Wow this family knows a lot of people. From family friends, to business partners, it's no wonder they needed to host a second party for all of these people to meet me.
People after people I met, some very happy, others faking it.
Who cares. They're just jealous their daughter can't marry Arnav anymore, jealous bitches.
Boy, am I being overprotective or what?
It was getting hot, so I put my hair up in a loose bun, hoping to cool off. However I noticed some people starting to glance at me and I wondered what the issue was. I mean don't get me wrong, people have been giving me the look all day, but this felt different.
I noticed Arnav talking to a man and he glanced at me with a small smile. However the smile didn't stay for long and he excused himself, and made his way over to me.
Oh boy, I bet this is going to be about my back being on display.
I like this!
Arnav came to my side and glanced around at the guests. "Having fun?"
Hmm? "You could say that. It's getting kind of hot though with all of these guests and the buzzing."
"Hmm.... Well maybe you should put your hair down."
Really? "To feel even hotter?"
Arnav smirked lightly and I couldn't help the grin on my face. "No."
"Then to cover my back?"
"No, but yes as well."
I cocked my eyebrow at him.
"Normally I'm not one to care so much about what other people think, but when it comes to you, it's different."
My eyebrows automatically scrunched. "What do you mean?"
Arnav turned to me and tucked a tendril of hair behind my ear, which had escaped from my bun. The number of gasps I had heard - and most certainly Arnav had heard - weren't missed.
"Your neck."
"My neck? What about my n-?" Wait! He doesn't mean....
"Number three," he said, understanding what was going through my mind.
I automatically reached back and released my hair, covering my neck. "Hickey #3," I whispered.
Arnav looked at me apologetically. "I'm sorry Khushi, I got carried away. I shouldn't have done that-"
"Don't. It'll make me think you regret it-"
"I don't. I just hate when these villain aunties speak too much crap."
"Villain aunties," I snorted.
"Yes," he grinned.
Both of us chuckled and more whispers hissed in the air.
"Well, look at you two..."
We turned and saw Di and Jeejaji.
"Looks like you're hitting it off," Di winked.
My cheeks filled with blush. I'm positive she noticed my hickey too.
"I have to agree Rani Saheba," Jeejaji agreed. "It seems like Saleh Saab can't control himself anymore."
Arnav looked away, not saying anything.
"How true," Di giggled. "How lucky for him that they're leaving for their honeymoon tonight."
Whoa, wait, what?
Di giggled. "Surprise! We wanted to send you guys away earlier this morning but because of the guests, we couldn't. But there's nothing to worry about, because you'll be there for a week."
A week?
"Where for a week," Arnav questioned.
"To a private island on the Caribbean," she grinned.
Ooh, hot! Not to mention expensive!
"A private jet will take you close by, and then you have to go by boat."
Okay, make that too expensive. I'm not exactly comfortable with this.
"So what do you say," Di grinned.
Uh...?
"That's great," Arnav said. "Thank you Di."
"Oh it wasn't me who came up with this, but your romantic brother in law," she said, gazing at her husband with doe eyes.
Honestly, these two are something else and very cute.
Jeejaji nodded proudly. "That I did."
Di giggled. "You two better go to your room and pack your bags for hot weather and Sandy beaches!"
Arnav and I glanced at each other and Di and Jeejaji shooed us off to our room. Arnav began packing for us and I helped him. Truth be told, we were very grateful and wanted to get away from the villain aunties as quick as possible.
Once we had our bags packed - which by the way we're Louis Vuitton luggage, hot damn - the workers had taken them down and we rejoined everyone downstairs. Nani stood with a thaal and blessed us for a safe trip. Before we left, I caught Akash and NK giving Arnav two thumbs up and winks, and of course my husband hit them upside in the head.
That's my man.
Getting into the car, the driver took us to the airport and oh what a joy it was to skip all the crazy lines and crazy airport security. We were taken straight to the tarmac and to the jet, then boarded.
With our bags in and the crew ready to take off, the jet went down the runway and took off, leaving my stomach behind.
We were served wine and at first I was going to reject, but then I remembered what Arnav had told me, so I took the offered glass.
"You sure you want to," Arnav asked.
I shrugged. "It's now or never I guess?"
"Are you sure Khushi?"
"Let's see if I like it."
I took a sip and immediately the alcohol hit my throat.
Yeesh!
"It's an acquired taste," Arnav said.
"No kidding," I said as I set it down on the table between us.
Arnav chuckled and I stuck my tongue out at him.
I don't care if I was being childish.
The hostesses returned and served us lunch and only then did I realize how hungry I was. We dug right in and boy was I satisfied.
"It's going to be a long flight," Arnav said. "If you want to take a nap, the bedroom is in the back."
Bedroom? "There's a bedroom in the back?"
Arnav nodded.
I don't know how I'm supposed to return to commercial flights after knowing that. "Do you know where we're landing?"
"Cuba."
"Cuba? Oh my gosh, it's so beautiful there! It's apparently like being stuck in a period of time, with the cars and the architecture, it's colors and the people. Wow, I can't believe we're going to be there!"
"Yeah," he smiled softly.
I couldn't help the smile on my face. Gosh, he's such a sweetheart. What did I do to get a man like him?
*~*
As the hours passed and the farther we flew, we continued to chase the sun. I mean why wouldn't we be, that's how the earth worked, though it sucks. With all the light, I could hardly sleep.
Yeah the room was dark, but knowing that the sun was out, my body simply refused. There's a reason why I couldn't take naps in the afternoon, it just wouldn't happen. I continuously tossed and turned, but no dice.
Wah!
The door opened and Arnav entered the room. "Can't sleep," he asked when his eyes met mine.
I shook my head. "No."
He smiled softly and shut the door behind him. The room darkened once more and Arnav got in bed beside me. The instant I felt his body, mine became alert. The amount of tiredness I had within me was now long gone, jumping out of the plane.
Arnav turned his body to me and wrapped his arm around my waist. My mind instantly transported to the night before and how he had held me before we fell asleep and then how he was holding me when we woke up this morning.
It also reminded of what Arnav had said to NK this morning.
"Last night was supposed to be like an ice breaker - get to know each other better. I don't want to make her uncomfortable."
Hmm....
Turning in his hold, I faced him. "Arnav?".
"Hmm?" He had his eyes shut.
"I heard what you said to NK this morning at breakfast," I said softly.
He instantly opened his eyes.
"And I think that was really sweet of you to do."
That small hint of blush appeared on Arnav's cheeks again, and it made my heart flutter.
"It only seemed to be the right thing to do," he said.
I smiled at him and gathering my guts, I kissed his forehead. When my eyes met his, his were slightly wide.
"So, what else would you like to know about me," I asked, pushing myself up and resting my head on my hand.
"Uh, well... what was school like?"
"School? Boring. I absolutely hated it."
"Amen to that," he grinned and I chuckled.
"I mean it wasn't entirely bad, since I spent most of my time with my friends but...."
"But what?"
"I don't know.... for some reason I could never hold onto them. Each time it came down to going on to a new school, I lost contact with old friends. I thought that at least when I went to college, I'd still be in contact with my high school friends but... that just wasn't the case."
"I understand," Arnav said softly. "I was the same. Though I have to admit, I didn't give them enough time, so I don't blame them for not trying to keep contact."
"Hmm... I guess."
"Yeah.... Tell me more about your family, well our family, but you know what I mean."
The corner of lips tugged up. "My family? Um, well, there's Amma, Babuji, and Buaji. I call Amma the crazy one, Babuji the loving one, and Buaji my partner in crime," I chuckled.
Arnav chuckled as well. "Partner in crime?"
"She can be a bit crazy and loves to act half her age. But I can't blame her for that. After loosing her husband... it was hard on her."
Arnav gave me a light squeeze and I have him a soft smile. Aww, he's so caring.
"Ever since she began to live with us part-time - she likes to be on her own now and then as a way to refresh her perspective on life - she became my partner in crime. We drove my parents crazy! And if I ever needed to talk to anyone about something, I always went to Buaji first.
"Besides them, there's my Chacha and Chachi, and of course my cousin Payal; they were at the wedding."
"Um... oh yeah, I remember meeting them at the wedding."
"Also, I'm pretty sure I caught Akash eyeballing her," I smirked.
"I'm sure I caught him doing that too," he chuckled.
Feeling my hand starting to go numb, I laid back down on the pillow. "Tell me more about your family."
"Our family."
Sigh.... "Our family," I smiled softly.
"Its mainly Nani, Di, Jeejaji, and I at the house. Di and Jeejaji used to live elsewhere, but knowing that Nani was home alone when I was at work, it became a concern. So they moved in to take care of her."
"What about Jeejaji's family? They didn't say anything?"
Arnav shook his head. "He has no one."
What? This was news to me.
"Unlike Di and I, Jeejaji was born an orphan. He never knew his family nor any of his relatives. He found out in his early teens that he was left on the doorstep of the orphanage he grew up in."
"That's so sad."
Arnav nodded. "The pain of not having your parents, they both understood it well. I guess that's what made them get closer."
"Did they fall in love and then get married?
"Yeah. They met through mutual friends."
"Oh...."
"Yeah. Then besides us, there's Mama, Mami, and Akash. They're constantly on the road however, though I can't blame them. Akash goes for work but Mama and Mami go for pleasure. For years, Mama worked hard on the business and couldn't give Mami much time. So now he's making up for it."
"That's sweet of him to do."
"I guess."
"What about NK?"
"He's still trying to find himself. After his father passed away, it was kind of tough for him and his mom in Australia. But they made it through and both are doing fine now."
"It's so sad though. Yet he's always so jolly."
"That he is. And crazy."
I chuckled and so did he.
"They're planning on moving back here, they just need their house to be sold."
"Ah, so that means he'll be bothering you more often," I smirked.
Arnav frowned. "Don't remind me," and I laughed.
"Our family sure is something else."
Arnav smiled softly. "That it is."
It really is.
"Get some rest, it's going to be some time till we arrive. We should be going over the Atlantic right now. It'll still be several hours till we land in Cuba."
"Okay."
Pulling me in closer to him, I nuzzled into his chest. He felt warm and amazing against my body. Somehow, I had become really tired and fell asleep in my husband's arms, as he had fallen asleep in mine.
