Marriage Under Repairs

Chapter - 3

Swara stirred due to the buzzing sound around her. She tried to open her eyes. After some time she opened it to witness whitish-grey light in her room. Curtains were closed blocking bright sunlight's entry in her room.

'He still cares for me.'

She rubbed her eyes to get a clear picture. One figure in the dark was trying to find something from the opened drawer of the nightstand of his side.

"Sanskar?" She mumbled but he was still busy with his work to find something.

She got up and extended her hand to get her watch. It was 6:30 am.

"Sanskar, why are you up so early?" this time she spoke louder hoping her voice would fall on his ears.

She switched on lights which thankfully gained attention from her husband. He turned to her with a regretful face.

"I am so sorry, Swara."

'He is breaking his own rules of no sorry and no thank you.' thought crossed her mind.

"What are you doing? It's only 6:30." She asked in bewilderment looking at her husband, all set to go to his office.

"I have a meeting in Delhi. I need to board a flight at 8." He was still searching for something in the drawer.

"Sanskar, you came so late yesterday." her concern for him was dripping in her voice.

"It's ok, Swara. This meeting was schedule long back with ministry." Finally he turned to her.

"Are you going for some days?" tears again welled up in her eyes.

"Nope, I will be back by night." His immediate reply gave some relief to her heart.

"Breakfast? I will quickly make something for you." She tied her long hair in a messy bun moving to the washroom for a quick freshen up.

"No Swara, I will be late."

"Please, just 10 minutes." She ran inside with jet speed and exactly 10 minutes after she was out.

"You are not going without breakfast." She declared running out of their room without waiting for his answer.

She came downstairs, Ragini was already in the kitchen working with their mother-in-laws.

"What's there in breakfast?" She asked hurriedly.

"I am making parathas for everyone." Ragini replied.

"Ok. I will help." Swara took out chakala and belan.

"What is so hurried, Swara?"

"Sanskar, he is leaving for Delhi for some meeting. I have to make his breakfast. He should not go without eating anything."

Swara started peeling boiled potatoes when Uttara entered the kitchen.

"Swara Bhabhi, Bhai left. He said he was getting late. So..." Uttara left her sentence in mid. Her words gave a break to Swara's movements. She dropped her shoulders to gulp heavily to push back her tears.

Nobody said anything but concentrated on their work.

Days started passing within a blink but there was no change in Swara and Sanskar's routine. Everyday, Sanskar left for office early in the morning whereas his returning time was fixed for midnight.

'He was a sleepy head earlier. But now...' Swara was accustomed to his previous routine. She expected everything to be the same as before as she left 6 months ago. But in the first two-three days, she realized that the distance of six months had put a huge glass wall between them. Nothing was left as before, neither she nor her husband. Every new day, a new Sanskar stood in front of her.