The Nape Of Her Neck

It was their wedding night, and she kept fidgeting with the edge of her sari. He saw that and remarked, ‘How cute!’ She blushed and gave her best smile, a mix of nervousness, shyness, and happiness.

When they had first met in a coffee restaurant, she fidgeted with her purse, and he had remarked the same, ‘How cute!’ They had met before, but officially that was their first date.

He held her face in his palms and kissed her at the nape of her neck. She teased him, ‘I thought the first kiss tonight was supposed to be...you know.’ She covered her face with her hands.

He gave a hearty laugh. ‘Well, the nape of your neck is my favourite. How can you forget that we met only because of your neck?’

‘Oh. Yeah!’

‘So, I thought I should honour it.’

Exactly, a year ago, his wife had been rushed to the hospital because a stone had hit the nape of her neck, and blood refused to stop even after first aid. A nerve was cut. She was a part of this social organization, and they were in a rally calling out slogans for domestic violence. There was a stampede and some of the violent members had hurled stones at the police. Few of the members got injured. One of the stone hit her neck, and she bled profusely. She was admitted in the hospital.

That day he was the doctor on duty. He liked her strength. Though she was bleeding, she held a cloth against the wound, and she had asked to treat other members. The press was there. She was shoved in front of a camera. She spoke of how all this issue was politicised. Their only demand was justice to the victim.

After a week, he had found her number from the hospital record, and had called her. At first, she ignored his calls but he kept pursuing. Eventually, she agreed to go on a date with him. And after one full year of dating and knowing each other, they were married today.

‘I should admit I am in awe of your neck. Guys are attracted to face, smile, curves, but what interests me most in a woman’s body is her neck. The neck that carries the weight of our head on your shoulders. The neck that connects our head and the body. And you, my lady, have one of the beautiful, long, slender, strong and elegant necks I have seen. This neck that has witnessed a lot of struggles in your life, it has never allowed your head to droop down, this neck that keeps your beautiful face steady;  I think it deserved to be honoured. Let me honour more.’

He winked at her, turning the lights off, while she smiled and blushed.