The sound of knocking on the door woke up Tuli. Soft sunbeams of Shimla, trespassing disregarding the presence of the thick curtains, were playing around the cottage room, illuminating it.

Tuli with a light moan escaping her mouth turned her head a little at the sound of the door opening. A bell boy was standing there as Shuvro had opened the door. The boy with a smile and greet of 'good morning' strolled the curt full of breakfast, inside room.

They had arrived the capital of Himachal Pradesh just the day before at 6 of the evening. The two hour long journey of Flight and then a cab was somehow tiring enough so Tuli didn't get to see much of around but the mall. After a cup of coffee she had dragged Shuvro to the hurt of the hill city. Ratul stayed back at the room, rolling eyes at her excitement and Shuvro's sheepish smile at that.

Even as the clock approached 8 but the hustle and bustle of the mall road was at it's peak.

The duo stuffed themselves with hot chocolates, cookies as well as buying a hand full of bakery foods as the roam around and finished it with two plates of steaming hot momos.

"We must visit the Kali temple tomorrow." Tuli had quipped dipping a momo into the hot sauce before putting into mouth.

"Emm... but I have meetings tomorrow. I won't be free even after lunch. " Shuvro looked at her with guilt.

"Okay. The day after tomorrow?"

The question suddenly made him look at her keenly, with a little bit of curiosity, a little bit of excitement and bit of hope.

"Um, yah. I am free the day after tomorrow." He answered after a moment. "I wouldn't take a job to do that day when you are with me." The last part of the sentence came in a hardly audible whisper as he was not sure whether to say such thing to her or not! Taking a look of her quickly he looked down at his food as if he didn't utter a thing.

But as the restaurant was soundproof form the traffic sounds of outside by tick glasses Shuvro's whisper was audible enough to her. She muzzled for a moment to put a piece of food in her mouth but didn't say anything.

At the way back carrying the bags of things they brought both of them was walking in silence, quietly leaving the busy soul of the city behind. But the distance of their souls, who knew how far they were to meet!

*

"You are ready?" Tuli smiled looking at her husband's all prepped up corporate get up. She sat up wrapping the warm quilt around her after the hotel staff went out keeping the breakfast.

"Yah." Shuvro gave her a confused smile trying to track his wife's mind's courses. But failing miserably in doing so he sighed and headed towards the breakfast cart.

***

The day for Tuli went with herself. She walked till the Mall, sat at the benches looking at the other tourist, shopping a little and visiting the temple in the way back. The rest of the afternoon after lunch she spent in the cottage. She had liked this beautiful stay of them as soon as she laid her eyes on but the beauty it revealed after the Sun came up was like a dream. Situating a little away from hustle and bustle of the mall road, the cottage was wrapped in wooden planks and surrounded by pine trees, oaks.

Their room had a balcony attached, standing where one could see the beautiful view of the city wrapping around the mountains by degrees, gradually had gone as up as it could. Sitting in one of the chairs Tuli spent all the afternoon sunlight until she unknowingly fall asleep on the chair.

*

"Common man, one drink more. In the name of success! You deserve it." Ratul insisted. "That too when its free, you know free drinks tastes the best?"

"That's like a collage day's dialogue!" Shuvro made a nasty face at Ratul's already drunk state.

"It applies for all ages."

"Just because the dinner and drink is on the clients it doesn't mean you will drink the whole bar."

"I shall not, but we should!"

Shuvro made a face again before dialing Tuli's number to inform her to have dinner as they were already having it out.

"I told them that I can't, but they insisted on it so much Tuli, I am really sorry." He apologised for the sixth time.

"Its fine Shuvro. I told you. Stop apologising now." She told him fumbling with the hotel service card.

*

After dinner Tuli was savouring a glass of wine sitting on the balcony chair looking at the blinking city lights around the mountains like garlands, being memorized. The alcohol was spreading intoxication a bit by bit making her drowsy. So when Shuvro walked inside the room unlocking the door she didn't hear.

She almost jumped up when his foot approached the balcony.

A smile was looping on his face as he looked at her. "You are here, I was looking for you in the... um... room." Words came out of his mouth as slurs with a light chuckle.

"Yah. I was here," she smiled looking at him smiling, she didn't know why. "Shuvro are you drunk?"

Shuvro took a moment to scratch his nape before he answered. "Yaaa I think a bit. Oh! That stupid fuck all moron! He got the clients paying for the drinks, now who was gonna stop him and roped me along with it. You are so beautiful Tuli. So so beautiful! Like you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. I love you so so much!" He rambled all the words out in a breath and like a toddler walking for the first time he rushed towards her to clasp her in his arms. Tuli took it by surprise so much her eyes widened but unknowingly her hands locked around his lean bust.

"Oh!"

"I know I sound like a psychopath, but I really love you yaar! You don't have to love me back even Tuli, just don't leave me alone. Don't leave me behind please. Everybody is leaving Tuli - loneliness scares me Tuli." he whispered in exhausted voice. His voice had something that stopped Tuli from saying anything.

With the city behind them witnessing they stood in each other's embrace in silent.

"Shuvro," she uttered after some long chains quiet time flew through the river. Like moonstruck he straight stood back but refused to leave her.

He stared down at her face as she looked up at him and tried to draw a smile. With dreamful in his eyes looking at her he pushed some locks of hair, that were playing around her face, away and held her face with one hand. His eyes averted downwards by moments and degrees.

She gasped lightly as she realised what was going on his mind. But before she could compare what she should do she heard her voice breathing out "Shuvro!" in objection.

With a snap his eyes inched up staring at her.

Like a lightening he was out of his trance and with a jolt he left her. But her mind was busy now in contemplating whether what she did was right or not.

"I-I should sleep. I am not fine, I am sorry."

Saying he turned on his hills and hastily walked in just to bump at the door frame.

"Careful!" She spoke up tailing behind him to get a hold of him to escort him till the bed making sure he didn't bump on anything. "Why do you drink when you can't clearly take it?"

"I am sorry!"

"Stop saying it!" She almost dumped him tall figure on the bed and he plopped. Tuli sighed and picked up his long muscular legs to put them on bed. She took the quilt to place it over him.

As she was about to go away his mumbles dragged her back.

"I know Tuli, how much pain you have gone though. I know you take me as responsible for what happened to Sumedh. You think... you all think I wished for it, but please trust me, I didn't. I never. I love you Tuli, I will never in - never even in my darkest thought would ask for something like this for my arch enemy. And I love you Tuli... I love... it hu..."

His words drained into the slumber.

Sitting beside his she kept looking at his sleeping face with a blank face.

The moon moved it's position towards the east of the sky as more and more the night grew. The chilly breeze were boring though her whole body.

And then she stood up heaving a deep exhale to go to the washroom to freshen up.

Reaching back to the bed she crawled inside the warm quilt after lying down.

She turned to face him and his sleeping face came in her view.

A smile half heartedly draw on her mouth as her hand approached up and placed on his. She raising a bit leaned on his asleep face and lightly touched her lips on his forehead. Planting a kiss there she laid intimate to him and whispered, "Happy one year anniversary Shuvro!"...

So here was the part. I am really sorry for not being able to post it sooner. I hope you like it. Now please VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! and comment. Also follow me to get updates about further updates of this story and more...