Monsoon showers

"Why did you let Baaba go with them? If Baaba really wanted to go, I would have accompanied him. You know that I can't stand my father getting humiliated ever again" Milind got incensed at Prachi.

"Milind, why do you still doubt Aalaap? I know my brother. He is not what he was years ago" Prachi tried to speak in defence of her brother.

"You will never stop defending your brother, will you? I never stopped you from going to his house or Sukruti coming here. But I don't want my father to get ill treated by Aalaap, in his so called bungalow. I am surprised you let him go even though you knew how I would feel about it. And moreover you didn't bother to inform me" Milind fumed even more.

"Milind, it's not like that" Prachi tried explaining.

"I don't need any explanations from you. You would have stopped Baaba if you cared for me and not hidden it from me" Milind threw his bag on the sofa and walked into the bathroom slamming the door.

Prachi couldn't stop her eyes filling with tears. Her husband was accusing her of not caring about him. He was the most important person in her life and she wasn't expecting him to accuse her this way.

Milind's father Dayanand Mishra had worked for Prachi's father Inder Shah who was a rich hotelier. Inder and Dayanad had shared more than a boss-employee bond. Inder's son Aalaap had fallen for Dayanand's daughter Sukruti and the wedding had taken place as both sides agreed. A couple of years later, Inder had expressed his long time wish of having his daughter Prachi married to Milind. Aalaap was against this wedding for he thought Milind didn't match their status and didn't want his sister marrying a middle class guy. Aalaap's real issue had more to do with the fear that Inder might let Milind own a share of his business empire knowing how his father admired Milind. Milind too had jumped into hotel business by then and was working hard to achieve his ambitions.

Aalaap's opposition to Milind and Prachi's wedding stood no stance since Prachi herself had willingly agreed to marry Milind on whom she had a crush right from her teenage. Milind too secretly had admired Prachi as a demure beauty. With Milind concentrated in achieving his goals and Prachi being utterly shy, they hadn't taken a step towards each other when it came their unexplained pull for each other. But they both were over the cloud nine when their parents had put forward the topic of getting them married.

Prachi had fallen truly in love with her husband in a few months after their wedding taken over by his charms. Milind too had recognized his wife's loving and kind heart and continued to be mesmerized by her beauty. Soon they had learnt to love and cherish one another, and had been there for each other through sickness and health, and good and bad times.

Aalaap hadn't let go a single opportunity to taunt Milind or to let him down whenever the Mishras and Shahs met. Milind and Aalaap had never got along really well, but the agitation between them reached its peak when Aalaap made fun of Dayanand Mishra's dining table manners calling him a cheap middle class old man. It had lead to Milind punching Aalaap and Inder too was miffed with his son. Sukruti was caught between her brother and her husband, but she had to unwillingly side her husband for she didn't want her one year old son to grow up without a father. In a few months, Aalaap had moved to Delhi with Sukruti and his son Ritwick, where he expanded his father's business.

As expected, Inder had offered Milind half of his company when he planned to retire, but Milind had politely refused not wanting to take his father in law's help to achieve his dream of making it to the top hoteliers. Aalaap's view of Milind had changed certainly after he realized Milind was not after his father's wealth and Sukruti too had a major role in making him understand how her brother was a dignified gentleman. Though Aalaap mellowed down, Milind wasn't the one to let go his audacity of the past easily. Milind often visited Prachi's parents who had stayed back in Mumbai, but refused to go to his sister's house. Aalaap had directly and indirectly apologized to Milind and his father on several occasions but that hadn't broken the ice between Milind and him, though his father in law had forgiven him.

This time, Milind had been on a business trip to Bangalore for a week. Aalaap and Sukruti had come to Mumbai and also visited Prachi in her house. Sukruti wanted to take Baaba with her to Delhi, as she and her husband had a surprise planned for him. Not giving away the surprise to Prachi or Baaba, they had requested Baaba to come to Delhi with them for a couple of days. Baaba had melted to his son in law and daughter's pleading requests. Though everyone knew Milind wouldn't appreciate this, they all decided that Baaba would come back from Delhi after two days, which was one day before Milind came back from Bangalore. Prachi though not happy with hiding it from Milind, she knew her brother had been changing for good and after all she wanted to mend the relations between the two families. She thought she would calmly explain everything to Milind after he was back from his business trip.

Milind's conference got cancelled abruptly due to the ill health of the chair of the hotelier association and Milind was back to Mumbai the same day Baaba left for Delhi. He was only happy to surprise his wife by coming back to her sooner than he had told her. He had got his wife a bottle green Mysore silk saree and his father a woolen shawl. After gifting Prachi her saree, Milind had wondered where his father was. Prachi was someone who could never lie that too in front of the man she loved the most, hadn't been able to come up with an excuse for Baaba's absence in the house and ended up telling him the truth that Baaba had left for Delhi with Sukruti and Aalaap.

Prachi had finished her dinner by the time Milind arrived from Bangalore that day and he too has had his food in the flight. Prachi had asked him if he should serve him some dinner after he came out freshening himself. He had answered in negative not meeting her eyes. Prachi finished her chores in the kitchen had gone to her bedroom only to find Milind sleeping already turned towards the wall.

Prachi too got into the bed and pulled on the blanket on herself and Milind. After waiting for a few minutes, she moved close to Milind and put her hand on him. Milind jerked out of his sleep feeling Prachi's hand on him. He took her hand off of him and also got himself out of the blanket Prachi had shared with him. Annoyed and hurt by his gesture Prachi moved away and turned her back to him and tried getting herself into sleep. But her heart was pounding in her rib cage feeling restless over her husband's anger at her. She had moved towards Milind yet again this time raised her face to plant a kiss on his forehead hoping that he would make up with her. But that had only agitated Milind's fuming anger much more than it already was.

"Don't touch me and irritate me more" Milind had seethed.

Prachi's eyes had filled with tears yet again. She had turned around to bury her face in the pillow and sobbed.

Her crying had only oiled Milind's burning anger. "Now why are you crying? I have told you 100 times not to cry" Milind had said as he heard her blubber.

"You make me cry and you ask me not to cry" Prachi had said hiccupping.

"Prachi stop crying. You know everything and now don't act as if it's my fault. Now stop all this and go to sleep" Milind had said steadily.

Prachi was in no mood to go to sleep with discomfort between her and her husband still in place. She had continued with her tears as if she didn't hear him.

Milind got out of the bed and walked out of the room taking his pillow with him. Placing the pillow on one side of the sofa in the living room, he laid himself on the sofa. Prachi had followed him to the living room the very next moment.

"Milind, why are you doing this? Please come and sleep on the bed" Prachi had requested him standing by the sofa.

"Will you let me sleep tonight Prachi? I will not come to the room. If you want to cry, cry. Do whatever you want. But just let me sleep" Milind slept on his stomach on the sofa.

Prachi went back to the room and had cried in silence unlike the roaring monsoon showers outside. A couple of hours later, she had pulled a blanket off of the almirah and covered her husband with it who had just gone to sleep after his temper calmed down to some extent. Prachi too gave into sleep with her eyes tired after the tears refused to flow.

The next morning, Prachi woke up first. She finished her bath and wore the saree that Milind had gifted her last night, matching one of her blouses with it. She then prepared some lunch for the afternoon and packed two lunch boxes. By the time she came out of the kitchen, Milind was already in the bathroom taking his daily cold shower. Prachi prepared some tea for him and left it on the dining table. She went inside the kitchen to get some toast ready for her husband. As she came out of the kitchen with toast in her hand, she saw Milind ready to leave for work and she asked him to have his breakfast. "I am not hungry" said Milind and left for work without saying a word more.

"Milind, listen" Prachi had tried to stop him but her effort went in vain. Prachi sat on a chair and wiped the tears off of her eyes deciding not to cry. She was in no mood to go to work but today it was the college day where she taught and her presence was a must. Brushing her hair and applying some make up to hide the sad feel her face had for she hadn't slept a good night sleep, Prachi left for work taking a taxi. While travelling to her college, Prachi almost dialled Milind's number a couple of times stopping herself at the last moment. The fact that he hadn't eaten anything bothered her and finally when she reached the college, she couldn't help calling him finally.

Milind had driven to work as fast as he could. On his way, he had tried calling both Sukruti's home and mobile number but couldn't get connected. As he reached his office Prachi's number rang his mobile. He knew that he had been harsh on Prachi and that hurt him equally. However, he couldn't let go what had happened for he was still angry with her for not letting him know about something that matters to him so much. But he couldn't stop himself from attending the call when the phone rang for the second time.

"Breakfast?" said Prachi from the other end of the call.

"I am not hungry. You eat yours" saying so, Milind cut the call.

Both Milind and Prachi knew she wouldn't eat her breakfast when he hadn't. While they both engaged in thinking about each other their pressing workload had got them busy with other things.

In the afternoon Prachi had sent Milind an email saying he doesn't need to torture his stomach for her fault and she is apologetic for not telling him about Baaba going to Delhi.

Milind had read the email much later than lunch time as he had been busy with work. At the bottom of his heart he did know that Prachi's intentions were only to build his relationship with Aalaap. It was a different matter that his heart wouldn't let him trust Aalaap.

As he rested on his chair closing all the open programmes on his computer, all Milind could think of was Prachi. He knew he had been rude to her no matter whether she was at fault or not. The apprehension that she wouldn't have eaten anything from the morning bothered him even more. He thought of going straight to her college and take her out for an early dinner. He tried to call her mobile but it didn't connect and he was mad at her mobile service provider yet again. Prachi's mobile would work only in a corner of her work place and though Milind had often asked her to change her mobile, she had been postponing it not wanting to change her number. Thinking he would get her a new mobile and a sim card just to talk to him Milind called her best friend Sumana who also worked in the same college. Sumana who was used to receive Milind's calls for Prachi often on her mobile, had informed Milind that Prachi was on the stage as she was hosting the college day and but it all will be over in an hour or so. Milind asked Sumana not to tell Prachi about his call since he wanted to surprise her.

Milind had told his managers that he was going to take off for the rest of the day and he left for Prachi's college. As he walked towards the car park he remembered he had sent his car for service. Missing his car, he took a taxi and reached Prachi's college. As he walked inside the college, his father called from Sukruti's home saying Aalaap had taken him to Delhi as he wanted him to inaugurate a school that he had opened for orphan children. Dayanad Mishra had always associated himself with social service, particularly for street children in Mumbai and Aalaap had thought his father in law would be the best person to inaugurate the school he had opened, on his late grandmother's name. Milind was surprised at Aalaap's gesture but also was relieved that nothing of the sorts he had feared had happened. Milind's father had almost apologized for leaving for Delhi without telling him but Milind had asked his father not to make him feel low by apologizing and he also asked him to thank Aalaap from his side for honouring his father.

After finishing with the college day, Prachi had finally confided in her friend Sumana with tear filled eyes about how her husband had been angry with her for the last 18 hours. Though Sumana was tempted to give away the fact that Milind had called her, she consoled her friend that everything was going to be fine. As Sumana and Prachi walked out of the college, Sumana noticed a man watching them while Prachi had her head down focussing her eyes on the ground.

Smiling at the man, Sumana had told her friend they should have a coffee now. Prachi had answered in negative saying she was in no mood to eat or drink anything. By then, Milind had walked towards the two women and called out his wife's name "Prachi".

Not able to believe her ears, Prachi had turned to see her husband smiling at her taking his shades off. She had pressed her friend's hand in happiness while Sumana had greeted Milind with a hello.

Sumana excused herself then saying she was late for her bus. Prachi knew gauging the very expression on her husband's face that everything was back to normal. She resisted an urge to hug him and bury her head in his chest. Milind too had to forcefully stopped himself from kissing his wife for his brain warned him that she was in her college where her teenage students were walking around.

"Let's go home Prachi. We will need to take a taxi, the car has gone for service" Milind said covering his eyes with his shades.

Prachi had walked along not saying anything. She was ready to go with him anywhere, and on anything tonight. She was trying all she can to hide her grinning out of excitement while walking along with the man she loved.

"I am truly sorry Milind. I had thought of explaining everything to you once you were back from Bangalore. But...." Prachi said as they sat in a taxi.

"Ey, you don't have to be sorry. I should be saying sorry for being so harsh" Milind said placing his hand on hers. "I know you sent Baaba to Delhi with a good intention of mending your brother's relation with me. And guess what, I had got a call from Baaba ten minutes ago. He said Aalaap took him there because he wanted him to inaugurate a school he has opened in your Daadi's name. I think you are right. Aalaap is not the same what he was years ago. You were asking me what to buy for Sukruti for her birthday. Let's pay a surprise visit to Delhi next month. What do you say?"

Prachi couldn't have been happier. She pressed her husband's hand and said "I am so happy Milind. I knew Aalaap Bhaiya was starting a school in Daadi's name. But I didn't know he took Baaba there to inaugurate it. Baaba would have been very happy"

"Yes, Baaba sounded very happy when he called me. I think Aalaap and Sukruti didn't tell you anything as they know you can't keep anything in your stomach" Milind had teased Prachi.

Prachi made a face as if she was annoyed. She then said "I am so hungry Milind. Can we eat something?"

"What do you want to eat? Chinese?" Milind questioned her.

"No, let's eat bhel puri" Prachi asked the taxi driver to stop the taxi as he drove on the Marine Drive. She got out of the taxi, so did Milind paying the taxi driver. She took him to her favourite bhel puri place on the Marine Drive. Milind had smiled his heart watching Prachi eating bhel puri with childlike excitement. Milind and Prachi together had finished 6 plates of different types of chaats. Milind suggested they could go for a walk along the beach and as soon as they started walking it started drizzling. Prachi wondered if they should go back and take a taxi but Milind seemed to enjoy walking in the rains as he held her hand pulling her closer. The unpredictable monsoon had started pouring heavily the very next minute. Milind had covered Prachi with his coat but the heavy showers had drenched both of them completely.

Milind and Prachi sat by a rock though it was no shelter from the rains. But getting wet in the rains hardly bothered them, as what mattered the most was their togetherness. Both of them had cherished every moment that was passing. Milind had looked around and as he saw no other mad human around them encountering the heavy rains, he had put his arm around Prachi's shoulder pressing her onto him. Prachi had turned red as the vibrations from his body reached hers and she hid her face in the groove of his neck and shoulder. Milind took his other hand to her face, brushing away the droplets of water on her lips with his thumb, he caught her lips in his for a deep passionate kiss. Soon Prachi had her arms around his neck pulling him closer. She gave herself into his kiss only to intensify it to a level where they forgot themselves. The kiss continued until the rain suddenly stopped and Milind heard the bells of a popcorn seller's cart. He had retracted himself from the kiss, bringing Prachi to practicality too. Prachi had adjusted her saree that had loosened thanks to her husband's roving hands on her.

Covering her wet form with Milind's coat, Prachi had walked with him to the taxi stand. They didn't find a taxi though it was 10 minutes of waiting. Then came a bus that Milind knew would go to where they lived. He asked her if it was fine to take a bus home and she had agreed. Prachi sat on the window side with Milind besides her. Prachi had blushed when Milind put his hand around her waist, exploring her exposed abdomen secretly, while her saree covered his hand. Watching the rains through the window, Prachi had thought her husband's moods were as unpredictable as the monsoon showers. She thought he simply pours all his emotions on her from anger to love drenching her completely in them. As Milind slightly tickled her navel, Prachi had tried hard to conceal a gasp. With her head rested on his shoulder, she had blushed all the more, anticipating the night where he was going to shower her with all his passion.