Until Perfect Lasts (ShivIka)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I didn't want it to happen, but unfortunately I became the victim of it. I took off my top and stood in front of the mirror with a small tube of balm that is supposed to relieve me of muscle cramp. Last night, Shivay and I ended up talking for couple of hours on the couch and I fell asleep. My generous husband shifted me to the bed with our daughters, nevertheless, I pulled a muscle and now have difficulty moving my head.

The door to the bedroom opened and my half dressed state alarmed me until I discovered it was my husband. Shivay frowned looking at me standing in an awkward position trying to apply the balm.

"Your okay?" he asked even as he walked towards me and took the tube from me.

I didn't have to explain anything as he figured what could have happened. I only sat simply in the small stood in front of the dressing table as my husband began to massage my shoulder.

Through mirror's reflection I observed my husband tend to my cramp with absolute sincerity meticulously. His knack for precision is unmatchable. Some people are just designed with an instinct to know what the right thing to do and say is. I recollected how last night Shivay enquired about my new project, let me boost about it before he realized what I really want to do is rant and so he tactfully helped me get my disdain for the double standards of the project out of my system. Shivay claims to be an introvert, but when it comes to handling people, there is no one better than him to understand and act well.

"Why didn't your pursue psychology?" I asked out of the blue.

Shivay caught my eyed through mirror and chuckled at the untimely question.

"Because I wanted to study English."

"But, you are good at understanding people. Being a psychiatrist or something similar would have made your career luminous."

Shivay shook his head, his smile sill unaltered. "Because I wanted to study English." He repeated.

There was nothing different between his answers, neither the words nor the tone. However, I felt so insensitive to have framed the latter one bluntly.

I pulled away and turned around in the stool to look up at his face. "I didn't mean to offend you. I didn't say it because I think you don't have a good career now." I apologized with urgency.

My husband's face didn't twitch a muscle. He kept looking at me with the same expression for a couple of minutes before he turned me around and started to massage once again.

"None taken, Annika." He whispered.

How is that possible? He can't be not taking offence. If it was me, I would have taken a hell of offense. God! I will be taking offence for non-implied sentences more than implied because the former leaves the gates open for my own imaginations to spread while the latter is as straight as a stick. How can Shivay be cool?

"You are lying." I argued

"Why would I?"

This time I pushed my heel firmly on the ground and stood up. "You tell me."

"Annika, there is nothing to tell." Shivay reached for my shoulder. "Sit back I will massage your cramp and then you can have a hot bath."

I took a step away from his touch. "Why are you not reacting to anything, Shivay? Why are you not arguing with me? Even the day before you left for Ooty, you didn't fight with me for joining you. Why is that? Have you given up on me already?"

"What?" Shivay's forehead scrunched and he looked at me startled. "Where is this even coming from?"

"I know you don't think I am an ideal wife...