Read Online A Perfect Mismatch by Leena Varghese - Free Book Online Page B

her! What madness had gripped him? He had forgotten everything that that had brought them together. The complications would be disastrous. Zara shifted closer as if trying to warm herself. God! He was craving to turn and wrap her in his arms … just this once! But he remained stubbornly still, grimly determined not to let the soft body pressed into his back cause anymore damage to his resolution. He waited until the desire passed and finally closed his eyes.
    Everything went into a tailspin a week later when Vini dropped the bombshell after dinner while everyone was relaxing with dessert. With the serene air of someone who had just visited a shrine, she said to Armaan, “Since you seemed to have forgotten to take your wife for a honeymoon, I took the liberty of booking the tickets for a week in Goa. I can make arrangements for tickets to Switzerland or Indonesia as well. You can choose any destination you like. You know how difficult it is to get five-star service so Mr. Suri is doing the needful. He wasvery happy to oblige since we have been doing very good business at their boutique at the hotel.”
    Armaan was furious. “You can cancel! Mom, you should have asked me first!”
    “Why? So you can refuse? Don’t you think you should take some time off? I am sure Zara needs a break!”
    “NO!” Both Armaan and Zara said in unison. Well at least they agreed on something, thought Zara with a dreadful feeling.
    “Mom I just took a week off for the wedding!” Zara was ready to beg on her knees if she had to. She was clutching at straws here. A week alone with Armaan would probably see her grow horns and talons! Of course, she could take another week off. But she couldn’t admit that.
    “Nonsense! You are hardly spending time with each other. It is final. You are going for the honeymoon this weekend.”
    The children grew excited. “Can we go too?” they chorused together.
    “No! Only married people go for a honeymoon! Children go to school!” Aparna said sternly, “Happy honeymoon bro!” With a wide grin she whispered into his ear conspiratorially, “Don’t forget to wear your armour. It shields from sharp objects!”
    Even amidst the chatter of children and elaborate explanations given by their grandmother, Zara heard the comment and felt a little hurt. She rose from the table mustering up her usual cloak of dignified resilience and excused herself.
    Upstairs in the bedroom she paced the floor in suppressedfury. How dare they treat her like that! Some of the old hurt resurfaced but she shook herself free of maudlin self-pity. Nothing had changed between her and
the other three.
They had grown up despising her for who she was. She was still the outsider. Soon … she would be gone! And she would make sure she never saw any of them again!
    Armaan strode in with his customary black frown. “Did you say something to her about wanting a honeymoon? Why was she harping on about
you
wanting a break?”
    Zara wished he would choke on his presumptuous, arrogant tongue! “You think I would want to go with you even if the gods offered me free tickets to paradise?”
    “And you think I would go anywhere with you if you were the last woman on earth? I guess there is no choice but to do what she bids. It is after a long time that I have seen her healthy and happy. However much I may loathe this situation I cannot refuse her!” He ran a restless hand through his hair and paced furiously.
    Zara rolled her eyes in frustration, “At this rate she would be ordering us to have babies at a prescribed date!”
    Armaan swiveled on his heels to say mockingly, “God forbid! Can’t imagine having kids with those familiar prickly pear traits!”
    Zara could have lunged at him for that not-so-subtle comment on her nature, but she settled for saccharine sweetness, “Oh how lovely that you finally admit to
your
flaws. Of course your kids would inherit your praiseworthy genes rather than the fine characteristics of the poor unfortunate