"So... What do you think?" Poonam said flashing the tickets at Rohit. She couldn't help but wonder if Rohit would like to go on a trip with her. After all, they were strangers by all means.
Arranged marriages are kind of adventurous. If you can put up with the stranger, things can become great but if you can't put up with each other it turns into a disaster. Both Poonam and Rohit are at the same time nervous and excited to see if they turn out to be perfect partners or a disastrous match.
"Do you want to go?" Rohit asked, a sceptical look on his face. Poonam was a little disappointed when she failed to trace any excitement in his voice, "The tickets will be a waste if we don't go." Rohit scratched the back of his head. This guy around 26-27, with a 6 foot 2 inch's tall built mostly appears intimidating. However, the sheepish look on his face with little stubble around his jaws and chin, appeared cute instead.
Poonam couldn't hold from chuckling, "Haha! You look cute when you make that silly face!"
"What silly face?!" Rohit was suddenly flustered at her remark.
"See yourself." Poonam pushed him towards the dresser and stepped behind him once he was standing before the mirror.
Rohit stared at his own reflection in utter confusion, "Do you think I look silly?" He tried to sound offended as he puckered his lips like a child.
"Sort of." Poonam said casually and moved back. She twisted on her heels which is when Rohit grabbed her arm and forced her to turn back to face him. For a moment, Poonam was caught off guard. She glanced at his grip on her arm and then looked back at him. A questioning look on her face.
Rohit politely let go off her hand, then placed both his hands on his hips, "I'm not silly, alright?" Poonam tried hard not to laugh but she couldn't hold herself back, "Hey! What's so funny...!?" Rohit almost whined. His brows scrunched up together.
"Haha...! Your... Your face... Hahaha!"
"What's so funny about my face?!" Rohit again turned to look at himself on the mirror, "You didn't even tell me if you want to go to Shimla or not!"
"Yeah... I mean, we can't just waste the tickets, right?" Poonam stopped her laughter riot and tried to sound a little less excited about the trip. Although she was mostly nervous yet who was going to say no to a nice trip.
"We don't have to go... if you're not comfortable."
"No! We don't have to go if you don't want to go!" Poonam tried not to sound offended. She was kind of looking forward to the trip. It isn't every day when she gets free tickets to go for a trip to Shimla.
"I didn't... mean to offend you..."
"I'm not offended." Poonam turned her head to look at her husband as she was setting up her clothes in his closet that now belongs to her as well, "I'm just saying, we don't have to go if you don't want it. I can't just go by myself and have a honeymoon all by myself, can I?" Poonam bit her tongue when she realized the meaning of her words.
"So you are looking forward to having a honeymoon?" Poonam shuddered when she suddenly felt his presence behind her.
"I... I didn't mean it... like that..." She stuttered.
"Oh, then what did you mean?" Rohit pressed his palm against the door of the closet as he leaned closer to Poonam. She stilled in her actions.
"What... are you—" before Poonam could utter her speculations, Rohit leaned a little more closer to reach a higher shelf in the closet and grabbed a pair of socks from the rack.
"I was looking for these for so long. How did they got there!" Rohit scratched his ear after he pulled away and stood at a proper distance from his wife.
Poonam sighed in relief. Little did she know, Rohit wasn't so naive at all. Was he not amused at her reaction he wouldn't have pulled this little stunt to tease her. When she had that redness spread across her cheeks, Rohit couldn't help but want to tease her more. She looks gorgeous when she's wearing that blush.
...
Rohit and Poonam were to leave for Shimla on the next weekend and they still had a week to plan for their trip. Five days earlier, they were two strangers sitting next to each other on the wedding sage. And now the ice is quite broken. There is still much awkwardness yet they have grown a little friendly within this little timespan of sharing a roof.
Rohit was glad that Poonam has an easy-going personality. She always makes it easier when there is something awkward to go through. Poonam on the other hand, dislikes the way Rohit turns every situation into an awkward romantic moment only to tease her. Or is she just misreading his actions? Is this how things are naturally supposed to flow between them but Poonam has actually been trying to name it on Rohit?
Not quite really!
Rohit would be lying if he said he wasn't making efforts to seek her attention. She is his wife, that gives him a reason to want her attention. That is how he reasoned his feelings, the growing attraction.
However, there were only two days left for them to leave for the trip. Both Poonam and Rohit were looking forward to the trip. Which is when something unexpected was to happen.
The day went well. The family members were all giddy and cheerful. It was somewhere around 7 in the evening, when Rohit's father collapsed abruptly. The man was all hale and hearty moments ago, fell flat to the ground. He was immediately taken to the nearest hospital where his family was told that he had a cardiac arrest. It was a fatal one.
Rohit's mother was taken back to home once they heard from the doctor that his father was stabled. Rohit stayed back at the hospital and Poonam too decided to stay by his side.
"Poonam, please go home with Maa." Rohit was exhausted from the exertion.
"Rohit, Veera bua is there to look after Maa. I will stay with you. You look totally worn out."
"I appreciate that thought. But you should go home."
"No. I will stay." After a lot of insisting, Rohit agreed for Poonam to stay at the hospital with him.
It wasn't the time to think this way but Rohit couldn't help but admire the woman who was so considerate and compassionate towards their family. The night didn't seem very long with her company.
