Sree
I rushed to that place..
"Where" I asked
"Inside ma'am", he said
I nodded and entered, I saw someone sitting, I moved towards him, as he was faced to my back...
I saw a juice glass on the table.
I walked in front of him... My eyes reddened on seeing him..
So chill huh, in a restaurant?.. No care for anything..? Its been a month
" Vikram ? ", I called out
He looked at me, the shock visible on his face..
He seemed tired... But didn't respond..
" So.. Ran away from home and enjoying? ", I asked
He was silent for a moment" I didn't run away", he said, his voice was hoarse
'Ok.. You know, I don't care.. Just come to your home and at least call Veena ma! ", I said
He thought for some time and got up..
I was surprised that he didn't say anything.. I didn't want to ask anything more
He was safe that's all! He was safe and didn't even bother to contact anyone and tell where he was! How irresponsible!
I noticed that his hand had bandages.. What had happened! Don't ask Sree!
He doesn't deserve that!
He followed me to the cab.. And came home..
I called everyone and informed and had them speak to Vikram, I then shifted to the guest bedroom..
I woke up early in the morning, and placed the divorce form and a note on the dressing table and took my suitcase and left the house to Chennai to my house.
I had informed my mother, vaguely about some fight.. I couldn't get to tell her what happened fully..
She had understood. I did my work from here.
3 days passed and the bell rang..
I was inside the room but could hear the voices
Vikram: I want to see my wife
Amma: Devi doesn't want to see you, you should leave
Vikram: I want to speak with her aunty, just once, I want to take her home
Amma: I don't think you deserve that, I don't know what happened between you two, but You leave her alone
Vikram : please... Just once.. I'll see her..
I heard footsteps
Amma: wait... You can't just go in
The door opened... And I saw him..
"Get out of my house Vikram", I said
" No.. Not until you come back to our house", he said
"Are you crazy, why do you think I would ever come back to your house", I asked
" Come Sree, we can talk", he said
"I'm done talking! Isn't this what you wanted! Be happy and go away", I said
" Sree. I want to talk", he said
"Go away before I call the security Vikram ", I shouted
He sighed and turned back and left.
The next day, I heard my mom talking to some lady.
"We got a person who will take care of your father", she was telling my mom..
I was looking into my phone.. when the lady called out to someone,
I was surprised when I saw Vikram enter. He was wearing casual clothes.
"Him", the lady said
"What!, this..this isn't possible" ,my mom said
"I can do this aunty", he said
"Why, Mr CEO is bankrupt and wants a job?", I asked
He however looked at my mom.
"Give me this chance aunty, ill work really well", he said
"But..how can you", Mom said
My grandpa came there that second
"Vikram, so happy to see you here" ,he said
My grandpa didn't know why I was here, we didn't tell him about my fight with Vikram.
"Happy to see you too Thaatha, ill be your caretaker from today", he said
I expected my grandpa to say no, but he just smiled
"Wow, I can see you daily then!" he said
This grandpa also right! He didn't understand some things.
"See thaatha is ok", he said to my mom and me.
"Wow, so you are so jobless now that you come here to irritate me!", I said
"I'm not here to irritate you Sree, " he said, raising his eyebrows
"But Vikram, you have work to do right, and how can we let you do this", my Mom asked
"Ya Vikram, Don't you have a company to run!", I asked
"He is like my thaatha too, so I am happy to do this, as for my company, I have people taking care of stuff", he said
"Get out Vikram!", I said
"Vikram, if you really want to do this, I'm ok with it", my mom said
What! How could she say yes!
"Mom! What NO!WAY! I'm not going to be anywhere near him!", I said
"You can stay in your room Devi" Mom said
I tried arguing for some time, but Mom won..
Vikram smiled at me, and I glared at him..
I went to my room..
My mom went to teach.. I heard Vikram talking with Grandpa, grandpa was laughing loud. I went out of my room to get water and saw him helping grandpa eat food..
He massaged grandpa's legs..
"Sree", he called out, on seeing me
I ignored and went in... I was disturbed from my work, when there was a knock on the door.
"Yes?", I said.. Inside came Vikram holding a broom.
I raised my eyebrows..
"Umm. .I'm sweeping", he said
"Wasn't your job just to take care of grandpa", I asked
"Ya, he is sleeping, so I thought I would do this", he said
"Who gave you permission!", I asked
"Aunty", he said..
I didn't say anything! Let him sweep if he wants to!
He did sweep thoroughly and then went to mop the floor.. and did the dishes
I didn't want him here, doing these things! What did he want from me! I left him as he wanted!
How do I send him out! Think Sree!
I went outside the house to clear my mind..
My friend/neighbor Pavi came out at the time. "Hey Sree, you here", she asked and we started speaking to each other in the corridor..
Vikram came out at that time, "Hey, Pavi, see you later", I said and moved to the terrace to get some air.
To my bad luck, above was , a neighbor who irritated me a lot.
"Hey Devi, you are here?", he asked
"Ya, staying for some days", I said
"Wow nice!, so lets catch up one day, so how about coffee", he asked
"Hm Ill see", I said
"Come on Devi, well come now, ill make you coffee" he said
I hesitated. Why was this idiot talking like this!
"If she wants coffee, I can get her that", It was Vikram
Now him too!
"Devi, your husband is here too, didn't tell" ,he said
"Hey Yes I'm here" ,he said
"Ok. then both of you come, ill make coffee for both of you", the neighbour said
"Sure, make it ready, I have to talk to Sree, We will come in a few minutes", Vikram said
What! Why would we go there!
The neighbor left left..
"First thing, you are not my husband anymore, second, I'm not going anywhere", I said and turned around
"I am Sree.. ",he said
"I signed the divorce document" , I said
"Ya.. but that doesn't change anything ,I didn't file it, I tore it away", he said
"Tore, it why? Ohh ya.. you want to use me? Insult me? Its a game for you right", I said
" No! That night and everything was a mistake for only one reason and I want to.."
"Sree?", It was Pavi
We turned to her..
"You are here? Vikram is here too" ,she asked coming up to us.
So now her too!
I spoke to her for some time, Vikram too stood and answered a few questions. I didn't want to tell her about our fight now!
"Ok.. You love birds enjoy, ill leave", she said almost after half an hour.
I waited for her to leave, it started drizzling by then
I moved towards the stairs when he came and stood in front of me.
"Move away Vikram", I said
The drizzle intensified into a rain...but he didn't move.. The water made his shirt get wet, and droplets dripped from his hair
"Its raining! Are you mad! Move!" I said
"But I want to speak! Now!", he said,..
I went near him. I could see him looking at me intently.
I put my hand on his shoulder and looked up at his eyes.. He looked at me.. and he moved his hands near my face.. His eyes smiled looking at me and he searched for something in my eyes ...He was going to place his hands on my face, when I gently pushed him to the side, when he didn't expect and moved away.
I went to my home and changed my dress. I saw that the rain had intensified into a storm..
"Vikram, the rain is very heavy, you can stay here tonight", Ma said to Vikram
"Sree..give him the bed", my mom said
"No way!, ", I said
"Its ok Aunty, ill manage", he said
I saw that he took a blanket and lied down on the ground..
In the morning, I went to the hall and saw him in the hall, holding his back.. Of course, he wasn't used to sleeping on the ground.
I took the moove tube and threw it near him. "Here", I said
"If you are here, this is what you will have to face, this and more, so its better you leave", I said
"I'll face anything Sree", he said
"Oh..really?...wait", I said and took my clothes of a few days..
"Wash! With your hands", I said
He would never do that! Now see how he runs away saying its enough!
I saw sounds from the bathroom, I moved towards it.. the door was slightly opened and he was washing the clothes with a brush..
I opened the door. "Enough!, please leave", I said
" No, Ill finish it", he said
I looked for a moment and left... I heard him talking to grandpa after an hour..
He came to me, "I have left the clothes to dry", he said
" You don't need to do all this! Why don't you just leave" I asked
"Leave?, Ill leave with you", he said
"How do you even think, that I will come with you after what happened Vikram. I hate you!" I said
"Please do! " he said
"I deserve nothing less", he said and moved out..
What did he mean? Did he finally understand what he did? Well, that changes nothing!
Vikram helped mom cook, which infuriated me more!
Why was he here torturing me..
" If he cooks from tomorrow I'm not eating here anymore", I said to my mom..
In the afternoon, I went to make coffee.. I left the milk to boil.. And my thoughts filled my mind..
I didn't notice, that the milk had boiled and was pouring out of the vessel..
"Sree, the milk! " He shouted
I looked and in my panic, I touched the vessel and the heat made me push it, and the entire milk fell down..
Vikram pulled me, before it could fall on my feet.. However some splashes.. Fell on my clothes..
"Careful", he said
My fingers were burning...
" Come.. ", he held my hand and brought it under a sink.. And ran cold water.. On it..
" Wait,.. I'll bring the ointment ", he said
I stood still, my mind still hazy..
He came back and took my hands and applied ointment on my fingers...
I didn't notice, till he started to blow gently on my fingers.. The way he gently looked... What a good actor he was..
No wonder mom thought, he likes me..
I pulled my hand away.. My eyes red..
"Is it paining? ", he asked
" This pain is nothing, compared to what you gave me! And seeing you here in front of me, is making me remember everything... Your presence is painful to me", I shouted
He looked at me, forlorn.
"If my presence is causing you pain, then I wont be here anymore,..
I do not want to give you any more pain..
And I cannot, even attempt to heal your pain.. But I will not increase it", he said..
I just stared at him.. Wondering what type of manipulation he is doing
" I'll.. Clean this up.. And tell aunty and leave, you go and rest", he said
I looked at him.. "Are you bipolar?, you know I don't know when you are lying and when you are telling the truth anymore ", I told him
He smiled grimly..
" Assume as you wish so, I'll never lie to you again Sree, if I ever see you again ", he said
I went to my room... How could he do something so cruel and then act so kind as if he was a really good person!
If he was sorry! He should tell so, and he didn't, he just keeps speaking riddles... He was driving me mad!.
I closed my eyes to sleep at night... I heard Vikram telling my mom that he is leaving... Grandpa was protesting..
I woke up in the morning.. There was some paper on the bed, along with a gold chain.. The chain which I had given him back.. I opened the note..
" If that night was a mistake, it was the best mistake of my life Sree
I know you are confused by my actions,
but I don't think I have rights to explain myself or ask for your forgiveness..
Unless you want to hear it.. Which you don't seem to..
Now.. It's my turn to face the pain of being without you and I'll accept it..
Take care, I hope I can see you again. ",
- Vikram
What was this note! Why does he not talk straight! Does he think this will help me!
Anyways who cares, even if he apologizes, I wont go running to him,
I've done that before, and look what happened..! Good he was gone..
I realized a part of me will always be gone, maybe I needed to learn how to live without him..
I went out.. And saw another caretaker..
" Vikram.. Helped us get this caretaker Sree ", my mom said
I nodded.. Great!
" So Mom, you let him work here though you knew, I am here because of him", I confronted her
"Devi.. He seemed sorry dear,.. His face showed it all.. He was willing to do all this for you.. I thought, you would accept him back.. Fights between husband and wife are common Devi.. So", my mom said
" He was acting amma! Becoming a hero in front of you guys and what was he trying to do? Gain my sympathy! I won't fall for his tricks again! Enough talking about him,.. I... I'm tired of it" I said and went to take a bath..