Cognitive Dissonance

"Ma, Dad, you guys are awesome."

"Neeraja is awesome too," Dad said, "she looks great and on top of that she is a math brain."

"So this is how it goes," Ma said, "you get me the ring size, we will get the ring across to you so that you can propose properly and then between the two of you, decide when you want the wedding and we will plan things accordingly. Okay?"

"Yes, Ma, and thanks a lot, both you and Dad."

"I sent the picture across to Shveta, so you will get a call from her and Arvind any time. They are very happy for you."

"Yes, Ma, I will talk to them."

Within an hour, my sister called.

"Awesome kiddo," she exclaimed, "what a bhabhi you got me!"

"You like her Di?"

"I remember her from your school days, she got you sizzling in Math, and now she's got you sizzling everywhere."

"Yes, Di, she is terrific."

Arvind popped up on the screen. "Hey brother-in-law, you going great guns man. Make a list of everything you want from here for the wedding and after, we will get them for you."

"I just need the two of you here."

Arvind looked at my sister and then turned to me, both of them were grinning. "If the wedding is within the next five months, you will get the two of us, else it will have to be after twelve months and you will get three of us."

"You crazy love birds," I shrieked, "how come Ma didn't tell me."

"She doesn't know yet. We just found out this morning, rather a few hours ago, and then Ma sent yours and Neeraja's picture. Now you keep your mouth shut, we want to tell her and Dad ourselves."

"Hey, I want to hug you guys, Arvind, take good care of Di, Oh man, I am so happy."

"So what are your plans?"

I briefed them on the plans that Ma, Dad and I had made.

"Listen Kiddo," Di said, "once you get that ring on her finger, arrange for a video conference call, we are eager to welcome her into the family."

"Yes, Di, I love you guys, you take care okay?"

"Bye Kiddo, we love you too."

That interminable wait for Saturday evening was excruciatingly painful but it finally arrived. That evening, as I rushed into her arms, I already had a plan worked out. But first things first, we made exceedingly tender love. I spent ages just kissing her thighs, especially her inner thighs, I didn't miss a square centimetre. and then when I went on eating her pussy, she wickedly remarked, "If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have made dinner for you."

We made love again after dinner, and then she went into a deep sleep. Then I had to go to work on Sunday morning, and Sunday evening was more or less a repeat of the previous day.

On Monday morning, I held her to me very tightly and said, "Neeraja, at first I thought I shouldn't tell you this, but that would not have been the right thing to do. You remember the sortie that we messed up a few weeks ago? Well, we have a fix and we will be testing again tomorrow."

She stiffened in my arms, then she whispered. "You will be with Group Captain?"

"Yes, darling, he needs me and I am safe with him."

"Can I wait at your base when you are testing? I want to be close to you."

I kissed her gently. "I don't think that will be possible Sweetheart. There are very strict policies and rules."

She looked shattered. "Look, I will talk to Group Captain about how you feel," I said, "but I am not too sure if this can be worked out."

"I am scared Agni, I know you have a job to do, but after last time, I am scared."

I kissed her again and then left for work.

At lunch time, I called her. "Honey, we have a solution. Group Captain has suggested that I drop you at his place on Tuesday morning. He says Madhu has been through a lot of this and she can be of great support to you. I will pick you up at 6:30 AM and drop you at their place and leave with him for work. We will be back around 4 PM after debriefing and then we can come home together. The next day is my day off, so we will have lots of time with each other."

"I love you Agni, and tell Group Captain and Madhu that I love them too."

The fix was perfect and the sortie was just amazing. We got back at 4 PM, to two beautiful and cheerful faces waiting to welcome us.

Group Captain bellowed, "Neeraja, I got your man back safe and sound, did I tell you he is an awesome guy?"

Neeraja just flew into his arms and hugged him, "Thank you so much, you are just wonderful."

"Did Madhu fix your unfounded fears?" He asked.

Neeraja hugged Madhu, "Yes, and she taught me so many things about life in the air force that I never knew about. I am not scared anymore. It would be an insult to warriors like you if we showed fear. I am sorry I went overboard, but it won't happen again, I promise."

Madhu started to lay the table. "Today's special for tea is Misal Pav, that Neeraja has specially made for us. Then both of us are making a special dinner for you guys for a successful mission." Then she looked at Group Captain.

"Sorry Vikki, your bar will not open till 7 PM. So figure out what you want to do for the next three hours."

"Why this 7 PM restriction?"

Madhu laughed as she replied, "Because we have a surprise for you at 7 that will add an extra punch to your drink."

It was only then that Neeraja looked at me. I held out my arms and she walked into them. I held her close and then she disengaged herself to help Madhu set the table.

At 7, Group Captain started whining, "Where is my surprise?"

"Hang on, it is on its way," replied Madhu.

At 7:05, the surprise came in the form of a whirlwind that swept into the room at high speed, stopped in front of Group Captain and saluted.

"Flight Lieutenant Mallika Choppy Malhotra reporting on leave Sir," and father and daughter were hugging each other and laughing their heads off.

Then she turned to Neeraja and me. "My god Agni, she is so pretty, I could run away with her," she squealed.

I held Neeraja to me, "Lay off Choppy, she is mine!"

"Oooh! Posessive, are we?" She held Neeraja's hand and then she hugged her. "Mom told me about you and I am so happy to meet you." Then she turned to hug Madhu. "I always save my best hugs for the last, I love you mom," she said.

"Choppy, where is you commando?" I asked.

"He is training somewhere in the jungles of Assam, must be yelling, 'Kreegah, Tarzan Bundolo...' and swinging from a creeper."

"And his Jane misses him?"

"Yes, yaar, he is so fucking hot and he is fucking never around," she laughed.

"Mallika... language..." admonished Madhu. "Now go, get cleaned up and come down, you have 20 minutes."

"Yes, Mom," and she ran up to her room.

"This girl is a real cyclone," said Madhu

In a short while, she came down, she had changed out of her uniform into a simple churidar kameez.

"This is indeed a surprise, Chops, what brings you here?" I asked.

"Just tired off ferrying stuff, so took a few days off, have to get back to my base on Sunday."

"So what are your plans this week".

"I am going to sleep the whole day tomorrow, Thursday and Friday, I am going into retail therapy." She turned to Neeraja, "Why don't you come along, you can help me with my shopping." Then she turned to me.

"Don't give me that dirty look, I won't fly away with her, I left my helicopter behind at the base." We all laughed.

The dinner prepared by Madhu and Neeraja was so out of this world. Mallika was missing her Commando husband Arjun.

"That Tarzan of mine would have eaten everything here and left nothing for us," she said.

"After his training gets over, why don't you guys come over for a few days?" Neeraja said, "Between your mom and I, we will feed you some fabulous stuff."

I had three glasses of wine instead of my normal two and when it was time to leave, Neeraja decided I was not fit enough to drive. I was only too happy to sit back and watch her as she drove.

We went in, I had a quick shower, brushed my teeth and got into bed. Neeraja followed with a shower, and she came out wearing this sheer white transparent negligee. She picked up a packet of condoms from the drawer in the side table, placed it on the pillow and cuddled up to me. The message was clear, we had a long night ahead of us.

We talked for a while after our bouts of love making. "Madhu is so amazing," she said, "husband a test pilot, daughter a helicopter pilot, son-in-law an active officer in the army and she is so cool. The only consolation was that she, like me, used worry a lot when her husband went out on his missions. She still worries, not for one, but for three of them now and yet she is so calm and composed."

I smiled to myself in the darkness. Without realising it, she had given me the answer to a million dollar question I was to soon ask her.

"Who named Mallika 'Choppy'? That suits her so much."

"You won't believe this, but I have met her only twice before, and that too for a few hours at Group Captain's place. I started calling her that as she is a chopper pilot and she is as choppy as the wind. She loved it and she literally uses it now as her middle name. And I haven't met Arjun yet, but from what I hear from Group Captain and Madhu, he is even more freaky than her."

"I am going out with her on Thursday, shall I get you some stuff? Anything you need?"

"I am good, nothing I need, but shopping reminds me, do you have a cocktail dress or a gown?"

"No, I normally don't wear one."

"Why don't you try one? You can wear it to the next party at the base."

"I am not too sure sweetheart, I don't like those exposed shoulders and all that."

"I know, you don't wear revealing dresses, and I actually like the way you dress, it leaves much to the imagination and you carry yourself in a dignified manner. I just thought you will look good in a cocktail dress. You really have the figure for it. And you do get those with sleeves and they don't expose much of skin. Maybe you could look up some when you go with Choppy, and then later on we can go together and I will buy one for you. If you are not comfortable, we drop this conversation right here and I won't ask you again."

"I will take a look darling, now can you just kiss me for a while?"

It was well past midnight when Neeraja fell into a deep sleep. I watched her breasts rise and fall as she breathed. With a lot of confidence, I set about doing the task that Ma had asked of me.

Uniting

******

Choppy and Neeraja became good friends, and Choppy managed to persuade her to add a cocktail gown to her wardrobe. Together they shortlisted a few and a few days later, Neeraja and I went to buy one. It was a deep satiny dark blue, and the sleeves were lacy, concealing, yet revealing.

"Neeraja you are hot," I said.

"Am I hot or does someone have the hots for me?"

"Neeraja, if we don't get out of here fast, something sizzling is going to happen right here in this fitting room."

She was giggling all the while when we billed her stuff and got out.

In the evening, I got a text from Ma. "The package is on the way, let me know as soon as you get it."

Then she sent me a picture of the ring. When I saw it, I let out a small whoop. It was obvious Ma had put in a lot of effort and love to get the right ring for my lady.

A few days later, I had to go to the local customs office to collect the package. As always, Dad had paid attention to all the details, the documentation was perfect and the customs duties had been paid in advance. And Dad of course was well known in government circles. In less than ten minutes I was out with the package in my pocket.

I got back, opened the package, checked that everything was intact and texted Ma that I have received the stuff in good shape.

"Do the deed quick," she replied, "and both of you, talk to us later in the evening."

I texted Neeraja, I was worried that if I talk to her, the quiver in my voice would let the cat out of the bag.

"Sweetheart, I want to come over at 6 and take you out to the Crowne Plaza for dinner."

"What is the occasion?"

"No occasion, just the two of us."

"Agni, 'no occasion, just the two of us' can be better celebrated at home, why go to the Crowne Plaza?"

"Okay, how about an occasion where I get to hold this beautiful woman in a deep satiny dark blue gown in my arms?"

"That does not require the Crowne Plaza either."

"Why are you being so difficult?"

"No, not at all my amorous boyfriend, you can come home to a beautiful woman in a deep satiny dark blue gown, whether you will want to go out after that is a very big question."

"You are late," she pouted when I entered, "you made your woman in blue wait."

That was an entry that I was waiting for. I kissed her lightly and said, "Close your eyes, I won't make you wait any longer."

She closed her eyes, and lifted her face up towards me, she was expecting another kiss, probably a very long and deep one.

In a smooth move, as I pulled out the ring from my pocket with my right hand, my left hand grabbed her right one and then I slipped the ring on to her finger.

She opened her eyes wide, in astonishment. Holding her right hand in my left and lifting her chin up so that her eyes met mine, I whispered,

"Will you marry me Neeraja?"

She placed her left hand behind my head, and pulled my face towards her and whispered, "Yes, I will..." and in a tangle of arms, legs and lips, we fell on the couch.

We kissed long and deep and our hands roamed all over. "My hair is a mess and so is my new dress. You had all this planned, didn't you?"

"Sort of. Proposing to you was planned, but getting your hair and dress into a mess was just spontaneous."

"Agni, this is little unexpected, we need to talk."

I held her close to me. "Talk then. What is it that you want to ask me?"

"I have no family Agni, but will your family be okay with this?"

"Why do you ask this?"

"I don't wish this to sound rude or insulting, but technically I am a widow and I am ten years older to you. This does break a few societal norms out here, doesn't it?"

"Well, technically, non technically, rationally, irrationally, psychologically, sensibly, and stupidly, in every possible way, you know that you are my one and only true love, don't you? That other than you, I have not loved anybody? Right?"

"Yes, sweetheart, but...."

I interrupted her. "Yes, you were put into a situation of an arranged marriage by your parents, and that like any good, honest and decent person, you tried to make a loving marriage and life out of this, but touch your heart, look into my eyes and tell me that I am not your first true love, someone you love from your heart, a love that happened spontaneously, which is different from someone you tried to love because of the circumstances you were thrown into?"

"You sound like a lawyer now Agni."

"Answer my question, am I not your first true love?"

She gripped my arms tightly, her face just about a foot away from mine. "Yes, that is true, you are the person I fell in love with, voluntarily, willingly and you are the only person I have made love to with my heart. But we are talking about your family accepting me. Much as I have committed today that I will marry you, I want your family signed in on this, else this marriage will not be complete."

I brought her hand in front of her. "Do you like the ring Neeraja?"

"It is beautiful my darling, it is a solitaire and I know it must be frightfully expensive. But why are you deviating from the subject under discussion?"

"I am not deviating from anything Neeraja, this ring has come all the way from Belgium. My mother and father travelled from Brussels to Antwerp to get this for their daughter-in-law, and my father sent it through the diplomatic courier channel, all duties paid. I picked this up from the customs office this morning."

"I can't believe this, you didn't tell me anything about this!"

"You remember the four days we spent together here when we first made love? The day I got back, I spoke to my family." I handed her my phone. "Read this, this is the first part of the text conversation I had with Ma. Then I will tell you what was discussed on a video call with them and then with my sister."

She went through the text conversation, once, then again. She looked at me, with moist eyes. "I should have known this, if you are so amazing, your family couldn't be less."

"Not 'YOUR' family Neeraja, OUR. You are an equally amazing person and a very important part of this family now."

"Why didn't you tell me all this before?"

"Then how would proposing to you be a surprise"?

"And you were cock sure I would accept?"

"There was an element of apprehension, but you actually confirmed that you wanted to marry me, rather inadvertently though. Then I was absolutely sure, or as you put it, cock sure."

"I let on that I want to marry you? The 'M' word never came up anytime in our conversations."

"Not the 'M' word Neeraja, but the 'H' word. Remember the evening after we came back from Group Captain's place after the sortie? You were talking about how calm and composed Madhu is. Do you remember what you said?"

"Yes, I mentioned that she has a husband and daughter who are pilots and a son-in-law in the army and she has to worry about three, not one."

"Let me repeat your exact words, my sweetheart Neeraja, you said, 'The only consolation was that she, like me, used worry a lot when her husband went out on his missions', do you remember?"

"My god, I really said that?"

"Yes, and then I knew, whether you consciously wished it or not, your subconscious mind was already seeing me as your husband. You said 'yes' to me even before I proposed."

"Is it okay if I cry a bit? Just a few tears of happiness? Will you hold me tight?"

I held her to me and narrated the rest of the story. That Ma and Dad are very happy with my choice, that they wanted me to propose as soon as the sent across the ring since the engagement ring traditionally comes from the boy's parents. Anyway, Belgium, especially Antwerp is the major diamond trading hub in the world so there can't be a better place to buy diamonds.

Then I told her about my conversation with Shveta and Arjun. That Shveta feels that I have got her an awesome sister in law, a bhabhi who earlier used to make me sizzle in math and now makes me sizzle all over. Then the wonderful news that they had discovered just that morning, when Ma, had sent across our picture to them, that she is pregnant. That if we don't have the wedding in the next five months, we will have to wait for a year, because after five months she will not be able to travel till the baby is at least three months old.

"So the die is cast Neeraja, within the next five months, you will be my wife and I will be your husband."

She looked at her ring. "How did you get the size right?"

"This happened when we got back from Group Captain's place. You know you sleep so soundly, you are lost to the world after we make love. I just wound a soft wire a couple of times around your finger and gently pulled it out and traced the outline on a piece of paper. Rest was easy, I went back, measured the diameter of the tracing and emailed the measurement and the tracing to Ma."

She got up abruptly and with this mischievous smile playing on her face, she asked, "So does this blue cocktail gown go to Crowne Plaza or does it go back into the cupboard?"

I spun her around and reached for her zipper, "At the moment, it just comes off!"

I lay half on top of her, running my fingers through her hair, and looking into her eyes.

"Earth to Agni, do you read me, do you read me?" she laughed.

I kissed her, a long, sweet yet passionate kiss, where our tongues played on each others lips when they were not wrestling with each other.

"Neeraja of the waters, the more I drink from your lips, the more thirsty I remain."

"Agni of the fire, the more I touch you, the hotter I burn."