The Arrival

Life is as weird as it can be!

It took Maya a couple of months to settle down in her new office. The partners were extremely cooperative. Everyone was always in awe of her business ideas and the precision with which she planned her moves. Right from designing, pricing, marketing and branding, she was always an active part of each stage! The meetings were always controlled and directed by her as she knew how to divert the attention from insignificant things to valuable discussions. She was hailed as the corporate Chanakya!

During this time Nishant stayed put. He had asked Maya to let him be a part of her journey ahead. She had politely declined because she needed to curate her own domain. Nishant respected that and he was more than happy with whatever little time they got to spend together over the weekends. He would travel to her town every Saturday evening and return back early Monday morning. Many a times she would be busy and feel guilty but he never had any complaint. He would laugh and say "Maya, I'm not a woman but my sixth sense tells me you want to be with me. That's what matters even if you can't be" 

She would retort "Neesh, I feel guilty that you come all the way and we barely get an hour or two to catch up over the entire weekend! You should at least call up and ask me if I'm free"

"My darling, I've lived my life without you, and I still live the week without you. Please don't expect me to live my weekends without you! A sight of you is all I ask for!"

"Oh Neesh! I love you."

"Hmmm"

"What hmmmm! You must say,'I love you too"

"Somethings need not be said"

They would sit together holding hands or hugging. Nothing more ever transpired as she was still in the trauma of having left her husband and he was scared of making the first move as he knew she was going through tough times.

Six months were gone before it occurred to Maya that she had overcome the damage her split had caused to her. Once more she was the strong and fierce woman that she was known to be! One of the free days in office, she planned the weekend with Neesh. She thought of surprising him. Though they talked on phone every night, she didn't wish to give him a hint of what she was planning.

Friday evening after the office got over, she went to the store and picked up a baby pink lacy gown for her. Neesh had always loved that colour.

On phone that night she asked him

"What time will you be reaching here Neesh?"

"Ahan! it seems someone is waiting for me."

She contained her excitement and got back into her mould to cover the goof-up.

"Don't be silly! I was to go to my dentist tomorrow evening, so I thought I'll book the appointment accordingly. Moreover, I thought I should tell you that after my dental treatment you would get only curd rice for dinner, so be sure you really want to come!" And she giggled.

"Do I have a choice?" He started trying to sound heartbroken.

She thought to herself, of course you have the choice. Only love can make a man drive 200kms to have curd rice over the weekend. And she suddenly felt thankful to God for letting him be a part of her life once more.

The Saturday wouldn't pass! She spent the whole day contemplating what the weekend holds for her. She was sure to make her feelings known in crystal clear words. At the same time, she was worried about how Neesh may react. Though she knew he loved her, but then loving someone and living with them were two different ball games. To make it worse, their work profiles were such that they worked in different towns. What if he refused? He may not refuse but he may put up some excuse for not being able to live upto her plans, afterall her plans were her own thought and this wasn't a business contract but life decision that can have far-reaching consequences. Though she may accept his excuse and show up that she truly is convinced with the explanation, hearts of hearts she would forever live with the feeling of rejection! It's difficult to overcome rejection for a man, it's much worse when you are a woman!

The wise woman in her surfaced once more "Big deal Maya, it's not the first time you'll be rejected. So many people on so many occasions and on utterly ridiculous contexts have rejected you all your life. Let it be once more if at all it must be. So she decided to take the bull by its horns! Afterall she couldn't help being herself! 'Ms In Control'

The clock struck 6 and she hurried out of the office building. Neesh would reach home at 8 he had said. She picked up his favourite wine on the way, as soon as she reached home, without wasting any time she put together the batter for his favourite chocolate almond cake. She had decided she would bring this cake out only if he would say yes!

After putting the mould with the batter in the oven, she freshened up and put on the baby pink lacy gown. While she was admiring herself in the mirror she thought to herself if the gown was a bit too suggestive and inviting. Let it be, I want to look inviting. Why shouldn't I? I'm a woman who was dead for years until Neesh unleashed the sexuality in me, so why should I try to bury it again. She smiled at her wicked thoughts. She put on her newly bought mascara and the liner that made her eyes look deep! The lip balm accentuated her lips just enough. Just as she was about to put on the perfume, she remembered how he had reprimanded her for using it, so she put it back untouched!

The alarm in the oven started blaring and she ran to the kitchen in excitement. The excitement of having his favorite cake or the excitement of meeting her man! Yes she wanted him to be 'her man', only 'her man'.

 

The cake looked perfect. She put it on the shelf for it to cool down.

The doorbell rang! She felt a chill run down her spine. Would it be fine or should I go and change back into my pyjamas so as not to look so made up! She quickly gathered hold of her thoughts and moved to the door.

Her man walked in with lilies, her favorite flowers! She almost snatched them from him. He kept staring at her for a couple of seconds. She knew he was admiring her but acted like she was busy putting the flowers in the vase! She could feel his gaze piercing her body behind her back. She took her time to arrange them nicely and it was half a minute later that she turned towards him and said -

"Have you never seen a good looking woman in your life?" There was a hint of sarcasm in her tone. And she expected him to come up with a challenging reply.

"No, You are the prettiest woman I've come across all my life! No one can live upto how intriguingly beautiful you are!" Completely taken aback by his uninhibited appreciation she blushed. He pulled her to him and started caressing her hair. All her worries were laid to rest because she knew the way he had held her was different from their hugs in the last few months. She knew they were gonna cut the cake together. 

He kept playing with her hair for a couple of minutes and she felt each strand come alive when his magical fingers touched them. He suddenly moved his hand under her chin to lift up her face. His thumb ran over her lips that felt as supple as a rose petal. He bent down to touch them with his but paused for a fraction of second as if to ask her for her permission to kiss her. She closed her eyes in approval. There's no man sexier in this world than the one who respects his woman enough to care for her choice to go ahead or otherwise. As simple as that!

He sucked her lips as gently as he could, just enough to have them between his. His tongue moved into hers. They moved in sync with each other like they were dancing together to the same song! She tried to push away but now there was no going back, he held her so strongly as if she was his belonging, as if she was all he has always asked for, as if she was the kohinoor, as if she was his means of survival! A flower from the vase fell down, the sound made him let go of her! She smiled and almost ran to the kitchen. 

"Why don't you freshen up and change Neesh?"

"I don't look fresh?"

"That's not what I meant, you know that!"

"No I don't, and I feel humiliated!"

"Shut up and do what you have been asked, I'll have your favourite chicken laid down on the table by then!"

"Chicken? I thought I was going to be served curd rice!"

"Fortunes changed overnight on you!" she winked.

"Oh! it looks like it's my lucky night!" He winked at her and went away.

She couldn't help blushing and smiling. 15 minutes back she was a worried soul and now her happiness knew no bounds. Yeh, the fortunes change so quickly and maybe this was going to be her luckiest night ever. Life takes you by surprise either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once. Well, you would agree if you had known what happened next!

This is what happened next -

She was laying the dinner table when Neesh came to the room from behind her. Before she could have a sense of what was happening, she heard him call out her name!

"Maya!"

She turned around and he was on his knees with a ring in his hands -

"Will you marry me?"

She couldn't believe her ears. All these days she was fearing rejection and here was this man dying to have her with him. She gently sat on his knee and held his head

"Yes!Yes! Yes!"

He put the ring in her finger and grabbed her and kept swaying her like a doll! They were the happiest souls of this world at that moment!

But....... nothing lasts. Neither joy nor sorrow!!!!