Surprise! Surprise!!

He came back home from office. Parked his bike in his apartment’s parking lot and started thinking how she will react after seeing him so early at home! By the way he was going through a very hectic schedule for last few days. Going early in the morning and coming late at night had become a routine for him! So coming early today from office was supposed to surprise her a lot. And to not to miss her expressions he didn’t inform her of coming home early although it was an unwritten rule between them to make a call while leaving workplace to go home. But today was different! It was a Surprise day! And he was enjoying every moment of it from the time he left office.

He was back home by tea time which was rarity but today it was reality too! And he was sure that she would never expect him so early. He was extremely happy with his boss for letting him go home early. They say it’s a rarity to have such an understanding boss who not just understands office work which is a corporate need but also understands the needs of family and importance of relationships too! But he was lucky to have one!

It’s so true that such small incidences are so very important in life to make the bonds stronger between husband and wife, to make the relationship grow. With the current rat race under the sugarcoated word of competition we don’t realize that we have actually started missing these small incidences and making the bonds between the two fragile. I agree to the fact that the pace of the world has changed a lot since the last era but it’s certainly a point to ponder on, the achievements we are having now are at what cost?

Anyway he started walking towards lift from parking lot thinking of all her patent dialogues for last few days. Why you need to work so hard? Are you the only one in your project who is working? Don’t they understand that you are no more a bachelor and you have a family now? So are you planning to come at least before midnight today? I am not going to wait for you for dinner. But he knew that she always waited for him to have dinner. And it wasn’t just a ritual to be followed but it was out of sheer love and the need to have a sound communication between the two. Because now-a-days with their working schedules that’s the only time when husband and wife eat together and have a communication. So today being different they were suppose to have tea together and not just dinner.

While thinking about all this he stood in front of his flat and pressed the door bell. No reply. And just when he was about to press the door bell again he heard his ringtone. Now who is calling at this time when I am about to enter my house? And her name flashed on the screen. Now is it a new trick she is playing with me? With this look on his face he picked up the call and said, “Hello?” Her pleasant voice said from other side, “Where are you? There is a surprise for you. I am just standing in front of your office. Just thought as it is now-a-days you reach home late and we hardly get time for each other. So why not at least have a tea near your office so that at least we can be with each other for some more time?” He is just thinking, not again. We are not having tea together even today and he is wondering how involved he was in his thoughts that he missed that her car is not there in the parking lot!!!

When she is away…

He came back home from office and pressed the doorbell. There is no response from inside. He pressed it again. This time for longer duration and with little bit of anger too. Why is it taking her so long for just opening the door? And then something struck him. Oh yeah, he smiles. How I can forget that she is not at home, he said to himself. She had gone out for her passport work which was pending for long since their marriage and would be waiting at her mother’s place at night which is on the way while returning from passport office.

He opened the door with latch key. And just when he was closing the door he saw a sticky note (post it) pasted on the rear of main door. It read, Good evening hubby, I hope it wasn’t a tiring day. He smiled again and murmured yeah the day was good but it won’t be the same with second half of the day as you are not at home. And as he said that he started thinking how dependent he has become on her that even in small things he badly needs her. He badly missed the smiling face of her opening the door of his house every day, greeting him daily. That thought for a moment interrupted his smile. But after all he wasn’t that selfish. Boss how can I ask her to come back home once she is done with the work. After all she did ask me for the first time after marriage that can I stay back at my house since it’s as it is on the way.

But I remember her catching my expressions of not to let her go even for a day. I know she sensed it for sure. She also sensed that in my voice too when I said, not looking at her, that yeah you can certainly stay back. In fact you don’t even need to ask me for that.

And he suddenly realized that he is still standing at door with sticky note in hand and like a statue without even removing his shoes, in deep thought. He removed his shoes and moved to keep it in shoe rack and guess what? Another sticky note which wrote, Hmmm…thinking about me hubby. I know even I am missing you. He was amused by the understanding they shared even while being miles away from each other.

He then simply placed himself on sofa and took remote in hand to switch on the TV. And surprise! Surprise! One more sticky note on the back side of remote which read, I knew you will switch on TV even before changing your clothes. Now this is too much he thought. Is she spying on me or what? And he went on to change his clothes.

Come on man how can she direct me to do whatever she wants to while being far away from me? That’s not fair, he thought. And today with she is not around I am going to live on my own terms just like I used to do when I was bachelor, he decided firmly and opened the fridge to drink some water. And as expected one more sticky note! It read, please make tea for you. Don’t be lazy! And with determination he said I am lazy and today is the day for me to be lazy.

As he ruled out the plan of making tea he decided to raid his own house to search all the remaining sticky notes. And found few others too. One on dining table which read, the food is available in fridge. Please heat it in oven before eating with P.S. as call me if you fail to operate ovenJ. On microwave oven the sticky note read, hey the food is little spicy! Sorry, but if you don’t like it don’t be hungry. At least have fruits. At fruit basket another sticky note read; don’t drink water immediately after eating fruits. It’s not good for health. It was becoming like a treasure hunt! And he finally got the last note on his wardrobe which read; wear that blue shirt with white lining on it for office. It looks good on you! He thought come on give me a break! At least when you are not here let me decide what I should be wearing.

Collecting all the sticky notes victoriously he came out in the hall and started watching TV. It must have passed 3-4 hours watching TV, eating food after heating it in oven with lot of fight on understanding from user manual on how to heat food since he was not ready to give up on P.S. part, eating fruits even though the food wasn’t all that spicy and finally drinking water at last after some time.

It must be around 11PM when door bell rang. With puzzled face he opened the door and the expressions changed to baffled, confused, almost hanged just like due to infection of virus to amused, surprised, and happy! She was standing at the door, smiling as usual and with that special spark in her eyes! I knew I served her purpose with all my different looks since opening of the door to enable her to make fun of me with her return! But I didn’t care! It’s nothing in front of her return. She finally said now can I get in if you can give me some space?

She explained to him how she saw the restlessness in his eyes if she had to stay back at her mom’s place and was unable to sleep. So she simply packed her bag and came to him.

Being a die-heart fan of tea the next thing she did was she asked him do you want to have a cup of tea. I am making some for myself.

Just while entering into the kitchen she asked, did you make tea for yourself after returning from office? He knew that this was a trap and hence was prepared for it. Now I can’t say I didn’t as it will make me lazy and she will tease me a lot on that, he thought. And as it is how she will come to know? So he said with some pride that yes I did make tea for myself.

Here she came laughing like crazy from kitchen saying, no my dear hubby you didn’t! He asked how can you say so? She said now with mischievous spark in her eyes, because the sticky note on tea powder box is still here. He literally jumped from his place to read the content which said How come sun has risen from west today? I don’t believe you are actually making tea for yourself!

When they fight

He came back home from office. The house was still silent. He knew that she is there in the house. But he couldn’t sense the normal energy around. It all sounded dull. He knew the fight they had in the morning was not over yet. It was the new battle of egos which both of them had to tackle till one give up. It’s not even a year passed to their marriage and these small fights have already started to surface in their life to spice up their love.

If you know your partner really well then even the surrounding of your house starts speaking with you. So he was sure that the fight won’t be over till the time either of them gives up. And he was also sure that there will be ambient conditions created so that he will give up and she will get the satisfaction of winning. But today he was in no mood giving up so easily.

He entered the house and was ready for the game. She too knowing him fully was equally prepared and well equipped for the game.

By the time he was changing and getting fresh, she made tea for him. After getting fresh he simply switched on the TV and sat on the sofa. The tea was served on the teapoy. Mind you, not a single word exchanged so far.

He simply takes the first sip of tea and he knows to the core that yes I know her better and everything is going as per the plan. It is the sweet tea which he loves with extra milk in it. By the way she hates sweet tea and milk is strictly a big NO for her. But today she will have both as she is expecting him to give up. But that’s not enough to resolve the impasse between them.

Meanwhile he is thinking what happened in the morning. After all guys will be guys! He has completely forgotten the reason for the fight. Oh yeah, he was getting late for office in the morning and he was wearing a shirt which wasn’t all that suitable for the trouser he was wearing. But that reason was good enough for her to get angry. Can you believe this? Then came emotional dialogue cant you do even this much for me? And he sternly refused to change. And that was it! He was glad that at least he was remembering the reason for fight. That was good enough for him to continue with fight for some time. After all he doesn’t wish to win it; he just needs to drag it a bit.

By the way even she was aware that only tea of his choice wasn’t enough considering the reason for fight. But again girls will be girls. Hence she was still expecting him to say sorry for the morning incidence. After all he is now my husband. How can he wear something so shabby! That is certainly a reason to be angry on! She was determined to prove her point. Hence she simply finished her tea and went inside.

He was observing her and was certain that she is all set to prove her point. After being in relationship with her for so long he knew exactly what’s going on in her mind. But he was curious about her way to prove her point. And was sure that, the way will certainly be new and different too!

And she didn’t disappoint him either. She came out with her hair uncombed, face colored like joker, wearing night dress and blazer on top of it with 2 different colored shoes in 2 legs, mickey mouse bag on her back, and with each nail colored in different color. And said lets move out, I have to do some shopping.

And he was not left with any other option but to laugh like crazy. He actually fed down from sofa laughing really hard. And finally when his breathing came down to normal he said, ok I give up and now wash those fluorescent blue, fluorescent green colored nails first and I promise you not be shabby like today!