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Not-so-teeny-weeny update!
Chapter dedicated to Anu_0804 â¤
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*******
Riya's Pov.
"Get up yaar Aditya." Still drowsy, I poked my sleeping husband beside me.
"Hmm." He hummed, still sleepy, totally ignorant of the fact that his repetitive alarms annoy me to no extent every single morning.
"This is the third time, you are humming in the past five minutes." I groaned, nudging him harder this time.
He won't wake up on time, nor he would stop setting these stupid alarms every morning, nor he would stop keeping his phone right above my head.
"Snooze it for ten minutes." He mumbled groggily.
"Snooze it for ten minutes." I mimicked, scowling at his phone while snoozing his stupid alarm.
He chuckled sleepily, with his eyes still closed, and murmured
"Stop scowling and come here." A surprised gasp escaped my throat as he pulled me towards him in an instant, tightly caging me in his arms.
Haan, first irritate your wife, then cuddle her. So simple!
Kalyugi.
Playing with my already messy, unruly hair, he murmured, "Yesterday, I slept when you were freshening up, haina."
"Hmm." I pressed my face into his chest, enjoying his warmth surrounding me.
"Kalyugi husbands do not sacrifice their sleep. They sleep without waiting for their wives." I couldn't help but pass a teasing comment.
He backed a little only to narrow his eyes on me, "When kalyugi wives take so much time to freshen up, these husbands have no other option left other than sleeping." He retorted, feigning annoyance.
"Jaisi jiski soch." I shrugged dismissively, while I could sense my husband shaking his head at my hopeless dialogues.
"Acha chal ek baat bata..." He started after a few seconds of comfortable silence, his fingers now rolling and unrolling the edges of my hair.
I have a home-made curler, guys. You can also get one, only a husband fascinated by your hair is needed for the same.
"Hanji." I hummed, doing the most important task which my stupid brain forgot from the moment he cuddled me.
Thumping both my legs over his.
"I was wondering from the past five minutes that why your legs are not over mine yet." He peered at me, smiling in amusement, his palm now effortlessly placed on the back of my knees.
Smiling at my stupid antics, I reminded, toying with that stupid black t-shirt of his, "Acha, chalo tell what were you saying earlier."
"Hmm..." Intertwining his fingers behind my back, he squeezed me in his arms with a frisky smile adorning his lips.
Danger.
"What is a gift?" He asked out of the blue and passed a curious glance.
"Huh?" I was dazed by his question.
"Arey, what do you mean by gift." He asked again, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"Uh, something that we give to the other person?" I replied, more like asked, thoroughly confused.
"And what is a return gift?" He was quick to throw up the next question, his teasing smile widening each second.
Perplexed, I answered, "A gift in return of a gift?" His smile widened, and I whined not understanding a bit,
"God! What are you trying to say Aditya."
Biting his inner cheeks, he stared at me in sheer innocence, "Jaise, there is this concept of gift and return gift..," I nodded gingerly, and waited for him to proceed,
"Similarly there is a concept of kiss and return kiss." This clever husband of mine explained, feigning innocence all the time, while I parted my lips in surprise at his words.
"So tell me now, what's a kiss?" He wriggled his brows playfully, completely ignoring my stupefied self.
When I refused to answer, he spoke innocently, "Ohho! You don't know anything." He remarked, shaking his head helplessly, "Chal I'll tell you." With this he placed a soft kiss on both my cheeks and I couldn't comprehend how should I react.
Smile? Blush? Get confused? What?
"Hmm. So this is a kiss." He explained as if I am a kid not understanding anything.
"And....." He trailed off, pursing his lips to suppress his frisky smile, and tucked a loose tendril behind my ear.
"A return kiss is a kiss in return of a kiss, that you are supposed to give me." He pointed towards his cheek, indicating a return kiss in return for the kiss he gave me yesterday.
No. Contrary to my prior opinion, he is not innocent. He is a clever man behind these soft smiles and warm gazes.
My mouth widened and my eyes parted in surprise at his words, "You made up this conversation for, for....this?" I shook my head in disbelief, while he bobbed his head up and down instantly, his teasing dimpled smile on display.
"Chal ab, give me my return kiss." He nudged, holding me close to him.
"You are so clever!" I gaped, not believing his cunning way of demanding a kiss.
Ignoring my remark, he demanded firmly, "Come on, I am already late, give me my return kiss fast." He angled his neck sideways, paving a way for his return kiss.
*******
Aditya's Pov.
Just when I thought my wife would whine, and get all shy, and pass blushful glances, she upped a little in an instant and pressed her lips on my cheek for a lingering kiss.
My insides were too stumped to enjoy the intoxicating sensation of her lips. Not believing what just happened, I raised a question as soon as she backed away, "Kiss? Without getting shy? Without getting blushy-mushy?"
Her cheeks blazed, and passing a naughty smile in my direction, she asked innocently, pouting a little "Kyu? You didn't like it?" She ended, fluttering her eyes with utmost innocence.
She will make me mad one day with these heart-fluttering expressions of hers.
"Damn woman, I want more." Raking my hands in my hair I announced, loving this shade of her, and angled my neck again.
In a split second, she pressed one more butterfly kiss, her body almost over me.
"More." I murmured, my hands firmly holding her by her waist.
Without a delay, she kissed my cheeks again, a tender smile hinting at her lips.
Is she really my wife?
Nope, Nada, Not at all.
"This side too." I switched sides, and she obliged instantaneously, grinning ear to ear.
Before I could ask for more, she kept pecking my cheeks in sweet little kisses. However, she giggled a few seconds later with her lips still pressed upon my cheek.
"What?" I sulked, unhappy with the unnecessary obstruction in my kissing dose.
"Your itchy-witchy beardy cheek is tickling my lips." She grinned teasingly, scrunching her nose with her lips protruding.
Can I kiss them too?
Please.
"Acha?" Offended, I confirmed narrowing my eyes at her.
"Hanji." Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she bobbed her head up and down rapidly.
"Let me show you how this itchy-witchy beardy cheek tickles." I threatened, eyeing her intently.
Rolling over her in a second, I switched our positions and caged her under me, our legs tangled and my hands locking hers above her head.
Before her stumped self could get a moment to process anything, I started rubbing my itchy-witchy beardy cheek with her softy-soft ones.
She shrieked and giggled at the same time, while I busied myself rubbing my cheeks with hers.
"Aa...Aadit.." Breathless, she tried to speak in a fit of giggles.
Ignoring all her protests, I kept working my way on her cheeks, rubbing my cheeks with hers.
"Slow!" When she shrieked louder, I passed a playful glare at her, pressing my palm on her mouth, and locked my legs with hers, restricting her movements.
We have other people in this house too. Remember? And, unfortunately, we don't have sound-proof rooms, and inattentive, uninterested family members, especially siblings.
"Oww..yaar you will give me burns." She pouted, rubbing her cheeks when I backed a little, supporting myself on my elbows.
Joining our foreheads, I smiled softly at her, while she reciprocated the same with her shy one, her arms rounding my neck.
Pecking her nose softly, before things turn awkward, I distanced myself from her, considering the intimate position we were in.
The alarm rang again, and we looked at each other quite disappointed,
"Goo.." She almost pushed me towards the end of the bed noticing my uninterested self, "It's enough for today!" She remarked with her eyes widened, witnessing my playful smiles, teasing wriggles and unmoved state.
"Acha sun, boiled potatoes hai na?" She hummed at my question, as she sat up on the bed tying her hair in a ponytail while I efforted to convince myself to get ready.
"Aloo parantha then!" I put forward my wish and got off the bed in a jiffy.
She shook her head helplessly, "If possible, you would eat paranthas all day."
"Bilkul" I answered without a thought, taking out my clothes from the wardrobe.
Before I could enter the washroom, a smile quirked up at the corner of my lips when I heard her faint sigh, followed by her new endearment for me,
"Parantha man!"
*******
Riya's Pov.
"This much is okay, haina? Ke aur?" Placing the potato filling on the rolled-out dough, I craned my neck towards mumma.
Though I am quite a pro in making chapatis, the same couldn't be said for stuffed paranthas. Because, no matter how hard I try, the parantha would not be as good as mumma here or maa at Hoshiarpur.
Either it would be too thick that I couldn't taste anything except dough, or it would be too thin that the filling would get merged with the parantha layer, thus, not creating a flaky, crispy parantha with its layers separated from one another.
"Nahi, nahi, theek hai." She replied, keenly eyeing the quantity of the mixture, and I nodded in response.
Taking the edge of the rolled-out parantha, I started bringing the pleats in the centre. Joining all the pleats, I pressed the pleats downward and sealed the edges so that the filling doesn't come out while rolling it.
"Bas ab I have to roll it?" I confirmed, angling my neck to look at her.
"Han, but roll it slowly. The only reason your parantha layers get merged is that you put so much pressure while rolling it." Mumma explained and took the rolling pin from my hands.
"The pressure should be even on all the sides." She instructed, softly rolling the parantha effortlessly, "And han, take little flour, not too much." She dusted dry flour over the rolled out dough.
"Hanji." I murmured my undivided attention to her method of preparing the parantha.
After explaining all the steps and tricks to prepare a flaky and crispy parantha, she handed me the rolling pin, and spoke, "Chal ab, make the next one. I'll just go and see if your papa is ready."
"I hope this turns out to be better than the previous ones I made." I mumbled to no one in particular, rolling the dough on the rolling board.
"Koi nai, it will be good this time." She patted my back softly,
"If it's not?" I voiced doubtfully, considering my constant number of failed attempts to prepare a satisfying parantha,
"Fir kya, keep practising, and in no time you'll be an expert. Vaise bhi, it's not a competition beta that you have to excel in the first go." She smiled at me in assurance, and I blinked my eyes in response, a relieved smile making its way on my lips.
******
"Riyaa.." Aditya's voice from upstairs fell into my ears, halting my parantha mission.
"What?" I asked as soon as I exited the kitchen and looked upstairs to see him near the staircase railing.
"Yaar where have you kept my blue file." He asked, a bit irritated.
"I don't know, you kept it yesterday." I replied, and added after a second, "It might be on your office table, check there." I answered, confused, rolling the aata dough in my hands.
"It's not there. I gave it to you yesterday when I came from the office." He voiced, annoyance evident in his tone.
"You didn't." I shook my head, not able to recall any such thing.
He sighed exasperated, while I peered at him befuddled.
"I'll come and see." I mumbled,
"You go, I'll make the rest." Mumma blinked her eyes and directed me to go upstairs, and took the rolled piece of dough from me.
Cleaning my hands with the towel hung near the lobby's washbasin, I ascended upstairs to our room.
"I don't know where have you kept it that I am not even able to find my file." A wave of harshness brimmed in his tone, as he recklessly scrambled through the contents of the office drawer.
Ignoring the rudeness in his voice, I started looking for his file at all the possible places. But despite searching the whole room, from his table to his almirah, the side drawers to my dressing table, the file was nowhere to be found.
"I just can't understand, why you have to mess up with my things." He looked at me in sheer displeasure,
"Do you know how important the file is for me today?" He gave a side-eye, "I have made some important notes regarding the changes my client has made, and If I do not find it, I've to redo everything." He voiced his pitch sharpening with each word he spoke.
I shut my eyes momentarily, to calm the bubbling frustration, "I really don't know yaar, where you've kept it. Bu.."
"I gave it to you yesterday." He retorted, cutting me off.
"You didn't!" I answered back, and he glared at me, still not believing.
"I did. When I finished working last evening, I handed it to you, and asked you to keep it." He countered and I sighed at his assumption.
"When do you need it? I'll find it, and bring it to your office." I offered, not knowing what else to say, while my hands simultaneously searched his file at all the possible corners of our room.
His hands haphazardly muddled the contents on his office table, creating chaos all over it,
"Ever since you've started managing my things, I can't find a single thing on time. I just don't know why do you have to mess up with my belongings every single time." The sheer anger in his voice couldn't be missed, along with the agitated glances he passed in my way.
I parted my lips in shock as I stared at him dumbfounded, not at all believing what nonsense he was blurting.
"I am the one or you are the one who isn't able to manage the things?" I retorted immediately, having enough of his idiotic assumptions,
Ignoring the glare he threw in my direction, I spoke, "Every single morning, I am the one picking up your wet towel from the bed, and hanging it on the clothesline in the balcony." I pointed towards his wet towel on the bed,
Not giving him the chance to speak further, I added
"You just get ready in the morning and come downstairs ignoring the ruckus you create in the room and the washroom, and I am the one settling down everything after you go to the office. In fact, see this..," I took hold of his tangled t-shirt he wore at night,
"You don't even remove your clothes properly, but still I settle and arrange all this before you come, without complaining, and without blaming you for anything. And here, you are just..." I stopped mid-sentence, unable to form any coherent sentence, as I threw my hands in the air in exasperation.
"Yeah, you don't complain, you don't blame but you sure taunt, like you are doing now." He voiced instantaneously, halting his efforts to look for his file momentarily.
"God! I am not taunting you yaar. I am just saying that I don't mess up your things, I try to arrange them properly so that you don't have to find anything." I said softly, not at all liking this heated conversation between us.
"For sure, you are taunting! I never said you to do all this. Have I?" He questioned, and without waiting for my reply, added,
"Nahi na, you do it all willingly, so why is the need to mention each thing specifically. If it's not taunting then I don't know what is." He grimaced.
I rubbed my face, thoroughly exhausted with the direction our conversation is heading to, "What happened. Why are you overreacting so much? " I spoke with utmost politeness, nearing him.
Raking his hands in his hair, he remarked, "Let's not talk about overreacting Riya. We both know, who's the one to overreact between us. And, I don't think so that I need to name it." The insinuation of our previous fight over finances couldn't be overlooked in his words.
"What do you mean?" My offended gaze met his, while he looked away in an instance.
"Are we really bringing our previous fight in between us now?" I sighed in disbelief, gulping the ball of nerves at the thought of him mentioning our previous argument,
He preferred to ignore my question as he walked to check the other side of the almirah.
"I apologized that day, haina? So why are we not keeping that issue in the past?" He stayed mum, and looked away, probably not considering my question important enough to answer.
"Can you just stop it?" He chided, not having anything else to say.
"No! First tell me why are you bringing that topic now, when it has no link with this issue." I resisted my urge to leave this discussion and cry at the nonsensical fight we are stretching over here for the past fifteen minutes.
"I never mentioned the previous fight." He argued in defence.
"But you insinuated!" I exclaimed not believing him.
"That's your problem if you are assuming things without a reason." He mumbled, sighing a little.
"I am not stupid to not look into your insinuations Aditya." My voice quavered, as I pressed my lips in a thin line.
"For God Sake, stop arguing unnecessarily Riya! And so what if I mentioned. I didn't say anything wrong." He chided, as he drew a heavy breath, and turned towards the almirah, aimlessly scurring the contents inside,
"You can taunt me unnecessarily, mess up with my things, but you won't admit your mistake." He grimaced, his pitch heightening a little.
Deafening silence surrounded us for a few seconds, as I stayed mum, not having the strength to stretch this fight any more than it already has.
Even though I was deeply hurt by his action of bringing our past fight between us, I managed to calm my wobbling emotions for the sake of him, and the importance of his file, and offered,
"Let me check in the almirah. The file might be here only." Standing near him, I struggled to look for his file.
He shook his head in an instant, and rebuked still irritated, "Rehne de."
My teeth sunk into my lower lip to mask the hurt creeping my insides at his aloofness.
"And it would be better if you don't mess up with my things from now on." He voiced quietly a few seconds later, and I looked at him in disbelief.
Exhaustively done with his tantrums, I sighed defeated, "Fine."
Distancing myself from him, I stated blankly, "If that's what you want then I won't be touching any of your belongings from now on." The side-eye he gave me rendered unsuccessful as I stood there unfazed,
"And yeah, don't worry, I won't be messing up with your things anymore. Nor I will arrange them, neither settle them at their respective places." I informed, devoid of any emotion.
He didn't answer for a while as he kept doing his work.
"I'll appreciate that very much." He replied curtly a few seconds later as if speaking without a thought, indifference evident in his tone.
At his unconcerned response, I blinked my eyes repeatedly to stop these stupid traitor tears from falling out of my eyes.
My feet left unmoved, as I kept standing near the bed for a few seconds in a hope that he would look back at me, and realize the impact of his words, but much to my disappointment he didn't pass a fleeting glance in my direction.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I exited the room with this uneasy feeling creeping my insides, while a certain someone stayed there, completely ignorant and indifferent of his behaviour today.
Descending the stairs, I couldn't help but think,
Marriage,
That's what it is all about?
Full of unreasonable, unjustified, nonsensically-stretched fights?
Soft cries, and aloof behaviours?
Targeting a person by bringing up our past fights?
Blame games and false complaints?
Is that what it is?
*******
During the weekdays, most of the time the Kansal men are the ones to have their breakfasts first, as they all have to reach their respective workplaces on time, but contrary to the usual chit-chat on the breakfast table, the breakfast was unusually silent today.
Since the moment he came downstairs, both, me and Aditya have avoided any sort of eye contact with each other, while our family kept passing worried glances our way.
Our argument might not have been too loud, but I was sure that the other members of our family had a fair idea of what happened amidst us in the morning, considering our taped-up mouths, and inattentive responses.
Tired of watching his forehead creased with countless frown lines, and his thinned-up lips, I kept his tiffin and water bottle near him and sauntered to the kitchen, even though there was nothing to do there at the moment.
Almost after ten minutes of standing idle in the kitchen and randomly toying with the kitchen utensils, the sound of the front gate opening and the revving of his bike engine rung into my ears, halting the internal monologue I've been having.
For a second, I felt foolish to even believe that like always, he would come to the kitchen stating any made-up reason outside and give me a discrete forehead kiss and would hug me tight with a flirtatious comment here and there.
And I felt even more stupid to even think that would just come to me, smile and say politely, let's just get back to normal Riya and let's end this fight here, please, and I would have gone back to normal too.
"Fine." I sighed to no one in particular, and rubbed my forehead in distress, as my head seemed ready to burst with the multifarious thoughts running in my mind, along with the repeat telecast of what just happened almost an hour ago.
*********
Aditya's Pov.
There are times in your life, when no matter how hard you try, but you can't chuck out the conflicting thoughts that surface your mind after an argument, that manages to successfully mess up with every chord of your nervous system.
It's a constant turbulence, a cobweb of clashing emotions. It's an endless struggle.
The struggle to choose between biting back angry words or blurting out meaningless blames, to make amends or to hold grudges, to hug her tight or keep stretching these fights, to make things normal or let it all go down the drain.
I reached the office with a severe headache as I contemplated calling back the client and asking for the required changes.
The thought of annoying a new client for not providing the required software and in time made me even more uneasy than I already was. And, the icing on the cake being the early morning tiff with her.
What would have happened if she would have agreed and apologized for not keeping the file at its place?
Exhausted, I shut my eyes and rested my head at the back of the chair, my fingers automatically working up to press the sides of my head.
After a few seconds of deliberation, I decided to just work on other things now, and wait until she finds the file at home. Sighing deeply, I opened my office bag to take out my laptop,
"Damn." I cursed under my breath at the sight of the same blue file I've been searching for since morning lying in the laptop bag, along with the laptop and the charger.
Intense guilt surfaced in my cores as I recalled all the nonsense I babbled almost two hours ago. Resting my elbows on the table, I palmed my face in sheer frustration, regret seeping within me.
Shutting my eyes tightly, I recalled yesterday's events, just to realize that I only thought of handing her the file but never gave it to her. My occupied mind had mistakenly placed the file in my bag, while I kept assuming that I asked her to keep it.
It took me no seconds to take out the phone and call her, but much to my dismay, the call remained unanswered.
When she didn't pick the call the second time, I called Isha,
"What are you doing?" I probed,
"Mom's making me learn these chapatis. She is outside, and I've to make these for her breakfast." The frustration was evident in her voice.
"Seekhle seekhle, bas don't make ever make for me." I tried to joke before I could ask for my wife.
"I'll make you eat all the half-cooked, half-burned ones." She grumbled, probably scowling.
"We'll see." I chuckled, "Acha, where's you bhabhi?" I asked casually,
"She's doing her morning pooja I guess." She informed, "She's not picking your call? Shall I call her?" She asked doubtfully, probably having a fair idea about the current scene.
"Nahi rehne de, she'll call back once she sees the missed call." I spoke, though the chances of the same were nearly zero.
"Okay. The file? Is it found" She queried,
"How do you know that I was searching for the file?" I frowned,
"Uh..," She thought for a while, "In the morning dad asked me to call you, so when I came outside your room, I just heard you both talking about the file." She mumbled, and I was sure she didn't just hear about the lost file, but a lot more.
"Acha." I murmured, "Chal I'm keeping the phone now."
"Can I say something bhaiya?" She stopped me,
"Hmm." I hummed, toying with that stupid subject matter of our early morning argument.
"You won't get angry?" She confirmed,
"Mhm." I shook my head.
"You were wrong today. Rude too." She voiced hesitantly, "Bhabhi is so quiet since morning."
"I know." I murmured, not knowing what else to say, though my heart sank at the thought of what she might be feeling currently.
"Koi nai, we'll sort it." I sighed, "But don't discuss anything with her or mom. Okay?"
"Hanji."
"Chal we'll talk later and please don't burn the kitchen." I couldn't help but tease her.
"Shut up!!!"
********
"Lo." Isha offered me the water, as soon I reached back home.
"Arey, you are taking the efforts to offer water to me. That's a new." I raised my eyebrows in surprise, while my sister scowled in response.
"Nahi, I'll keep it." I stood up, walking along with Isha when she tried to pick up the glass tray.
"Kahan hai?" I asked my wife's whereabouts in a hushed whisper.
"Kitchen." She reciprocated the same tone.
"How's the temperature inside?" Gesturing in the direction of the kitchen, I enquired.
"Cool for us, but can't guarantee for you." She shrugged dismissively.
What would have happened even if she would have lied that it's cool for me too?
"Acha chal, go now and don't come inside the kitchen for some time." Patting her back, I entered the kitchen with heavy steps, plummeting heart, and clammy hands.
Her posture stiffened the moment I entered inside, as she stood with her back facing me, her sole attention on cutting the salad.
Say Sorry!
"Hey?" I tried my luck, standing near the refrigerator, that five-letter word not ready to spill out of my mouth.
Ignored.
However, I could easily sense the anger radiating off her body even though there was a fair 6 feet gap amidst us.
Say Sorry you nincompoop!
"Uh, The aloo parantha was good today." I praised her genuinely, something that I wanted to do since morning, still figuring out how to apologise.
Ignored, again.
Lightening the gas stove, and placing the tawa over it, she took out the dry flour utensil from the kitchen drawer.
Umm, What else should I say?
Uh, what about, the water was tasty too. Can you tell me its recipe?
Or, Wow! You cut the salad so perfectly, can you please teach me too?
"Ayaansh bhai called today aise hi, it had been so many days since we talked. Did you talk too?" My stupid big-fat mouth could only utter these words.
She is his sister you duffer, of course, she will talk with her brother.
Oh yeah, this was ignored too.
Still playing the ignore game, she neared me and opened the refrigerator. Taking out a container, she ambled to her previous position, her back still facing me.
What other reaction do you expect from your wife after your irrational blames, unreasonable arguments, rude actions, and bringing up past quarrels?
Standing for almost five minutes and watching her doing all the chores with a stiff posture, lips set in a thin line, and a creased forehead, I decided to walk out of the kitchen.
Damn, I didn't even have the guts to offer her any help. She looks quite dangerous when pissed off.
********
The sight of a messed-up room came into the line of my vision as soon as I switched on the lights of our room.
She took my words quite seriously I guess.
My wet towel was still lying there on the bed, the office table was a sheer mess with all my pens, staplers, white sheets disarrayed, the side drawers I've been opening haphazardly were still half-opened, my nightclothes was still tangled, and my bathroom slippers were still lying aimlessly in the room at its far corners.
I don't even want to open my almirah and witness the chaos I created there almost eleven hours ago.
"Let's get to work Mr. Kansal." I murmured, bracing myself to settle the nonsensical clutter I have made idiotically, while my mind remained preoccupied with the thoughts of my woman.
I couldn't help, but think,
Isn't it astounding that how poorly we take these little yet meaningful efforts of someones for granted?
Isn't it stupefying that without a thought, we disrespect these little things in life, blindly assuming that we are well off without these constant efforts that someone puts in just to make our day a little better than before?
Isn't it worth thinking, that forgetting everything during an argument, we immediately invalidate everything the other person does for us, shamefully disapproving them and the things they do, just to make our side of the argument look better than theirs?
And isn't it disturbing, that how easily people ignore the little efforts of someone but royally embrace the little arguments, transforming them into life-long quarrels and misunderstandings, lost love and heightened formalities, ego-clashes and silent grudges?
Isn't it?
********
Fiddling with my phone, I paced back and forth in the room, devising a strategy to make her talk to me.
Brainstorming for a few minutes, I could only think of two ideas.
Hiding my things, and hiding her things.
I guess the former will work better in this case, I'll apply the latter one someday later.
My eyes fell on the black clear bag lying on the office table, having some random unnecessary notes, and a smile quirked up at the corner of my lips at the thought of finally making my stubborn woman talk to me.
My eyes kept flickering from the room door to the black clear bag, as I tried to figure out a safe place where she would not be able to find it.
My heart palpitated and my eyes widened at the sound of her approaching steps, and in a split second, I hid the black bag under our mattress.
"Hey!" The moment she entered the room, I smiled foolishly in an attempt to mask my nervousness.
She eyed each corner of the room keenly, and I was sure something flashed in that chocolate-brown eyes of hers. Despite her sullen face, it was crystal clear that how she badly wanted to end this issue as much as I wanted to, but her inner-guards compelled her to behave otherwise.
However, she was quick to conceal her budding emotions, as she entered the dressing room, royally ignoring my presence.
Ten minutes later, with the ignore-game still on, she lied on her side of the bed with her forearm placed on her eyes.
Gulping slightly, I stood near her and called softly, "Uh, Riya?"
When silence was the only response I received, I spoke further,
"Uh, I am not able to find my black clear bag.." Before I could say a word more, she removed her forearm from her eyes only to glare at me for starting this all over again.
"Arey I mean, I tried finding it but I am unable to find it." I babbled,
"Help karde?" I bit my lips hopefully,
She remained silent for a few moments, "I don't know where it is." She answered rigidly,
"Karde yaar please help, I've been trying to find it for thirty minutes." My fingers fiddled with one another, as I stood shifting my weight from one leg to the other, desperately awaiting her positive response.
"I don't know." Her voice was thick and saying this, she covered her face with the quilt, probably irritated by my constant nudgings.
"Please?" Sitting near the edge of the bed, I requested softly.
"Find yourself." She declared, probably scowling under that stupid quilt.
Sighing I stood up, and mumbled sadly, "I guess I have to attend the morning meeting with Mr. Arora without the documents which were in that bag." Exhaling a deep breath, I added,
"Kya hi hoga, bas he will be pissed off for incomplete preparation from my side, nothing much." I murmured, loud enough for her to hear.
At my words, she stirred a little, and after a few seconds, she removed the quilt off her face and got up from the bed with the same sulked up expressions.
"Where did you keep it." She asked softly, looking at me as she walked towards the office table.
"Yahin pe thi." Resiting my urge to smile, I spoke, feigning innocence.
She hummed, and started looking for the file on the office table shelves, while my eyes remained fixated on her protruded lips, frowned features, and concentrated actions.
Standing alongside her, I also made a fake attempt to search for the already hidden, currently-lost bag,
"You didn't take it to the office na?" She angled her neck as she passed a questionable glance towards me.
"Nah." I shook my head,
Wetting her lips, she commenced her search spree in the drawers, and all the possible places, asking me questions every now and then.
Haaye, this feeling is so relieving haina? When your girl starts talking to you, even though formally. It still feels soothing to hear her talk after ignoring you for straight twelve hours.
All her honest attempts proved futile, as the black bag remained out of her vicinity.
Right when I felt that the temperature is a little cooled up and the road is clear for my apology, her lips quivered and a few tears rolled off her eyes,
"You were right, I can't even manage a single thing. See, in the morning your file, now this bag." She pursed her lips, trying not to sob,
"I guess I am the problem here. I can't find anything on time. I can't even keep things properly." She cried out, frustration apparent in her tone as sat on the bed, palming her face.
Damn.
"Hey, come here." I scooted closer to her, and hugged her from the side, my cheeks pressing against her head and my hand palming her cheeks.
"You are not the problem." I whispered softly.
"I am." She pressed her face into my chest.
"Uh, the file is with me. Both." I managed to utter, and my heart pitter-pattered imagining her response.
She jerked her head upwards in a second, "I hate you!" She remarked, glowering at me.
My hold on her tightened as she wriggled in my arms, trying her best to escape my embrace.
Enclosing her with both my arms, I confessed,
"The blue file was in my bag only. I don't know when I kept it there and I just assumed that you misplaced it. And this, uh, this black clear bag is under the mattress. Uh, you weren't talking to me, so I had to frame all this."
"I hate you so much!" Her lips wobbled, "I've been so upset the whole day, and you..."
She stopped midway, in short of words,
"Couldn't you just come and say sorry?" She cried out, rubbing the side of her eyes,
Ignoring all her protests to leave my arms, I spoke,
"I called you almost six times, you didn't pick a single call, haina? Neither did you reply to any of my messages. Isn't it?" I peered at her questionably and she nodded faintly, still not looking into my eye.
"And at home too, you were ignoring me. I tried to talk to you so many times, but you didn't answer anything. Now tell me, how could I just come and say sorry when you are ignoring me since morning. Obviously I have to do this." I tried to put forward my point.
She remained silent though her features began neutralising.
When she didn't say anything, I voiced finally,
"Sorry?" Caressing her back gingerly, I whispered gently,
"I know I was wrong. And I know, I shouldn't have been so rude with you and stretched the argument unnecessarily. In fact, I should have been a little more attentive before blaming you without a reason." I spared a fleeting glance at her, as she remained cocooned in my arms, aimlessly gazing at the floor, her face blank.
Sighing at her lack of response, I added, "Let's just end this fight here na yaar. Let's get back to normal. Hmm?" I mumbled tenderly, pressing my lips on her hair.
She tightened her hold on me, and nodded her head, "Okay." She murmured, sniffing lightly.
"Look at me." I whispered gently, and she raised her head, her eyes somewhat swollen, her lips set in a straight line, and her face devoid of her usual glow.
"I am such a bad husband na." I remarked caressing her under-eye area, her sullen face making me even more guilty than I already was.
"Noo!" She murmured in an instant, as she embraced me, pressing her face in the crook of my neck.
"Sachi?" Smiling at her immediate response, I confirmed.
She bobbed her head up and down slowly, "But when you were fighting with me, I felt like..."
"Like I am a bad husband?" I completed for her.
"Nah. Worst husband." She remarked sassily.
Haww!
"Don't say this na yaar." I whined, almost.
She giggled finally, and something clicked within me hearing my favourite sound of hers.
"I was just joking. You are anything but a bad husband." She murmured, probably smiling in my neck.
For another couple of minutes, we kept sitting there, cocooned in our arms, our thoughts wandering.
"Can we make another rule for us?" She offered a while later, a hint of doubt in her tone.
I hummed and backed a little only to kiss her forehead.
"Can we keep our past fights and arguments in the past only Aditya?" She passed me a hopeful glance, and added,
"Can we make a rule to not bring up our past misunderstandings and issues amidst us whenever we have a difference of opinion? Can we just leave and bury the past issues in the past, and not mention them every time during our tiffs? I don't want our past troubles to affect our future." She whispered, wetting her lips.
Her words rendered me speechless, and I realised how much I've hurt her unintentionally, by bringing up the past argument and targeting her nonsensically.
"I am sorry." A lump formed in my throat, regret seeping my insides,
"I shouldn't have brought our previous fight between us, and taunted you for the same."
"It's okay." She whispered,
"I know you didn't do it intentionally." My heart flared in joy as she kissed my chest tenderly as she always does whenever I hug her.
"Can I make a rule too?" This time I offered to make a rule.
"Oi, you were the one who was wrong and you are making a rule." She put forward her rationale, a cute frown marring her features.
Biting my inner cheeks to not smile at her expressions, I spoke, "I know I was wrong, but you were also wrong at one place." Her frown deepened at my words, as she tried not to glare at me.
"I called you six times today. You didn't pick a single call. And whenever I called Isha so that she would ask you to call me, you would fake a reason to not talk to me. Also, you saw all my messages, but didn't reply to a single one." She sat with her eyes downcast, fiddling with her ring finger.
"Can we make a rule that we would not stop picking each other's call no matter how bad the fight i.."
"There's isn't going to be any bad fight!" She was quick to retort, a big-fat scowl highlighting her features,
"In fact, there won't be any fight next time." She glared at me as if challenging me to defy her words, "He is so sure of having a bad fight." She murmured in offence, and I chuckled at her response, shaking my head in amusement.
"Hogaya tera? Can we make the rule now?" I bit back my smile.
She shrugged and backed a little only to look at me threateningly, "But don't say bad fight." She ended with a glare.
"Yes ma'am." I smiled, tucking the loose tendril of her hair behind her back.
"We aren't going to stop picking each other's calls or stop replying to each other's messages, no matter what the situation is amidst us." She was all ears while I continued,
"Even though we don't talk the whole day, but we aren't going to dodge any conversation over the phone, and for that matter, even if we have to talk formally with each other, we will. But no missing calls, and no ignored messages. Hmm?" I narrowed my eyes,
"Hanji." She mumbled, "I am sorry too, I should have picked up your calls."
"It's okay. We both are learning something new with each day. We can't be perfect all the time, haina." I spoke, caressing her cheeks with the pad of my thumb.
She nodded, and said after a thought, "We are learning so many things about each other, and creating so many useful rules for our marriage rulebook." She smiled gingerly, eyeing me adorably.
"But what if any one of us broke the rule?" A sudden query bubbled within me.
"We won't." She blinked her eyes in assurance, and added,
"And even if we did, we both know we are the only ones who would face the repercussions in the name of blame-games, constant fights and misunderstandings. And I don't think any of us wants this. Our relationship is more important than anything else.
And vaise bhi, fir kya hua if we broke a rule. It's normal and understandable, haina? There are always exceptions, the only thing that matters is, that we understand the other person's perspective first before misunderstanding them for breaking a rule. These aren't any hardcore rules, just little reminders for our relationship."
"Hmm. We'll learn slowly yet steadily. Though I know, following these little but significant rules will be difficult, but it will be worth it." I murmured, eyeing her in admiration.
My lips couldn't help but stretch in a peaceful smile as I gazed at my woman, eyeing me with equal admiration, and serenity reflecting on her face.
"It will be." She whispered back and hugged me tightly, my arms instinctively caging her in a tight grip.
We kept embracing each other in a tranquillizing silence with our serene smiles refusing to fade away, and hearts wanting to beat in sync, thumping rhythmically in contentment and relief, hope and peace.
*********
Heyaaaa Dear Onesss!!!!
A few arguments here and there in a relationship are necessary too. Isn't it? Because each argument teaches you something meaningful, something worthyð¤
Also, did you like the chapter? Please comment kar dena yaar, it keeps your author motivated enough to write, because you all are the only reason I feel like writing for!!ð
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Until Next Time,
Lots of Love
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