Before I proceed further I would like to thank each one of you who gave this book a try and loved it. Also I wanted to ask after the separation track , what do you wish to see? Apart from confessions and consummation. Would love to known your views. Also tell me your views on this chapter. Would love to hear from you.

"Aditya uthiye. Subah ho gyi hai."

"Mhhmm Zoya , sone do na please. Aur tum bhi so jaao. Aao."

He pulled her hand and dragged her into the bed and grasped her by her waist tightly and nuzzled his face on the crook of her neck.

"Aditya. Humein der ho rhi hai. Chodiye humein." But she laughed as she said this.

"Nhi chodoonga. Tum meri ho, aise kaise jane doon. I love ......"

The alarm blared and Aditya got up with a start. He looked around and saw Zoya sleeping peacefully on the couch. He wiped his face with his hand. He thought to himself "That was a dream. Damn it. What kind of a dream was that ? And was I going to say I love you to Zoya? What the hell is happening to me. Yesterday morning I was blushing like an ass when I saw Zoya and then this dream. Have I fallen for her? No, no. It cant be possible. She is my best friend and my wife. I love her like a friend. I don't want anything else. If I start showing or nurturing these newly developing feelings it might ruin everything that we have."

He was suddenly scared. But then the voice in his mind said "But it might not ruin anything , you might get everything that you wished for since you were 15. She is everything that you wanted in your dream girl. So what's the problem? And if you can't love your own wife , whom are you planning to love ? Your neighbours wife? Think about it. Nothing will change. Your relation will just get better."

Aditya shook his head rapidly and said to himself "Baad mein sochta hoon inn sabke baare mein. Abhi karwa chauth ki tyaari bhi karni hai."

He went to take a bath and when he came out he was dripping water everywhere. Zoya had woken up by then and saw the water on the floor and said "Aditya aap yeh kya kar rhe hai. Sab jagah paani paani phaila rhe hai. Agar koi slip ho jaaaa......." as she said this she slipped on the wet floor and as she was about to fall she caught hold of Aditya. She fell on the floor with a thud and Aditya on top of her.

She could feel the drops of water touching her forehead from his hair. She looked deep into his eyes. She suddenly noticed that Aditya's torso wasn't covered. She started to feel a bit hot even though it was very chilly morning. She heard his deep breaths and she looked at his perfectly shaped face. It was the first time in her life that she had noticed his handsome face and his beautifully sculpted body so closely. And it wasn't doing well for her. She was losing her breath. Yes they had hugged before but this proximity was a bit too hot to handle for her. She said in a very weak voice , "Aditya aap humare upar hai. Hatiye zara."

Aditya didn't know what came over him. He liked the fact that he was making Zoya breathless and shy. He said while smirking "Toh?"
"Toh? Aap hatenge nhi toh hum uthenge kaise?"
"Uthne ki zaroorat kya hai. Jaise hai vaise rehne mein dikkat kya hai?"
"Aditya aap kya keh rhe hai. Hatiye na please, humein der ho jayegi."
"Hone do. Kaun rokega tumhe agar tum late gyi toh?"
"Voh humare boss hai na jinke neeche hum internship kar rhe hai , voh." said Zoya sarcastically.

"Filhaal toh tu mere neeche ho. Tum chali jaogi toh mujhe acha nhi lagega. Apne boss ko bolo ki voh tumhare pati se important nhi hai."

Zoya was blushing like a tomato now. She pushed Aditya aside and he fell down. She got up to leave and Aditya caught her hand and said flirtatiously "Meri company itni napasand hai tumhe?"
She managed to free her hand and murmured "Aap bhi na." She rushed to the washroom , while Aditya was sitting on the grinning like an idiot. He loved the moment they shared right now. It was intimate yet innocent and cute. He wanted to be with Zoya more and more. He couldn't get enough of her.  He got up and got dressed and left for work with the hugest smile on his face.

As for Zoya , she was singing in the shower and for her applying soap on her body never seemed so enjoyable before. She was in the seventh heaven of delight. She had finally realised as she was having a bath that she had fallen for her husband. The husband that she had hated on the first day of her marriage. She had fallen for him hard. Unlike Aditya she didnt ponder upon her feelings or fight with them. It was as if she always knew but today she had got her confirmation. She wondered when she had fallen in love with Aditua "Shayad humein unse pyaar uss din hua tha jis din unhone humein Dr.Zoya Hooda na bulakar Dr.Zoya Siddiquie bulaya tha, ya voh din jab humne unke saath barish mein apne favourite gaane bataye the, ya voh din jia din humne ek doosre ke liye khana banaya tha , ya jis din unhone humari kahani sunke humein seene se lagaya tha aur humare liye garam vada pav leke aaye the , ya voh har din jo unhone humein khud se pyaar karna seekhane ke liye  laga diye, ya kal jab unhone bola ki unke liye yeh rishta kitna keemti hai.
I have spent so many beautiful moments with him that it is difficult to know the exact moment I fell in love with him. Baba was right , he had always known that I love him. After so many arguments and fights I fell for this beautiful soul."

She screamed at the top of her voice in the washroom "I LOVE YOU ADITYA." she jumped up with happiness.
She got ready for work and left. In the clinic she saw Aditya taking to patients. She smiled to herself as she admired her handsome man and then went to her cubicle. At lunch time, she came with her tiffin and said "Chaliye kuch kha lijiye."
Aditua said "Zoya maine bola tha na kal ki mera aaj vrath hai. Tum kha lo."
Zoya said "Haan humein yaad hai. Lekin hum keh rhe hai na , aap thoda sa kha li jiye.  Kuch nhi hoga."

Aditya said "Zoya kuch hone ki baat nhi hai. Tum meri biwi ho , aur agar yeh vrath tumhari lambi umar ke liye hai toh main yeh sahi se karna chahoonga. Tum kha lo, mujhe pata hai tum bina khana khaye zyada der reh nhi paoogi."
Zoya said "Theek hai phir. Hum akele hi kha lenge. Aapse raat mein milte hai."
She took her lunch box in her cubicle and ate alone. She thought "ideally maybe I shouldn't have eaten. He isn't. Was it right on my part to eat?" Then she thought "It's his wish not to eat, why should I stay hungry. I mean , I wouldn't let him fast during the 30 days of Ramadan just because I am doing so. Love doesn't mean that you stay hungry because the other is keeping a fast. Love is asking him to eat and him taking care of your needs while you fast , just like he asked me to and just like I will care for him as he maintains his fast."

She finished her meal. Aditya walked in that moment and said "Kha liya na tumne. Voh hindi filmon ki tarah toh nhi kara na ki "voh nhi kha rhe hai toh main bhi nhi khaoongi."

"Haan humne kha liya."
"Good. Vaise some days of fasting might do you good. Tum khati bohot ho." he laughed.
She said "Shut up. Acha suniye na. Aapko kuch chaiye toh nhi. Hum aapki koi madad kar sakte hai?"
He said "Zoya relax. Its just for 20 hours that I have kept this fast. I wont die if I dont eat for some hours."
Zoya said "Theek hai. Aap ghar kab aayenge?"
Aditya said "8 baje nikloonga. 9 baje pooja hai aur phir chaand ko dekh kar, tumhara aashirwaad leke vrath todoonga. And then I will eat like a pig."

Zoya laughed. Aditya patted her cheeks and went back to take a round in the ICU. Zoya thought "Raat ka khana hum banaynge inke liye." She completed all her work and then went home and cooked his favourite dishes.

At night she got ready in the saree that he had gifted her. She looked beautiful and elegant. Aditya  was dressed in a white embroidered kurta looking attractive and handsome.

Both of them were mesmerised to see each other. Aditya and Harsh took Mri and Zoya to the pool area from where they could see the moon clearly. Aditya followed the ritual and then Zoya fed him water. Aditya winked at her as she did so. She smirked. Aditya then asked her to put her feet forward and touched them while Harsh asked Aditya to repeat the words after him "While you are there with me , I don't need anyone to protect me from any evil. Please stay with me forever and bless me so that I can be worthy of staying with you."

Zoya was touched by this beautiful ritual that Hooda family followed. It was so pure and lovely. She then said "Ab chaliye kha lete hai. Baba , Aditua aap dono bohot bhooke honge. Aur baba, humne kabhi issee sundar rasam nhi dekhi. Thank you for having me in your family."
Harsh hugged her and said "Thank you for staying in ours."

They had fun and laughter filled dinner.
When Aditya and Zoya were in the room., Zoya said "Aditya , aapne jo humare liye aaj kiya, yeh humare liye sabse yaadgaar lamha rahega. Itni izzat aajtak humari kisi ne nhi ki."

Aditya said "Jab tak main zinda hoon tumhe kabhi izzat ki kami nhi hogi. Aur Zoya aaj raat ka khana....bohot hi zyada acha bana tha. Tumne mere liye itni mehnat ki. I loved it." He then cleared his throat and then said "Ek baat bol sakta hoon ?"
"Boliye na."

"Umm abhi humein ek saath rahe almost ek saal ho gya hai. Hum ek doosre ke kaafi kareeb bhi aa gye hai. Humne ek doosre ko apna pati patni bhi maan liya hai toh kya tumhe nhi lagta hai ki humein ab yeh couch or bed ka system hata dena chaiye. Kab tak hum aise alternate karke soyenge. I mean only if you are comfortable."

Zoya said nothing. Aditya said "I am sorry  Zoya. Maine shayad bohot jaldi bol diya. Forget what I said. We will continue with this system as long as you are  comfortable."

Zoya said "I think it's a good idea. We should sleep on the same bed."
Aditya said "Are you sure?"
Zoya smiled and said "Yes."

So that night they shared the bed for the first time. Aditya slept and Zoya looked at his face and thought "I can't wait to tell you that I love you. I dont care if you don't feel the same , my love will be enough for both of us." She said to herself "This weekend I will give Aditya the best surprise ever." She smiled to herself and slept peacefully.

Precap: Zoya falls ill and Aditya looks after her. Aditya realizes his love for Zoya and also wants to confess his love to her. A shock awaits Aditya in the hospital while it's a pleasant surprise for Zoya.

Lots of love
Cold Dragon