Why's she so far

Mayukh POV:

She had gone to sleep with her back towards me. The moonlight gave me a clear view of her back, something I don't need right now. Her salwar was also designed in a way that I could see her back above her chest. I could see her addictive mole and her braided hair which partially covered it.

She looked like an angel today. Truly beautiful. She took my breath away when she came and I don't think it's back yet. I couldn't stop staring at her. She was a simple yet an elegant bride. I purposely wanted us to wear the same mangalsutras we had because that was an indication of our marriage; it proved we were already married. I knew she was scared seeing the fire and the wedding venue, I saw her hands shake. I held them to make her feel at ease.

Why's she so scared of me? What did I do? Why did she think I'd want to get physical instantly? Why do her eyes scream fear when I want them to scream love?

I was deep in my thoughts when she suddenly moved, so I closed my eyes pretended to sleep so she doesn't get more scared.

Within a minute, I felt her eyes on me, but I also felt her removing my hair strand from my face and covering me with a blanket. I felt my heartbeat increase. She was beautiful inside out.

I kept my eyes closed for a minute before opening them, only to see her deep asleep looking at me. Her lips, her eyes, her skin.... She is so addictive.

~~~

I got up the next morning and found Nikita missing. She probably got up. I went to the washroom, did my business, showered, and got dressed in a kurta and came downstairs.

I saw Nikita cooking, with Bruno in the kitchen as he played around her. What was she doing? I walked closer to her and leaned against the door. Wow she's hot.

Her red saree, her pallu being tucked in her waist, revealing her waist, her wet hair loosely braided. She is beauty personified.

"Ahem ahem." Omisha chuckled as she stood near me. I looked away in embarrassment.

"Chill Dada. You are allowed to look at Boudi." She teased.

I rolled my eyes playfully, "what's she cooking? Don't we have people for that?"

"Yes, but it's her pehli rasoi ritual, a newly bride cooks something sweet."

"She had cooked something when she entered the house two years back too, you know!"

"She has already done this ritual."

"She's been the bride of this house for 2 years now."

"Oh ho! I'd say go help her but I can't, and she's done now, so sit down, we're coming!" She said and went to Nikita.

I sat in the dining room with everyone while she came and served us all the dish. Indrani! Damn!

"Nikita? You know how to make this?" Mom asked.

"I learned it..." she said, looking down.

"When?"

"Umm.... Last...last night. Sorry."

Why's she embarrassed man? I have to help her.

"Wow.... For someone who learned this 12 hours ago.... This is too good! Too too good!" Dad said.

"I agree. It's made beautifully." Mom smiled.

"Nikdu makes the best food. I already told you guys!" Bhai added and Bhabhi smiled.

I tasted it. It was heavenly. I looked at her and smiled, "it's really good."

"Wow! You really have done something beta!" Mom said, holding her hand, "For someone like Mayukh, who hates sweet dishes, to compliment you, congratulations!"

She smiled. Her heavenly smile.

Then she sat down and we all had lunch.

"Arre, don't forget, we need to go to Nikita's house for the pag phera, okay? Everyone be ready at 6pm!" Mom said and everyone nodded.

"Chalo! Excellent lunch! I'll get back to office work now." Dad said.

"Me too." Bhai added.

"I'll also rest with Reyansh for a bit." Bhabhi said and Mom agreed, "I'll have to feed Reyansh too." Saying so, she left the room.

"I'll also join you in a bit Dad." I said.

"No. Absolutely not. You're going to stay with your wife today!" Mom said and Nikita looked at her in partial shock.

"Mom, I'm sure even she has work."

"She has submitted her thesis and is free now, you need to be free too. Go to your room and talk to each other."

Nikita got up taking our plates inside and went to arrange them in the dishwasher.

"Mom... She seems scared of me, what do I do?" I sighed, drinking water.

"She'll be fine, give her sometime. If it's the wedding jitters it'll go in a bit. If it's something else then get to the bottom of it, else it won't go." Mom said and got up. I nodded.

A while later, when I was in the room working, she walked in.

"I... I wanted to talk to you..." she said, standing at the door.

"Tell." I said, getting up and coming to the door and closing it.

"I... I just like...." I came closer as she stuttered until she was backed against the wall.

"You what?" I said, gazing at her.

"I... wanted to know like.... Can I work?" She said, looking down.

Is she insane?! Why can't she work?!

"Why is this even a question?! Of course you can."

"Where...?"

"Hmmm. Good question." She's right. She's tied with the UK, I'm in Dubai, "You can join any IBM? Or just UK?"

"I... I don't need to interview... in UK, anywhere else I'll... I'll have to"

"Hmm. Okay, give me a day, I'll get it sorted."

She nodded.

I looked at her caged between my arms. She is beautiful. Her red saree, her elegant, wet hair tied in a braid. I came closer and watched her face get alert. I snaked my arms around her waist.

"You look beautiful." I said.

"T...Thank you." She whispered.

"NIKITA!" Mom's voice startled us and I let go and she used that chance to run away. I followed down.

"Ji Aunty." She said, coming down.

"Okay first of all, stop calling me Aunty. It's Mom or Maa and secondly, be ready in an hour, we'll head to your house." Mom said.

"Ji." She said and made her way back upstairs.

I was about to go up too but Mom stopped me, "Sit here." She said, pointing to a seat next to me.

"What happened?" I asked.

"What's the scene with you two?"

"Meaning?"

"Are you guys cozy? Is she fine?"

"No. Still scared. I'm meeting Armaan tonight. We're going to find out what's triggering her."

"Please do. I'm trying to make her comfortable but she's just hesitant. It's like she has a guard."

"I know. I think I know who's behind this, but I don't have proof."

"Riya?"

"Yep."

"That girl!" Mom said, angrily, "why did you even invite her to the wedding?"

"So she can see what she's losing."

"Anyway. Go get ready. Wear something good. We need to go to her place, and finish some rituals."

I nodded and went upstairs to find her dressed in a beautiful green saree, ready to go. She looked at me and quickly went downstairs.

~~~

A while later, we were sitting in the same house I had adorned her with a mangalsutra for the first time. We were sitting together. I sat next to her parents and Rahul while she was helping Mami serve tea. I looked around.

Circle of life. I didn't think I'd be back here.

"So..." I whispered to Rahul, "What's up?"

"Nothing much. I'm bored."

I chuckled, "Same."

"I'm very surprised."

"Why?"

"You used to train me in school and now you're my brother-in-law."

"Oh. Yeah!" I gave a small smile, "I've always wanted a younger brother and always saw you as one." I put an arm around him and he smiled.

"In that case, get up!"

"What?"

"Yeah, get up Dada!" Rahul said and got up. Him calling me Dada made me so happy so I instantly got up and followed him.

"Aai we'll be back." Rahul said to my mother-in-law.

She nodded and we made our way to the backyard. Rahul took his bat and tossed the ball to me, "One small game?"

I chuckled and nodded, and soon we were lost in a game.

After an hour, we were called inside.

"Oh you guys are sweating. Do you want to shower?" Yamini Aunty asked.

"I don't mind honestly."

"Rahul, please show him to the washroom, and you shower too."

I followed him into one of the rooms and he closed the door, leaving me alone. I went to the washroom and took a nice cold shower and got dressed again and came downstairs. I saw Nikita sitting and chatting with everyone. Rahul joined soon and we sat down to complete a Marathi ritual.

Then, we had an early dinner and we were sitting when Mom said let's leave. "Alright. This was wonderful. We'll take a leave now."

"Of course." Yamini Aunty added.

Everyone got up. I saw Nikita stand by the kitchen door and come forward and take blessings of Mom and Dad, Dada and Bhabhi. Everyone blessed her and Bhabhi hugged her. Then, she looked at me and gave a small smile. I was utterly confused.

"Umm bhabhi.... What's going on?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, fixing Reyansh on her shoulder.

"Why is Nikita not standing with me?"

"That's a you issue isn't it!" She teased.

"Bhabhi!!"

"Arre, don't tell me you're actually lost?" I stood there looking at her confused. "Oh God, it's her pag phera na!" Bhabhi said.

"Yes, so?"

"So she's staying at her family's place today. She'll be back tommorow."

"Oh."

"How did you not know this?"

"I don't know."

She chuckled, "The bride stays at her house for tonight and you can come tommorow to pick her up."

"So what do I do tonight?"

"Nothing. We go home now, you miss her for a while, then pick her up tommorow!" She teased.

I just smiled.

Everyone was heading towards the car while Nikita stayed at her doorstep. I quickly excused myself and walked over to her. She got alert seeing me. I held her hand, "I'll pick you up tommorow."

She nodded.

"Look at me." I said, holding her chin gently and making her look at me, "I'll miss you."

I saw her cheeks become red as she quickly inverted her eyes.

"Hey." I said, and she looked up again, "I gotta go now. See you soon wife."

I took her palm and kissed the back of it while staring into her eyes. She blushed.

"Let's go lover boy!" Ruyash Bhai said.

I turned around and smiled, looked back at Nikita and then went ahead to Bhai.

~~~

"Mom, I'm going out with Armaan." I announced as I gathered my wallet and keys and headed out.

"Okay. Don't be too late."

"Okay Ji!" I hugged her and headed out.

I checked myself in the mirror. I looked good. My black cargos, grey sweatshirt with messy hair. My hand adorned the wedding ring Nikita gave me yesterday. I smiled.

"Armaan. Hey! I'm leaving now." I said on call.

"Okay done! I'm reaching the restaurant."

I cut the call and headed off to the restaurant. I was missing Nikita. Like a lot.

"Hey." I said, once she answered the call.

"Hi." She said, softly. Her voice is a soothing sound.

"Where are you?"

"At home, why?"

"I'm missing you."

No answer. Of course not, she's too shy to answer.

"Anyway, what are you doing?"

"Just had chai. I'll go sleep."

"So quickly?"

"What else can I do?"

"Come out with me."

"What?"

"Come with me. I'm meeting Armaan."

"I can't see you tonight."

"Why not?"

"Because it's... it's rituals."

"These rituals! God! I'm picking you up first thing tomorrow!"

"Co...Come after 2pm..."

"Why?"

"I... Rahul is... leaving for UK."

"So?"

"I need to drop him..."

"Acha. Okay, I'll see."

"Yeah... I'll sleep now. Goodnight."

"Goodnight wife."

I cut the call. I felt nice talking to her.

~~~

"Did we get any information?" I asked as I had a drink.

"Nope. I'm so confused." Armaan added.

"Why?"

"Things don't add up. Riya had given up, but she still came to your wedding and tried to get you."

"She's not given up."

"She will try something."

"Maybe she already has. Nikita seems so scared of me, do you think it's because someone already has fed things into her head?"

"Could be. How do we find out?"

"I don't want to make her uncomfortable. She's already scared."

"Have you decided where you're living?"

"She wants to go to UK. She isn't telling me but I know she does. She's done so well there."

"She really has. She's a star there."

"I think we'll go there. I'll take over the UK team."

"What will happen to the Dubai team?"

"I'll ask Bhai to take over."

"Will he agree?"

"I hope so. I mean, it'll be better for Bhabhi and Bhai too, to stay in a place nearer to India, especially right now. I'll go with Nikita to the UK."

"It's a big decision."

"You're coming with me, bhai." I chuckled.

"I know I know. I'm just saying. Talk to Bhai first."

"Of course. Yes." I nodded while constantly checking my phone.

"She's not going to come today bro, relax!" Armaan teased.

I rolled my eyes.

"Why's she so far?!" I asked, irritated.