Five Weeks

Chapter 10

"I'm not your chauffer. Come out." Yuvraaj said. They were still not in speaking terms. Anahita remained silent.

"Come out or else I'll pick you up. Choice is yours." Yuvraaj threatened, leaning against the door.

"You said it was important for your family to leave me here but they are not coming after us, so please drop me somewhere else; in nearby park." She mumbled looking away.

"Who are you to command me? Come out because I've to accompany you inside." Yuvraaj sniped but she didn't waver. 

Moments of silence passed by, Yuvraaj stared at her and she pretended to be oblivious. Huffing at her stubbornness, he leaned on the window. "Why are you so stubborn?"

"Drop me somewhere else."

"Fine! Don't blame me then." Yuvraaj said on an exhale and scooped her up in his arms, closing the door with his leg.

Anahita gasped, binding her arms around her. "Yuvraaj, what are you doing?"

"You look fragile but I bet you weigh almost 50pounds." He jested, striding to the doorstep.

"Yuvraaj stop!" She exhaled, hiding her face in his chest in embarrassment. Delighted and somewhat marvelled, that's how Yuvraaj felt, this was the first time she'd hugged him and that swelled his chest in mirth until.... 

"I don't believe in this marriage or rituals, then what's the need of performing this crap. Five weeks and it's all over, so it doesn't make sense." She tried to explain him calmly, for she knew that anger wouldn't work with him.

Five weeks! The term had started to acuminate his ears, whenever she said these two words, he felt that she was burdened and he had committed some crime. Her chants of five weeks reminded him, all the time, that she was not his. She didn't belong to him. She will be gone.

Frustrated, he dropped her on the ground on her feet and straightened himself, "I know Anahita and that's why I'm not expecting anything but where my family's happiness is involved. I'll bent you down, whether you like it or not."

"What about me Yuvraaj? Now even you are not caring about me. What am I now?" She looked at him with hurtful eyes.

"I have nothing to answer. Come!" She was in a stroke of shock to see him responding softly, he had never done that since their marriage up till now.

Latching her palm with his and pulling her closer, Yuvraaj sauntered to the main door and pressed the doorbell.

Mrs. Maurya opened the door. Anahita instantly smiled at her and Yuvraaj bended down to touch her feet, "How are you Aai?"

"I'm good. Come inside!" Mrs. Prakash lovingly caressed Yuvraaj's hair, welcoming then inside while Anahita desperately looked for her father.  

A moment before, the girl who didn't want to come inside, was frantically flapping her eyes around to see her father. 

"Ma. Where's dad?" She asked, sitting on the couch and Mrs. Maurya didn't even smile at her. "In his room." 

"Didn't he know that I was coming today?" Anahita asked, already knowing that her father was deliberately ignoring her but she was afraid to hear that; not on her face, not before Yuvraaj. 

"He is not well. Let him rest." Mrs. Maurya indirectly refrained her to meet. Anahita hadn't expected less, she knew she had to suffer. Her father wouldn't forgive her easily, after all, it was he whom she had inherited her stubbornness. 

Mrs. Maurya indulged herself in cooing Yuvraaj and neglected Anahita all throughout. She was hurt, seeing that her mother wasn't even glancing at her and her father didn't want to meet her; she had had a hard time.