FLAMES: Of Revenge And Love

44. PICTURE

He agreed and was about to leave the room when she called, " Abhi, are you hungry? "
His footsteps faltered, he still couldn't get used to her calling his name. It ignited something in him. And he told her, " If you call me that again, I just might be. "

She knew that he wasn't talking about the hunger fulfilled by food, so she looked away.
Picking up the painting, she left and a chuckle followed her before Abhimanyu picked the box and went after her too.

They were indeed late to reach their house but as Aradhya had already informed Devanshi of their location, she had already heated up the food when they arrived.
" Go and freshen up. It's so late, you should've eaten there itself. " Devanshi said as she placed the plates and served them.
Aradhya looked at her for a minute, contemplating something and as if she came to a decision she finally said, " Feed me. "

Devanshi was surprised by her statement but too happy to oblige.
Abhimanyu observed from the side how Aradhya looked at their mother, her gaze not leaving her face for even a second.
Devanshi talked and Aradhya listened intently as if it was the most interesting thing she had ever heard.

But all that devanshi was talking about was how she made the food and how she spent her day today, as her daughter wasn't here and how her other daughter seemed to be in for a beating as she had been playing since the morning.

" Done. " Devanshi said as she kept the plate back on the table and only then Aradhya realised that she had already finished everything on her plate and from the looks of it she seemed to have eaten more than her regular meals. She attributed it to her mother's cooking and distraction.

" Are you both going to rest now or what? " She asked as she washed her hands.
Abhimanyu looked at his wife to know her opinion and she answered, " I'll arrange the paintings first. "

" Don't work too much, okay? " Devanshi said as she patted her head.
Abhimanyu smirked looking at the mother daughter duo who seemed to have forgotten that he was there too.

Even though Aradhya wanted to say that she did no work she still acquiesced, " Yeah mom. "

" The boxes are already there. " Abhimanyu said as they walked up the stairs.
" Thank you. "
" Don't say that love. "
" You should rest. I'll be there soon. "
" I can help. " He offered but Aradhya denied him.

" You already did enough. Who knows how many nights you've been up. Go and rest now. "
She knew that the work in that room was too much to be finished in a night, and he had started preparing just a month ago, she was worried that he might get sick with how much sleep he lost the last month.

He wanted to argue but one look from her shut him up and he just nodded.
" As you wish. "

He walked her to her art room, and left for theirs after unpacking the boxes.

She started to decorate the paintings in the room, each wall dedicated to similar but different sets, similar in the vibe they gave and different in the style they were.

She kept the white wall empty and placed some of the paintings on the ground, not hanging them on the walls.
Abhimanyu had arranged the nails, coincidentally at the right places as if he knew what places she'll choose.

As she picked up the last painting, she took it to the couch.
Her fingers traced the freckles on her nose, twenty seven of them, eleven under her right eye, eight under her left and eight on her nose.

The wrinkles that crinkled under her eyes, the dimple that formed on her left cheek, just one. And those eyes, that seemed to reflect her own if not for the emotions in them.
She had started it ten years ago, it wasn't completed until last year before her last mission.