𝐒𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐢 ~ 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞 |𝟏𝟖+| - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Author's POV:-
It was early morning when Sakshi gently opened her eyes. She rubbed the sleep away, then turned her head slightly to the left — only for her breath to hitch at the sight beside her.
For a fleeting moment, she almost forgot she was a married woman now.
Arjun lay beside her, sleeping peacefully. One of his arms was draped possessively across her belly, holding her close. A soft blush crept onto her cheeks as she felt the warmth of his touch.
His hair had fallen over his forehead, making him look boyish — almost innocent in sleep.
Carefully, she tried to turn toward him, but his hand's firm grip made her pause. Her eyes drifted toward the wall clock, and they widened instantly.
6:30 AM.
Panic bubbled inside her. She tried to get up, but his heavy hand held her down. She gently tried to lift his arm, but failed — only for him to pull her even closer in his sleep.
“Ab main kaise uthungi… Yeh toh haath bhi nahi hata rahe hain mere upar se…” she whispered softly.
("Now how do I get up?? He is not even removing his from me..")
“Bulaun kya unhe?” she muttered to herself, unsure of how to proceed. With no other choice, she softly patted his hand.
("Should I call him?")
“Suniye na…” her voice was low, timid, as she gave his hand another light patt.
("Listen")
The soft clinking of her choodiyan reached his ears, causing him to stir. Sleepy eyes fluttered open and landed on her.
“Woh... zara haath hataaiye na, mujhe uthna hai…” she said politely, almost embarrassed.
("Woh actually can you please remove your hand from me..I have to get up..")
His gaze shifted to his hand resting over her stomach. Realising the situation, he quietly withdrew it. Without saying a word, he grabbed her head pillow and turned to the other side.
Taking the chance, she began fixing her saree, which had become disheveled during the night. As she adjusted her pleats and smoothed the fabric, a sudden loud knock on the door made her freeze in panic.
It was Buaji.
“O ghar ki nayi bahu… uthna hain ki nahi? Subah toh kab ki ho gayi… Ab hum aake uthayein nayi dulhan ko?"
(“Oh, the new daughter-in-law of the house... are you going to wake up or not? It’s already morning… Do I have to come and wake up the new bride myself?”)
Her voice was laced with sarcasm and command.
In a flurry, Sakshi tied her hair into a quick loose bun, letting a few strands fall naturally, and pulled the pallu over her head. With a deep breath, she opened the door.
But before Buaji could continue her scolding, her words stopped mid-sentence. Her sharp eyes took in every detail — the loose bun, stray strands of hair, the slightly crumpled undone saree, and most telling of all — the smudged sindoor smeared across Sakshi’s forehead.
Buaji didn’t need to ask. Her gaze then moved toward the white cloth lying outside the door, stained unmistakably red — a silent confirmation of her assumptions.
Sakshi stood quietly, her eyes lowered, still fixing her saree as heat crept up her face in embarrassment.
“Pata bhi hai kitne baj gaye hain?” Buaji's tone turned stern.
("Do you have any idea what time it is??")
Sakshi nodded, staring down at her feet.
“Aur aise haalat mein bahar aa gayi? Kuch sharam-laaj hai ki nahi? Agar meri jagah koi mard hota tab?”
(“And you came out in this condition? Don’t you have any sense of modesty or shame? What if a man had been here instead of me?”)
“Mujhe maaf kar dijiye...” she mumbled, biting her lower lip in shame. She didn't thought like that.
("Forgive me..")
“Ab khadi kyun hai? Andar jaa... aadhe ghante mein taiyaar hokar neeche aa jaa” Buaji snapped before turning away.
("And now why are you standing here?? Go inside..I want you downstairs in just half an hour")
Sakshi nodded quickly and closed the door behind her, her heart thudding with a strange mix of anxiety and unfamiliar warmth.
She hurriedly took the towel and one cotton saree , went to the bathroom for freshening up.
When she come out wearing her half undone saree, she saw his husband woken up and bed was neat and clean.
She saw him doing something in almirah and without making any sound,she started wearing her saree. As its a new saree , it's getting difficult to fix it properly. and top of that her wet hair is continuously blocking her view.
'Aaja mein kar deta hu thik...' Arjun said making her look up. Her face heaten up in shyness.
("Come, I’ll fix it for you...")
She slowly tiptoed infront of him. He bend down fixing her pleats.
'Yeh saree ka hissa ache se pakar kar rakh hath mein..girna nahi chahiye...' he said but our Sakshi is just staring at the clock getting impatient.
("Hold this part of the saree properly in your hand… it shouldn’t fall...")
'Thikh se khari raha..itna hil kyu rahi hain...' he asked with a frown.
("Stand properly..why are you moving so much??")
'Jii 8 baj gayi hain..buaji boli hain aadhe ghante mein niche aane ko..' she said tensely.
("Ji it's already 8 o’clock… Bua ji said to come downstairs in half an hour.")
'Tu agar aisi jayegi na..toh aur bhi daat khaygi..toh chup chap seedha khari rahe..' he said making her shocked.
("If you go like this, you’ll get scolded even more… so stand straight and quiet.")
'Aap jage hue thein , jab buaji daat rahi thi mujhe??' she asked making him hummed.
(""Were you awake when Bua ji was scolding me?")
She pouts.
After fixing her saree properly,she then started combing her hair and put one red bindi.
He was staring at her everytime while she was getting ready. When she was about to put the sindoor Arjun took it from her hand and he in return put it on her hair partition.
'Yeh sindoor mein lagaunga tujhe kyuki yeh sirf mera haq hain samjhi??' he asked.
("I will apply this sindoor on you because it’s only my right, understood?")
She smiled softly. If there was one thing she had understood by now, it was that her husband might not smile often, but he wasn’t as arrogant as everyone made him out to be.
He then gently pulled the pallu over her head, the fabric slipping into place like a silent vow. In that tender moment, she looked every bit the newly married wife—shy, graceful, and his.
'Ab mera kya shakal dekh rahi hai ..jaa ab..' he said taking his towel and yellow kurta and pyjama.
("Now why are you staring at my face… go now...")
She nodded and hurriedly went downstairs in the kitchen just to buaji is instructing kajal about something.
'Haa aur unke liye, jo raat bhar badam bhigo k rakhoge, usse kal badam wali dudh banakar rakhna... unhe khane mein bohut pasand hain..'
("And yes, for him — soak almonds overnight and make almond milk with them tomorrow… he really likes it that way.")
Kajal nodded.
Buaji then saw Sakshi coming inside the kitchen.
'Aagai bahurani ?? Hogai neend puri ya abhi bhi baaki hain??' she taunted as she quickly shake her head clutching the pallu tightly over her head.
("Got enough sleep or is some still left?")