"H- how come? Abhir was asleep. He slept before me then who—who did this?"
And here we go again. Vaanya's brain just functions unlikely a human's. She thinks, but always ponders of the ineffable.
"Goooood, help me!" Her prolonged sound of fret caused her to rub the reddish area around her neck, but it stung her.
"Ouch!" A painful bellow. "Darn it." Exhaling in worry, Vaanya looked around the fancy bathroom to search for any object that could cover or completely erase that mark off her skin. But there was none.
"Wait—" something struck her. Vaanya looks in the mirror. Her eyebrows stiff and elevated in suspicion and surprise. "How can I forget this?" A loud tap on the counter of the basin with her hand, she angrily spat at her reflection in the mirror.
"You dumb Birla," Vaanya scowled at herself. "That bhoola bhatka Agnihotri," her eyes swiveled to 180° on her right which goes outside the bathroom towards his bed in the room.
"He nibbled so much on my nape last night that it caused me a hickey. Arghhhh!" A regretful, exasperated growl came hurtling out her mouth.
"Mom and dad must be coming soon to meet him, how do I freaking hide this now?"
Soon her fury was replaced by worry.
"What will they think of me? That their son is here, injured. Took three bullets for me, and this is what I'm making him do at nights? No ways—"
Timidly, she glares at her reflection in the mirror. "Vaanya, do something," and she leaves the bathroom to find something useful in the ICU where she saw her husband shuffling in the duvets.
But as Abhir shifted twice, his body felt lighter. Where's the weight gone from his arm whom he was cuddling?
Leisurely, Abhir opens his eyes, and got scared.
"What the—" the man screamed in horror.
Vaanya was right above his face, glaring at him with her chest roughly moving up and down.
"W- w- w- what did I do now? I was just sleeping—" he cried, covering his face with both his hands in front.
"What did you do? You did this—" Vaanya aggressively threw her hair on the other shoulder, showing him her naked nape and his marks on her skin.
Seeing her reddish marks, Abhir recalled last night when he almost lost control of himself, and kept on kissing and nibbling on her nape. Now seeing those marks also gave him a sense of pride, uplifting a smile on his face.
"Whoa- I'm talent—"
"Dare you complete it and I'll stab you right here—" the wife took a surgical knife from the tray on Abhir's left, and her right as she threatened the lad.
"Sorry-" and his smile dropped. Finger on his lips as he blankly stared at her. "N- now what?" He speaks behind his index finger on his lips.
"You tell me now what. Because your parents are gonna be here anytime soon, and if they see this—what will they think of me? That I've no control over myself even when you're in this situation or what?" She shrieked the italics.
Abhir fearfully tilted an inch away from her on his bed.
"Y- you can just- just cover it with your- hair- no?" He suggested with a nervous smile.
"Okay, fine. I'll do that. Now assume. What if I'm doing some work. Picking up anything or just doing anything, and my hair vacates even a centimeter off this area and it catches attention of any of the parent. Then what?" She stated.
"I think you're now- just overthi-" but before he could complete, taking the hint from her evil look, he corrected himself. "No no- I mean I'm overthinking— hehe," he pressed his lips in a thin line to keep his mouth shut.
"Good morning bacchas. How is my goglu today?" An excited interference joined the couple in the ward.
And Vaanya noticed two things.
First, mother-in-law today had a basket in her hand. Probably food for her. And second, she called someone goglu.
Abhir's eyes were to jump off their sockets at the nickname his mom used. He was suddenly taken back to the memory of his childhood, just five to six years ago when Mrs. Chetna used to called him that.
He glances over to Vaanya, and no, she heard her. She heard that name. How? Because she had a suppressed smile which she tried covering with her fingers.
Abhir cried to himself. "No mumma- not that name at least," he mumbled to himself as Mrs. Chetna came to hug him.
"How are you gog—"
"Maa," Abhir motioned her with his eyes towards Vaanya behind him. "Please not in front of her, please please," he requested with a pleading face.
"Kya keh raha hai mera goglu?" And here she goes. Pinching her son's cheeks, she repeated the name, making Vaanya and father-in-law laugh together.
"Or tu mujhe kya mana kar raha hai? Biwi hai vo teri. Vaise to sara time kehta firta hai har insaan se, 'biwi hai meri, biwi hai meri, door rehna usse varna jaan le lunga' ab kya hua? Ek nickname se itna darr gaya tu? Darpok Agnihotri kahi ka," Mrs. Chetna used the phrase in Vaanya's style that impressed her.
Mother-in-law extended her hand for a high five with Vaanya, and later of they all bursted out at Abhir's helplessness.
"Ye galat baat hai. Aap sab log jab saath hote ho, to mera hi mazak kyu banta hai humesha? Vaanya ka bhi banao. Aap log to partiality karte ho," Abhir frowned angrily at his parents.
"To tu apni harkate dekh, or uski dekh. Vo kitne ache se sab manage karti hai. Or tu khud ko dekh. Dhang se nahata tak nahi," Mr. Agnihotri mocked, taking a seat on the couch next to the door.
Vaanya only enjoyed the banter of the family. But then she realised, her hickey must be on display, so she promptly covers it with her hair for as long as she could.
"Or Vaanu beta. Dekh. Tere liye mai aaj specially apne haatho se shahi paneer, chawal, raita, or jowar ki roti bana ke laayi hu. Or raat ke liye bhi maine rajama ready karne bol diya hai cook ko. But vo bhi mai tere liye khud banake laungi. To Aaj kuch bahar se order nahi karna, samjhi? Tabiyat kharab ho jayegi teri varna," Mrs. Chetna announces, taking out the lunch box from her food basket.
And Vaanya was left in awe. She couldn't be happier to have such an amazing mother-in-law in this generation. She glanced at Abhir with melted expressions. Abhir chuckled at her response.
"Mom, how come I was so fortunate to have you? I love you so much," Vaanya ran to give her a tight, bear back hug as she felt like crying at her mother-in-law's caring behaviour.
"Arey. Ab agar tu bhi bimaar pad gayi, to bhyi mai to tum do bimaar miya biwi ka khyal nahi rakh paungi na, isliye tera khyal karna abhi Abhir se zyada zaroori hai," she joked, but Vaanya hugged her even tighter.
"I love you mom. Thank you thank you thank you thank you so much for being in my life," and Vaanya pressed her lips on her cheek, planting innumerous kisses on her face, making everybody laugh at the cute mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo.
And the happiest spectator of the bond was Abhir. How fortunate he felt for having Vaanya in his life?
A girl who was as rebellious like a stubborn kid. A girl who's ego was bigger than her anything. A girl who would never utter a sorry even if it's her fault. A girl who'd find stupid excuses to blame the other person even after she's been proven wrong. A girl for whom only she, and her priorities mattered, nothing else.
That girl has such a special bond now with his mother. That girl loves him more than anything. That girl is ready to give up anything for him.
And becoming a priority of that girl, Abhir couldn't be happier.
And gradually, the time passed by, and Abhir was allowed to go back home after two weeks in the hospital.
But he was still adviced a good bed rest for at least a month so his wounds could heal faster. But his other concerns were far greater than any wound right now.
The culprits.
Vaanya and Aira's culprits were still out there. So how could he sit back?
Grabbing a chance when Vaanya was out of his sight, gone to take a shower before they go to bed, Abhir took out his phone, and dialled Revanth's number.
"Sir, how are you?" Revanth greeted.
"I'm good now, don't worry. Also, did she talk to you about Vivaan and Harsh recently?" Abhir questioned.
"Yes, sir. Just today in the morning when you were asleep I guess." He told.
"What did she say?"
"More like she asked for their whereabouts. But we haven't found any clue yet. Maybe Harsh brought someone that night with him, as they were seen being picked up by a white car after he shot you, and they ran away. But sir, you don't worry. Just give me a week, and I'll bring them to you. DGP sir is helping me as a family friend of yours, apart from the official case, so I'm sure we'll be able to catch them both sooner or later within this week."
Revanth informed.
"Great. Don't let Vaanya know if you catch them. Just keep her bluffed that you're still searching for them," Abhir ordered.
"Okay, sir." Revanth nodded, pouring himself a glass of water while talking to Abhir.
But there Abhir could sense the shower being turned off. "Okay, Revanth, Vaanya is coming, so I'll go now. But I'm sharing a number with you. He's a friend of mine, and has many underworld contacts, so take his help in finding them."
And with that, he promptly hung up as soon as Vaanya steps out of the bathroom in her cream bathrobe, while drying her hair with a soft hair towel.
She passes a smile to him on the bed.
"Were you talking to someone?" She questions, keeping aside the wet towel on the dressing chair.
"Nah, just humming a tune," he smiled.
"Sorry for the lies again, but can't help it,"
"By the way, I've a meeting tomorrow so I'll have to go to office for that. For you, I've to—"
"I'll come with you. I won't stay here alone. It makes me feel suffocated and anxious if you're not around," Abhir interrupted with a stubborn tone.
Vaanya couldn't help but agree to him as she could understand. She had been in this position earlier. After her accident in Norway, she felt the same when he used to not let her even move around.
"Okay," Vaanya smiled.
She slowly walked to sit beside him, on the edge of the bed, holding his hand in hers.
"Are you okay?" She asks. Her voice a little sad, and her eyes almost feeling numb. She gazed at their hands on his stomach with a weak smile.
"Why? Are you not?" Abhir softly places his thumb in her chin, and index finger beneath it to lift her face up.
"No, I mean- argh- I don't know, I'm just concerned about you," she unleashes lowly. Her weak smile faded away completely, only allowing gloom on her face.
"Come here," Abhir noticing the change in her expressions, shifted in the middle of the bed, asking her to hop on beside him.
He circled his arm around her shoulder, placing her head on his chest, slowly patting her arm with his circled hand. And with the other, he entwined their fingers placing their hands on his stomach.
Abhir gently placed a kiss on her forehead, shuffling her closer to his body.
Their ambiance was silent. Not that it was awkward, but just Abhir wished to fill it with some words and lighten it up if he could, so he pondered for some questions until he got one.
But who knew, his question was actually one of his desires that he was recently stuck upon. Hesitating a bit initially, he chose to grab the chance, and questioned her causally about it to know her liking about the same.
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