Five-Thirty AM - XLIII

Noel woke up suddenly as he always did. Mitul was fast asleep in his arms. He checked the time.

‘Mitul,’ he shook her shoulder. ‘Wake up, babe!’ he said, urgently.

‘Lemme sleep, Noel,’ she growled.

‘Come on, wake up, Mitul, I’ve got something to show you,’ he insisted.

‘What?’ she grumbled.

He smiled at her annoyed face as she blinked open her eyes.

‘I’ve seen it before,’ she whined.

‘No, you haven’t!’ he retorted. ‘Come on, be a good girl, get up.’

He got out of bed, and dressed quickly in warm ups, watching her as she crawled out of bed.

‘Chop! Chop! Mitul, hurry up. Or we’ll miss it,’ he urged her.

‘Miss what?’ she turned around.

‘Go!’ He pushed her into the bathroom.

Five minutes later, he led her out of the cabin to the little garden, she followed, still yawning. Dawn was breaking spectacularly over the hills. Rolling clouds reflected the glorious red and pinks and golds of the sun, that was still not up. Clouds hung over the hills to the West. And in the East the mountains loomed large and dark, shadowed by the rising sun.

Noel had brought a blanket with him, and he wrapped it round both of them, pulling her into his arms, so she faced away from him. He had his arms around her, and his chin resting on her head, facing the east as they waited for the sun to rise. The colors lightened, the gold deepened and just as suddenly, the sun peeped over the hills, he checked the time again. Perfect.

He looked down for a moment, as he saw her face, golden in the morning light. All his carefully prepared words were forgotten as he began to speak, from his heart to hers.

‘I know it’s only five-thirty in the morning, and it’s really early, but I wanted to share this sunrise with you. Just like I want to share every single moment of the rest of our lives together from this point on.’

He dropped the blanket as he spoke, and as the sun kept climbing up slowly, he went down on one knee, right there on the sparkling, dew covered grass. Mitul stared at him, wide eyed, heart hammering, pulses racing. She was wrapped in the golden glow of the sun, her hair ruffled in the morning breeze, the flush of sleep still on her face. She looked like the Earth Goddess that he always thought of her as, as he knelt at her feet. He held her left hand in his, feeling nervous, but by the trembling in her fingers, he understood. She knew.

‘Will you marry me, Mitul Imani? and share all your mornings and evenings, and days and nights with me?’

He held out his palm. On it nestled a ring, the diamonds and rubies capturing the first rays of the sun, fracturing the light and casting a thousand rainbows into her eyes.

Mitul stood there stock still. She gazed down at him, as he held the ring out, looking up uncertainly at her, his face anxious for her answer, his green eyes filled with hope, yet intense with love. ‘Yes,’ she replied in that deep five-thirty a.m. voice that he’d come to love. ‘Yes, I will,’ she smiled, tears in her eyes, glittering like the jewels he slid onto her finger.

He stood up, raising her hand to his lips. ‘I love you, Mitul. No matter how many times I say it, it won’t be enough.’

‘I love you, too, Noel,’ she threw herself into his arms, locking hers behind his head, as he lifted her off the ground, and kissed her with all his love pouring into it.

The sun rose fully before them, casting a golden glow on a new day for Noel and Mitul.

*****

Later, much later, sated from love making for the moment, they were in bed, Noel playing with her navel ring, as she lay with her head on his shoulder.

‘So you planned it all?’ she asked.

‘Not really. I mean, I did plan to ask you over the Christmas break, since everyone would be together, but I wasn’t sure about the perfect setting,’ he explained.

She admired the ring on her finger and said, ‘normally girls get like the special date, you know.’ She looked at him under her eyelashes, a smirk on her face.

Immediately he looked worried. ‘Are you disappointed? That I didn’t take you somewhere special, and,’ he stopped as her fingers rested lightly on his lips. He kissed them instead.

She rolled over and lay on her stomach, looking into his face.

‘It was perfect,’ she said. ‘I didn’t need a big splashy date or anything. I just needed you,’ she teared up as she said that. ‘The setting couldn’t be more perfect. It’s us,’ she assured him.

He wiped the tears from her cheeks. ‘Babe, no more tears, okay?’

‘They’re happy tears,’ she gave a watery smile.

‘Still hurts me,’ he said.

She traced the phoenix on his chest. ‘When I started on this, I didn’t even dream I would end up here,’ she kissed it.

He brought his hand up and drew her face to his chest, her lips resting on his heart. ‘You ended up here,’ she felt each vibration of his words through her lips.

She looked at the ring again, ‘this is your grandmother’s ring? It’s beautiful,’ she sighed.

He nodded. ‘She left it to me, as I am the youngest in the family.’

‘The baby of the family,’ she teased.

‘And you,’ he kissed her, ‘are the baby’s baby.’ They were lost in their kisses for a while, and then he drew away. ‘Although, since I’m the brat in the family, I get what I want, always.’

‘That time is over, my friend,’ she laughed.

He pulled the sheet away so he could look at her fully. Top to bottom, the curves and valleys of her body, enhanced by the diamond navel ring, the diamonds on her finger, one leg bent at the knee, the silver anklet glinting on her ankle, her proud breasts tipping erect under his gaze.

He narrowed his eyes, ‘wanna bet?’ He swiftly rolled on top of her to let her feel what he wanted right then. Her eyes opened wide, before his mouth came down hard on hers.

‘I always get what I want,’ he growled cockily, before he slid inside her again.

*****

They returned to Goa two days before New Year’s. They hadn’t told the family anything, although Noel had actually picked up the ring when they had been in Goa the last time. By the time they got to Noel’s home, it was late afternoon. Everyone, including Dev’s parents, had congregated at the Figueiredo’s and were sitting on the rooftop, chatting and enjoying themselves.

The two of them were greeted with loud, ‘Here they are!’s and ‘Finally!’s by everybody as they made their appearance. Maria sent down for coffee and cake. Noel held Mitul’s hand tightly. Thank God, they would have to do this only once. They didn’t doubt that the families would be happy, but still, it was nerve wracking to stand up and announce to everybody that they had decided to do the deed - get married, I mean!

He pulled up two wicker tabourets for them to sit on. She sat on one; he brought over two mugs of coffee, handing her one before he sat down on the other tabouret.

‘So how was Munnar?’ asked Myna. She sat on one of the wicker chairs, while Dev sat on a slightly lower stool at her feet.

‘It was good, very peaceful. We saw Nilgiri and some sort of leopard, I guess,’ Noel answered.

‘Wow! A leopard! Did you get a picture?’

‘No, it moved too fast for me,’ said Mitul. She shifted on the stool, wondering why no one had commented on the ring on her finger. It was starting to feel really heavy now.

‘What else did you do? Apart from going to the jungle, of course.’

‘Did you go to one of the tea gardens there? The Nilgiri tea gardens are also very popular, aren’t they?’

‘We did go to one of the tea-gardens, and we’ve brought some tea for you as well,’ Noel promised.

Finally, he could take it no longer it and blurted out.

‘And then I asked Mitul to marry me and she said yes,’ all in one breath.

There was utter silence for a moment, and then utter pandemonium, as every one jumped up to congratulate the two. They were hugged and kissed. The ring was admired by one and all.

Kamini and Maria wiped their tears as they hugged each other. Dev hugged his friend and said, ‘you finally did something right, buddy!’ while thumping Noel’s back. Myna meantime, hugged Mitul and cried a little. The Puris looked on happily, to think they saw that romance start budding in front of their eyes! Pakhi and Shelley hugged Mitul and said, ‘welcome to the family.’

It took a while for all the excitement to die down. Finally, Myna asked the question everyone had been dying to ask. ‘How did he propose, Mitul Di?’

‘Well, he woke me up, very early. Dragged me outside to see the sunrise. Then got down on one knee and asked me,’ she replied, blushing. Noel tightened his fingers on hers, lightly rubbing his thumb along the ring which now defined their relationship.

‘That’s it?’ asked Shelley, scandalized. ‘Noel, you couldn’t think of anything better? Something really romantic?’

Amidst the ‘Yeah, Noel, what were you thinking?’ and the ‘You should have asked us, we’d have told you how to do it!’ Mitul’s voice rang through.

‘It was perfect, Shelley.’ Mitul and Noel looked at each other, knowing she spoke the truth. ‘I couldn’t have asked for anything better,’ she said softly, leaning her head against his shoulder.

He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, and everyone watched in silence as these two finally let their hearts out openly in front of their loved ones, for the first time.

Maria sniffed, as Matthew handed her a kerchief. ‘I guess this calls for a party tomorrow,’ said he.

The others all yelled, ‘YES!’

Dev was surprised to feel Myna’s hand sliding and curling into his. He turned towards her, she was looking at his eyes, and never before had he seen them so eloquent. His heart accelerated. He swallowed, and squeezed her hand back.

******

Dev drove his parents and Myna home. The evening had taken on a slightly detached feeling for him. He felt as if he was caught in slow motion inside a fast moving film. The kind where everything around was a blur, except himself. And Myna. They were caught in the center of it. Ever since he’d seen that look in her eyes, he’d been feeling ... strange. He could see her in the rearview mirror where she sat with his mother. She caught his eyes once in a while, and he could see the exact same expression on her face. She looked like she was lost. He was grateful to Kamini aunty - as he’d begun calling her too - for allowing Myna to stay at their house. Of course, his mother asking Kamini for permission had helped.

Myna felt like she was in a spell. A little of the magic from Noel and Mitul’s lives seemed to have caught her in its web. She felt like she was trapped in those gossamer threads and only Dev could break her free of it. She looked into the mirror and found him looking at her. He smiled at her. She smiled back. He will help me, she thought.

As they went in, Dev said, ‘I’m going to go sit out in the back for a bit. Not quite sleepy, yet.’

His parents nodded and yawning, wished him a good night. Myna followed them upstairs. He watched them go, and then turned to go to the terrace. Only a few lights were turned on in the hall. He poured himself a glass of whiskey with ice, and carried it outside, turning off the lights on his way. The moon shone down full on him, as he sipped his drink slowly, waiting, he didn’t know, for what. Waiting for a long time. Then, he turned his head and looked at the door leading to the terrace.

Myna stood there.

She’d changed out of the skirt she had worn earlier, into a pair of soft white cotton calf-length pajamas, with a printed tee shirt. Her hair was loose, and in the soft moonlight, her skin looked paler than before. She was looking at him wordlessly. Her eyes spoke volumes and he was hearing everything she had to say. He stood up, placing his glass on the table before walking slowly over to her.

Gently he put his arms around her, holding her like she was the most fragile thing he’d ever held. Her arms came up under his, clutching his shoulders, as she laid her head on his chest. His nuzzled into her hair, breathing in the fragrance of Chanel No.5, his eyes closed, savoring this moment. He tightened his arms around her and sighed. At peace.

How long they stood there like that, they didn’t know. He drew back and without letting her go, led her back to the sofa. They sat down facing each other. He brushed away the hair from her face, with both hands, searching her eyes, and finding his answers. He held her face between his big strong hands. Her hands clenched in her lap. Slowly, he brought his lips down on hers, his eyes closing of their own accord.

Myna caught her breath as his lips touched hers. Her hands reached out blindly for something to hold on to, and found the solid strength of his chest under her palms. His lips sucked and nibbled at hers. She nibbled at his lips, and as his tongue slid past their soft barrier, her tongue came forward to slip into his mouth.

His hands held her like they’d been wanting to, went where they were meant to. Her arms coiled around him, as they kissed, the hunger growing in them with each lick of their tongues. He kissed her bottom lip, her cheeks, her jawline, nipping, sucking, soothing each bite he placed on her skin. His stubble grazed along her skin, raising goose bumps on her arms.

She slid her fingers inside his collar, finding the rock hard muscles underneath the taut silky skin. His hands came around her sides, holding onto her petite frame, the thumbs brushing against sides of her breasts. They slid lower, and slipped inside the hem of her shirt, stroking fire along her skin, till they came to the underside of her breasts. She wasn’t wearing a bra! He drew a shuddering breath and drew back, looking at her as she leant back in his arms, her eyes still closed.

Slowly he drew up the tee, and gasped as the alabaster perfection of her came into view. He drew the shirt over her head. She still had her eyes closed.

‘Myna, look at me,’ he whispered, withdrawing just a second to take off his shirt as well.

She opened her heavy lidded eyes, and looked at him. Every single muscle of his body toned to perfection, the moonlight casting shadows and emphasizing the ridges on his chest and abs. He was perfect. She dropped her eyes, looking at him, not touching him, scorching him where she looked, from his chest to his pecs, his tightened nipples to his corded abs, and the deep valleys along his hips, drawing her eyes to his crotch, seeing the undoubted effect she had on him.

He leant forward, one hand behind her, one hand at her waist, as she clutched at his biceps, laying her down gently on the sofa, sliding up to rub his cheeks against her breasts, watching in fascination as the nipples hardened. He wanted her to feel everything now. His mind was clear. The fog, the strange feelings, all dissipated and distilled into this one gorgeous moment in his arms. His mouth closed over one breast, and his tongue found the nub. 

She moaned softly, as he gathered her closer, his chest feeling the rapid rise and fall of her breathing, as skin brushed against skin, and flames shot through them. He slid his hands between them, finding the elastic of her pajamas, moving in, searching for her need.
She felt rough fingers against her, the smoothness of his chest on her stomach, the hardness of his teeth on her breasts, and the moonlight shining down behind her eyelids. She was gasping for breath, the tension coiling inside her. Her arms tightened around his broad shoulders, seeking anchor. She shuddered and almost jumped when she felt his fingers there, in the most private part of her, knowing she was dripping wet. The momentary embarrassment of it left her as she felt his hard length stirring against her thigh. His fingers were dipping into her, playing with her, and as he withdrew from her, she thrust her hips forward, not wanting him to stop touching her the way her was. She bit her lip, stifling a cry as his thumb touched her nub, jerking at the jolt of pleasure that smashed through her. She felt his finger inside her, sliding in, and caught her breath, letting out a shuddering breath as he withdrew. She wanted that again. Her hips told him so, and he complied. His finger slid inside her again, finding nerve endings she didn’t know she had, and then another finger joined the first and she started spiraling.

‘Dev,’ she gasped. ‘I’ve never ... ah!’

‘Sh,’ he whispered. ‘It’s okay. Trust me,’ his lips brushed against hers, as his fingers thrust faster into her. He caught the roiling waves of her climax in his hands and in his mouth. Her back arched like a bow, before she broke, shuddering and clinging to him. He soothed her on the way down, helping her through those tiny tremors. Holding her close till she finally opened her eyes and looked at him sleepily. Finding him smiling tenderly down at her. He brushed her hair back from her face and gently placed a kiss on her forehead.

Sitting up, he pulled on his shirt, before helping her with hers. He stood up and picked her up, carrying his precious cargo inside, through the dim moonlight dappled halls and up the stairs, until he came to her bedroom. He lay her down gently in the large four-poster, placing her head on her pillows. As he straightened up, she caught his hand. He laced his fingers with hers and sat down next to her. Leaning over her, he kissed her lightly, running his tongue over her lips for one last taste.

‘Dev,’ she said, in a small voice. ‘Stay with me.’

He looked at her for a moment, and smoothed back her hair. ‘Not tonight, my love,’ he said. ‘You need to sleep.’ He tucked the covers over her, and said, ‘good night,’ before he quietly shut the door behind him.

‘My love. He called me, my love,’ was the last thought in her mind as she fell into an exhausted sleep, a smile still adorning her face.

*****