Broken I

46

HRIDHAN

"Hridhan..." I heard her yelling my name for the fifth time from the bedroom, her voice growing more urgent with each call.

"Varen baby ma," I replied, quickly switching off the gas stove.

I walked to our bedroom, my curiosity piqued. When I entered, I found Arna holding her saree pleats in her hands, her pallu messily draped over her shoulder.

"Enna achu ?" I asked, concerned and confused by her sudden distress.

She handed me the pleats. "Correct aa pannu nga," she said, her voice softer now.

I was taken aback. Arna had never asked for help with her saree before, not in all these months. What had changed so suddenly ? Her behavior puzzled me.

She gently patted my shoulder, her touch light but insistent. I looked up at her, and she gave me a pleading look with those puppy eyes that I couldn't resist.

Shaking my head with a small smile, I got down on my knees and began to correct her pleats. Her small hands rested on my shoulders, steadying herself.

The warmth of her touch sent a comforting sensation through me. It was as if her delicate fingers were communicating something deeper, something unspoken.

As I adjusted her pleats, I felt her eyes on me, her hands pressing lightly against my shoulders. Each touch, each glance, conveyed a tenderness that words couldn't capture.

I tried to fold the pleats as best as I could. I wasn’t experienced, but I wanted to do this for her. The saree was slippery, making the task even harder. Finally, I was done, but it looked messy.

“Wow, thank you, Hridhan,” she said, throwing her arms around me in a warm hug.

“Nala va irukku ?” I asked doubtfully, looking at the uneven pleats.

“Ama, supera irukku,” she said, bobbing her head. She tucked the pleats in, and I noticed her scars peeking out slightly. I couldn’t help but kiss them.

My brave woman.

Those scars didn’t feel like something to be ashamed of. To me, they were a testament to her strength and beauty.

I looked up to see her gazing at me. I gave her a reassuring smile, and she reciprocated with a slight, tender smile.

In that moment, It wasn't just about the saree. It was about trust, about letting me in, about the small, intimate gestures that build a relationship. And as I held her gaze, I knew that this was a turning point, a quiet yet profound moment of connection between us.

Suddenly, something clicked in my mind.

“Ama, night la yen saree potruka ? Unaku comfortable aa irukkathu la ?” I asked, noticing that she wore sarees even at nights. I couldn’t remember the last time I saw her in comfy clothes.

“I am comfortable, Hridhan,” she said, pinching my cheeks as I stood up and then sat on the bed.

I nodded, unsure of what to say. I had seen her uncomfortable in sarees before, yet today, she claimed to be comfortable. Maybe time changes everything. Or perhaps she was trying to tell me something else.

She corrected her saree and opened her damp hair, securing it with a clip. Her fragrance filled the room, wrapping around me like a comforting embrace.

"Hridhan," she called again, pulling me out of my reverie.

"Sollu, baby," I replied.

"Help me, please," she said, handing me a kumkumam box. I looked at her blankly, confused by her request. Before I could react, she went on her knees, her eyes closed.

"Veinga," she instructed softly.

"Enthiri na vekuren," I said, but she shook her head, determined.

Taking a deep breath, I placed a strike of kumkumam below her bindi and blew the excess off her nose.

"Okay, done," I said, feeling a bit unsure.

"Inga yaru vepa ?" she asked, pointing to her forehead.

My lips parted in surprise.

I realized she was becoming more comfortable with me, her actions showing how much she had moved on. Her true nature was beginning to shine through, the inner child in her coming alive.

She got excited seeing books, jumping around the place holding my hands like baby, showing me how much she had missed these simple joys in life but this much of comfort.

More than comfort, it's the intimacy.

"Veinga, Hridhan," she repeated gently.

I filled her partition with kumkumam, my touch light and careful. She was already beautiful, but now she looked ethereal.

"Okay, done," she said, taking the box from me and placing it back on the nearby table.

We were so close, her fragrance enveloping me. She hadn’t pinned her saree at the waist, leaving it loose. It made me happy to see her not hiding, to see her comfortable in her own skin.

As we looked into each other’s eyes, I felt myself getting lost in her gaze. She was blushing, and I couldn’t help but admire her even more.

"Vanga, time aachu, padam pakalam," she said, dragging my arm and trying to hide her blush.

I sat on the sofa while she played the movie and then came back, looking at the sofa and biting her lower lip.

"Enna achu ?" I asked.

"Onnum illa," she said, sitting over me and lying her head on my chest.

My heart raced as I held her close. Why is this girl testing my patience for God's sake ?

The warmth of her body against mine, the soft rise and fall of her breath, it was almost too much to bear. I could feel every beat of my heart pounding in response to her closeness.

She shifted slightly, snuggling closer, and I wrapped my arms around her more tightly, trying to steady myself.

As the movie played in the background, I couldn’t focus on anything but her. She had a way of making everything else fade away, leaving just the two of us in our little world.

I kissed the top of her head, breathing in her scent, and felt a sense of peace wash over me.

We stayed like that, wrapped in each other, the movie forgotten.

All that mattered was her. My wife.

_______________

🙈💜✨

New story Ruined I is published. And Damini Russo as main lead 😩🤌🏻

My brain started Braining to make damini as ml 😭❤️‍🔥

Btw how was the chapter 👀