"Dil toh pagal hai"

“Mmm….itni pyari kheer banayi hai aapne bhabhi uff! Bhaiyya will ekdum melt at this sweetness”.

Roshan kept on complimenting me about the kheer that I made, throughout the breakfast and I didn't know how else to react but smile.

It was just 9 a.m. and I was free the whole day as I applied for a leave at the office. Maa ji woke me up very early before sunrise and made me do some rituals. No, it wasn't my first day after marriage. It's the first festival after our marriage, Ganesh Chaturthi; Maa ji considered it a little more auspicious since I'm new to the family. I cleaned our bedroom, prepared breakfast, served everyone and they were almost done eating when Mr. Hubby decided to show up. He went straight to the Pooja room and came to the dining hall after ten minutes, with sindoor on his fingers. He applied it on my forehead and gave me that warm smile which instantly calmed my nerves.

Maa Ji and Papa Ji left for some work after we took their blessings. Rahul went back into his room and I was left alone with Mr. Hubby, serving two plates for the both of us.

“Why didn't you wake me up?” He pulled my chair close to his and talked to me while eating.

Damn, my Kheer really tasted so good. I could keep on eating it till I die.

“Main bahut jaldi ut gayi, isliye main aapko disturb karna nai chahti thi.”

“Ahaa? Aur main pareshan ho gaya ki meri biwi mujhe chod kar ghar chali gayi”

I looked at him to catch him already staring at me with a smile and I said slowly,

“lekin ab mera ghar toh yahi hain.”

There. That laugh has my whole heart. He squeezed my cheeks and grinned at my statement.

As annoying as he gets sometimes, he keeps me sane.

As clingy as he seems, I need him more than he needs me.

As childish as he behaves with me, I know how mature he is on the inside.

Ours was not an entirely arranged marriage and we patiently waited for three months before deciding to marry each other. He was a senior employee with two years of work experience when I had just joined the company for my internship. I felt attracted to him right from the start, not only for his looks but for his work ethic and that charming smile.

A fun fact? He did not even know me, even after I was chosen as the best intern from my college. Or at least that's what I thought. I didn't care either, since it was just a tiny crush. But then after a year, things changed, visibly.

My department was changed and I had to work under him, as his team member. On the very first day of work, we met each other in a very cliche manner. I was busy checking the personal emails on my phone and he was talking on his phone while drinking coffee. We were going in opposite directions and bumped into each other.

Well, I did want coffee before I started working, but not on my dress.

That was the first time we ever talked.

“Shit I'm so sorry! I didn't look, it was my mistake! I feel so bad right n-”

I cut him off with a very sarcastic smile and said, “No it's fine really. I wanted a coffee anyway.”

He paused for a moment, looked at me, and then chuckled, shaking his head. “Madhav Trivedi this side”, he extended his hand towards me.

“Aparna Tiwari”  I shook his hand with a tight smile,  slightly irritated because of the mess on my clothes.

“Oh yeah, you're the new teammate! Welcome Ms. Tiwari”

“Thank you, this is the best welcome ever haha” I shot him a fake laugh.

“Well since I'm very responsible, I'm giving you an off for this morning. You need to come by noon, okay?”

“....wow I didn't expect that. Th-”

“That's so kind of me? I know I know”, he grinned.

“No! I was going to say that-”

“That you're flattered by my kindness? Thank you miss!”

I opened my mouth only to close it again.

“Anyways since you're so impressed, do me a favor will you?”

I just blinked in response, feeling frustrated yet goofy at once.

“Yes? What do you want me to do?”

“I’ll send you a copy of our current project. Please modify the graphics and correct the errors if you find any. I need this to be done before you come to the office at noon. Can you do it?”

And here I was thinking that he's kind to give me an off, for free.

“Sure boss, I'll do it.”

He smiled at me and nodded, walking away.

‘Wow. So professional. So charming. I wish we could become good friends.’ I thought as I left.

I did what I was instructed to do and reached the office by noon. Mr. Tiwari, our boss, was busy in a meeting and his assistant informed me that it might take more time.

‘Oh…then the teammates must be waiting for the edited copy of the file to start working. Let me just upload it from the director’s computer. Why waste any time?’

I thought as I headed to the director's room.

‘ Madhav Trivedi’  I traced the nameplate on the door but took my hand back as soon as I realized what I was doing.

I quickly copied the edited file onto the PC, and just as I was about to upload it, the door was closed with a loud bang. I turned around to watch Mr.Tiwari leaning on the door with his head tilted up and eyes closed. He was taking deep breaths, and his phone was continuously ringing.

“Are you alright, Mr.Trivedi?”

He shuddered as if I screamed into his ears, and kept staring at me as I stared back at him with slight worry.

“I'm fine Miss. Tiwari…..” he kept nodding and looking at me. “I think…Uhhh…Can you please help me?”

I sensed the confusion in his voice and felt bad for him. Whatever he has faced in the meeting, it must have affected him a lot. I gladly helped him with whatever the tiny tasks he asked me to do, for the whole day.

And ladies and gentlemen, that is how Ms. Tiwari and Mr. Trivedi dived into friendship. Of course, I've always had a crush on him. One day, after 2 months or so, my parents arranged a blind date for me against my will. I had to apply for a leave but I didn't want anyone to know the reason. Madhav sir asked me, “Ohh the workaholic takes a leave finally? May I know the lucky reason..?”

I dismissed his question with, “Umm It's nothing sir, just a family thing that I need to attend to”.

I was supposed to meet the guy at Durga Mandir and I was thinking of ways to convince him against this marriage proposal. I was lost in thoughts, sitting down beside a wall, biting my nails, and occasionally hitting my head on the wall.

“Aree wah! Kya scene hai yeh”, Madhav sir's voice interrupted my chain of thoughts and I looked up to see him grinning at me.

I widened my eyes and stood up, my clumsy ass tripping over the ground in the process. Sir held my hands for balance and I closed my eyes in embarrassment.

“Aparna Tiwari, are you sure you came here for just a family thing?”

“Uh yes yes. Yes of course….why do you ask, sir?”

“Ohh well I have a blind date with this girl whose name happens to be the same as yours … so…”  he said with a smile on his face and mischief in his eyes.

‘Seriously Appu!! You didn't even look at the name of the guyyy!!!!’ I scolded myself internally.

Feeling embarrassed, again, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

“Sir…was I supposed to meet you? Umm…. Are you my blind date?”

Silence. And then a minute more of silence.

He laughed out loud suddenly and I got scared that I might have got the wrong idea.

“It's me, stupid. Our parents set us up.”

There. I felt like I had my ‘Dil toh pagal hai’ moment.