A U T H O R
Akshara got up in the middle of the night to notice Abhimanyu was not present beside her. She got up and looked at him sitting on the couch with his head slumping downwards, and squeezed in between his both hands. Akshara walked towards him, who is motionless in the exact position, and sat beside him.
Abhimanyu unhurriedly lifted his head and glanced at her sitting beside him without making any noise. He looked at her hesitantly, because for him facing her when he is at his lowest is embarrassing. This was the reason he asked for the space himself. Akshara who caught a glimpse of the look on his face knew how would he feel.
"Abhimanyu, can I hug you?" She looked at him as if she were requesting his approval. He looked at her as if she spoke his mind, but he didn't respond to anything. "Okay fine," Akshu withdrew herself and sat back on her seat this time embarrassed. Abhimanyu turned to her and smiled at her holding her hand softly. She looked at him to check whether he is okay, One concerned look and BOOM.
The next instant he hugged her. Her arms snaked around his neck and pressed against him, His tears slowly started flowing down involuntarily. He held her a bit tighter as if he is saving himself from being pulled away. "Abhimanyu," She slowly spoke out without breaking the hug. "Pata hain kya sapna aaya," She chuckled looking at him. "Tum goblin ban gaye ho, green goblin." She said chuckling at his ear. "Sapna tera aur bali ka bakra mein hoon?" Abhimanyu let out a sigh listening to that.
None of them spoke anything and a few minutes later, They broke the hug and Abhimanyu looked better. But Akshara knew it well all these simple remedies aren't gonna help him long. She looked at him and smiled as they shifted towards the bed and lay on their respective sides.
"Akshara," Abhimanyu slowly called her, not sure if she dozed off or not. "Hmm," She rolled around to turn to his side. He was looking at her, she couldn't figure out the expression on his face. "Thank you," Abhimanyu held her hand gently between his palms and smiled at her. "Good night," She blinked at him and smiled back.
NEXT MORNING:
"Abhimanyu, help me clean my guitar later," Akshara looked at him and nudged his elbow hoping he will break the silence and answer something in return. "Fine," Abhimanyu nodded while scrolling his mobile, Akshara searched for a magazine among the ones on the table and settled for one.
"Oye hoye such a domestic couple," Reem said dreamily looking at both with hearty eyes. "Delusional much," Akshara rolled her eyes at Reem, and again plugged in her earphones.
Alisha who just walked out of her room, came to the breakfast table, which already had Abhimanyu, Akshara, and Reem seated. "Morning Alisha," Abhimanyu smiled and wished her who stopped midway and walked to their table. "Good Morning Abhimanyu," She smiled at him ignoring Akshara's existence on purpose. "Join us, We are having breakfast too." Abhimanyu signaled her to take the seat beside them. Akshara who was busy peeking at the menu raised her head looked at Alisha and resumed going over the menu.
"Who is she? Tumhara grumpy spouse itna achese baat kyu kar rahe?" Reem inquired looking at the scenario transpiring in front of her eyes, A bit disorganized but she is trying to conclude something from that. "His ex," Akshara smiled at him and whispered in her ear, "Lucky girl, she escaped," Reem whispered back to which Akshara simply nodded with a smile, "I know," observing both of them. Reem looked at Abhimanyu forcing her to take the seat.
"Zindagi mein drama kam padi hain iska, ab biwi aur ex ko ek table pe bithaane ka socha," Reem muttered under her breath and laughed looking at the drama situation. "Abhimanyu It's okay." Alisha resisted as he requested again. "You are having your time with your wife, I won't disturb you."Alisha backed off at his request.
"No problem take your seat," Akshara stood and indicated to her to take another seat on the right of Abhimanyu. "Waiter, please take the order," Akshara then called the man who was standing a few meters away from the table.
"Khaand yeh karega, Phir mujhse ideas poochega biwi ko manane," She sighed looking at a disinterested Akshara and a busy newspaper Birla. "Isko dekho biwi ka ek quality tak nahi hain, Dono antique pieces mere saamne pade hain," She thought throwing weird looks at Akshara.
Abhimanyu started with his breakfast, as the waiter dropped his order along with Alisha's. "Akshu tumhare hot chocolate," He slowly took it from the waiter and carefully kept it at her hand distance. "It's too hot wait for a few minutes," He slowly whispered in her ears tucking her hair strands behind her ear. "Fine," She nodded a yes without looking at him.
A woman in her mind 50's entered the place with a smile and a juice glass in her hand. She talked to almost everyone in that place. Then with her juice glass in hand, she moved towards the breakfast table where Abhimanyu was there. "Hello handsome," She wished with a sharp tone as she looked at Abhimanyu.
"Hello, Mrs. Saxena." Abhimanyu wished her, "Ohh it's just Shilpa doesn't wish me like I am your teacher." She laughed after hearing the "Hello sweetheart, she moved forward and hugged Alisha as she saw her sitting beside him. "Well Abhimanyu who is your wife in these girls," She scanned both Akshara and Reem.
"Akshu that is Shilpa Aunty, Mr. Saxena ka wife." Abhimanyu introduced the woman who stood in front of the table, "Aunty Yeh hain Akshara Goenka now Birla, My wife." Abhimanyu declared as he held her hand which was on the table and stared at her with love dripping from his stare. By the time they could talk about anything the waiter arrived with Reem's order.
"I eat only healthy food, people need to be responsible when they eat." Shilpa smiled looking at both Abhimanyu and Anisha then eyes at Akshara who was busy with her hot chocolate. "Responsible eating isn't everyone's thing Aunty." Alisha smiled looking at her with a snide smile. They all continued their breakfast with an awkward silence.
"Paise kitne bhi aaye ho padosi aunty behavior jaate nahi kuch logon ka," Reem stared at the women in front of her and muttered in Akshara's ear for which Akshara shook her head positively. "Aunty aap south Bombay mein rehte hain na?" She questioned Shilpa with a smile to not offend, "How did you know?" Shilpa looked at hand er, her eyes popped out due to astonishment. "Well my parents stay there," She answered back with an audible tone to everyone, "I can relate to this behavior," she whispered to herself with a sad face. (no offense SOBO girlies, this is written from my real-time relative's experience)
"Also you both were such perfect partners, Who thought he would tie the knot to someone out of his domain?" Shilpa smiled at Abhimanyu who was busy rubbing his hands and adjusting his sleeves and glanced at Akshara to check if she is comfortable or not. "Haan Galti hogaya unse maaf kijiye," Akshara muttered a bit audible to everyone, Abhimanyu giggled loudly making everyone glare at both and giggles suppressing Reem.
"What do you do Akshara?" Shilpa looked at her, Akshara again dropped her hot chocolate and looked at her clearing her throat to start another round of debate, "Uhmm I am," Before she could speak Abhimanyu interrupted.
"She joined Birla hospitals recently in the Music department." Abhimanyu proudly announced to her, "Is she also a doctor?"She asked him surprised. "Music therapist hain," Abhimanyu replied without wasting any time. Shilpa waited for another minute processing "I never listened about this!" She exclaimed and Alisha nodded in her agreement "Well, There are many relevant things we may not know. But they exist" Abhimanyu replied cutting off their voices, Afyer listening to the tone with which Abhimanyu's fierce defensive skills against his wife the place went silent, and no words were exchanged for another 5 minutes.
Shilpa looked at Akshara suspiciously as if something is missing from her. Akshara looked at her meeting her eyes, she was intimidated by that look and checked everything, and noticed her finger.
"Blueberry cheesecake?" Alisha looked at the waiter with a surprised look, "I ordered it for you," Abhimanyu smiled at her for a brief time. "He still memorized everything," She smiled at him and glanced at Abhimanyu for which he simply nodded I'm positive. Alisha then turned to Akshara who was busy with her food, with a flaunting proud look. Alisha's smirk did the damage and enraged Akshara like never before.
Akshara stayed silent for a minute then, held Abhimanyu's hand, started playing with it, and later intertwined them and leaned on his shoulder. Keeping their intertwined fingers on the table, She waited till Alisha had a look. Alisha looked at the intertwined hands on the table, there was a piece of thorn clutched inside her but then looked up to see Akshara with a raised eyebrow and a victory smirk playing on her lips.
"Yaar itna mazaaa aarahe," Reem was enjoying the battle with all her heart. She was hooting and cheering for Akshara and Akshara didn't disappoint. Suddenly Akshara got up from her place and held her hand indicating to move.
"Reem let's go, Abhimanyu, we have an emergency." Saying this Akshara got up to leave the place. She stopped midway looked at Alisha still indulging in her cheesecake and came back to Abhimanyu who was looking at her already. She bent a bit and kissed his forehead, "Bye Abhi," She said patting his cheek and leaving the place leaving a flushed Abhimanyu and a furious Alisha.
"Radha kaise na jale, Radha kaise na jale," Reem slowly got up and left the place with Akshara leaving behind Alisha, who was with her I-don't-care smirk and a total clueless Abhimanyu. "Akshu why did you leave?" Reem looked at Akshara with a naughty smirk, Akshara pulled her away from the crowd. "Tu jealous thi na?" Reem laughed looking at Akshara who looked irritated but within a minute her irritation is replaced by an anxious face.
"I lost my ring, engagement wali," Akshara signaled at her empty hand, Reem's eyes popped looking at her empty finger. "What?" Reem shouted in surprise, "Ek kaam karte hain, speaker aur mike lagao. zor zor se chillaenge." Akshara said with an annoyed tone. Reem kept a finger on her lips and they slowly moved away from that place searching for the ring.
They moved around her room, then the lounge, ballroom, and shack, and finally came to the breakfast area
"Akshara right?" The man with a familiar smile looked at her, "Yeah Nice meeting you but talk to you later." She rushed from the place but before she could leave, he took out a ring from his pocket. "Are you searching for this?" He signaled her to look at his palm, "Yesss, Thank god."She grabbed the ring from his hand, examined the ring, and shook his hand with happiness. "Yesterday You lost it there in the lounge," He said as he gave her ring. "Thanks again, Agastya right?" Akshara smiled looking at the ring with a satisfying smile.
"Well only if we have a coffee," Agastya signaled her to take the seat opposite to which she immediately agreed.
"Excuse me," Reem somehow got away from there "Life mein kuch intresting karna hain chalo Abhimanyu ko bula leti hoon." Reem excitedly announced to herself and ran around searching for him. She found him midway talking to some person, immediately she excused himself from there and dragged him from that place.
"Abhimanyu chalo let's have a coffee." Reem looked at him with happiness, while Abhimanyu was clueless about this sudden offer.
"This is so unhealthy reem tera 5th cup hain subah see," Abhimanyu asked her with a concerned tone, totally unaware of the reason she called him.
"Maha kanjoos aadmi bore hoke you are counting this?"She hit him and grabs him by his hand and dragged him in the direction of the breakfast area.
"What??" He is suddenly taken aback but somehow follows the direction she's leading. After a few minutes, they end up in the breakfast lounge.
"Double espresso shots," Agastya finished and signaled to the waiter to move. But Akshara grabbed the menu from his hand, "Wait a minute, I don't drink strong caffeine." Waiter again stopped in his track, " Also This is My treat" She smiled at him showing her ring, "So fine, cancel the previous order and get 2 cappuccinos with french toast and a croissant." He finished the orders looking through the whole menu.
"Wait Akshara talking with someone?" Reem looked in the direction where both Akshara and Agastya are seated, Abhimanyu's eyes followed the direction and they popped out catching a glimpse of that. "Who is he?" Reem inquired with a naive look stopping her laughter. "Mujhe kya pata?" Abhimanyu replied with quite an irritated voice, finally when Reem understood her plan is actually functioning.
"Okay fine, Mujhe coffee peena hain chalo, Let's order." Reem dragged him to the table two tables away from them. They both settled but Abhimanyu looked more invested in the people behind the table than in the menu.
"That ring?" Agastya looked at the ring, which was on the table. Akshara picked it up and hurriedly put it on her finger.
"Engagement ring," She replied looking at the ring and adoring her finger with a bright smile.
"Engaged?" He looked at her surprised, "Nope," She smiled, "Married." Akshara announced making his jaw drop on the floor. "You are joking?" He looked at her with shock. Akshara thought of Abhimanyu, how he was to her an hour before, and smile with a tnt of blush already creeping in "Abhimanyu Birla, The Bride's brother. He is my husband." She informed him with a faint smile on her face.
Abhimanyu at the behind table smiled as he mentioned her name, rubbing his neck with a shy smile but Little does the poor man knows his married wife is still not out of the flirting spell.
"Akshara you missed your chance." Agastya shook his head negatively looking at her with a dismal look and shaking his head in a negative nod. "He is a nice man, so no regrets anyway." She chuckled at him while she continued to play with her ring.
"You have a boyfriend?" Agastya inquired her abruptly while she was having her coffee, "I have a HUSBAND," She immediately cut him quickly, emphasizing the HUSBAND word. He cracked up at her and immediately nodded his head negatively. Due to this laughing, he choked midway Akshara handed over a bottle from her side. After a few minutes when he made sure he is okay, Agastya began the conversation again.
"If you have a husband, can't you have a boyfriend?" Agastya declared with a smirk looking at Akshara and she was chuckling listening to those words, she simply held her coffee mug and smiled while she drank it up.
"You are way too fast and straight," Akshara smiled again which is enough for Abhimanyu to shoot his blood pressure to 180 in the seat just behind them. "Fast and straight ki jhuthi," He murmured with a ridiculous voice.
"Boyfriend? Mere saamne aao ek baar dikhaungi Akshara ka pati kaise cheez hain." Abhimanyu, whisper- shouted with full intensity. "Well He is a Namuna," Reem looked at him and muttered under her breath, trying her best to stay silent without laughing or saying anything stupid. "He is crossing limits, why isn't your friend coming away from there?" He complained with a furious face meanwhile
"What your husband does?" Agastya asked Akshara, who was eating her food, with great interest. She dropped her croissant and looked at him for a minute then answered. "Doctor," She replied simply. "How boring!" He simply exclaimed, "I know," She simply nodded and continued with her food.
Abhimanyu on the other hand was sitting like a liquid overheated in a cooker. Reem finally examined him while suppressing her laughter to not escape from her mouth. "Look at your friend calling her husband boring." He complained further.
"Bechari she told the truth galti se," She nodded with a pitiful look on her face. He signaled her to stay silent as he couldn't listen to their talks.
"You are coming to the ball tomorrow evening?" Agastya looked at her, "Well not sure, Abhimanyu is a bit boring so have to ask him." She chuckled thinking Abhimanyu would reject it anyway.
"Well if he doesn't, give me a word. I'll grab the chance." He fished out a card from his wallet and handed it to her. "Agastya Saxena," She read out the name on the card, and yeah it did sound familiar to her. "Well, you're not a professional guitarist? I thought you were staff here?" She expressed her shock as she went through the information written on the card.
"I am Birla group's youngest Board member, I do business for a living and I play the guitar for my life balance." Agastya proudly announced "Impressive," She nodded with an appreciative look and then a little silence followed. He then got up to leave and She moved along with him but stopped midway looking at Reem and Abhimanyu.
Abhimanyu on the other hand was boiling and boiling listening to her talking so sweetly to a random man and calling him boring. "My husband, My apple of my eye what are you doing here?" She sat beside him and held his hand sweetly. "Swallowing," Abhimanyu looked at her with a smug look and carried went on with his coffee. "Yeh dekho muh pe lagaya," She bent forward to clean with a tissue, "I will do it, myself." He took the tissue from her and cleaned it by himself.
"You do your romance, I am going yaha see," Saying this to Abhimanyu, Reem turned around to see Kairav who was holding a bunch of flowers in his hand. "Haan haan aao, zindagi mein kam headaches tha mera ab tum bhi agaye ho, Welcome." She sighed at him rolling her eyes. "Maybe we need to talk," Kairav replied with a hopeful tone. "Okay, coffee chalega?" She asked while checking her mobile. "Sixth cup," Abhimanyu reminded her before she left the place, She sighed with a hopeless look and left the place.
They sat in the same lounge a bit far away from the current place, with a sea view and some good music. They ordered coffee and waited for it to come, No one spoke a word before it came. After the coffee arrived and Reem started drinking as if she was born to drink all the coffee in this world. Kairav cleared his throat looking at her to grab her attention.
"I like you, Reem" Kairav announced as soon as he took his chair, "I know I was the one who messed up, but now when I sit and think I always liked you." He spoke with a smile hanging on his face. Reem looked at him with wide eyes and tears automatically made their way down. "Reem please give me a chance and believe me, I will set all things straight. Please don't cry." He smiled at her holding her hands. "You love me?" Reem asked him with a small smile on her face, while kairav nodded a yes. " What do you think of me?" She spoke with a stern tone, while tears did their best to hide but finally gave up.
"Tissue paper ko log aur zyaada value karte hain, jitna tum mujhe ab kar rahe ho." She laughed at him mocking, "Jab kisi aur se rebound hona hain toh pyaar, commitment poocha toh abandon kiya ab phir usika engagement hain so phir se wahi kaam." She slowly clapped with a mocking laugh. "Log atleast tissue ko ek baar use karte hain, look at you coming to me after any minor convenience in your life."
"I am sorry," Kairav said with his eyes teared up. "Will things change because you are sorry?" Reem chuckled with a sad sigh. "Let the bygones be bygones and move ahead kairav. I am the one who is being hurt in this and I don't have qualms moving on." She completed her statement and went ahead with her coffee. "Let us split the bill, I just don't want any debts or become any kind of inconvenience to you," she said while she finished her share of food.
"I can't leave you behind so easily." Kairav finally started talking when she got up to leave. "I do like you and admire you as a person from the get-go, can't we just go back to the way we were before" Kairav held her hands with asked her with a hopeful tone. "I don't want to go back, I like it better now," she said in a plain tone. "Akshu aur Abhi ka friend hoon mein, waha tak hi rakhna mujhe." She told and left the place without looking back. Some things need her, and some people have her on their top priority list.
Akshara came and sat beside Kairav, "Bhaiyya winning heart is one of the hardest things a person can do in life. But uss se mushkil hain repairing a broken heart." She clutched his hands and looked at him with a smile, "Thanks Akshu, and sorry toh tumhe bhi bolna chahiye. I disappointed you as a brother." He hugged her sadly.
"Tbh You disappointed but jis se zyaada pyaar karte hain uspe zyaada gussa nahi hothe." She hugged back smiling at him. "Now duffer jaise behave math karna, Give Reem her space let her figure out things." She chuckled at him, But their conversation was disturbed by her mobile ringing, Akshara looked at the screen. "Abhimanyu ka call," She quickly got up and walked towards the exit, "Bye Bhaiyya see you later."
That Evening:
"Abhimanyu so you are coming to Ball with me?" Akshara looked at him with an excited face. She looked like a kid who was given a golden pass to the amusement park.
"I know I am not a loving husband, Atleast I wouldn't be a Boring husband," Abhimanyu said adjusting his collar and glancing at her through the mirror. His face reflected the upset kid who doesn't cry but taunts in return.
"Chidku Ram, Look at that face, I love you when you do that please" Akshara pulled his hand and circled her arm around his hand. "You always seem to tell the truth, yet it doesn't seem like the truth. It's frustrating at times, but I keep wanting to know more," Abhimanyu held Akshara close to him.
"Did you forget we are buddies? It's the minimum I would ask from you." Akshara smiled at him.
Precap:
"Promise me that if you find something precious, you won't hesitate to go after it. I truly hope you'll be happy. Not for someone else, but for yourself," Akshara said holding his hand, "You deserve it, Abhimanyu." She said kissing his forehead after making sure he is into slumber.