One True Bond (COMPLETE)

Kajol

I hear the door click close and Shah Rukh shuffling round the living room. The door to the bedroom opens and Shah Rukh wanders in.
"Hey," I smile startling him.
"Hi," he mumbles sitting down on the side of the bed.
"What time did you get back last night?" I ask trying to make conversation. Shah Rukh pulls off his sports top.
"Eleven," Shah Rukh smiles, "you were asleep." I nod.
"Then you got up early too?" I point to his running gear.
"Yeah I didn't want to wake you," Shah Rukh gets up off the bed, "how do you feel?"
"Fine," I sit up in bed, "I'm going for a girls lunch today though."
"Who's going?" Shah Rukh grabs a towel from a pile of washing in the corner of the room.
"Rani and Tanishaa," I pull the duvet off me.
"Do they know?" Shah Rukh turns to me as I slowly get off the bed. I shake my head. They do know, they came with me to the hospital to get my results, they were there when I got the news.
"Thought now was a good time to tell them," I lie. Shah Rukh smiles and kisses my head before heading for a shower. I watch him as he leaves. He's different this morning, less chatty more reserved. I shake my head. Nah it's just me.

********************

The café is petite and pretty, the waitresses all dressed in little tea dresses like its 1920s. Rani chose this place and I'm happy she did, even if Karan had joined us.
"Thought it was a ladies lunch?" Tanishaa jokes.
"Karan is one of the girls," I laugh as we're seated at a table near a window. We chat about everything and anything, avoiding only three topics: divorce, Ajay and the brain tumour. We order two afternoon teas and watch as two waitresses put two towering plates of food in front of us. It all looks so good it's just a shame these tablets I've been given don't give me much of an appetite. I try to smile as Karan makes jokes and Tanishaa teases Rani but I can't get this thought out of my head. It just keeps spinning round and round.
"Shah Rukh didn't come home last night," it pops out and lies on the table making everyone stop and stare. All three of them know about Shah Rukh and I. They know we're keeping it 'secret' until after the divorces have been signed but whereas Gauri and Shah Rukh's had been cordial mine and Ajay's was going in the opposite direction. Ajay would agree to one thing but when it came to signing on the dotted line he would retract what he had said forcing another settlement to be drawn up.
"What do you mean?" Rani pours herself another cup of tea.
"He went to Aryan's birthday party at Gauri's apartment," I begin, "this morning when he came back from his run he said he got home at eleven and that I was sleeping then he got up early to go for a run but it's a lie."
"How'd ya know its a lie?" Karan furrows his eyebrows.
"Because I couldn't sleep last night and when I finally felt exhausted enough it was around one a.m. and Shah Rukh still wasn't home and I was only asleep for an hour or so," I confess.
"So where did he stay then? And what time did he get back?" Tanishaa pulls a miniature tart from the pile placing it on her plate.
"He got home at around half five and went straight out for a jog and I know because I pretended to be asleep but like I said he told me he came home," I resist the urge to close my eyes as pain shoots across my forehead.
"Maybe you should confront him about it?" Karan says placing a biscuit into his mouth. I shrug. With everything going on I'm not sure whether that's the best option?
"Do you really want it niggling in your mind?" Rani touches my shoulder. Could I last until I had the surgery pretending everything is alright between me and Shah Rukh when I have no idea where he spent last night?

********************

I place the key in the lock a twist waiting for the click of the lock retracting before pushing open the door. I'm faced with Aryan sat on the sofa. He waves at me.
"Hello?" I say closing the door but staying where I am.
"Hi," Aryan chirps in a reply. What on earth is he doing in our apartment?
"Um... Tell your dad I was looking for him," I lie turning to walk out the door.
"Papa, Kajol is looking for you," Aryan shouts and I turn back to see Shah Rukh walk out of the bathroom.
"Hey, Gauri wanted to know if we could look after Aryan for the weekend, well me not us but you know what I mean," Shah Rukh blabbers, "I've got a camp bed from my sister so Aryan can sleep in here." I notice the huge pile of bin bags behind the sofa. I nod my head confused. Does this man Aryan knows about us?
"No it's okay I can pack a bag and crash at Rani's or Tanishaa's they won't mind," I smile and begin towards the bedroom.
"Oh no stay Kajol," Aryan pipes up as I walk past. Now I am confused. Aryan wants me to stay? I continue past and walk into the bedroom closing the door behind me. If I'm honest this isn't how I envisioned coming home. I had pictured me walking in and confronting Shah Rukh about last nights whereabouts not being confronted by Shah Rukh's son on our sofa. The door closes softly behind me and I feel Shah Rukh places his arms around.
"You don't mind do you?" He whispers and I want to scream. My head feels like someone is trying to split it open with an axe and Shah Rukh is pissing me off pretending everything's fine when it clearly isn't because he lied about last night.
"You didn't come home last night," I let it out shrugging him off me and turning to face him, "I was awake till one then back up at half two-ish and I heard you come in at five forty and put your running stuff on." Shah Rukh's grin is completely wiped.
"Why where you awake?" He asks.
"My head was splitting," I say, "but don't change the subject you lied."
"Kajol the doctor told you to go back if it got worse," Shah Rukh continues to redirect the conversation.
"What? Who cares? Where were you?" I'm getting exasperated now. Shah Rukh holds up his hand and dials a number before having a whispery conversation.
"My sister can pick up Aryan in five minutes then we can go to the hospital," Shah Rukh says. I try to put up a fight but he just silences me with one of those looks that says 'test me'. I collapse onto the bed frustrated. Why is he skirting round the subject?!