Bound by Blood: A Tale of Mafia and Medicine

22.

Soyra woke up to faded noises of her husband speaking with someone over a call. She rubbed open her eyes to find herself in the midst of pillows surrounding her from every corner, and her husband strolling on the balcony. She shifted the pillows to one side making way for her to step down the bed, and approached Aditya. 

Aditya, who was busy on the call, heard the sound of her anklets and turned around to see his wife approaching him lazily. He smiled at her and she blinked her eyes, returning the smile and stood beside him, watching the morning sky. 

"Good morning" Soyra wished him as soon as he ended his call. 

"Good Morning Mrs. Malhotra" He wished her back and stared lovingly at her morning face. 

"Kya time hua hai?" She mumbled rubbing her eye. 

"9:30"

"What??? Kuch bhi" She straightened herself and widened her eyes at him.

"Khud he dekh lo ji" He showed her the phone screen and she gasped looking at it. 

"Oh god, mujhe hospital jane me-"

Halfway she realised that she wasn't following her daily routine and wasn't allowed to leave the house either. She went silent and pressed her lips, lowering her gaze to his shoulder. 

"Doctor sahiba, aap tension naa lo. Aapke patients ko maine handover kar diya hai doosre doctors ke paas, aur maine receptionist se keh diya hai ki she won't be there for few days." He asserted and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. 

"Ohh" 

She felt uneasy at his statement because she loved her work and never handed over her patients to anyone else. But she had to, as there was no other choice either. She did not want to leave the house, as she was scared of having an encounter like she had last time at Radhika's house. 

Aditya noticed that she was engaged deeply in thoughts, so he moved closer to her and held up her chin, to make her look at him. 

"I know tumhe pooche bina maine ye decision liya par-"

"No No, it's okay, acha kiya. I needed some time out of all these, Kuch din gharpe rehna wouldn't bother me" She interrupted and reassured him that it was fine.

"Okay then, if anything bothers you just let me know, okay?" He caressed her hair and she nodded in approval at him.

"I'll go for a bath then, aale mi" (Aati hu)

She said and took a few steps behind, but he held her wrist firmly in a swift motion and turned her around. 

"What?" She asked him confusingly.

"Ye 'Aale mi' ka matlab kya hota hai? I don't know Marathi" He pouted at her, and she chuckled looking at his pout.

"Seekh lo Mr. Malhotra" She raised her right eyebrow at him and smirked.

"Zaroor"

He swiftly pulled her closer, causing her to stumble forward and collide with his chest. He leaned forward, their faces incredibly close, with their noses almost touching. The rapid beating of her heart and her short breaths showed the intensity of their closeness.

As he leaned closer, his voice turned husky and he whispered in her ear-

"Itni sundar biwi ke liye, mai ek kya, Hazar bhasha seekh lunga. Par tumhari aankho ke saamne, ek bhi shabd bol paana mushkil hojata hai ji" 

He gently blew air on her face, brushing away a loose strand of hair. She felt her heart race as his words washed over her, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine. Their eyes locked in a silent conversation, conveying emotions too deep for words. Aditya's gaze lingered on her lips, lost in the intensity of the moment. Until his phone rang, jerking them out of their dreamland.