"Sorry I'm late."
"It's alright Alekh Ji".
"Hmm...well, let me change and I'll be right with you."
"Ok!"
I lay down in bed. I was sure of it now, we were going somewhere for a week, and Alekh Ji was apparently very happy about it.
He came to bed and lay down next to me. I moved closer to him and he turned, and we lay side by side.
"How was your day, Sadhna?"
"Good, busy, and I missed Jiji…"
"Ranvir misses her too…"
We both laughed in unison. Just then Alekh Ji's phone vibrated on the table, and he picked it up.
"Text message from Ranvir? Why is Ranvir texting me, he's…oh boy…read this…:" He handed me the phone.
"Kya haal hai aap ka Bhaiyya? Mein to bilkulllllll theek hoon. Acha, bhabi ko bhi meri taraf se poochyega…Ranvir, writing this from Ragini's room. :)"
We both laughed until we had tears in our eyes.
"Are you going to reply him?"
"Yes, I want to say "Shabbash bachchu…tum bohot smart nikle! "
I laughed as Alekh ji wrote his reply. Then he turned to me and put his arm around my waist, and pulled me close to him, just an inch apart. He kissed my forehead and was rubbing my back.
"Sadhna, I have a surprise for you."
"Really?" Well, it was more of a partial surprise. I knew he was going to tell me we were going somewhere, but I didn't know anything else.
"Yes, really." He smiled.
"Sadhna, I'm taking you for our honeymoon. The last one wasn't exactly a real honeymoon; it was…kind of me making you tag along with me, while we tag along with Ranvir and Ragini. Plus, I got lost and put a damper on everything for everyone. Besides, we never did anything real couples do on their honeymoon…and…before you object and say something about how this is unnecessary, I just want to say that I won't have any of that, we're going to go, we're going to have a honeymoon…and you will be blissfully happy and treated like a queen by me for a whole week, whether you like it or not."
I was sort of speechless.
"Um..well…I…", I didn't have anything to say.
"We're going in two days."
"Where is it?"
"It's…not in India."
"Oh my…tell me! Where, where, where?"
He laughed at my sudden enthusiasm. I was surprised and excited and a bit anxious too. Wow, for the first time in my life, I'd be going outside of India.
"It's 5 days and 4 nights, but with the travel and all, we'll be gone about a week. I've been trying to arrange it for a while now. I've been discussing what's the best time to go with Papa. I wanted to make sure I could leave for a week without everything going haywire at work. I figured with our anniversary coming up…this was a perfect time."
Oh my God. Our anniversary was in 4 days, and we were leaving in 2 days...to somewhere outside of India…for a honeymoon.
"Alekh Ji…I…think this is incredible…b-but…"
"But what?"
"Outside India…I mean Kerala…Jiji and Ranvir Ji went and we went with them and it was Kerala…"
"You're worried Ragini will feel like this is somehow better than that?"
"Well...no, Jiji would never feel that way, she'd be happy but I…"
"You want to bring her along?"
"Y-y…well is that possible?"
"Right now, no. Ranvir and Ragini will be here, the office will fall apart if Ranvir leaves right now too. Besides, ugh…Ranvir will hate me for this but…we're already planning something all four of us can go to later on in the year…"
"To where? Oh my God!"
"Sadhna- you be quiet! If Ragini finds out…Ranvir will kill me…I'm not telling you to where…can we have our own honeymoon first, please?"
"Oh, right…I'm sorry Alekh Ji…ok, so…where are we going?"
"Um, I'll tell you that Friday morning, because our flight is Friday evening…", he smiled at told me.
"But I want to pack, I need to know how to dress…"
"It'll be perfect there, warm…"
"Ok, but if you're not going to tell me where we're going, could you at least tell me where you and Ranvir Ji are planning to take us?" I kissed his neck and cuddled with him, hoping I could get the secret out. I wouldn't tell Jiji, but I wanted to know, he wasn't telling me where we were going for our honeymoon, so maybe I could find out the other secret.
"Ugh, Sadhna!"
"Alekh Ji…please…PLEASE!"
"Sadhna…if you tell ANYONE, I swear to God…you will have to deal with my brother…"
"I promise Alekh Ji!"
He frowned and looked like he was deliberating things over in his head. Finally he exhaled and a gush of his breath landed on my face.
"Shimla."
"OH MY…", I couldn't finish my sentence because he put his hand on my mouth.
"Now, you please GO TO SLEEP, and forget what I just told you…I didn't say anything!"
I smiled and sat holding myself up on my elbow, and kissed him.
"I love you!"
"Sure."
"Alekh Ji, why are you so mad at me?"
"Because…"
"Why?"
"Whatever. Are you happy about the honeymoon?"
"I'm thrilled! I'm so excited, a bit nervous and anxious too…we're really going outside of India…is it really far?"
"My love, yes it's far…and no it's not in India…but I'm going to be with you, and we're coming back in a week…so for one week, it'll just be you and me, and we're going to have a real honeymoon, and celebrate our wedding anniversary. I'm going to get to be alone with you for a week, and I'm going to take advantage of that…"
He pulled me closer to him.
"You're going to get treated like a queen, because you deserve it. I'm not letting you do anything for a week, except being available to me, whenever I want to get close to you."
He kissed the top of my head, and I felt my heart beat quicken. The butterflies in my stomach began their familiar dance and I blushed. My skin began to tingle at his words. I looked up at him for a few seconds and smiled widely, I wanted him to know that I was grateful.
"Thank you", I said to him.
"This is for both of us…together…that's all I want, us together…"
I smiled and he kissed me again, and we hugged, and soon both of us fell asleep.
The next morning I awoke and while Alekh Ji got ready for work, I actually began packing.
"Sadhna, I'm going to help you with mine when I get home, just pack your own things first."
"Ok…um, Alekh Ji?"
"Uh huh…"
"What about my passport?"
"Yes, I have it with me, that's why I had it made a few months ago, I had this in mind. We're all set", he smiled proudly.
"Wow", I said sounding a bit surprised. He got it all done, and I never suspected anything. Alekh Ji had me take my passport pictures with him, and then sign all the necessary documents, and I never thought of why.
The day went on and I finished packing and cooking. I called Jiji around 3pm.
"How's Mamiji?"
"Much better Sadhna, I'm going to come home tonight. Maa can finally walk and she's feeling much better."
"I'm so happy to hear…oh, by the way Jiji…I know Ranvir Ji was there last night…"
"How in the world?"
"Well, he told me before he was going, and then he text Alekh Ji once he was in your room."
Jiji laughed hysterically and I joined in.
"Yes, he must have text Jija Ji while I was in the kitchen getting him leftovers from dinner. He said he couldn't eat anything at home since he missed me."
"He was very moody at dinner."
"Oh boy. Oh, and by the way…Sadhna…I know a little something about you too."
"What?"
"Jija Ji is taking you on a 2nd honeymoon for you anniversary! Oh my God, it's the most romantic thing I've ever heard. Ranvir wasn't telling me where…but I finally got it out of him!"
"Oh my God, Jiji…please tell me- Alekh Ji says I can't find out until Friday morning…gosh, him and his secrets!"
"Oh! Sadhna…you're going to LOVE it!"
"Jiji…please!"
"Nope."
"Ok- if you tell me, I'll tell you another big secret our husbands are keeping from us."
"Sadhna- you're pulling my leg, you're bribing me."
"I swear on my life!"
"Ok ok! I'll tell you…Jija Ji is taking you to some kind of a private island in Greece…"
I was speechless.
"Sadhna? Are you ok?"
"Oh…yes…"
"Ok, then tell me the other big secret…"
I recovered from the news of where we were going, and proceeded.
"Jiji- Alekh Ji told me if I told you, Ranvir Ji would kill him…and me…", I laughed.
"Ok, I swear, this will be between you and me…and you too, ok, don't let anyone know I told you- pretend that you don't know, Jija Ji might kill me too!"
"Ok- I promise. Jiji…Ranvir Ji and Alekh Ji are planning for all four of us to go…later in the year, to Shimla."
"Sadhna! You're kidding!"
"I swear!"
"Oh my God!"
"I know! It's so exciting…but Jiji…Greece…is that really far?"
"Sadhna- you are something! It's in Europe..yes it's far…but this is really special Sadhna, I want you to cherish it and enjoy it. Please, enjoy the heck out of this! Jija Ji loves you so much; he wants you to be happy. You both deserve this, don't be homesick. It's just a week!"
"Ok Jiji…remember, don't let Ranvir Ji know!"
"You too, don't let Jija Ji know…ok, I have to hang up now..Bhabhi is going outside and I need to watch Kavya, I'll be home late tonight, ok?"
"Ok Jiji, bye!"
Wow. I'm going to Greece. Alekh Ji was taking me to Greece…not just that, but a private island…what did that even mean? It meant we'd be secluded on a private island in Greece; Just me and him.
I needed to pretend I didn't know anything. It's ok, he was going to tell me himself eventually, and he'd already kept it a secret so long. I would have never guessed it!
I continued packing, but my heart was racing the whole time. I was very excited, to say the least. I didn't know what to expect. For me, this was full of firsts; First time out of India and so far from my family, first time on an airplane, and first time in Europe on a secluded island with my husband. God- the things Alekh Ji did for me.
Well- Alekh Ji was able to read my face pretty well. I think he'd know that I knew something; I had to try to keep busy until our flight.
It was dinner time and Alekh Ji and Ranvir Ji still weren't home, but Jiji came back, and I went to her room and we both lay down together in bed, talking over everything excitedly.
Finally everyone was back home and we had dinner. After dinner, I went up to my room with Alekh Ji, and I helped him pack. He was more interested in his camera though, but he ended up with mostly casual light clothing and only a few dressy items. I had basically done the same thing with my own packing, but he made me display what I'd packed for myself to him.
"Where are all your pretty saris?"
"Uh…will we need that in that warm place we're going to?"
"When we're indoors, you can dress normally, even outdoors too..well except when we're at..."
"When we're where?"
"Nothing." He smiled.
"Uh…" I tried to understand his statement. I couldn't, so I moved on.
"Are you going to work tomorrow?"
"Yes, but I'm coming home early, so you be ready."
He went to his drawer and took out our passports and tickets.
"Keep these with you, and of course I already explained the deal with what you can and can't have in your hand bag…so we should be good to go."
"Right. Alekh Ji, can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"Is flying scary?"
He chuckled.
"Well I've only flown a couple of times, domestic flights. I enjoyed it, some people hate it. I'll be with you in case you get scared or anything…but who knows, maybe you'll love it."
"Will I get sick?"
"No Sadhna- we're flying, not boarding the Titanic", he said and laughed.
"Ok. As long as you're with me…"
"Always…"
We went to bed early and the next day passed in a hurry. Jiji spent the whole day in my room and I was ready to go by 2. I talked to Mamaji, Mamiji, and everyone else on the phone, and Bhaiyya and Jiji went with us to the airport.
I had some issues leaving Jiji's arms when it came time to go inside the airport, but Jiji was very enthusiastic, and so I hugged her and bhaiyya, and Alekh Ji took my hand and we went in.