Sapno Ka Shaher

30. The Tease Game

Preeti woke up when she heard Shubham doing something in their cupboard, with his back to her. Looking at the wall-clock she discerned that it was quite early for him to wake up. He generally wakes up after her, so that she can get her own time in the bathroom but he seems to have different plans today. He ought to have a different plan today.

After a blissful last night, she wished to sleep more, engulfing herself in his arms. She was a bit sore, but today being the working day there wasn't any possibility for it to turn out to be special, so she had to get up.

"Aap kya kar rahe hai?" Preeti asked, balancing herself on her elbow and peering at Shubham through the dim light.

Shubham got startled with the voice and turned hastily, hiding his hands on his back. "Mai... mai... kuchh nahi..." he fumbled while answering.

He shut the cupboard with his hands, supporting it with his hips and strolled towards her, "mai tumhe uthana nahi chahta tha..." he gently said.

Sitting in front of her, Shubham held Preeti's hands in his. He eyed her adoringly, finding himself lost in her deep eyes. She looked absolutely beautiful as her messy hair locks fell on her shoulders, and he couldn't believe she had just woken up from a peaceful and deep sleep. He himself wanted to spend his entire morning holding her close to him, by crushing her into the tightest hug, but he needed to hide the envelope before Preeti could find it while making his office bag.

Preeti looked back at Shubham's love filled eyes. She felt absolute warmth and gentleness in his handhold and his soft smile gave her an unknown satisfaction. Yesternight, when she was combing her hair before going to bed, Shubham came up behind her and looked at her through the mirror of the dressing table. When she parted her hair into three parts to make a braid, she realized that he was actually staring at her for long, because he had stopped her from making them.

"Phir baal ulajh jate hai Shubhamji..." she had sweetly complained.

"Ulajhne do..." he had replied in a daze.

"Kya?"

"Mmm... mera matlab... rehne do na aisehi... achchhe lag rahe hai..."

She was so pleased to hear that compliment from her husband. Since her college was over, Bela had made a compulsion for her to always tie her hair, saying she wouldn't be selected by the families of the prospective grooms they were looking for her. Preeti, though, just wanted to fly away to Mumbai and that's why she had agreed to all the terms and conditions put by Bela for her. Little did she know that after getting married to Shubham, she would have to keep her hair braided, wear a saree and draw the pallu over her head all the time, and forget about the freedom she had dreamt of... forget about the skirts, the bushirts and the pants with suspenders she used to wear in college.

But she had accepted everyone in Shubham's family with all her heart. And not just the family members but all the culture, traditions and their way of living too.

Though yesterday, the gesture from Shubham asking her to keep her hair open had touched her. It wasn't that Shubham hadn't seen her long and open hair. But the way he had said it, she knew that he meant much more than those few words. Something he wanted her to perceive by herself.

"Shubhamjiiㅡ"

"Preetiii.... Ruko..." Shubham cut her off from speaking further, his eyes containing a sparkle and slight hurry in his body language. He got up from his place and tiptoed out of his bedroom; peeping out from the door to see if anyone was awake and then disappeared.

Preeti wondered what was in his mind now. First the cupboard and now what's outside of their bedroom? This man was still a surprise for her even all this while.