Flight of the Shikra

"I know why you want to visit the cemetery," she said, "that's where some of our heroes are buried, famous authors, astronomers, scientists...." We can make it our pilgrimage to the shrines of art and science.

"We take the high speed TGV train back to Geneva, and visit CERN the largest and most expensive experimental apparatus ever built. Then we spend a day in Geneva, just shopping and sightseeing, and we fly back. And guess what, every trip will be a day trip, we will start after breakfast and be back by 6 PM, so that we get plenty of rest to recharge our energy levels, and .... You know what... after all it is our honeymoon."

"You horny maniac, you have been doing a lot of research right?"

"Yes, and if you approve, I start booking the flights and the hotels we stay in."

"Just take me with you wherever Narasimha, I have decided, I am going to have the time of my life these ten days."

Narasimha

Somewhere during the preparations for the wedding, we set right the closed wing of the house. We had the room redone and what we did not want to use we packed off into a crate. Narasimha brought out some photographs of my parents and those of his, and had them mounted on the wall, next to the TV. He brought about a closure to something that was alive and dead at the same time.

"They are gone no doubt," he said, "but they must live in our memories, and those memories must be pleasant."

The big event was soon upon us. The day before the wedding, Suman organised a small 'mehendi' ceremony for all the ladies in our close knit group. An intricate design was created on my hands and palms using henna. Starting from my fingertips, the design spread right down my arms, a little short of my elbows. As tradition dictated, the grooms name had to be 'painted' with henna on the bride's hands. I had asked Narasimha for a stylised print out of his name in the Tamil font, I wrote out his name in Punjabi. The 'mehendi' artist did a very good job copying them on to my hands.

After me, the others, Suman, Disha, Sonu and of course our help, Rekha, Sulochana and Champa had intricate mehendi designs done on their hands. It was time for some music and songs.

The hair stylists and the beautician came over to do my hair and make up early next morning. Then they draped my saree, pinning it in what seemed a hundred places, ensuring every pleat was perfectly in place. The 'Kaasu Maalai' went around my neck, my sapphire and emerald jewellery looked so beautiful, and I slipped on my blue heels. Even my nails were painted a subtle peacock blue, and a pale pink lip gloss adorned my lips. I held a bouquet of pink roses in my hands.

Narasimha got ready in the other room, he looked so dashing. His flat abs and his long graceful neck, his powerful arms were accentuated by the Sherwani. My tall, dark and handsome groom could make me swoon anytime.

The photographer and the videographer went about doing there job. We stopped for a few moments before the photographs of our parents and gracefully exited the house in a flower bedecked car to the registrar's office.

The process of getting married took about 15 minutes. The forms were already in place, we presented our identification papers, the registrar asked us if we were agreeable to this marriage and that we are doing this of our own free will. We confirmed our assent, we signed the marriage register. Vivek, Suman, Sonu and Ajay signed in the witness columns. We had the customary photographs taken, and more as we held each other close and smiled into the camera. The applause and cheers slowly died down, everyone shook our hands, we had a photograph taken with the registrar and his staff, more photographs and we were done.

We then drove down to the lunch venue. Zoya and Raghav were there to greet and welcome us. She enveloped us in a hug and escorted us in. There was a dance floor and one of Narasimha's team members belonged to a band, and that band was performing. They were already in place, as were many of the guests. We entered to the beats of drums.

I had organised for a small bus to bring my staff over to the venue and then drop them back. My factory managers had coordinated this well and everyone was there on time.

There was huge cake that we had to cut, but before that we were to exchange our wedding rings. Except that suddenly, no one remembered where the rings were. I panicked and looked at Narasimha, he was smiling. I whispered to him, "Is this one of your pranks?"

"No, he said, but I think I know what is coming."

Sonu stepped up to the mike and spoke. "Boss-man, Boss lady... You get to the next phase only after you have expressed your undying love for each other. The crowd cheered as Sonu thrust the mike towards us."

I gathered my wits, and whispered to Narasimha, he nodded. We took the mike and I started to sing, one of the most romantic Bollywood songs ever written or sung. Within a second, the band picked up the tune.

"Ek pyaar ka nagma hai

maujon ki ravaani hai

Zindagi aur kuch bhi nahin

teri meri kahaani hai........"

"This is a song of love

That swells and flows like the waves

Life is but nothing else

Than the story of you and me......"

It is a number over forty years old, yet very popular. It is also a very long song, we went off key in a couple of places, and just like in the movie the song is from, at the end, everyone joined in and we had a chorus. And for a few moments, we were in a daze.

Narasimha said, "That was quick thinking my love, I really wasn't ready for that one, I would have babbled like a mad man if I had to make a speech."

We exchanged our rings, and the crowd cheered. And Narasimha's team started egging him on, chanting, "Boss-man kiss the bride, Boss-man kiss the bride..."

Narasimha put his left hand around my waist, held my left arm with his right and he leaned into me, and kissed me softly on my lips, his lips lingered for a few moments as the crowd went berserk, and then he straightened up.

We cut our wedding cake, popped little slices into each others mouth and into the mouths of those closest to us, and then the hotel staff wheeled it away, to be sliced and served to the guests.

Narasimha asked me for a dance, and we whirled around the dance floor. His dancing has improved a lot and he now moves with grace and ease, yet he prefers that I lead. The waltz was followed by a slow informal swaying of our bodies, as we held each other tight, and then we relinquished the floor to the crowd and they just freaked out with a medley of Bollywood and Bhangra steps. Zoya used to be a singer in her college days and she crooned to us some Hindi and English tunes with her highlight being 'Somewhere over the rainbow' from the movie 'The Wizard of Oz.'

The guests then came individually to wish us, and then moved on to the lunch spread before them. We had two live counters at the buffet, one for North Indian kebabs and a South Indian dosa counter. The food was much liked by everyone, and then slowly, people started taking their leave. Dr Shailaja spent some time talking to us and playing with Alka, the baby she had delivered a few months ago.

Zoya and Raghav took their leave, we had arranged small boxes of chocolates and cookies for the guests to take back with them. Finally at around 3, we left the hotel premises, after settling the bills.

Suman and Vivek drove us to our home. As I stepped towards our porch, Narasimha held me back. "It is our tradition," he said, "that after the wedding the bride always steps into her husband's home," and he gently pulled me towards his apartment. We slowly climbed up to the apartment, with Suman and Vivek following us with the baby, and as we reached the door, Vivek, pulled us back, and said.

"Narasimha, carry your bride across the threshold."

Narasimha of course never needs an excuse to carry me in his arms, he lifted me in one fluid movement and pushed open the door with his feet.

A joyous whoop erupted from inside as Sulochana and Champa stood there, screaming, "Welcome sir, welcome ma'm, congratulations." I almost jumped out of my skin in surprise and as I surveyed the room, I saw flowers all over the place and the bed beautifully decorated for the nuptials.

Narasimha had got me again! I clung to his neck and hid my face on his shoulders.

"No, my sweetheart, he said, you see these 4 guys over here, this was entirely their idea." He put me down and we all gathered into a great huddle.

Suman inspected the fridge and the kitchenette, and said, "Everything is here to sustain you through the evening and the night. There is food that you can heat up in the microwave, milk, bread, eggs, coffee, fruits, chocolates. Now both of you, don't you dare get out of this room till tomorrow afternoon." With that, and giving us a quick hug, she took Vivek's arm and lead him and the others out of the apartment.

I hugged Narasimha, "You are the craziest romantic in this universe, I love you," I said.

His eyes conveyed that wonderful mish-mash of desire, hunger and love, and I said to him. "Narasimha, you are going to undress me now and it is going to take ages, so be very very patient." He raised his eyebrows.

"Because my saree has been draped with a hundred pins and there cannot be a single tear in it when it comes off," I said, grinning at him mischievously.

Boy was he patient, and boy did he use the time to touch my skin everywhere. Actually there were only 26 pins. Then it was my turn, and undressing him was a quick job, there were only buttons and drawstrings, no pins.

He lifted me to him, placed me gently on the bed, and then gathered the flower petals all around me and showered them on me. He traced my lips with his fingers and then brought his lips near them, only to pull them away at the last moment, teasing me. But then two can play the game, so I pushed him down, and moved my lips down his torso, kissing him all around his crotch and thighs but keeping my lips away from his engorged penis. He did like wise, a tit for tat between my thighs, we were out to tantalise each other.

He then grabbed me close, and whispered, "Kiss me Neela, I cannot stay without your kisses for so long."

"You started it buddy, so imagine you are on one of your tours, and fantasise about kissing me!"

He groaned, and I hungrily went for his lips. As we came upon for air, I said, "I can't stay without your kisses for long either."

Our foreplay went on for what seemed forever, sometimes rough but mostly tender. I took my lips and my mouth to everywhere that he ached, and he responded likewise. Finally, I mounted him, my vagina slick with my juices and his saliva, accepted his large organ, and I let him slide in slowly. He grasped my breasts, and gently ran his thumbs over my already hard nipples, and then I pressed my breasts on to his chest, locked my lips to his and started to move my hips.

After a while, I let him roll me over on my back. Everything inside my body and my mind was in a whirl. He rose and fell as I matched him thrust for thrust, and he brought me to a wild orgasm, once, then again.

"Give me a baby now Narasimha," I yelled, "cum in me, now, give me a beautiful baby daughter who has your eyelashes, please my darling, I need you now like I have never before."

He went over the edge and came in torrents which triggered yet another wave of impulses in my vagina. We just pulsated together, again and again, like we would never stop.

He held me tight, and we talked.

"It is so weird, Neela," he said, "except for a piece of paper that we signed today, we are still the same, Our love grows and our bodies are tuned to each other, and yet our feelings are so intense today."

"Why dissect feelings my love? Let us just feel what we feel. Let our love spread through every pore of our skin. Let us lock our brainwaves into each other, let our hearts race as one."

"Sometimes you say the most illogical of things in such a logical manner, I am not going to debate this at all. You are right and you are all mine."

We slowly drifted into a stupor.

I saw my egg travel through my tubes, Narasimha's sperms rushed to envelop it just like his arms envelop me. One enterprising spermatozoon made intense love to it as the others cheered, and they fused as one just as Narasimha and I do when we cum.

I woke up from my trance, it was dark outside, just as it was inside my tubes. I smiled. I shook my husband lying beside me awake.

"I am sure Narasimha, our baby is growing inside me right now, it is a baby girl, she has your eyelashes. I am going to name her Neelima, from the letters of both our names."

"Hey, what if it is a boy? And don't I have a say in choosing the name."

"No, it isn't, but if it is, you get to choose the name. But for this girl, it is my choice."

"Hey, that name sounds good, I hope it works out exactly as you want," and he hugged me tightly.

Neela

Neela is finally my wife. I suddenly feel so much more possessive about her. We didn't even wait for night to fall, for the night of our nuptials had to happen immediately. We made love and it did seem very erotic and new, it seemed like it was our first time.

Neela is convinced that she has conceived our daughter today. It would be really lovely if she has and I hope the odds favour us. She has even decided the name for the baby, using letters from both our names. 'Neelima' means 'beauty mirrored in blue,' epitomising the blue reflection of the sky on the oceans.

She wriggled herself out from under my me. "I don't have my clothes here, give me something to wear."

"Why wear anything?" I asked.

"I thought you may want to undress me again a little later, rip my clothes off perhaps?" she grinned.

I got out of bed wearily, went into the bathroom and then came out and asked her. "A kurta of a tee?"

"A tee shirt please and one of your pyjamas," she said as she went into the bathroom.

We settled down in the balcony, sometimes gazing at the stars and sometimes at the bed. The sheets were stained with crushed flower petals. I collected all the petals in a large plate.

"What do you want to do with them?" she asked.

"I am going to sun dry them, then seal them in a couple of small bags, and keep one in each of our cupboards."

She smiled. "Do you remember the first time I lay on that bed with you Narasimha?"

I nodded, moved my chair closer to hers and we held hands. "Isn't this were it all began," I asked

"You were so protective when you held me, I felt so safe with you. I never imagined that this bed would one day be my bridal bed. Your Shikra could not have flown away from you, my husband."

I held her close. "That 'my husband' sounds so endearing my darling wife."

"We cuddled and kissed so many times here, but we never made love on this.... till today, that is. I am glad it happened this way."

"I'll get us some kaapi, then fix us something to eat."

"You have made innumerable cups of kaapi for me here in this very apartment, let me do it for you today. As for dinner, let's have a huge fruit salad and chocolates." Then she winked, "They say chocolates are a great aphrodisiac, you are going to be a very tired and spent man by the morning my husband."

And before I could grab her, she had rushed into the kitchenette.

As she busied herself, I hung up all our wedding attire in the wardrobe. I picked up her jewellery and placed them safely in one of the drawers.

Our phones were in her handbag, I took them out and put them on the side table and kept her bag in the cupboard. Then we sat with our kaapi. She took my comb and started to open up and braid her hair. We took some selfies.

It was well past midnight when we finally fell asleep. It was little past nine in the morning when we woke up. A while later, I made some tea and as we were drinking it, the phone rang.

"It is Suman," I said, and held the phone between our cheeks, so that both of us could hear her.

"Good morning love bird 1, are you and love bird 2 awake?"

"We are now, Suman," I said, as Neela giggled.

"I can heat your wife giggling, you guys still joined at the hips?"

"Actually somewhere else Suman," I replied.

"Looks like this conversation is going pornographic," she laughed, "well, if you guys are up to it, come over for lunch."

"Yes, that would be great," I said, when Neela grabbed my phone and started talking to Suman. By the time they finished, I had fixed our breakfast of french toast and orange juice.

We moved to the main house, checked if all our wedding gear and jewellery were accounted for, had a long languorous shower together, pulled up our dark blue Levis and white round neck tees, and set out for Suman's place.

Lunch was a fun affectionate affair, and then I put Suman's and Neela's mehendi decorated hands together. The colour on both of them was a deep maroon. "In our parts of the country," I began, "it is said that the depth of the colour of henna on a woman's hands is directly proportional to how much her husband loves her."

Suman pulled Vivek to her and kissed him. "I agree, this man of mine has been a lot more demonstrative in his affection since the two of you became a couple. You are surely his role model."

Vivek and I played with the kid, she was turning out to be an active and curious baby, her eyes followed everything, she gurgled and cooed so much....

Suman and Neela closeted themselves in the bedroom for their girlie chat.

Narasimha

The next day, Narasimha and I visited the registrar's office to pick up our marriage certificate. We checked to see that they had got all the details, especially the spellings right, everything was good, and when we got home Narasimha scanned the certificate and started the process of including my name as a nominee to all his assets, and more importantly filed the papers to include me in his company's family group health insurance policy. We applied for our Swiss Schengen Visa and we got them in less than a week.

In turn, I started the process to include his name as successor to my assets. Suddenly I realised that there are legal differences when it comes to a live in partner and a spouse, it made legal sense to be married.

It was about eight days after our wedding, Suman, Vivek, Narasimha and I were sitting and chatting in our living room, when a package arrived. It was from the photographer and in addition to a couple of DVDs and pen drives, contained two large albums of our wedding pictures. The covers were a collage of some of the pictures inside, built around a picture of both of us just after we had signed the marriage register and another of Narasimha bending down to kiss me after we had exchanged wedding rings. I didn't pay much attention to them but as we flipped the pages, this picture, we saw, had been blown up to its full size.

It was breathtaking. The foreground with the wedding cake and the background were completely out of focus. In focus was just the two of us, Narasimha's left hand holding my waist as I arched away from him. The pallu of my saree fell in a graceful drape, moving from the front of my navel and across my left shoulder. The 'Kaasu Maalai' around my neck, traced its way round my contours, following the curve of my left breast to my stomach. Narasimha's right hand held my upper arm, my left hand rested lightly on his shoulders, with the intricate lines of my mehendi standing out in great detail. My ring was partly hidden behind my little finger, but one could make out the intertwined letters.

Our eyes were closed as Narasimha leaned in towards me, our lips were moist and the contour of my lips were identical to the lips of Nefertiti that Narasimha always compared them to, and every single strand of Narasimha's eyelashes could be made out individually.

All of us gasped, this was some kind of a miraculous shot that had defied all the laws of probability.