Akshara walked alongside the darkened moonlit path, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Trying to decipher the curve ball aimed their way.
She knew what she had signed up for.
She knew about Abhimanyu's past —his no strings attached, playboy ways. His multitude of women whom he had bedded.
And she has had no issues before.
Not one.
But then why did the thought of him becoming a father to a child —a child which was not theirs cause her such immense pain and hurt?
She didn't want Abhimanyu to father a child with anyone but her.
But more than that, how was she supposed to come to terms with the fact that there would be another woman and a baby —a small innocent baby who would be a part of their lives now?
She felt like a horrible human being.
A horrible wife.
A horrible friend.
A horrible lover.
For leaving Abhimanyu alone in his dire time of need. But she needed to help herself before she could help him.
Come to terms with his truth first, accept it, before she could comfort him.
Akshara outreached her hand and hailed a cab. As a cab came to a stop in front of her, she got in and told the driver. "Just drive."
~*~
As Akshara paid the cab driver, after circling around the city for the last 2 hours and finally coming to a destination. Her trusty community center. Just as she was about to enter the building, her phone rang.
She checked the name on screen. Abhi.
She cancelled the call. Until it rang again. And again. And again. Except she didn't answer. Not once.
Her phone pinged and she looked down to see a message from Abhimanyu reading:
Please come back, Baby. Please.
A few moments later her phone pinged again.
I need you.
And again.
I love you.
And again.
Please come back.
Akshara took a deep breath, feeling the chill on her bare legs. She contemplated whether she should text Abhimanyu back or let the message go unanswered.
Akshara closed her eyes and held the phone close to her chest, taking a few deep breaths.
She pulled the phone back and texted Abhimanyu, putting him out of his misery.
I am at the community center. I am safe. Please give me space. Please don't follow me. I will be back, soon.
Akshara read the text again and went back to remove the soon. She took one last glance at the text before pressing send.
She took another deep breath before she entered the community center. For a peace of mind. For clarity. For solace.
~*~
I am at the community center. I am safe. Please give me space. Please don't follow me. I will be back.
Abhimanyu read Akshara's text and irrational anger began bubbling up inside his chest. He took his phone and flung it towards the sofa, carelessly.
Abhimanyu took a sip of his whiskey scotch on the rocks. His third drink, reminiscing about Akshara and all the happy moments they has shared.
Why was it that the Universe hated seeing him happy? Content? Why was it that it actively conspired against him?
Why couldn't he just be happy? Why?
Akshara —she was his happiness. His solace. But now... Now even she was being taken from him.
Please give me space.
But he didn't! He didn't want to give her space. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted her to get angry at him. Scold him. Punch him. Hit him. Yell at him. Argue with him.
Anything.
But not space. He didn't want to give her space. Didn't want her to pull away from him.
He needed her.
~*~
A few hours later, almost close to 9pm, the doorbell to their apartment rang. Thrilled, Abhimanyu anticipated Akshara's return.
She was back!
He knew she wouldn't be able to be apart from him for long. He knew she'd come back.
Excitedly, Abhimanyu rushed to open the door. However, Abhimanyu broad smile disappeared the moment he opened the door.
"Shreya?" He questioned.
"Hi, sorry to bother you, Abhimanyu. But is Akshara home?" She asked.
Abhimanyu furrowed his brows defensively. Why was Shreya here and what did she want with Akshara?
"Umm, no, she is not home. But what are you doing here?"
"I tried calling Akshara but she did not answer her phone. I tried calling you too, but you didn't answer either. I just had some urgent matters to discuss about the Children's Ward. I just got an email that the construction crew aren't able to get the wooden panels we selected so they gave us a few new options."
Abhimanyu brushed his hand through his hair, feeling a bit tipsy. "Can it not wait till tomorrow?"
"I am afraid not. They are on a tight schedule and are supposed to come in tomorrow at 6am to start working. I know and I am sorry for disturbing you at this time but I had no other option."
"Ugh. Fine. Come in. But make it quick." He was in no mood to entertain Shreya but the Children's ward meant a lot to him. Plus, he could use the distraction.
Anything to take his mind of Akshara and what she must be thinkIng about him.
"Why? Are you okay? Where is Akshara?" Shreya asked, prying into his business.
"You are here to get my opinion on the Children's Ward. Not here to discuss my personal life." Abhimanyu's response was curt and firm. Akshara and his life was not up for discussion.
He had no idea why but he did not have a nice feeling about this. Something was amiss. First the Riva girl coming in and declaring her pregnancy and now Shreya dropping in unannounced?
But this was about the Children's Ward. He could listen to what Shreya had to say and then send her on her merry way.
"Okay, so what is it that you needed to discuss?" Abhimanyu asked Shreya, sitting down on the living room sofa, as he tucked the envelope Riva had given him under the table. He hadn't even looked at the reports yet. Not even when cleaning the papers off the ground and stuffing them into the envelope.
"Ah yes, I was just saying..." Shreya paused her sentence midway, with a hacking cough.
"Can I get a glass of water please?" Shreya dry coughed, pausing her words mid way trying to suppress her cough.
"Sure." Abhimanyu got up from the couch and headed towards the kitchen.
He returned shortly thereafter with a glass of water for Shreya and sat down.
"So as I was saying, the original panels we wanted for the rooms, they won'f be available on time, but these are the options we have." Shreya took out a booklet from her bag and laid it open for Abhimanyu to scroll through. "I know this is Akshara's forte, but we need to make a decision by tomorrow."
"Yeah, no problem." A dejected Abhimanyu did not even feel like focusing on the Children's Ward. Not without Akshara.
Without her by her side, offering him her opinions, all his decisions felt incomplete. He felt incomplete.
~*~
Shreya watched eagerly as Abhimanyu scrolled through the booklet she offered. She eyed his drink glass, crossing her fingers, focused entirely on the glass.
She bit her lip in anticipation as Abhimanyu grabbed his whiskey glass from the table and took a sip, then another, then another, downing the entire glass.
Shreya tried to suppress an evil smirk lining her lips, waiting for the perfect moment.
"Actually, I think this one, this arch design over here will be perfect. A good replacement for the..."
Abhimanyu slurred his words midway. Suddenly his head began to feel heavy as his words escaped him. He felt his world spinning, the floor turning into the roof and the roof becoming the floor.
What was happening to him?
He swore he hadn't even drank that much.
"What the..." Those were the last words he uttered before darkness surrounded him completely and he fell back onto the sofa. Lights out.
"Goodnight, Dr. Abhimanyu Birla." Shreya smirked as she sat back, satisfactorily before putting her plan into motion.
~*~
Early next morning around 6am, an aggravated, heart broken, unkempt, sleep deprived Akshara finally made her way back home.
To her Abhimanyu.
She was eager to talk to him.
Embrace him.
Hold him.
She had had her moment of clarity. And that was all she needed.
As she pushed her key inside the keyhole, before she could twist it, the door opened on its own.
Shreya.
Akshara's brows furrowed and her jaw dropped open in shock as she saw Shreya open their apartment door bare feet, carrying her heels in one hand, her dress dropping off her shoulder and her hair a tussled mess.
Akshara looked behind Shreya to see Abhimanyu laying dead asleep on the couch, shirtless with a blanket covering him from waist down.
"Akshara! I am so sorry! I wish you didn't have to see this!" Shreya quipped, pulling her dress together just as Abhimanyu began to awaken behind her.
"Akshara?" Abhimanyu mumbled, getting up from the sofa, in a confused state of mind.
His memories from earlier that night a jumbled mess with a pounding headache stopping him from thinking clearly.
"Shreya?" Abhimanyu spoke, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened and why Shreya was here.
"I should go." Shreya looked innocently towards Akshara before heading out.
Akshara turned to see Shreya walk into the elevator with a devious smile on her face.
And Akshara's heart broke into a million pieces. She turned to look towards Abhimanyu, who was still trying to comprehend what had just happened. Shocked at his own nakedness.
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Guys! Don't freak! What is AbhiRa's best asset? Their understanding and communication! Count on it!