𝐒𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐢 ~ 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞 |𝟏𝟖+| - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Author's POV:-
"Yeh kya beta, tu Lata ko daantne ki wajah aur utsaah de raha hai usko?" Buaji asked, her tone slightly annoyed.
("What is this beta?? Instead of scolding her , you are giving her encouragement haaa??")
Arjun replied, his voice cold, "Sirf pyaar se apni bhabhi ko puri banane ke liye kaha hain.. isme galat kya hai?"
("She just lovingly asked her bhabhi to make some puris for her… what’s wrong in that?")
Buaji opened her mouth to say something, but Arjun cut her off, his voice firm.
"Aap shayad bhool rahi hain buaji, yeh mera ghar hai… Lata meri behan hai… aur mere hi paison se yeh sab chal raha hai. Agar usse kuch khane ka mann karta hai, toh woh mere biwi se mangti hai yaani ki apne bhabhi se… jahan mujhe ya meri biwi ko koi takleef nahi ho rahe, toh aapko itni pareshaani kyu ho rahi hai? Batayengi zara?"
("Perhaps you’re forgetting that this is my house, Lata is my sister, and she’s eating with my money. If she has a craving for something, she’s asking her bhabhi—that is, my wife—for it. If neither I nor my wife have a problem with it, I don’t understand why you are so bothered, Buaji… care to explain?")
Hearing the word "biwi" from his mouth, Sakshi felt a strange flutter in her stomach. A soft blush crept onto her cheeks.
"Khane ka shauk sirf aapko aur phuphaji ko ho sakta hai kya, is choti si bachi ko nahi?" Arjun added, staring pointedly at the bowl of paneer — his phuphaji’s favourite.
("Only you and Phuphaji can have cravings for food? Not this little girl?")
Phuphaji intervened, "Ohh, ab tujhe mere khane se bhi dikkat ho gayi?"
("Oh, now you have a problem with my eating too?")
Arjun looked at him, his eyes dark. "Mujhe koi dikkat nahi hai aapke khane se, phuphaji. Aap jo chahein, khaiye. Lekin aage se meri behan ko kuch kehne ki zarurat nahi hai. Nahi toh mujhse bura koi nahi hoga."
("I have no problem with your eating, Phuphaji… Eat whatever you want. But don’t say anything to my sister again… or you won’t find anyone worse than me.")
Buaji’s voice turned soft, almost hurt. "Tu har baat ko ulta kyun samajhta hai, beta? Hum toh tere behan ke bhale ke liye hi keh rahe the… hum kya tumhare dushman hain? Kal jab Lata apne sasural jaayegi… agar wahan bhi aise hi ziddi bani rahi, toh log kya sochenge?"
("Why do you always take our words the wrong way, beta? We’re just thinking about your sister’s good. Are we your enemies? What if tomorrow, when Lata gets married, she throws tantrums like this? What will her in-laws think?")
Sakshi looked at them in surprise. Sasural? Lata was still a child!
Arjun gave a small, knowing smile.
"Dushman aap hain ya nahi, yeh toh main nahi keh sakta. Lekin Lata ki shaadi mein abhi bohot samay hai… uske liye uska bhaiya hai dekhbhaal karne ko. Aapko chinta karne ki zarurat nahi, buaji."
("Whether you’re are our enemy or not, I don’t know. But there’s still a long time before Lata’s marriage. She has her brother to take care of that… you don’t need to worry, Buaji.")
Buaji sniffed, wiping her eyes with her pallu.
"Kuch acchi baat kehne par bhi tujhe takleef hoti hai. Toh theek hai, aaj ke baad kuch nahi kahungi. Tum dono bhai-behan ke liye chinta hoti hai isliye bol deti hoon zyada..."
("If even saying something good bothers you, then I won’t say anything from now on… I only speak out of concern for you two siblings," )
Silence followed at the dinner table as she began quietly serving her husband.
Sakshi stood behind Arjun, nervously watching everyone’s reactions. No one said anything, and her heart sank a little.
But just then, Lata beamed at her and did a happy little dance. "Khaana bohot accha bana hai, bhabhi!"
("The food is really tasty, bhabhi!")
A smile bloomed on Sakshi’s face. She lovingly served Lata more paneer and puris. She then served her some halwa on her plate.
"Achha bana hai khaana, bahu… thoda aur halwa mil sakta hai?" Phuphaji asked, his voice neutral.
("The food is nice, bahu… Can I have a little more halwa?")
Sakshi immediately nodded and served it. She glanced at her husband, silently hoping for a word, a glance, a compliment — but got none.
One by one, everyone left the table. Only Arjun remained as Sakshi began cleaning the plates.
She noticed the halwa bowl was nearly empty and sighed. She thought to have some halwa but its ok. She will eat some other thing.
Just then, a hand gently grabbed her chooda-clad wrist.
She gasped. "Yeh aap kya kar rahe hain ji… chhodiye mera haath… koi dekh lega…"
("What are you doing, ji? Let go of my hand… someone might see.")
He pulled her closer. "Tu bhi ab khaane ke liye mere paas baith ja."
("You too sit here and eat with me.")
Her face flushed. "Haan… main baith jaungi… bas yeh bartan saaf kar doon pehle…"
("Yes, I will… just let me finish cleaning this first.")
"Nahi. Abhi. Kaafi der se dekh raha hoon, kaam hi kiye jaa rahi hai. Baaki ka kaam Kajal kar legi."
("No. Sit down now and eat in front of me… I’ve been watching you keep working nonstop. Kajal will handle the rest.")
She hesitantly sat beside him taking her plate eating slowly with small bites.
He frowned, "Thik se kha… aise chuhiya ke jaise kyun kha rahi hai?" He said making her more embaressed.
("Eat properly… Why are you eating like a mouse?")
"Sharam aa rahi hai… maike mein toh kabhi mardon ke beech nahi khayi na," she murmured, eyes on her plate.
("Because I’m shy eating in front of you… I never ate in front of men at my maayka (maternal home)," )
"Haan, lekin main toh tera pati hoon na. Mere saamne khaane mein kaisi sharam?" he said, filling her plate with halwa.
("But I’m your husband, right? Why be shy in front of me?")
Her eyes widened. "Yeh halwa kaha se mila? Bartan mein toh kuch nahi tha..."
("Where did you get this halwa? It wasn’t in the serving bowl,")
He smiled. "Tune diya tha na mujhe… toh maine tere liye bacha ke rakha."
("You gave it to me na.. I saved it for you.")
"Toh aapne kya khaya? Agar sab mere liye rakh diya toh?" she asked, feeling guilty.
("Then what did you eat, if you saved so much for me?" )
"Khaya maine, Sakshi. Sach mein."
("I ate, Sakshi… really.")
"Nahi… thoda sa aur kha lijiye na… pata nahi kaise kam pad gaya," she insisted softly.
("No, please eat a little more… I don’t know how it got finished so fast.")
"Phir khila de… main aur haath nahi lagaunga," he teased.
("Then feed me… I won’t touch it with my hands," )
She blinked. "Main… khila doon aapko?"
("Should I feed you?")
He nodded. "Kyu, apne pati ko khila bhi nahi sakti?"
("Why not? Can’t a wife feed her husband by her hand?")
Blushing, she shyly fed him halwa with a small piece of puri.
He teasingly bit her fingers. She flinched.
"Ouch!" she squealed, quickly covering her mouth. "Aapne kaata mujhe!"
("Why did you bite me?")
"Maine? Nahi toh" he asked, chewing innocently.
("I bit you? Where?" )
She glared at him cutely, her cheeks turning red. "Aap na ek number ke bad—"
("You’re such a badm-")
Her words stopped as she realized what she was about to say. Arjun raised an eyebrow.
"Main badmaash hoon?" he asked.
("I am badmash??")
She shook her head quickly, nervous. "Nahi… nahi toh!"
"Toh main kya hoon?" he asked, his face drawing closer.
("Then what am I ??")
"Aap… kya hain? Aap ..aap uhmm… bohot acche hain!" she blurted, laughing nervously.
("Ohh… what are you? You’re very… very nice!")
Arjun chuckled, unable to hold back. Sakshi looked at him, puzzled.
"Aap hans kyun rahe hain?"
("Why are you laughing?")
He gently held her hand and took another bite from it, his eyes soft.
"Tum na… bohot pyaari ho, Sakshi."
("You’re really… very sweet, Sakshi,")
With that, he stood and walked away, leaving her stunned.
Sakshi sat still, her heart thudding wildly.
"Yeh mujhe aise kyun ho raha hai… jaise paeth ke andar sab kuch gol-gol ghoom rahi ho… pehli baar aisa mehsoos ho rahi hai...age toh kabhi nahi hua…" she whispered to herself.
("Why am I feeling like this? As if everything inside my belly is spinning… I’ve never felt like this before,")
"Jab bhi Arjun ji mujhe aise dekhte hain, meri dhadkane itni tez kyun ho jaati hain jaise mein kahi se bhag k aayi hu?"
("Whenever Arjun ji looks into my eyes, why does my heartbeat get so fast like I run a marathon..??" )
She placed a hand on her chest. "Poora badan garam sa ho jaata hai… kyun lagti hai aisa?"
("I feel like my whole body turns warm… but why do I feel so hot?")
There was no answer — only the echo of her heartbeat and the lingering warmth of his touch.