Untrodden path: Adiya story

My home, my heart

                                         "Jamuna kinare morey gaon

                                           saaware aayi jaiyo saaware..."

He opened his eyes to the low humming that reached his ears. It was a fresh morning and he followed the sound through the corridor till he reached the source of the sound. The  monsoon morning with rain drizzling and the smell of green grass looked more fresh with her feeding the birds while humming her favourite 'thumri'. 

"Why did you stop? Please continue na."

He encircled his arms around her bare waist, nuzzling his nose in her neck as she closed her eyes blushing at the effect that he had on her.

Zoya had woken up early, quietly got out of the bed and turned on the shower, when the hot steam covered the mirror she closed her eyes as memories of the previous day flashed before her.

'When will you tell Aditya? Look Zoya, it's not fair for him or at least talk to your ammi.' 

Doctor Inayat's voice echoed in her mind as she draped herself in a pink cotton saree with blue cotton blouse, her Aditya loves her in a saree she thought fondly as she placed a bindi  in between her brows she stared at her husband's sleeping form flat on his stomach. A little blush crept on her face thinking about last night, he seemed exhausted with all the love they offered to each other last night. As the rain drizzled with dark clouds she fed the birds that visited their terrace every morning. Zoya closed her eyes inhaling the morning air for she could not find solace in anything except for this morning sight. The low cadence of thumri that she hummed with her father as a little girl provided her some solace. At that moment she felt his arms wrapped around her. 

"Hey, you okay?" He tried to make eye contacts pulling her into his arms.

She snuggled her face on his chest inhaling his familiar masculine scent, both her hands ball into a fist placed firmly on his chest. 

'Is that the way you wish a happy anniversary?' 

She could feel him smiling on her forehead at her question, his lips firmly placed on her forehead.

"Happy first anniversary baby, hope to celebrate eternity with you."

His husky voice made her tremble, as his expert  hands explored her shoulders. 

'Aditya humein aapse kuch kahena hain',

she mustered the courage to tell him this time.

"Bol" he replied while showering feather like kisses on her cheeks.

She took a deep breath slightly annoyed at his power to distract her so much and the casual way in which he was addressing her which was rare meant he was in no mood for seriousness.

"I have a surprise for you reserved for the evening but I doubt it can match up to your gift to me."

Aditya was in no mood to stop, their bodies hit the bed as he continued relishing her body with his mouth. Zoya had already lost the battle the moment Aditya intertwined their fingers holding her hands in a firm grip as his lips started attacking her neck. Their moment was disrupted when her phone started buzzing, wishes started pouring in for their wedding anniversary.

Zoya's parents along with Aditya's father and Arjun and Noor joined them for lunch. When Roshnaq hugged her first born she could sense that something was bothering her daughter what was it she could not ask during such happy times. 

"You guys need to do some twinning in the evening I have already talked with your designer for tonight's event."

Noor was busy instructing her appi and jiju while Arjun rolled his eyes at the fuss created by his girlfriend.

'I can only imagine what will she do for our engagement.' 

Arjun whispered to Zoya, as usual Noor and Aditya were offended by their cryptic language.

"You two boring people will you stop bothering my sister in law, go and discuss that magical boy."

Aditya came to Noor's rescue while passing food on the table. The sun was out after such days of continuous rainfall and eating in the lawn was a much needed welcome. 

'Firstly it's Harry Potter and secondly miss Noor Siddiqui your jiju aka my brother rarely wears anything other than tailored suits so what will be different tonight? Only my bhabi will look like a dream,'

Arjun kissed Zoya's forehead saying this,

"Nobody looks as hot as my jiju in suits, appi how did you find such a handsome husband. You know jiju my gang of girls has a name for you desi Christian Grey, every pic that I have with you has more likes in Instagram."

Noor was chirping as the youngest member of the family, amidst his father and his In-laws chatting, Arjun teasing Noor and their love blossoming he saw his wife softly looking at him. When their eyes locked she smiled reassuringly, quietly he stood from there waited for her with his back on the pink trumpet that she adored and the moment she passed the way he held her wrist pulling her towards him. She gasped in surprise,

"You have hardly spoken anything since morning, did I do something wrong?"

His question melted her, for the world he was the well established, sharp and somewhat broody corporate shark but for Zoya her husband turned into that lost boy in search of home and love. She was his 'home' and he was her heart, Zoya had been carrying this burden inside her for sometime but she knew this truth could shatter their home and torn apart their hearts.

As she placed her hands on his shoulders the last remnants of the pink trumpet petals fell from the tree knocked by the harsh monsoon wind that also brought dark clouds. Zoya could see her Aditya blurring in front of her eyes,

"Ammi," Roshnaq did not have to turn around when Aditya called her to know that something was disturbing her daughter and son-in-law's paradise. She felt her world crumbling to see Zoya's unconscious body in Aditya's arms...

Note: (As the old saying goes life is not always a bed of roses, challenges are part of the harsh reality called life).

 (Thumri is an semi classical genre of Indian music.)

Feedbacks please.

(To be continued.)