Transcendental Love

Part 40

Firstly, I am really sorry for not updating the past month. Let's just say my family and most of the world has been going through a weird phase of sickness. Just stay safe guys and send in a prayer for all your loved ones every once in a while!

She was surrounded by a warmth so unusual that sleep refused to let her go from her grip. Beating the lazy feeling, Khushi cracked open her eyes to come face to face with a bunch of hair. One look at the clock told her it was too early to rise. So, she turned to see that she was wrapped around her husband, or rather he was around her. Her right arm was entangled in the said hair and it had such a distinctive smell that she involuntarily closed her eyes and took a sniff.

Wait a minute... hair?!

The sleepy fog finally lifted and with it dawned the realization that she was rolled (yes rolled) into her husband of less than a month. He had his arms wrapped around her waist – the said touch causing her serious hyperventilation – and his face was tucked in the crook of her neck between her shoulder and ear!

As if on que, the events of the last night came rushing back and she felt her heart stop for a moment thinking about the kiss they had shared. Her breath might actually have stopped for Arnav chose that exact moment to open his eyes. Three seconds of stillness later, he quickly withdrew from her to lay a safe distance.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize...", he began in his sleepy voice which did cause Khushi's heart to race for a moment.

"I think I moved to your side.", she smiled awkwardly relieving him of his guilt.

"Khushi?", Arnav whispered a few moments later.

"Haan?", she whispered back as if fearing that speaking louder would break the moment.

"Do you want to talk about yesterday?", he asked and the waited.

She did not say anything for ninety seconds. He knew because he counted every damn second, holding his breath, waiting for a hint as to how to help his wife out. And when she finally spoke, he wished she hadn't.

"I thought if I told anyone about it, it would make it real.", she whispered looking at nothing.

He squeezed her hand to indicate he was listening and waited.

"When this happened, no one but the two of us knew of it – that man and me. I... I thought if I... told people, it would make it real. I kept denying it for seventeen years. And I would have continued if not for you.", at this a tear escaped her eye.