mhrw
After 27 months
“do you think he doesn’t know about us?” Farhad scratched his chin and asked the woman sitting beside him trying to get accustomed to the curls done beautifully on her back.
“No, I just thought he would not like a relationship between you and I… so you believe he knows about us and doesn’t say anything purposely!” Fiza turned her complete attention towards him, finally satisfied with the way her hair looked at the event.
“Sorry, I am just not comfortable with these, don’t know why the team wanted everyone to present themselves in a certain way.” muttering something inaudible Fiza shifted again in her seat.
“Fiza…you look good and if your team thought it was going to do something for them then it might be…and actually I love the hairs.” Farhad smiled and his fingers tapped hers playfully. “about the earlier question, I believe he knows and respects my decision.”
“I am happy you could make it here tonight, it is the most important day of my life so far…” she whispered leaning towards his shoulders. “also, For the first time, your Suit-Boot makes some sense to our world, Farhad Miyan.” Fiza joked in the end, she might have changed a lot but it was still so hard to accept being weak at times or show her emotions.
“there would be more Fiza Bibi…Insha’Allah… and Thank God there was not a dress code for people accompanying the designers otherwise it had been a really BIG day for me…”Farhad winked at her to emphasize the sarcasm.
“Woah Woah… It’s a shame Farhad, the boyfriend of a designer and afraid about dress codes… you seriously need a wardrobe change.” Fiza was always so clear about his wardrobe choices and at times she expressed her disappointment; she understood his job but she seriously needed him to understand that people didn’t go to water parks in black suits.
“You are still glued to the Water park incident,” the hidden laugh was not so hidden when he nudged her lovingly. ” how many times I need to apologize for that Fiza, and I seriously didn’t know you wanted us to enjoy as well.” He teased her again knowing very well this could lead to a dangerous path, one that could drop him in front of a wild and seething tigress.
“For your information, People visit the water park to enjoy unless they have two kids who would enjoy and they would rather talk about their future keeping an eye on those two kids.” Fiza’s reply was expected and Farhad seriously needed something to change the topic.
“Okay what can I do so you forgive me for that…” he whispered aware of the lit-up ramp that was the hint that the show was about to begin.
“Not so soon, Mr., I might think about forgiving you for that at some point in our life but for now I still sulk sometimes how you had crashed my plans of having a water ride with you…”Fiza declared and shifted close to him the moment the ramp turned dark before the arrival of the firsts of the models.
“look up, I think it’s the time for your models, the Led over there is flashing your brand name.” Farhad smiled at her and together they looked up when the first model made her way to the ramp.
“I hope you are somewhere close Abba.” with a silent prayer she searched for his fingers and felt home when he unknowingly captured hers in a warm hold.
“i feel goosebumps … so proud of you my love.” he expressed himself without hiding the fact that he was enthralled to see her work.
“Thank you for being there…” she was not wrong, his always smiling face bought her the assurance of life even when the situation said otherwise in the last few months and some of the toughest days she had endured lately. “No concession about the water park though.”
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It was beyond her understanding why he had to take her with him to every country he had a meeting in every couple of months, at times she was angry when his plans turned wild and needed her to reschedule everything but when did the Raghav Rao hear anyone else other than his very own ideas.
the strong wind that had a dry texture whenever they touched her skin was not something she was enjoying till the majesty was done with his meeting, Moreover, Farhad was not there as was the case in a lot of meetings in the last few months, she didn’t know what was going in her husband’s mind but one thing she had noticed was Farhad was mostly kept in Hyderbad for reasons unknown to her.
She loved the historical touches to the city; they were beautifully preserved through the blows of time and history, she had captured so many pictures during their long drive last evening when the landscapes involved forts rising in front of the mountains, ancient-looking lighthouses to museums, and a beautiful colorful sky as the sun faded to the sea.
She loved wearing her long chicken kurtas here that were brought back a long time ago and finally came on board for this trip from the closet. She wished they were alone but knowing her husband’s safety concerns she had made peace with the three guards.
Trying to relive the evening through the photographs on her phone she tried to cope with the sunny day and his absence for the last six hours.
“i think I am missing two people here…Mrs. Rao is Saree and a beautiful smiling woman ” she jumped up with his voice and her phone fell down on the table she was taking support of.
“Finally, the busy manush majhyasaṭhi thoḍa veḷa miḷato,” she clicked her tongue grabbing her phone and standing from the chair. (“finally the busy man gets some time for me”).
“Arey, I told you I might get busy Saree ka Dukan, don’t come with me… But you were insisting to come.” Raghav started unbuttoning his cuffs after throwing the suit jacket on the chair and not looking at her face or specifically hiding from her eyes.
“Hahaha… I wish there was some law in the Marriage Rule book to scoff off the smile from husbands’ faces when they had made their wives wait.” she walked towards him and locked her hands in front of him.
The smile on his face grew long but it was still not wise to turn and handle her for the next few seconds, the anger was still boiling and he might end up souring her mood so he chose the “DON’T LOOK INTO HER EYES & THINK SOMETHING” trick.
“do you know what a big deal we have cracked today, we might be the only one in the Indian market to work with the leading brand of Oman…” He tried to sound excited as he worked on the buttons of his shirt.
“Oh congratulations Mr. Rao.” her words were sharp and she had addressed him formally that meant she was damn angry and irritated about something.
“I am thinking to shift here for a couple of months to understand the jewelry women likes to buy here… what do you think?” this question was the ultimate blow to either get her attention or boil her even more.
“of course, I was thinking to have some time alone, it would be so fun to have the room myself for a couple of months … Thank God it is happening… Finally.” he shut his eyes on the words and turned when she walked away.
“what happened? And what are you doing?” he eyed when she opened the suitcase and next walked to the washroom and returned with her set of toiletries.
“Nothing Mr. Rao, I just thought I should start early so I don’t miss even a minute of my Me-time starting soon,” she spoke over her shoulders and walked to the washroom again.
“Okay okay, Sorry Saree ka Dukan, I know I said it would get over by 1 but you know how this works…” he stopped her by her arms and walked behind her. “sometimes the other party wants so many demonstrations and some on spot presentations as well.”
“Raghav, leave me … I am not angry,” she replied in a serious voice.
“Are you angry?” his tone and the way he took a quick look at her face clearly indicated he mocked her, forgetting the fact that he was trying to cheer her up.
“Raghav Leave…” she looked back with anger evident in her big talking eyes.
“No, tell me what happened other than you waited for me the whole day…” he hugged her and touched her exposed neck knowing it would tickle her skin, and if he had a chance she would not be able to resist the feeling.
“Don’t…” Pallavi separated herself from his embrace the moment his chin connected with her skin, she was aware of his tricks.
“Okay, I am done, what happened?” sitting on the bed he put his palms down in the sides putting some force on the bed partly to crack the tired bones and partly as his way to intimidate someone in front of him, he has only this much patience and after a long day, it was best if he heard her peacefully than to try anything that might infuriate her and his plans for the day destroyed even more than it already had.
“do you know how many times I had to leave my classes so I could accompany you to your trips in last months, even now I am here when I would have been planning to start working on my ideas for the shop…
“only international…” he cut her mid-way as a matter of fact and this confused her for a second with the way her eyes narrowed and then it occurred to her that he took her with him only when it was a foreign trip.
“yeah, whatever but because of you, I had to reschedule everything and then what did I get in return …A lot of ME-TIME in a strange city and that too in a hotel room!” she spoke fast making her point clear that she didn’t like the idea of being alone.
“But we did enjoy the trips, didn’t you enjoy last evening?” he challenged her.
“We did but why do you have to take me on such international trips when you are not there most of the time…
“i told you to visit a few places…
“i don’t like walking alone when I came here with you
“oh so that’s the issue but that can’t be solved since … he stopped with a dramatic pause and she encouraged him with her eyes to continue.
“since…” he discarded the sky-grey shirt and walked towards her with the gait she was familiar with, the gait of a predator as she called it.
“since…” she whispered when he came in front of her.
In response, he turned her and pulled her to him, next his hands moved to her arms and gradually they touched her palms. The aftershave was tempting and along with his distinct manly scent, she felt her nostrils sending her brain the signals to give in.
“since there is a woman…” he whispered and the perfect mixture of some kind of suspense along with his actions did the moment for him to trick her.
“who waits for me at the airport and whenever I was alone in past she used to haunt me…” he completed in an innocent voice and Pallavi’s eyes opened on the mischievous words.
She hit his hands trying to make indistinguishable patterns on her arms as they liked to do at times.
“i am calling Farhad to book me the next available tickets… I might be able to make it to the” she spoke trying to get away from him.
“one minute Saree ka Dukan… okay listen to the truth.
“No…I know this time I would hear about the first wife who wants to strangle you the moment she spots you alone…” she taunted trying to remove his hands which were now holding her tightly.
“don’t tell me this was going inside this head all the time you were alone, now you scare me Pallavi…” he faked a tone trying to sound terrified. “even I love your wild side but you were having such imaginations ..haaw”
“there is a lot I imagine to do with you,” she whispered furiously which earned her a kiss on her cheek.
“you are irritated about something but you do know the kind of work and the pressures… and I don’t know but I feel this is the time we can enjoy ourselves the most that is why I want you to come with me,” he told her and the honesty was not hidden.
“is it the only reason…” she felt her anger melting away.
” vaise Airport vala baat sach hai…” he teased her again and in reply, she rolled her eyes knowing his words very well.
“do you want anything because I am ordering coffee for me?” she asked him pressing the button on the dialer.
“No, give me half an hour, I’ll close my eyes for a while, and then let’s explore the city…just like you want,” he said taking out his towel from the cupboard to get freshen up.
“Ummm… okay.” she thought to cancel the plan sensing he was tired but she knew he would not agree so she agreed to him.
“by the way what do you think would it be the month?” he asked just before entering the washroom.
“arent you a lot serious about it…” she didn’t meet his eyes and took a deep breath.
“I mean I just felt your moods are swinging a lot…” he said seriously and she looked up surprised, an embarrassed smile made way on her face and she leaned to grab the cushion and threw it in his side.
“i know this is the month…” the confidence behind his voice and the laugh that followed made her walk to the mirror to look at her still slim belly.
She still had a week for her periods to start and moreover, it was just the second month of them trying for a baby.
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Hey everyone, i am here after so long, hope you still love MHRW?
Some stories are like your safe haven, you don’t want them to end ever for your greed of a world away from the real world.
This story is one such tale for me at this point so I just thought to write this one, something positive and away from the chaos of the real world.
I hope you liked it,
Stay safe guys.
Love Morusya.