Wedding Anniversary

In the soundless peaceful morning, 5 AM alarm buzzer rang. Alarm’s raucous sound banged into Shalini’s eardrum, and her drowsiness flew away in a few moments. Suhas, her husband was in deep drowsiness. Shalini shakes him to wake up. Suhas got up, and stretched his shoulder with deep breath.

‘Good morning Suhas…’ she said, with a warm smile.

‘Good morning…’ he said, while rubbing his sleepy eyes.

‘Come on, Suhas, get ready, I have to reach my office before clock hits 9 am. Get up…’ she said with sweet voice, and then Shalini went into the kitchen to make some breakfast.

While getting up from bed, Suhas took a big lazy yawn and said, ‘Ohh come on, sweetheart. Take it easy in the morning… don’t push yourself in such a hurry…’

‘Suhas please…, don’t be a lazy cat, I have to be in my office at 9… don’t make me late, I’m telling you…! Get up and get ready, sandwiches are almost done.’ Shalini gave an alluring reason to wake him up with the final warning.

Suhas was a joyous person. He believed that hastiness kills the joy of the life. ‘Take it easy’ and ‘be happy’ that was the philosophy of his life.

In the morning, Shalini used to make Tiffin box for both. In rainy season, she used to insist that Suhas not eat any kind of street food. She was of very caring nature and health conscious as well. By nature, women tend to care more about their family. Even if the food is hygienic, they smell the reason of doubt first not to eat it.

Suhas almost got ready in his office uniform. He came in the hall and put on his tie on the dining table. He used to sip the coffee with newspaper’s headlines. Shalini and Suhas used to talk about their office work.

Since last one week, very often Shalini’s eyes rose at the wall calendar. On 18th, their 3rd wedding anniversary was about to come. And today was 17th. She had expected that if Suhas would wish her first in the morning, then she’ll be much happier to imagine that he really remembers their wedding anniversary. She took a sip of coffee, and chortled, ‘Suhas, is there any special day in this month?’

Suhas pulled out his eyes from newspaper, and looked behind at the calendar.

‘No, I don’t think there is any special day in this month… why? What is it?’ after saying, as usual he started to read where he had left the news.

‘Nothing, I was just thinking that, if we took a few days off from our office work, then we could go at hill station and you know, we will enjoy there. What do you say?’ her facial expressions were questionable while saying.

Again Suhas pulled his gaze from news and said, ‘Yeah, it’s a good idea sweetheart, but right now I’m quite busy with my new office project you know,’ he said with pitiful face, ‘It’s very important. But we will plan it next month. I promise you, sweetheart.’

After hearing his words, Shalini let out the big sigh of disappointment. Her agitated mind started talking to herself, ‘Oh God, he doesn’t have any clue that our 3rd anniversary is coming up. I gave such open hints, even then he didn’t get any spark of an idea.’ She sighed out: ‘Really, all men are the same. Initial years of marriage they won’t miss a single chance to make women happy… and then all the excitement of married life will evaporate in the air.’

Suhas’s mobile rang. Shalini looked at him with agitated expression. He picked up his call and stood up with coffee mug. While talking he went outside and sat on hammock. Shalini looked at him with anguished expression. She shook her head in disappointment. She looked at wall clock and hurriedly got up to finish the kitchen work. She packed their Tiffin.

At 9 o’clock, Shalini got ready for her office.

‘Suhas, I’m going to office. Your Tiffin is on the dining table. Don’t forget to take it with you.’ She said while picking up her Activa’s key.

‘Listen Shalini, I’m also going. I have some little work so, I’m going an hour early…’ Suhas tied up and gave a suspenseful expression.

Shalini thought: Maybe it could be for our anniversary gift! Who knows! Shalini got little excited just by thinking about it. Both went by their vehicles to office.

In the evening, both ate dinner. But Suhas's face was as normal as it used to be. Shalini’s expectation started to break down into the pieces.

~

On their wedding anniversary day, in the morning, Shalini gave as much hints she could’ve. But not a single hint could hit Suhas to get an idea of wedding anniversary. ’Suhas, today is our 3rd wedding anniversary… let’s celebrate…’ she could have say it. But she didn’t. By saying and make him remember about anniversary was not going to bring natural joy and cheerfulness.

Shalini made up clouds of doubt in her head: Happy 3rd anniversary sweetheart. And then just give me a warm hug. That’s it. That’s all I want to hear from you. These four words would make me so much happy if you’ll say to me…

Both were drinking their morning coffee. Shalini looked up at Suhas. He was busy in checking his emails in the phone. Shalini was seeing their three years as a robotic life. She sighed and closed her eyelids.

‘Suhas, get home early today…’ Shalini smiled in a romantic way, and filled luster in her big sexy eyes. Shalini thought: maybe he could fall into trap the way I gave expression who knows! Having this intension Shalini set a trap.

Suhas smiled and narrowed his eyelid, ‘Why? Is there any special surprise for me tonight? Huh??’

Shalini sighed and rolled her eyeball. She throws her sight into coffee mug and said, ‘No, there is no surprise for you… just get home early that is all I’m saying… don’t over work at…’

‘Oh… come Shalini, you know I’m working on big project. Try to understand me sweetheart. Only one week I’m asking you to bear with me. Please… next month I have very special surprise for you…’ Suhas’s words had blackmailed Shalini. She couldn’t find a word to utter. She got silent with heavy heart.

Shalini sighed and shook her head. She mimicked him silently : Try to understand me sweetheart.

Shalini had decided that whatever happens, but she will not tell him about their wedding anniversary until 11 P.M. then she will not talk to him at all.

Shalini was upset. She had taken a leave from office. All day at home she was getting prejudiced about him. Her mind started to build castle of it. Her prejudice started to turn into doubts. Shalini thought: What if Suhas has no interest in me anymore?

Suspicious mind said: Yes, It could be possible. Maybe he spends less time with you because of the reason that he got bored with you…

Shalini said: But he mostly comes at 5:30 pm. By saying ‘important work’ could there be a dark secret?

Suspicious mind said: Yes, absolutely. After he got promotion as a boss, with his secretary… you know, perhaps it could be an affair too, as for men you never know about their deep dark secretive life. You should keep an eye on him before things fall you apart from him. Be aware Shalini…

Shalini said: Noo, Suhas isn’t like all other men. He loves me from all his heart. He cannot cheat on me ever...

Suspicious mind laughed: Don’t be naïve, Shalini… Be aware… Just call him now…

Unknowingly Shalini’s fingers grabbed her phone. She opened up contact number of Suhas on the screen. Shalini thought: Right now he must be busy into his work… should I call him now or?

Suspicions mind persistently said: Don’t take me for granted Shalini… just call him now… (Laughed….)

By inkling suspicious mind, Shalini called Suhas.

Suhas was explaining to his colleagues about new project work and strategies planning on projector board. Fifteen colleagues were hearing him curiously in dim lighted room. On Suhas’s desk his silent phones screen turned on. Shalini’s smiling pic was on the screen with two red––green button. End of the other line Shalini’s mind was clattered in bewilderment. With her doubtful thoughts, she was walking in hall back and forth. Shalini called him over and over again until he won’t pick up. Phone light was kind of distracting while giving presentation, so Suhas has put the phone screen upside. And then he continued meeting without any distraction.

Ohh God! Fifteen phone calls I made, even then he didn’t reply on one single call? On our anniversary? How dare he not reply back to me? That’s how much he is busy?

Suspicious mind laughed: You saw Shalini! Didn’t I tell you that don’t take me for granted? Your Suhas is the same as all other men are. Go to his office. And keep an eye on him. Check what he is doing. (again suspicious mind’s laughter echoed in her head)

Shalini took her activa and went in front of Suhas office. She sat in the coffee shop. Just for formality, she ordered coffee. Shalini was sherlocking through the glass of restaurant.

After half and hour, Suhas was coming out from his office with his two colleagues. A cleaned shaved white legs, dark blue skirt to the knee, and in white shirt she was looking kind of hot model. Suhas was making her laugh on some jokes. Her charming attitude towards Suhas, did not make her angry or jealous. Because she was also working in office so she knew that it was common to laugh on formal conversation. Through the glass, Shalini’s sharp eyes looked at both of them at the parking side.

Suhas was giving her a wrapped gift with a hug. That secretary was denying taking it. Suhas touched her white hand and pressed it, insisting. She took the gift. Both were talking something which irritated Shalini. In her mind, thoughts of hurricane wreaked her inside. She felt strange burning feeling inside her chest. Her eyes were full of fury. What she had just saw was squeezing her heart with loveless. With wet eyes and heavy heart, she clenched her fist tightly and said grinding her teeth: I hate you Suhas, I hate you… now I come to believe that all men are really bloody cheaters…! Shame on you…!

After some chitchat, secretary sat in Suhas’s car. For Shalini, this was heart breaking scene. She felt burning pain inside her chest. Painful tears made her eyes blurry. She started her active and followed them as Sherlock holmes. Suhas had dropped that secretary at her home. Before Suhas reached at home, Shalini raced her active as fast as she could.

Shalini has opened her home door. What she had just seen, that scene had clattered her thoughts. To calm down her disturbed mind, she tried to busy herself with kitchen work. Painful mind remembered Suhas’s face and Shalini cried her heart out. She clenched her teeth in anger. She wiped her tears and started to cut vegetables. That scene was like Sharp knife, which was cutting her heart into the pieces. Taken cared feelings of their love was wounded. Three years of memories was flowed away as a form of tears. She felt pain like never before. While cutting vegetables, she unknowingly cut her finger with knife. Blood came out. She cleaned her finger in sink. She felt no pain. Knife wound was nothing compared to the hurt of her heart.

~

After half an hour, Suhas came home. As he entered he said in sweet excited voice, ‘Hey…Sweetheart, I’m home.’ Shalini wiped her teary eyes and tried to look normal, she brought fake smile on her lips. Behind her smile, she hid all her agony. With expressionless face she took a glass of water, and put it on dining table rather then giving in his hand. With a heavy heart she went to kitchen. To relax himself, Suhas loosened his tie. And threw it on dining table.

Not to show Shalini’s clattered thought and expression, she asked with normal voice, ‘How did your day went?’

‘It was amazing…’ after drinking water he said.

Shalini clenched her teeth in a furious way. Made a face and said silently with hatred mimic, ‘it was amazing…’ then she asked in normal voice, ‘I called you almost fifteen times, you didn’t pick up my single call. What was the big deal in replying just for a moment?’

‘I am extremely sorry sweetheart, I was so busy in meeting, that even though I wanted, I couldn’t pick up your call… Sorry…’

‘After office, couldn’t you have just called me once…! After leaving office, I don’t know which important work kept you so busy… ’ she said in sarcastic way.

‘After office, I had very important work to finish dear… that’s why I was late sweetheart, you seem angry on me! Are you?’

From kitchen he got her answer in her silence. Mysterious smile was playing on Suhas’s face. His thoughts were dancing with joy. And Shalini built the mountain of prejudice and mumbling under her breath, ‘I saw what your important work was. On our wedding anniversary, gift for that bitch, and here your wife wants to hear three words from your mouth impatiently, that thought didn’t even come into your head! And today you gave such unfaithful heartbreaking gift to your wife, which I will never forget.’ Mumbled mind had wiped tears.

‘Shalini, I am going to take a bath. One first class coffee if I could get, then I’ll be super fresh’ after saying he put a white towel around his neck.

Again silence as answer came out from the kitchen. Shalini was full of pain. Her throat and tongue were hurting. Sound of opened up Nestle bottle he understood as a ‘yes’. Between two lips Suhas hid the mystery and went to the bathroom to be fresh up. 

After bath Suhas came out. He body sprayed and wore white t-shirt and black pant. In wet long silky hair, he was looked like a seductive movie actor. He had concealed the mystery inside his coat packet. The gift, warm envelope with lovey-dovey words, and fully bloomed red rose he put on the dining table very carefully with a sound.

Suhas’s heart was swimming into the ocean of romanticism. His colorful thoughts were rolling on the romantic clouds. His lips chuckled. Tide of love was bouncing into his eyes. Flutters of love ticking in his whole body. Meanwhile Shalini’s clattered mind rose and made holocaust of tsunami inside her chest. Between her two lips she had imprisoned silence. Grudgingly, she had swallowed her saliva. Quietly she was making breakfast and coffee standing in kitchen.

Exquisitely Suhas put his hands on her belly, and hugged her from behind. Due to Suhash’s light hug, Shalini’s neck was covered by his warm breath. Shalini’s face was blank like a paper. Suhash’s touch or hug couldn’t spark the feeling of excitement. Without any care of him, she continued her work. Suhas got a little confused by her facial expression. His touch made her wilder. She tapped on his hands which were wrapped around her belly. She said with aversion, ‘Get off me… your coffee and breakfast will be served at your place… what happened to you…?’

Suhas kissed on her neck and said with low voice, ‘Happy 3rd wedding anniversary my love…’

‘Yeah, I know that. You saying like you only remembered it…’ after saying this she muttered under her breath, ‘Whole day he didn’t remember and now he wishes me…’

‘If you’ve wished me enough then will you move your hands…?’ Shalini tried to get out of him and said, ‘…your coffee will be at your place…’ her voice was stabled. Her aversion expressions were on face.

Suhas slowly backed off two steps behind her. His warm hug and wet kiss couldn’t provoke a bud of love. His lips were still smiling with surprise. Shalini put a coffee mug on his place. Her sight turned to the box of gift, envelop with red rose. Shalini looked at him with amazement. Suhas was standing at the kitchen door with smiling lips and charming eyes. Without words Suhas said in a allusive way: It’s for you my love.

Shalini’s clattered thoughts and bewildered mind came near silence. She brought a smile on her face and said, ‘you really remembered our anniversary…!’

Suhas came near her and looked into her big watery black eyes. He said, ‘Of course, I remembered our anniversary… why wouldn’t I?’

Shalini was still holding her smile. Then he said ‘now open your present’

Before opening the gift she picked up the envelope and read. Her eyes got wet with emotional. And at the same time she was feeling pain in her chest. Shalini looked at his eyes and smiled. She opened up a Tanishq box. It was a diamond set of necklace and earrings. Her eyes sparkled just by looking at that diamond set. Still she was surrounded by that painful feeling. Unspoken soreness was buried inside her chest. Pain was grinding her heart. Scene started to play which she had seen the restaurant. She wanted to burst out all the pain and soreness in one breath. But her tongue was paralyzed to utter. She tried to hide all the emotions behind her face.

‘Do you like your present?’ he asked with questioned face.

Shalini was feeling unknown burning pain inside. She couldn’t speak. She nodded and gathered energy to speak, ‘yes, I loved it…’ after saying she broke down into the tears.

‘Why are you crying sweetheart? Look at me…’ with serious expression Suhas put his hand on her chin. ‘Hey sweetheart, please tell me what is it?? It’s hurting to see you crying. Are you not happy?

Shalini shook her head in fast motion. She wanted to burst out all her anger on him, wanted to reveal his affair she had saw, but inside her instinct had pulled back not to utter a word. She put that Tanishq box where it was. Her tears were dropping on her cheeks.

Serious expression pulled on Suhas face. Again he put his hand under her chin. She looked up with her blurry eyes. Suhas said in slow gentle voice, ‘what happened Shalini…? Tell me… have I done any mistake which is why you are hurt?! Please sweetheart, don’t cry. Just tell me…’

‘You… you…,’ before she spoke anything, again she broke down into the tears. She punched on his chest lightly to express how much she was angry on him. She didn’t want to lose him. She hugged on his chest so tightly that she’ll never let him go.

Suhas couldn’t understand a thing what was going on. Why she was crying? What he had done?

Suhas thought: Probably I didn’t wish her in morning that’s why she is crying? Or I came late on our anniversary day?

He got the idea why she was crying.

Suhas rubbed her back softly to calm her down, and he said, ‘okay… okay… now I got your concern… since one week I came home late. And today is our anniversary. And most hurting part is I came late then I usually come… you know why?’

Shalini’s mind pop up with that secretary. Just by thinking her teeth clenched with anger.

Suhas confessed the truth why he came late.

‘In my office I have a secretary like every boss has one. Obviously ladies know more about jewelry then men do. And as you know I don’t know much about ladies stuff. So yesterday, to choose your jewelry I went out with her in Tanishq shop. After two hours she made her choice for your present, and she said: Your wife will love this diamond set. And you loved it, isn’t it?’

Shalini nodded with smile. Mystery got revealed and her prejudice and bewilderment melted like wax. Burning feeling made her chest relaxed. Lips smiled like a rose leaf. She lit up her face and looked at him. Her eyes smiled. All the confusion evaporate in the air. Love for Suhas got so much more than it used to be. Bud of love opened up to feel love again.

‘…and she helped me to choose your present, for that I wanted to give her a gift. So that’s why I went out of office an hour early. After office when we were about to leave, I gave her a gift. At first

she refused, then I made fake excuse about you. And then she accepted the gift. And today her vehicle wasn’t starting, so I had to drop her at home. That’s why I got late sweetheart. I’m so sorry about it. Please forgive me for wishing you late.. you always says: Nobody is perfect.’ Suhas revealed whole story and he asked for forgiveness with merciful expression.

After knowing the truth, Shalini’s hated her mind for made up prejudices. And about that secretary who had chosen her anniversary gift. She thought, she shouldn’t have said what she had said in anger. Shalini scolded herself, especially to that suspicious mind. She wiped her eyes and smiled to Suhas. With her bright face she said, ‘No Suhas. I’m sorry for myself. Don’t apologise.' Under these two sentences she buried all her hidden story.

Suhas opened up Tanishq box and he himself put it on Shalini’s neck. She wore earrings by herself. She looked at him and tossed her eyebrow as she was asking: how am I looking?

‘You’re looking just gorgeous sweetheart.’ After saying this, Suhas grabbed her fingers exquisitely and pulled her closely. Both eyes were looking in the depth of love for each others. Shalini looked into Suhas's eyes and she understood his colorful waves of lustful eyes. Before Suhas play his move by lips, Shalini played her first move and she finished their anniversary wishing at her side: ‘Happy third wedding anniversary to you too,’ then her shyness made her eyelid closed. She put her head on his chest and hugged him tightly. Suhas’s body-spray was making the scene more seductive. Inhaling that smell through nose gradually excitement was filling into their veins.

Shalini played her first move, by thinking this Suhas let out sigh and gave faint smile. He rubbed his hand softly on her back. He kissed on her forehead. Shalini’s lips chuckled up. Butterfly of excitement flying in their belly. Both hugged each other in full love. Suhas had held the iPhone in his palm. He kissed on it silently. To thank iPhone for reminding ‘wedding anniversary date’ he said: I love you sweetheart. Everything is well maintained in life because of you. Without your support and help I am incomplete. I cannot imagine my life without you. If I wouldn’t look at you in the very morning while opening my eyes and in evening before closing eyelids, then I would be drowned into the depth of darkness. Thanks for being in my life.

Shalini felt tickling after hearing Suhas’s warm words about her. Inherently her lips smiled glossy. Her eyelids were almost closed with shyness. Her heart was swimming into the ocean of romance. She said expressing her feeling towards him, ‘I love you too, Suhas. Thanks for being in my life.’

~~~