“She is sitting on the bed, fully dressed as a newly wedded bride. I remember how I used to react in my childhood when my mother used to wear red sarees and bangles with a big round bindi of sindoor (Vermillion) on her forehead during the Karwa Chauth night (Hindu ritual). I admired her look. She used to look like a goddess. I remember once I demanded that I want a bride like her. At that time I was probably in 4th grade and my mother promised me that she will bring a bride like her whenever I grow up. Unmindfully I chuckle at that reminiscence.”

“Aditya, you are not mad at me?”

Nandana’s words break Aditya’s reverie. He sits beside her frowning in confusion.

“Why should I be mad at you?”

He asks in ambiguity.

“I call you Brute. I call you selfish giant. I gave you so many weird names. Sooo…rry…”

Nandana says in a childish tone while scrunching her nose and holding her earlobes in a gesture of pleading. Her endearing antics make Aditya fall for her again. However, he maintains her solemnity and deadpans,

“If I say that no one ever dares to call me by these kinds of names and I am really disappointed with you for this, what will you do to pacify my anger?”

His pretentious grave tone vanishes the frolic smile from Nandana's lips. She gulps her saliva and replies,

“I will do anything to calm you down.”

“Anything?”

Aditya asks while nearing her lips and eyes at them. In anticipation, Nandana closes her eyes and murmurs,

“Anything…”

“Not bad, Mrs Oberoi. If I had known that marriage will make you such bold, I would have gotten married to you earlier. But right now, I want something different. That ‘Anything’ (He air quotes) we can do at night. Today is our first night. So, let’s keep it aside for the right time.”

His teasing and frolic tone makes Nandana open her eyes with a jerk. Aditya is laughing at her with a bemused face.

“YOU…”

She balls her fingers to hit his chest but stops as Aditya arches his brows at it.

“So many changes in one day! My dainty Angel has become a dauntless tigress. But hey, don’t you want to know what I want right now? Any guess?”

Aditya sounds enthusiastic. Nandana pouts and counters,

“How the hell am I supposed to know? Do I look like a face reader?”

Aditya bends his head with a smile.

“Can you sing a song for me? Just for me.”

He mouths softly. His voice has something which stirs her heart for a second.

“My all songs are for you. Just for you.”

She replies with frailty. Aditya leans forward and rests his head on her lap. It feels like heaven. Nandana caresses his forehead while running her fingers through his soft hair. Their eyes remain seized for a moment. Nandana starts humming and eventually her euphonious voice fills the air of the closed room. Aditya closes his eyes with contentment and peace. His lips curl in a complacent grin. Nandana entwines her fingers with his and continues with her melodious voice. Her song has that divinity that can reach any longing soul. Aditya opens his eyes and beholds her beauty that is finally his...only his. Nandana smiling eyes meet his awestruck ones. She slowly leans forward and snogs Aditya’s forehead. He again drops his eyelashes. A sigh of gratification escapes his chest. He brings her hand near to his lips and kisses the palm. Her fragrance fills his heart with satisfaction. Aditya rolls one side and hides his face in her stomach while shackling her waist. After a long time, someone’s voice has brought peace and tranquillity to his restive mind. The Sun ultimately has announced the genesis of the night as he dips below the horizon, the fleeting colours of dusk begin to fade away. Sunset is proof that an ending can also be beautiful. Can these two souls start their new journey with this hope? Only destiny knows.

...................................

“Tomorrow I will go to his bungalow. I know she is there.”

Vivek Basu adamantly says. Jaya is drying Rishi’s hair with her saree. She turns to her husband with a jolt.

“Have you lost it? Even police are not sure whether Nandu is there or not and you are planning to land there without even informing them! Look, you have already done a mistake by confronting that Aditya Oberoi. I don’t know if Nandu is with him or not. But if she is there; don’t you think you have put her life in more danger by informing Aditya that you know about it? And moreover, if Nandana is with him; why didn’t she try to contact us? Didn’t she get any chance in this one and a half month? And if she didn’t get then it’s clear how dangerous that Aditya Oberoi is.”

Jaya’s voice shakes in anticipatory fear.

“So, what do you want? I will sit like this as a spectator? I don’t know how dangerous that man is but I only know that my daughter needs me.”

Vivek slams his fist on the table while mouths rigidly. Jaya nears to him and says in a calmer tone.

“I am not saying that don’t do anything but I want you to do things with logic and brain; not with only heart and emotion. Go to the police and say that you want to go to his bungalow and if possible, you want them to accompany you. Try to understand…if the law will be with you Aditya Oberoi will be bound to a limit.”

Vivek lifts his face to his wife and takes a sigh.

“Jaya is right. He has to get the power of law to win this battle.”

His mind agrees. Immediately he gets up and bails out to head to the police station. He doesn’t have time to procrastinate. Each moment is taking his girl away from him…bit by bit. He increases his speed to get an auto.

..................................

Dong…dong…dong…the wall clock gongs to declare the time as midnight. Aditya and Nandana are still lying on the bed. After listening to Nandana’s song, Aditya fell asleep. After a long time, someone’s voice has worked as a lullaby for him. After his mother, someone has made him asleep like a kid. Even Nandana slept for some time when she saw that Aditya is sleeping like a baby, holding her like she is his ultimate home of all happiness and peace. The sound of the clock awakes Nandana. She slowly unfurls her eyes. The room is dark as no one has switched on the lights. Only the soft radiance of the full moon is peeping through the glasses of the balcony window. The farmhouse is so silent that the sound of the dewdrops falling on the leaves can be heard. Nandana turns to Aditya who is still sleeping holding her frame. She carefully unshackles herself and tries to get down from the bed. However, feels a pull in her saree end.

“Don’t go. Let this moment stop here.”

Aditya mumbles and pulls her towards him. Nandana lands on his chest. In the soft moonglow, both look at each other’s eyes.

“I have never said this to anyone because I didn’t believe in this word. But today I want to say this. Because you have brought back my old heart. I love you. This Brute loves you, my Angel.”

Aditya almost whispers without breaking his eye contact. His hand crawls towards her nape and holds it softly.
“I love you too, Aditya Oberoi. This Angel will never leave her Brute.”

Nandana reciprocates with quivering lips. Slowly she scoots forward and places her petals on his eager lips. Aditya’s grip on her nape gets tighter. His other hand skims on the bare skin of her waist. Without asking for permission, she parts her lips to invite his tongue and he invades her mouth while tangling her tongue with his. For the first time, there is no dominance or submission. The kiss symbolises pure reliance and equality.

“Make me yours…again…forever.”

Nandana murmurs against Aditya's lips. He rolls to the side and comes over her torso. Their lips are still seized. His fingers reach the hook of her blouse and one by one open them. Both are crazily snogging each other’s skin and body while simultaneously getting devoid of the hindrance of their clothes. Amidst the moonglow, now their naked bodies are glowing like two statues, earnestly waiting for the ultimate coalescence. Aditya grabs her twin melons and digs his face in her chest valley. His hardness is eagerly rubbing against her soft core.

“Stop this moment. I want to melt in you.”

Aditya sounds raspy. Suddenly Nandana feels a sharp pang in her entrance. She fists his hair to sink into this pleasurable pain. His length fully occupies her depth and he speeds up.

“You will be my forever…Angel. You will be my ultimate home.”

He murmurs while again sinking his lips to hers. The night witnesses a blissful harmony. A harmony of two different hearts….Angel and her Brute.