CHAPTER FIVE

One week later, I was packing my bag to go home for pagfera. It was a custom in which the bride went to her house for the first time after her marriage. Normally, the bride’s brother came to pick her up from her ‘new’ house and then her husband would accompany her to her ‘father’s’ house. They would stay there for a short while, generally, one day, and then come back with good wishes and gifts from the bride’s family.

Since I didn’t have a real brother, and all my cousins lived far away, Abhishek Bhaiya had offered to do the duties of a brother. He was actually a brother more than a brother-in-law for me. The affection he showed me was exactly what I would have wanted from an older brother.

I didn't have to carry much, but all my necessities, and some clothes had to be packed for the short stay. I tried to keep the stuff to a minimum but the end result was a huge, overstuffed tote bag. As always, I was running late and throwing things into my bag like a crazy person. Again, Arnav woke me up late.

Every morning after he was already dressed and ready, about to leave for work at nearly nine o'clock, he would wake me up with a “bye, Kriti ji. I'm going.”

He is such a devil, and he never passes up an opportunity to make fun of me. The bastard shut off my alarm every morning before I could wake up. He had obviously forgotten I was leaving today. This was a golden opportunity to exact my revenge for all the snarky comments he’d thrown my way all week long.  I was still packing my things when he entered.

I saw his face fall in confusion as he asked “Kriti ji what’s this?”

“It's a bag,” I replied sarcastically, giving my best impression of a female scorned.

“I see that, but why are you packing it?” He took a few steps into the room and closed the door, behind him. “Where are you going?”

“Back to my home.” I might have added a little extra drama than entirely necessary. “Forever.” My voice rose. My sister would have never believed me, but Arnav couldn’t tell when I was being a goof yet. It was harder than I expected to contain my mirth, but outwardly I acted as if I were outraged. Flailing my arms out to the sides and stomping my foot I added, “I'm leaving this house forever!” His jaw dropped and with all the concern he could show he asked, “what? Why? Did something happen?”

“Something? You’re asking me if something happened.” I acted with full rage as I turned around to my wardrobe to conceal my grin. “Something didn't happen! Many things happened! Don’t talk to me anymore. Let me pack.”

His face went all serious suddenly and his eyes fixed on me. “But why? What happened? At least tell me.”

This time I just ignored him. I was starting to feel bad for the guy. But, I was enjoying teaching him a lesson for all the teasing he had done since the first day.

“Kriti ji, what happened? Talk to me!”

Suddenly, Chhaya Didi—our house maid—knocked at the door, calling out to me. “Bhabhi, are you ready? Abhishek Bhaiya is waiting.”

Arnav was clearly losing patience with my game. “Can somebody tell me what is happening!” He growled at me, scraping his fingers through his hair in a nervous gesture. I wish I’d had a camera. His face was worth preserving in a picture. I couldn’t control my laughter another second. When I burst out laughing he only appeared more confused.

“What is happening? Kriti ji, are you okay?”

It took a minute to get myself under control.

“Yes. Yes, I'm okay. I was just—” I collapsed in a fit of giggles. I tried to speak but couldn’t get it together enough to do so. It was a minute before he, too, started smiling. I don't know what he found funny, but I was still laughing when he tilted his head, "areee! What happened? At least let me know that much."

"Nothing.” A straggling giggle. “I was just kidding. This is payback for all that teasing you do.” I wiped at my eyes. “It's all nothing Arnav ji. I swear. I'm just going for today. It's the custom of pagfera. You must know that.”

“Oh!” He sighed in relief and his phone beeped. “Yes, I have heard about that. Thank God you’re okay. I thought you were having a seizure.” He rolled his eyes. “Or some supernatural power came over you. Your inner sorceress has come out.” That last comment may have crossed a line. It was a joke and he could never let me win, he always had to retaliate.

“Oh, so you think I'm a witch? No, no, no, no, I get seizures, right? I'm a mental patient.” I clenched my jaw trying to control my voice. This was no longer any fun. I wanted to either to grab his collar and shake him to death, or rip his hair out from the roots.

“Enough. Now I'm actually going, and I won't ever return here.”

I ran to the cupboard and threw as much of my clothing as I could grab into my bag. I wanted to kill him. He would have deserved it. When I started throwing my sandals violently into the bag, Mr. Arnav Gupta—my shameless husband—was just laughing like a lunatic. I was outraged that he couldn’t just let this go. It was a joke and nothing more, but he had to turn around an insult me. I was so involved in throwing my things into my bags that I hadn’t noticed how close he’d gotten, or than my feet were already tangled in the hangers littering the floor. As I whipped around to slam a handful of sarees onto the bed, I tripped over the mess, dropping the pile of fabric and shoving out my hands to catch myself. Strong hands on my waist, his body hard as I fell into his chest.

“Kriti ji, be careful. You might fall,” he breathed, voice low. 

I stared up into his dark eyes. His deep, magical, hypnotizing eyes, and once more their magic moved me. My one palm was on his shoulder, the other hand was pressed up against the hard heat of his chest. This was the first time we’d ever been so close. So close that I could feel his heart beating. I could feel nothing but that magic and his heartbeat. Everything else stopped. As if someone has pressed the pause button on a movie.

Before I fell any deeper into those eyes, someone knocked on the door, and we immediately jumped away from each other, like guilty teenagers. I could no longer stand his gaze and his eyes were wandering away so that he could avoid mine. An awkwardness grew between us and I blushed. We were both struggling with staggered breaths when I turned around toward my wardrobe.

“Bhabhi, please hurry, everyone is waiting for you.” Chhaya Didi again shouted through the door.

Arnav said, “Kriti ji,” he stepped aside and brought back that calm composure with a gentle laugh, “I was just kidding.”

I tried to show him that I was still angry, but I didn’t know why I couldn’t express it like I had before. Maybe I wasn't so angry anymore. I complained, “you indirectly called me a witch...right.”

He chuckled, leaning toward me. “No, you’re not a witch.” His eyes sincere, “I'm sorry for saying that.”

I saw his face and that sweet smile. “It's okay.” And just like that, I forgave him.

“Now, look what you’ve done. The room is an utter mess.” I waved my hand at the pile of clothes I had flung onto the floor. “My entire wardrobe is displaced and I'm already late. Everyone is waiting for me.”

“It’s fine. Don't worry about all this.” His gaze wandered the room. “I will have Chhaya Didi deal with this. Go, see your family.”

I went back to my bag and the atmosphere was light again, in a moment. I had always been like that. My temper rises and falls just like ocean waves. “Yes. I'm going. You’re always making me run out of here.”

He had to ruin it again. “It’s usually so quiet when you're not here. I used to have only one Shreya screaming and shouting at me. Looks like I’ve got two now.” I was again offended and glared at him.

“I don't scream,” I screamed. And then saw the problem with my logic.

“See? What exactly are you doing now?”

“Nothing.” I went to that side table and grabbed a few more things. His eyes followed me, and I felt as if I was an intruder. “I’m not doing anything.”

“You’re shouting.”

“No—” I said, fuming with anger.

Before I could say more, he interrupted me.

“Would you care to continue this bickering once you return? We‘re both going to be late.”

“Okay, fine. But I will see you after this custom.” I snapped the heavy leather bag shut and made an attempt to heave it onto my shoulder. He approached, picking up the bag. “I‘ve got it.” I thanked him and followed him to meet our family.

Maa grinned at our harsh taunts of each other. It seemed like she always knew when we were quarreling. Arnav let the bag crash to the floor. “By the way, for how many days we will be enjoying peace and quiet around here?”

I turned to him and said, “if you want, I can make it forever,” in an attempt to just shut him up.

“Now what could be better than that?” he asked with that cunning smile of his. I frowned at his hurtful comment, turned toward Maa, and grumbled, “see Maa, do you see how terrible he is to me.”

Maa scolded him. “Arnav, don't tease her.”

He grinned idiotically while I beamed, a smile of victory on my face. It felt good that he was the one being scolded for a change. At least Maa took my side, unlike my own Mumma usually did.

“Okay, Okay.” He threw his hands up in the air surrendering, “I'm sorry Kriti ji. Will you at least tell me when you’re coming back?”

 Before I could answer him, Gunjan, Arnav’s cousin-sister, joined us. Her chubby face had a glow to it and she teased Arnav. “What’s wrong, Bhaiya? Can't live without her for a few days?”

“No.” He turned toward her, giving her cheeks a pull, in a show of brotherly affection. “Gunjan, I’m actually excited. The house will be silent and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.” He turned toward me, his eyes wide open. “You still haven’t answered me. When will you be back?”

Before I could reply, Maa, told him about all the plans for the evening and the coming day. We were both to stay at my father’s home tonight and we’d be back by tomorrow. After our final goodbyes, Bhaiya and I climbed into the big black SUV waiting for us in the driveway. After just eight short days, I was returning home, but it felt like a lifetime had passed between this moment and the last night I’d shared a room with my sister.