Locke and Key

8

Shruti let herself into her and Arjun's Mumbai bedroom and frowned at the sight before her. She quietly kicked off her flats and joined her husband on the window seat.

"Arohi said you stormed out of your interview," she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder. "What happened?"

"I got annoyed," Arjun shrugged, anger radiating out of every pore. "She was asking questions I didn't appreciate."

"About what?" Shruti wanted to know.

"Us," he answered. "I knew that telling Riddhi about us back in November was going to open us up to everyone, but this woman today was rude and invasive. She made terrible assumptions and I didn't like them."

Shruti sighed. "What did she ask?"

"She said that there must've been a better reason for keeping our marriage a secret than you just didn't like the attention," he explained, taking her hand in his. "She assumed I kept you a secret so I could cheat on you in every city without looking like an asshole for doing that to my wife. She said you were married to me for money and didn't care that I was probably cheating all the time."

"Bappa," she scoffed. "If that were true, why would you tell me about me now? Also, you're never seen with other women, so that makes her theory just sound stupid. Who was she with?"

"Some regional magazine," he muttered. "It was just ridiculous. It's been a long day, Vishal and Akshara are visiting, and then I had to listen to her call me a cheater and you an idiot. I snapped."

Shruti knew this was a part of fame he hated. Arjun was impulsive. He had a temper to match just about anyone's and he had a hard time containing it. When someone angered him, he struggled to keep it from showing, and in the very rare instances where he failed in doing so, he knew he looked like an asshole. But this time, it was warranted.

"I'd like her name and the publication," Shruti finally spoke. "I'll get with Neil and we'll take care of it. People shouldn't talk to you like that. And a good journalist never would. It'll be sorted out."

Arjun sighed and leaned back against the wall, pulling her with him. "What would I do without you?"

"Oh, be miserable, I guess," she joked. "I love you, Arjun, so that's why I do it. It's part of the territory of being your wife."

"Well, I'm lucky to have you," he said.

"We should probably go to bed," she declared moments later. "We have a trip to take tomorrow."

"Mm, yes, we do," he smiled. "Are you packed?"

"As much as I can be without knowing where we're going," she grumbled. "I'm also leaving wedding plans to your sister and Arohi for ten whole days, so it had better be worth it. We should've just held off and gone on a longer honeymoon."

"Can't," he denied. "The wedding is May 3, and I go back into the studio on May 15 for my fourth album. We're looking at an October release."

Once they'd showered together, as most often, and were settled in bed, Shruti rested her head on his bare chest while he drew random shapes on her back. It was their favorite way to unwind after grueling days, and she could tell he needed it.

"When do you want to start trying to have a baby?" he asked after a long period of silence, knowing she was still awake. "We always said we'd have one before our fifth anniversary, and it's here in two months."

"Hmm," she murmured, "I don't know. I guess I'd wanted to last year, but then the world tour started and that pushed things back. Maybe Shivam was right, though I'll never admit that to him. Maybe we should start trying now? I'm ready. Are you?"