ARMAAN
Dinner was the usual affair,
His mother and Chachi talked.
His father and Chachu remain silent.
Like him and his son.
And his daughter listened raptly to whatever the women were saying.
" Pata nahi vo ladki kya plan kar rahi he, kal to subah chilla rahi thi
Aur phir aaj kitchen me thi."
Reha said.
( I don't know what that girl is planning , yesterday she was shouting and today she was in kitchen!)
It snagged everyone's attention.
His fingers tightened around his glass.
He tried to breath normally
And take a sip of his water.
His son, who had tensed on the mention of his mother,
Looked down on his plate.
His daughter too looked down,
How many times did he have to tell his family that his children didn't need to listen whatever complaints they had about his wife.
"Vo aur kitchen me?
Kya kar rahi thi?
Aapne khana check to Kiya na, bhabhi!
Kahi usne hamare khane me zeher na mila diya ho."his chachi ( aunt) , Sanjana exclaimed.
( She in kitchen? What was she doing? Did you check the food , sister-in-law! What if she poisoned our food.)
"Of course Kiya.
Vo.." but he cut his mother off.
( Of course I did , actually ..)
"She was making rice." He hissed.
All eyes turned to him.
" Does this need to be discussed at the table?"he asked and stood up.
As he stormed outside ,
He bumped into Radha aunty.
" From tomorrow make rice.
Everyday." He told her , glaring at her,
And she nodded her head,
Not meeting his eyes.
~~~
MAUSAM
After finishing her dinner,
Mausam waited.
At 10,
She got out of her room,
And she made her way to the kitchen first.
"What are you doing?"
She whirled back scared.
But it was Armaan.
"Stop sneaking up on me." She said breathlessly.
In the pale moonlight,
He looked like he had been carved out of stone.
He stared down at her.
She was five foot
And he was very tall.
She had always felt hatred towards him
But in her last years ,
She felt that he wasn't that bad.
He had not divorced her because of family pressure and he believed that they should bring up their children together.
Only she never wanted that before.
She looked at him.
His eyes were cold and his face expression less
Exact opposite of Reyansh,
Her love , her childhood best friend.
She shook her head to get rid of Reyansh's thoughts.
She had to let go of Reyansh.
He was not her destiny.
This man here was,
Maybe.
Because she was married to him only because they were forced by family and bound by children,
He did not love her.
"I asked a question."
He said.
" Vo , tumse kuch baat kar sakti hu?" She asked uncertaintly ,
Playing with her satin thin strap of dusty pink nighty.
It reached till her thighs.
And it was chilling.
( Can I talk to you about something?)
He nodded.
And she followed him as he made his way towards a room.
As she entered ,
It looked like it was his study.
He stood behind his desk and she followed him.
"Sit."
She obeyed him.
He looked at her suspiciously.
And why not.
She had never obeyed him
Or treated him with anything but hostility.
He looked at her.
And she squirmed in his presence.
What she was about to say was outrageous and he would not even believe her , but..
" I have decided something." She said.
He quirked a brow.
His whole body was still and overwhelming her.
He has always been intimidating,
She hated such men.
She continued," vo me , tumne mujhe divorce kyun nahi diya abhi tak?"
( Why didn't you divorce me till now?)
And his face turned into an ugly snarl.
In a heartbeat he was in front of her,
His hands clamped around the sofa ,
She was occuping,
caging her,
And his face was a breath away from her.
She breathed frantically.
" So this is what it is about?
Isn't it?
You want divorce."
He snarly beastly.
She shivered and cowered back in the sofa.
" No , I .."
He breathed down on her heavily.
" Listen , Mrs.Mausam Armaan Kapoor,
As long as I Live you will be my wife.
Don't ask why."he whispered.
" Me bhi to vahi keh rahi hu.
Mujhe bhi tumse divorce nahi chahiye." She said fearfully.
( I was saying the same. I don't want divorce either.)
And he blinked at her.
There was a silence of few minutes.
Then he scoffed.
" What game are you playing at?
You have been asking for divorce for the last 10 years , the entirety of our marriage and now yoh don't want divorce, only this morning you were cursing me, tell me honestly what do you want?"
He scowled.
She exhaled.
And pushed at his chest,
But it was so firm
That he did not bulge.
Giving up on pushing him away,
She said exasperated,
" I know and , but I was young.
I mean I was immature.
But now that I am 29 , I can see that divorcing is not the right thing to do."
"And what brought this change of opinion?"
He cocked his head.
Still invading her personal space.
" Are mene kaha to ki me ab immature nahi rahi.
Armaan ji , me ab purani wali Mausam nahi hu,
Ab me badal chuki hu."
She said sincerely.
He looked at her and then put his hand on her forehead,
" Are you sick?" He asked.
" It does not seem so , your temperature is normal." He said.
" Charles , call the doctor." He shouted.
" No , I am fine." She shouted.
He looked at her , shaking his head,
He suddenly took her in his arms ,
Carrying her princess style,
He started walking outside.
" Armaan put me down.
Seriously,
Right now."
She screamed and when he did not listen and was almost reached her room,
She wrapped her arms around him
And bited him HARD on his neck.
He gave a startled help.
" Let go." He gritted out.
Updated on -23/10/24