each other?"

She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

He admitted, "It is difficult at times to handle & be with you. Isn't it the thrill of life to go through such ups & downs? In your words, wouldn't life be boring otherwise?"

She looked up at him & tilted her head to the left.

He pressed, "You are my enigma & I'm enjoying the journey of cracking it."

She took a few minutes to understand what he had said. When it dawned on her, she covered her mouth with her right fist to suppress the smile & she eventually burst into a laugh. Finally, the mood shifted in the dining area & he sighed with relief.

He took a deep breath & declared, "We should get married. What kind of a wedding do you have in mind?"

She was appalled by his audacity. She couldn't understand why & how he had concluded. After last night's conversation, no sane person would say it. Then she realised, no other person would have agreed to her clauses & moved to a different country.

She stuttered, "How...? What...? You think...? What about...?"

She couldn't come to speak in complete sentences & he waited patiently for her to collect her thoughts.

Finally, she came to terms & asked, "When & how did you come to this decision?"

He smiled, "Well, it's simple. I knew I wanted to be with you when I met you at the mall years ago. This morning reinforced my decision."

She scratched her head, 'This morning?'

He grinned & cleared her doubt, "Finally, I understood what you meant. After last night's ordeal, this morning, you were still in my arms."

She recounted, "I never said yes, you went on to the question of what kind of wedding."

He laughed with pride, "Never in the last couple of years; neither last night nor this morning, once did you say. 'No, I don't want to be with you.'"

She bit her lower lip, blushed slightly & shook her head in defeat. He knew he had her & she surrendered. She sat quietly at the table & weighed her words.

Decisively, she voiced, "I have a few caveats."

His chest swelled with joy & leaned back, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

She giggled & sat comfortably at the table, cross-legged. The aura of the home gradually returned to normalcy & heightened spirit.

She stated, "To begin with, I want a full-time maid & cook. She can take the day off on Sundays; we can manage."

His jaw dropped, "Of all the things on the face of God's green Earth, this is the first one?"

He wasn't sure if she was pranking or meant it. She stared at him & did not bat an eye.

When it dawned on him, he raised his hands, "Okay, yes, yes. Next?"

She continued, "We will share equal responsibilities & financials, as we do now. No change."

He curtly replied, "Of course."

She added, "I will not be able to follow all the religious customs, rituals or festivals. I'm not saying, I won't do it, but it will take time."

He agreed, "I don't expect you to, but I get you. Fair enough."

She paused with knotted eyebrows & thought deeply for some time.

She relaxed, "I want an intimate traditional wedding with closest family & friends."

Oh, how he grinned & expressed, "Anything you want, baby."

She jumped, "Oh, I forgot the most important thing."

His heart sank; if only she let him savour the joyful moment a little longer?

She asked, "What about Ayra? What do we ask or tell her?"

He smiled warmly, "Ayra asked me last month. Now that Viks is your girlfriend, would you like to marry her? Also, can I call her Mamma?"

He continued, "Apparently, Daniel's dad is getting married to his girlfriend. I would have never thought in my wildest dreams that Daniel's family would have such an impact."

The duo had a hearty laugh & it felt like an eternity since they had a relaxed moment from the previous evening. Vishaka felt warmth in her heart. Ayra had accepted her; she would be called 'Mamma'!

She enunciated, "The last one is a non-negotiable. Ayra will be our only child."

He almost choked on his emotions, "Are you sure?"

She articulated, "Certainly, more than anything else."

The couple sat in silence for a while. It was unclear whether the duo was fully aware of the decision or what came next. Some thoughts cleared, fears answered & new ones seemed to arise, yet they could not bring up anything else for the moment.

She broke the silence, "I'm so glad we discussed as mature people. I'm glad that you did not get on a knee & pop the question with a ring."

No sooner had she said than he pulled out a tiny Tiffany's box. She bit her tongue, raised her eyebrows & realised she had spoken too soon.

She asked with a cringed look, "Diamond?"

He walked across the table, chuckled & opened the box to reveal an amethyst ring. As she rose from the chair, she gasped & covered her mouth with both hands.

He chortled, "What? You thought that I hadn't noticed you admiring the ring?"

She questioned, "When did you buy it?"

He replied, "Oh, the very next day."

She exclaimed, "That was before the pandemic, over a year ago."

He held out the ring & asked, "Will you please marry me & be mine?"

She swelled with delight & teary-eyed, "Yes, a million times yes."

He slid the ring on her left ring finger. They innately embraced; it was ecstatic & happiness filled their hearts & home. She pulled back, raised her hand to light & admired the ring.

She blushingly approved, "Good choice."

He did not wait a moment longer & kissed her deeply; his warm & moist lips captured hers. She kissed back passionately & her knees caved. He wrapped her waist with his left hand. He placed his right hand on the small of her back & pulled her closer. She cupped his face with both hands, her left palm moved to the nape of his neck, and her right hand ran through his curls. The couple's world came to a standstill; fear & pain vanished; warmth of love & passion set in.

Takeaway: When one can think of yesterday without regret & tomorrow without fear, one is near contentment.

P.S.:

• Neither can I confirm nor deny that these characters may or may not appear in future stories.

• The story is a sequel to "We Need to Talk"