Dhwani traced the name of the orphanage on her mark sheets, and the permanent address on all her documents during the school years remained the same.
Her home was Chhaya, an orphanage set up by an old couple who had retired passing down the rights to banks under mortgage which was later bid on, and purchased by the Gayatri Devi Foundation. It had been home to around a thousand orphans till the age of Sixteen, after that the children moved out and lived a life with no roof.
She had stepped out of this place at one such point, freshly passed out of her high school, she was hinted to move out and she had enrolled herself into college hostel facilities, earning her living from tuition, part-time jobs, and scholarships which made her survive 4 years until she had her first job as an assistant in an art gallery.
She had kicked and strived into the city to the point that she had saved enough to make a small, meager donation to the orphanage management as a token of gratitude. Life wasn't hard, it was ugly and full of struggles until the age of 22 when she changed jobs, hostels, and then cities to come back again here.
She had completed her distance MBA from one of the local colleges and had applied for a better job in the corporate sector, Chouhan group of companies was her fate as she slipped and landed infront of the matriarch of the family who was impressed with her navigating skills, she was still clueless what ticked Gayatri Devi Chouhan in the right way that the woman not only offered her an interview but also her eldest grandson's proposal for marriage after knowing her for only a year.
Well, just 11 months when she had knocked on her 1 BHK flat, her gentle smile was a reminder of her big and generous heart as she caressed her head and laid down her thoughts in a straightforward manner.
"I have seen you all these months, Dhwani and I have made up my mind." She had said with eyes holding hers "I want your hand in marriage for my grandson. I am sure you two will make a great couple."
She had left her astounded that day, baffled too as she left her to think about the alliance. Only the next day when Dhwani decided to politely decline the old woman, she called her to the mansion and introduced her to her social circle as her future daughter-in-law.
Her wide eyes had swept the room and landed on the man who stood at the other corner, looking like a calm sea that hid deadly secrets. He had stared at her the entire time he strode towards her and stood beside her as the guests gushed about them being the perfect match.
"I think you two can be married in the next 3 months, what do you say, Dhwani?" Gayatri Devi had questioned.
Being in a daze, she had turned to her with confused eyes and let out a small "Yes?" which was taken as her confirmation making her husband abhor her whole existence.
3 months and Gayatri Devi had coaxed the entire Chouhan family to agree to this match and got them married in a ceremony the gods would be jealous of. Only if she was actually that blessed being married as the people greeted her with on her face with fake smiles and false wishes.
A charity case.
The slum bride.
It was the words they had called her the moment they turned away from her, they were audible enough for her to hear.
She had remained that in every public gathering, she was forced to attend thereafter, making her hate them eventually.
She didn't deserve to hold this title being an orphan, she was nameless and she wished to return to the same life again.
Keeping the last of her things in the packed suitcase, she zipped it and rolled it to the living room.
The clock ticked and chimed indicating the time he returns.
The keys dangled in the lock and she straightened the papers in her hands, blinking to gather her confidence.
She heard the door unlock when her bag slipped and she quickly held it to prevent its fall.
"I am leaving." She announced feeling the presence in the room. "Either you sign them or not."
"Sign what?" The new voice had her snap up as her hand froze in the middle and air was knocked out of her system. "What is she talking about?"
The voice thundered and Dhwani jumped on her place, wide eyes meeting the calm greys, just like that day, before fleeing to the third presence.
"G...GM?" She stuttered.
"Where are you going?" Gayatri Devi asked walking towards her, her soft expression turned to worry as she glanced at the two trolleys kept on her side. "What are these papers for?"
Before she could react, they were snatched from her hold and the worry dropped down to turn into rage.
"GM, I can explain." Anirudh was stopped short as Gayatri Devi showed him her palm.
"No more explanation is required." She gritted as she eyes the couple with daggers. "You two wanted to live alone to give a chance to each other and this is how you do it? Divorce!? Why?"
Dhwani flinched at the voice.
"GM, please let me explain." Anirudh came and stood before her, unintentionally shielding her from the wrath of the lady who ruled the entire Chouhan house with an iron fist.
"No. No more explanations will be required." The matriarch announced, "You two are coming with me back home this instant. No arguments will be entertained by me here."
"No." Dhwani stuttered earning a look from her husband as if screaming in his mind 'Do you have a death wish?' She looked away from him to the old lady "I have tried GM, not anymore. There is no marriage to work upon."
"There is always something to work upon, Dhwani." The words had her eyes burn.
"There was nothing to start with." She murmured glancing at Anirudh who was staring at nothing in particular.
"I can see there is and it is enough for me." Gayatri announced "Pack your bags, Ani. You are coming back home."
■ ■ ■
Uttara hummed an old melody as tied her hair up, working her way into the kitchen trying to pull up an edible breakfast for them as they aimed to start their day together. Him in his hospital and hers with two back-to-back photoshoots.
Pouting as she mixed the batter of chickpea flour with vegetables, she peeked from the kitchen slab to find any traces of him returning from his jogging. Hash! There was still time that she could witness her hot husband after working out. He could put any A-list actor to shame with his perfect face and hard-earned abs which she had a chance to witness only on days when he didn't have his guard up.
Which most of the time was.
Sprinkling some extra chili powder, she heated the pan and dropped some oil as she poured the batter equally to form a circle.
The pan sizzled with the heat and she turned to find the spatula when the door clicked open sneakily, heightening her senses as she turned back before acting to be busy. Stealing a glance at his sweaty form, she swallowed as he wiped his face with a hand towel and she planned to bury it somewhere he couldn't find, only then he might use his T-shirt and she might have a peek at her favorite abs.
His steps halted feeling her eyes and she quickly scattered back to her pan, flipping the undercooked Chila on the pan.
Vidyut let out a soft breath as he glanced at her to find her standing in her over-sized t-shirt and extra small shorts which were a sin to be worn, he padded into the kitchen to have her close her eyes and bite her cheeks to stop them from turning into the shade of Crimson, not that they already weren't.
He took a water bottle and stood against the counter to watch her cook, his eyes took in her figure but he kept his gaze modest not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable. Taking two big swigs he silently placed the bottle back and moved towards her.
His breath fanned her ears as her movement halt.
"Vidyut..." His name sounded like a prayer from her lips and his hand turned the knob off.
"It is burning." He said as an explanation and left.
Leaving her flushed, breathless and needy.
Showering and changing into a button-down black shirt and pants, he rolled his sleeves up to his waist and tied his watch. He picked up his files and papers, arranging them as he walked out to the living room when he heard a gasp.
"... should be illegal." He heard the trailing words and cocked a brow at her to which her eyes widened and she quickly spun on her heels. "The breakfast, it's done."
Making her a stuttering mess often made him guilty but he liked it, her comical expressions made his days less boring, something to do with her being an actress and having a face that displayed almost everything.
"Is this edible?" He watched her placing a plate in front of him and her mouth gaped open.
Closing it quickly, she nodded bashfully "Yes, yes. Why would you say that?"
He did not reply but cut it into a piece before removing some parts and eating what felt eatable.
"How is it? Good?" She asked expectantly.
'No' His mind whispered but he stared at her before passing her a short nod. There was no sense spoiling her day by breaking her heart over food.
Her smile almost blinded him but he averted his eyes and silently ate.
"I have two shoots today, back-to-back." She informed him "Will you be free for dinner? I'll stop by your hospital and we can go from there. It has been days since I ate Chinese."
He heard her words and clutched the fork to not say anything that would hurt her, "Okay."
"Great, can you make some time this Friday? I have free passes for a musical concert and we can go in together. I was also thinking if we will be attending the family dinner on Sunday. It has been months since I last met Bhabhi. I tried calling her..."
"I am done." He stood up abruptly and her words died down.
"Okay." She followed his suit and collected their plates to drop them in the sync. "Vidyut, you did not tell me, can we attend the family..."
"Do shut up sometimes." He snapped. "I do not care if you miss someone or if you have things planned. I don't want to hear another word about you or anything you think."
Her steps halted and eyes flashed what he had been avoiding for the past three days.
"I am sorry." She whispered stepping back.
"Forget about those dinners if you want to have one with me." He gritted his teeth, he had hurt her.
He was out of the gate before she could expect a reply from him.
He had hated hurting her but she asked for it, almost every time by bringing things he wanted to avoid.
'.': I didn't mean to spoil your mood, sorry.
Her text vibrated his device and he read the words. Sliding the notification along with the full stop he had saved her contact with.
That was what she was, a full stop for him.
Nothing after.
The end.
■ ■ ■
Breathing into the jasmine insane stick early morning, Shreya grumbled and cuddled more. Pulling the comforter above her head she tried to not hear any of the clutters of her home.
"This girl!" A voice screeched above her "Wake up, now!"
"Maa, please" She whined sleepily.
"Did I tell you to watch a movie that late with your good-for-nothing brother? Wake up!"
Earning a smack on her back, the comforter was pulled away from her and she almost yelled at the laughing figure on her door frame.
"It is all because of you, moron." She chucked a pillow at him which he successfully caught mid-air guffawing.
"Maa! Tell him to get lost." She complained like a child and received another smack on her arm.
"Get freshen up in 5 minutes or no breakfast for you." Another threat and she was wife awake running towards the washroom.
Struggling to get into a jean and a long kurta, she brushed her hair as quickly as she could, clipping them back she collected her bag, watch, phone, and glass case and rushed down.
"You did not shower." The glare from her mother stopped her from stuffing her face with Aloo puri.
"I am late?" She tried but earned a disappointed sigh.
"The apes can go without showering for a decade, Mumma. Not her fault." The voice chimed from the entrance.
"If I'm ape, what are you? A bug!" Shreya snapped a glare toward her brother, Shresth Thapar.
"Why, Lil sis, are you offended?" He walked inside pulling her hair to which she scowled.
"Don't, you drum." She returns the favor pulling on to his point tail which he secured much to their mothers' annoyance.
"Stop it, witch. It took me 15 minutes to set my hair." He swatted her hands earning a glare from the Supreme Court aka their mother.
"When will you act like a grown-up, Shresth? Or do you want me to chop off those hairs of yours?"
"Mom," he said horrified.
"Do not mom me? I have been telling you for months that you are a guy and you need to act like one..."
Shreya snorted loudly, cupping her bubbling laughter.
"... Get your hair short and start finding a job instead of playing house with that guitar of yours."
"I am a singer." He reminded her annoyed.
"And I'm your mother." Devika Thapar reminded her 29-year-old son. "Your father is retired and Shreya alone is not responsible for this house, you are too but instead you sit holed up in that room for hours playing with your toy and have achieved nothing."
"I am trying. Not that your daughter is the only one contributing..."
"Are you? I don't see anything but those little changes you keep giving me. You call that contributing?" Devika scoffed.
"I am giving you everything I earn," Shresth whispered hurt.
"Mom, can I get a sandwich for lunch?" Shreya butted to save her brother.
"Shut up, Shreya. You do not save him always." Her mother chided. "He is older than you and he is the son. He should be responsible."
"Mom! I'm doing well for all of us." Shreya stood up shielding her brother "I am earning enough and if he needs to settle and make a career for himself then let him. Why do you keep repeating this tale of him being a man and responsible for earning? He will do it when he is ready."
"He is the son of this house, he should be standing on his foot and supporting us." She countered.
"They let him be successful. He is taking up gigs and he is doing quite well for himself as a starting. He will go up there but you need to wait."
"Why do you keep fighting his battles? He should be ashamed to call himself a man if he hides behind you."
The loud screech of the chair startled the two ladies as Shresth left the room, plate untouched.
"Why do you have to start this early in the morning?" Shreya picked up her bag "I am leaving, I am getting late."
"I am not his enemy. I am only trying to give him a reality check..."
The words from her mother's constant complaining made her take hurried steps out as she crossed their lane and turned to another.
They lived in a gated community where hardly any taxis or Autos were available, all thanks to their father's previous employers who provided residence to their staff. Though, now that he has retired, they can have the place due to his good and loyal services for the past 30 years.
She was grateful that she didn't have to give up her home and find another one when her father was terminally heart patient and her mother complained about every small thing she could.
And her brother, well he was living in his sanctuary.
She speeds walk to the nearest bus station and tapped her feet waiting for it as she glanced at the time. She was going to be late if the bus doesn't make it in another 5 minutes.
A car stopped in front of her making her jump back.
Wanting to give the driver a piece of her mind, she hurriedly knocked on his window when it was rolled down revealing the smug face, she was going to bear for the next 6 months.
"Want a ride, meri jaan?"