Five Weeks by Shruti Omar (any book recommendations .txt) 📕

Yuvraaj poked his head out from her stomach, glaring at the receiver and pressed the speaker. “Yes?”

“We’re extremely sorry to disturb you at this hour, sir but we've a guest who wants to talk to you." The receptionist timidly said and he snapped at her, “So, you’ll disturb me for his convenience. I believe you were trained how to deal with this situation. You can’t disturb my privacy.”

Anahita bunched up the sheets around her, pulling up and rubbed his arm to placate him. Yuvraaj immediately gathered on his lap and she rested her head on his chest.

“Sir, the gentleman claims to know you,” they both frowned at each other as the receptionist revealed further, “He has confirmed your wife’s name.”

Anahita’s ear perked up and she dreaded the answer when Yuvraaj enquired about the man. The receiver probably was snatched up from the receptionist and some commotion happened before the manly roared, “Anu… hello, are you there?”

Yuvraaj’s eyes flared recognizing the voice while Anahita only gulped with difficulty. She avoided her husband’s maddened glare, unnecessarily pushing her hair behind her ear. Mukund was still calling her name on the speaker and Yuvraaj tightened his hold on her waist, “What is he doing here?”

“How would I know?” she blurted out.

“You must’ve told him about this place, right? Otherwise, he wouldn’t get shaken up from a dream and appear here.” He mocked and she remained silent, trying to recall when she actually passes the location. Could he perhaps stalk them?

Yuvraaj silently tried to glide her from his lap and she instantly laced her arms around his neck, beseeching with her eyes. “I swear to god I don’t remember when I told him about the hotel. I haven’t talked to him for like ages. I promise.” She crossed her fingers over her heart and he bunched her palm in his, “I believe you. I just don’t want to hear his voice.”

“Me neither but let me ask him first.” She coaxed, suddenly realizing they were talking in whispers. She stared at the intercom like it was a poisonous serpent and cleared her throat, “Hello?”

“Baby,” the endearment got her puking and she rolled her eyes. “Are you alright? That bastard picked up your phone. What the shit!!!”

Anahita casted a sideway glance at Yuvraaj and saw steam coming out of his ears. She didn’t know if Mukund could survive by the time call would end. She tended his bruised ego with a kiss while Mukund continued to blabber out his miseries, asking her to meet him.

“Listen, Mukund, it’s really late. I can’t come now. Shall we meet tomorrow?” She asked, enduring the cross glare of her husband.

“Great. I will meet you tomorrow by the swimming area. Be there with your luggage, we’ll immediately fly to India. Mom wants to meet you and I am sure she’ll like you.”

“Yeah,” Anahita yawned, boringly and he warned, “I hope you’ve maintained distance from him. Just one more night and I will take you away from his nasty eyes. Don’t let him touch you and…”

Anahita hung up on him, turning to face Yuvraaj who was livid. He removed her from his lap and tossed onto his side, facing the wall. She sighed, venturing to recline beside him and scooted closer. She put her head on his arm and drew random patterns on his forearm. “Yuvraaj…”

“He’s asked you to maintain distance from me…”

“Who the hell is he to tell me what should I do with my husband?” She cut him short, frowning and Yuvraaj twisted to see her, “Then why didn’t you say this to him? Instead, you promised to meet him. Why?”

She let out a drained breath, “I didn’t promise but I will meet him because I have to…”

“You are not going. That’s final.”

“Before that, answer my one question. Where’s my phone?” She bounced an eyebrow inquisitively and he stared at him in irritated disbelief, “You are serious about this? In this grave situation, you are worrying about your phone.”

“Grave! How come this situation is grave where I am naked, pinned beneath you and you’re about to make love to me?” she ridiculed, garlanding her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. “It’s you who is contemplative whereas I am practically throwing myself on you. How come this is grave?”

He sighed out, “I broke it. Your phone, I mean.”

“You broke it?” She squeaked, pulling back to actually read his face, “You broke my iPhone. God!! How could you? I saved money day and night to buy that model and you just… my photographs, videos, memories…everything’s gone. Fuck! How’d I get my contacts?”

“Relax. Just a phone it was,” Yuvraaj tried to shrug but paused watching her pursed lips and scowl. “It wasn’t just a phone to me. I had memories in it and you ruined it.”

“I am sorry,” he blinked cutely and pecked her lips, “I will buy you a new one, promise. Now, sleep.”

“What?”

“Yeah, just sleep. Enough for today,” He breathed out, cocooning her in his embrace tightly and rested his chin above her head, closing his eyes. “Don’t wiggle, Anahita. We’ve not worn anything. I can easily slide…”

“So, why are you waiting?” She purred, deliberately squirming and he clutched her tightly. “Because I am too tired.” Anahita swiveled in his arm cage and rounded her arms around his waist, placing her head on his chest. “I love you.”

“Hmm…”

“Don’t you know how an ‘I love you’ is answered?” she pouted at him, “Say you do too.”

He kissed her puckered lips briefly and grinned, “But you know I don’t love you.”

“Yuvraaj…”

“I promise to love you too.” He snickered, clasping his arms around her and breathed in content.

*****

Anahita impatiently tapped on the arm around her torso that blocked her from getting up when her bladder rang warning bells. Still drowsing, she somehow loosened the grip only to be shoved back into the warm body again. Frustrated, she tapped Yuvraaj’s shoulder tightly, rasping in her morning voice, “Put you arms aside. I’ve to pee.”