Siddharth and Ruhana arrive at their destination, and he finally removes the blindfold. Ruhana adjusts her focus to the lights, and as she witnesses the scene before her, she’s flabbergasted. She’s amused to find herself in the middle of a jungle and in front of a tree house. As she looks around, she also spots a waterfall. She jumps on her toes excitedly and turns to her husband. She gazes at him for a second, then hugs him, throwing her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his cheek. He’s delighted.

“So, you like it?” he asks, a smile playing on his lips.

“I love it, Sid, but where are we?” she asks, her curiosity piqued.

Of course, finding such a beautiful place in the concrete jungle is a tough task. But hey, he has found it. He leans down and kisses her forehead.

"I can do anything for you, Ruhana. I know I have angered you twice, so I had to do this," Siddharth confesses.

Ruhana smiles. He is so genuine in expressing his feelings. Yeah, he angered her. But she loves him, and she can't be mad at him anymore. She looks at him.

“Tumne achcha kiya, chalo maaf kiya maine tumhe. Lekin yeh toh batao, yeh kaunsi jagah hai?” she asks.

“Yeh hai, Sajan Nature Club – Thane. Abhi hum Mumbai se thoda door hain. Lekin mujhe lagta hai yeh best jagah hai. Humaari saari deals bhi ho gayi, aur aaj Friday hai. Toh ab Saturday aur Sunday ko bas main aur tum,” he says, leaning toward her.

Ruhana feels her heart flutter with joy. She looks at him, “Really? Ab do din hum koi kaam nahi karenge? Koi humein disturb nahi karega?” she asks, a smile dancing on her lips.

“Sach mein, Ruu. Ab 2 din ke liye yeh hamara ghar hai,” he replies, pointing towards the tree house in front of them.

She cups her face in excitement, “Woww! This is amazing. Thank you, Sid. I really needed it — hum dono ko hi,” she chuckles.

He holds her wrist and leads her inside the tree house. Siddharth unlocks it with the keys he received from the reception. It’s a spacious house with a small kitchen, a bedroom with an attached balcony and washroom, and a hall. From the balcony, she can see the artificial waterfall, which is actually a small pool for tourists.

Siddharth tells her that the visitors can book the house and live there for a few days. The maximum package is for six days. He tells her that he chose it for the weekend and that it’s part of another plan he has availed. The house is small but elegantly decorated, and she is touched by Siddharth’s gesture. She hugs him tightly, resting her head on his chest.

"Thanks, Siddharth. This is beautiful," she says.

Siddharth smiles. He knows he has made the right decision by bringing her here. He kisses the top of her forehead, and they gaze at each other. Then, out of nowhere, she pecks a quick kiss on his lips—a warm touch that lingers around him.

She chuckles, "This is the most beautiful surprise ever. I love you for this.”

He holds her hands, "I promise I won't joke around," he says.

She pulls his hands and kisses his palm. “I know, Siddharth. I know maine overreact kiya, lekin kya karun, Siddharth? Tumhe kho nahi sakti main. Tumhe khone ka matlab hai apni zindagi kho dena. Aur ab woh main nahi chahti," Ruhana says, her tone laced with emotion.

"Aisa nahi hoga, Ruhana. Chalo, let's have dinner," he says and leads the way.

He takes her towards the dining table in the cottage. She is surprised to see that he has arranged a candlelight dinner for them. He pulls out the chair, and she sits. He takes his seat opposite her. She checks the dishes — all are her favorites. She smiles brightly, and they begin their dinner with light chit-chat.

After the quick dinner, Ruhana is standing in the small balcony of the tree house. All she can see are green trees and a few giggling sounds from the surrounding tree houses. So, it’s not only Siddharth and Ruhana here; there are other people too, rejuvenating their romantic moments. Siddharth hugs her from behind, locking his arms around her neck. She keeps her hands on his. He kisses her nape, and that paces her heartbeat.

She tilts her head to look at her husband. He smiles and touches his forehead to hers. She turns to face him and kisses his cheek softly. He smiles, and she mouths the three magical words he’s dying to hear. He pulls her closer to himself. She is shocked, but she smiles. The close proximity with him always makes her nervous. He whispers something in her ears, and it surprises her. She looks at him. He smiles and takes her inside the room. He opens the curtain on the wall where the bed is placed. It reveals a large glass window. They can see the lights outside their house. Ruhana cups her face in excitement. It feels like there’s no wall in their room.

"You can watch the sunrise from here," Siddharth whispers in her ear.

"This is another surprise. Thank you, Siddharth," she says.

"Anything for you, my love," he says.

Ruhana looks at him and starts thinking.

"Okay, you are forgiven, Mr. Malhotra," she says.

"Really? I need proof of that," Siddharth says, rolling his eyes at Ruhana.

Ruhana giggles, understanding the meaning behind his words. She gives him a teasing look, but he holds her wrist.

"You're not angry, and you have no reason to escape from me," he says, boring his eyes into hers.

"You are my escape, Siddharth," she says.

She moves close to him and seals his lips with hers. He smiles into the kiss before responding, drowning into their love land — so forth.

To Be Contined.