Blinking ever so slightly, Anirudh adjusted to the protruding lights escaping between the thick curtains that covered the balcony door. He groaned inaudibly realizing that he left it open yesterday night and moved, only to be pulled back because of an external weight on him. He turned to find a presence holding on his arm, restricting his movements. He squinted his gaze taking in the angelic face of his wife who was lost in her world of sleep peacefully using his arm as her pillow and snuggling into the cocoon of the comforters they were using separately until last night. He remembers watching her sleep on her side of the bed, wrapped in the warmth as he lowered the temperature to fight the humidity.
Almost every night, he flicked through temperatures to find the one they both could compromise on. Dhwani preferred warm nights while he could hardly sleep until the room was ice cold. Tucking the comforters around her, he pulled only for her to clutch on his arm and yank him back.
He watched her in amazement at the recent show of strength and wondered if she was the same girl struggling with the closet sliders yesterday. Huffing and panting to close the stuck doors and gave up almost instantly with glares and complaints shot his way.
He shook his head in amusement watching her roll on his side of the bed, pulling his comforter on her while she held on to hers, wrapping them in the warmth together as she slept off with signs of relief on her face. He stealthily moved away from her to not fall, avoiding any sounds that could wake her up as he watched her scowl, twisting and turning to find a comfortable position again as she took over their bed. He chuckled silently and laid back adjusting to the narrow space, supporting his head on his palm with his elbow bearing the entire weight. His free palm moved to her face, knuckles pushing her hair strands back, and smiling as a deep frown laced her face because of disturbance. She raised her hand to swat the object of disturbance which he was quick to retract.
Killing the urge to irritate her sleepy self some more, he stepped out of bed and changed the temperature back to normal to prevent her from suffocating inside the comforters.
Pushing his hair back, he made his way towards the washroom and got done with his morning business. While selecting clothes, he pursed his lips and peeked inside her closet.
Smirking he gazed at her selected outfit for the day. It was a bright blue halter-neck kurta with straight pants of the same shade and a white shawl that she had tied around the neck of the hanger.
"Nice color choices, Petal." He smirked in mischief and selected a black suit with a baby blue shirt and black silk tie for him. Taking his sweet time, he set his hair and wore the shirt while attending to his blaring phone.
"Good morning, Johnathan." Anirudh greeted him with distaste as he anticipated the boring conversation that was going to follow for the next 20 minutes.
The door to the closet clicked open and his lips halted from speaking anymore, he stretched his neck to make out the head that would be peaking inside. Catching her sleepy stature, he bit his gums to bite back the rebellious grin, continuing with the call as she stepped inside and passed him a squinted eye glare for his blue shirt before picking up her clothes and entering the bathroom through the connected door.
"We have implemented the changes but I think the marketing plan needs some twerking. Also, there is this thing I feel..."
Anirudh hummed in his cell distractedly and shook his head at her departure. He cut his overseas manager with an eye-roll. "How about we continue this with the team?"
"Of course, but I think you should know about..."
Anirudh yelled silently, clenching his jaw, and leaning his head against the mirror in need to calm down. "Jonathan, We will be taking this in the call. Alright? Have a great day ahead."
He dropped the air pods in the bowl as if they burned him, and exhaled loudly. Talking business early morning was not new but holding business conversations when Dhwani was in the same room seemed like a waste of time these days.
Today was the last of the 7-day period he had convinced Dhwani for on the day of the Annual Gala. Today marked the day when this period either extended or ended by her and he was in no position for the latter to take place. He had made extra efforts in the past week to make her see the changes he was trying to incorporate in himself and he would let the entire world burn before he loses her today.
The need for these 7 days to get extended for some more, till eternity was rigid and staked.
Nothing could go wrong today.
She stepped out with wet hair wrapped securely with one of the many towels while her palms made sure there were no creases on her neatly ironed kurta.
"Had a good sleep?" He asked working on his cuffs.
Their eyes met and he pursed his lips to stop any smile from leaping out. She averted her gaze in seconds as those pair of honey dukes widened and a blush crept on her neck as she admitted slowly with a hum. "I did."
"Good." He piped standing behind her as he worked on his tie while she did her skin care. Her fingers dropped bottles, uncertain as she kept sneaking glances at his reflection that stood complimenting hers.
He leaned to pick his cologne and Dhwani jumped at the brush of their arms. With a negligible smirk, he raised his brows in question but she shook her head fervently before clutching onto the kohl pencil and bending forward to get a better look to apply a neat stroke on her water line.
Her eyeballs moved and watched him as he sprayed a good amount of cologne before keeping it back. Her eyes followed his movements while he made a show of choosing ties, he picked a white tie and a black, placing them on his shirt and pursing his lips, acting conflicted.
"White or Black, Petal?" He asked her once she was done with her eyes and started on her hair.
Their eyes met again through the mirror and she shot him an irked glare before snatching the white one and dumping it inside the closet. "You are so annoying."
"Black it is." He ignored her complaint and started tying the sleek cloth piece around his neck.
"Are you done? Get aside." She watched him choose a watch at his leisure and snapped making him smile cheekily before he picked his jacket and shoes to occupy the settee at the opposite side to allow her more space. She huffed in annoyance and blew dry her hair, combing the strands occasionally to not let them detangle. Applying a coat of sunscreen, loose powder, and lipstick, she fetched her bag and started setting the bag while he sat watching her pacing the lengths to collect things and arrange her tote bag that, if emptied, would be no less than the Doraemon's infinity pouch.
"Hurry, Petal. I need my coffee, now." He announced his presence leaning against the closet door while she maneuvered her way into their room. She passed him a distracted nod as she rolled his laptop charger and dumped it in his palm before pushing him to the side to collect her white shawl and a pair of low heels that she proudly carried around with grace.
"Let's go." She said strapping her footwear and standing up to check herself one last time in the wall-size mirror. He stood behind her and joined her reflection.
A low hum passed his throat as he nodded in approval of their reflection together.
She glanced at him and deadpanned before turning around, not that he missed the light blush on her cheeks that remained the entire time they descended the stairs. He took her bag along with his and passed it to a house help to keep it in his car like a ritual he had been following the entire week. He would drop off or drive her to the office and back. He would check up on her during lunch as a human reminder for her medicines and drop a few texts here and there to remind her of his existence and her place in his world.
"Coffee?" She asked as they reached the dining area.
"Yes." He nodded with a frown but his unasked question was answered soon enough as she detoured towards the kitchen instead of joining others at the breakfast table. With a victorious smile, he stepped near the table and met the breakfast party consisting of his parents and grandparents.
"Good morning, folks." He greeted cheerfully, bending to kiss his grandmother and mother as a habit, and exchanged smiles with the men who looked surprised at his joyful smile today.
"This looks like a happy morning," Harshvardhan commented watching his eldest son full of smiles and a gentleness he often wished to see in the blank eyes of his son who may be a calm sea but hid various secrets beneath him.
"Indeed." Ajeet piped taking a sip of his kevada tea. "Where is my granddaughter?"
"She is coming." Anirudh bit back a grin, hiding her whereabouts to force curiosity in their minds. He served himself some toast and an omelet from the table.
"No coffee?" Rashi asked observing her son's plate. He had been following the same breakfast routine for years now and coffee had always been the first thing that Anirudh would taste early morning.
He pulled his lips inside halting the answer.
"Don't tell me Dhwani is making coffee for you?" Harsh narrowed his eyes to slit, shooting a challenging look at his son.
"She is my Wife?" He tried reasoning.
"You brat." He admonished him and hollered for his favorite daughter. "Dhwani, this son of mine shouldn't be the only one who gets your hand-made coffee."
"I agree, Papa." She pushed the slider open and slid inside with three cups of coffee. Placing a cup infront of Harshvardhan first, she shot a knowing smile and leaned to his pat on her head before she kept the second mug infront of Anirudh. "I know you all. I made three cups before you all started fighting for it."
"This one is also for me?" Anirudh forwarded his hand towards the mug greedily only to be swatted away by her.
"It is for Rakshit."
He watched her smile drop at the name and realization jumped back to her. He hadn't been meeting her, it may be because of the misunderstanding or the anger, but he would never know as he never let Rakshit speak to them. Each time Rakshit stepped inside the house, Anirudh made sure Dhwani was occupied and stayed busy until he left so that she wasn't hurt again.
He had witnessed her pass sleepless nights with shaky fingers, blaring headaches, and a rise in her blood pressure. He hated being a roadblock between these two but for the sake of his wife's wellbeing, he was ready to act as a villain in his brother's life, and he would make sure that Rakshit came begging Dhwani for her forgiveness with the respect she deserves.
If Rakshit had not realized her worth yet, he would realize it soon.
Shreya was supposed to be discharged after 3-day long therapy sessions with her assigned psychologist who would be approving her discharge, only if she was sure that this would never be repeated.
Being an influential name helped them cover the trail of this incident, no police were involved as Shreya furnished her previous records that held information regarding her therapy sessions in Delhi and how the long break had caused her anxiety, a force that made her opt for self-harm.
Though he had walked out of that hospital building, Anirudh had known each detail of this case at his fingertips.
"That boy remains a mystery to me to date." Rashi huffed taking a sip of her orange juice. "He hasn't been home for a totality of 4 hours in the last 3 days. I think he has already moved out, not even waiting till his marriage like his other brothers."
"Rakshit has been your headache at all times, Darling. What is new in that?" Harshvardhan chuckled but quickly hid it behind his coffee mug earning a glare from Rashi that dared him to come again.
"If he isn't home, I think I will be claiming on this last mug," Anirudh announced changing the topic, and quickly took a sip from the other mug before anyone could protest.
"Coffeeholic." Dhwani rolled her eyes enjoying her cup of tea and toast with peanut butter.
"Can you blame me?" He dared her to say yes. "You got me addicted to this coffee two years back."
"Is it my fault?" She scowled, glaring at him yet the amusement in her eyes was clear as daylight.
He nodded dramatically.
"If the city drowns tomorrow, blame it on me as well." She shot him a fake saccharine smile and focused on her breakfast.
"So bad, you want the city to drown." Anirudh shook his head smiling at the banter. This felt better.
This conversation felt like an intimacy he had been craving for. No chemistry, no touches, no attraction but pure banter full of smiles, grins, laughter, scowls, and irked huffs.
This was the kind of relationship he wished to feel. The kind where there is everything yet nothing one could point it out to. The gaps are filled with more teasing and less silence, where you hear everything and say less but it is more.
"You are so much infuriating." She narrowed her eyes at him, biting a smile back.
"Why?" He leaned closer and whispered only for her "You are tired already? I haven't started yet."
"Shut up."
"Your wish is my command." He bowed but she pushed him back with wide eyes looking everywhere to catch a third eye witnessing them.
"Stop being cheeky." She glared but couldn't hold her grin back. "I am getting late, Anirudh. Please."
"Fine." He chuckled, "We will continue this later."
By later he wished it to be a lunch break where she would come in his cabin demanding his time and yanking him away from the pile of reports he sat head deep in, but that never happened. He had driven them to the office and she soon after left for her visit to the new Shelter building the Chauhans were constructing. She had taken it upon herself to make sure the place was adequately designed to fulfill the necessities of the homeless people who will be brought in from disaster-prone areas and will be aided medically and backed to rise financially.
This was his mother's brainchild which she trusted Dhwani to execute. The two ladies bonded on these levels where they outlay their generosity and compassion.
The two most important women in his life have started gelling together and that was a dream come true for him. What more he could ask for?
A lunch date with his wife.
His subconscious mocked him.
Taking his phone, he left his desk discarded with all sorts of papers and rounded towards the balcony that overlooked the commercial places around. The Chauhan Enterprises holding the tallest building in the locality and his cabin being on the last 3rd floor had its advantage.
Leaning against the railings, he breathed into the slapping humid air and squinted his eyes to avoid the burning sun. He turned and stood facing the opposite direction as the call connected to her.
"Hello." She answered at the second last ring, apologetically. "Sorry, my phone was inside the bag."
"Now I know why you didn't see my text." He waved her apology with another complaint.
"I never checked my phone." She admitted with an underlying apology that he made him feel worse.
"No problem." He stated with finality, letting his smile be heard with the words. "I was only checking up on you."
"Thank you."
"Did you have your lunch, it is almost 2?" He bit on his gums waiting for her answer which he was sure would be an excuse. The girl was careless to the extent that she surpassed all her good qualities.
"I forgot?"
"Petal." He took her name in a deadly warning that made him hear shuffling sounds at the other end. "This is very careless of you."
"I, really, forgot. I promise I will eat on my way back." She reasoned.
"You will be missing your medicines." He felt like admonishing a child who never completed their lunch back in school.
"I won't. I will be eating and sharing with you the images of the same. Will that work?" She offered and he was no one if not a hard-core businessman.
"You will be eating and will let me on a video call while you do that. I do not trust you with your doses." He negotiated.
"Video call?" She stammered.
"Yes. Either this or I will come and get you right now so that you eat infront of me. What do you choose?"
"Fine." She gave in. "I...I will call you while eating."
"Good." He rejoiced in victory.
"What about you?"
"Me?" He swallowed unknowingly.
"Did you take your lunch?" She asked and he could feel her narrowed gaze burning the behind of his head or it could be the sun.
"Umm...I just got out of a meeting." He lied through his teeth.
"And, you were texting me during the meeting? Why don't I believe you?"
"Phas gaya, Anirudh." He mumbled to himself.
You are trapped, Anirudh.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing." He quickly piped and cursed himself for not thinking of quick excuses. "I was saying that I am going down to have lunch now. Should I wait for you? You can call and we will eat together?"
"I don't know, who is being careless now, Mr. Chauhan?" She was outright mocking him with that stern tone she often used on her staff to put them back in line. This was the other version of Dhwani Chauhan that was cold, scary, and brutal.
"Sorry."
She scoffed. "Get down to the cafeteria and ask Gopal ji to heat food for you. Mom called me to tell you that she will be sending lunch for you."
"What about you?" He asked finding a little courage.
"I will eat in another 20 minutes." She was sighing. "Go eat. I will call you once I reach the restaurant. Is that okay?"
"That will be perfect."
With a jump in his steps, Anirudh barged out of his cabin and headed straight towards the cafeteria that still bubbled with staff taking their lunch break. Nodding at every greeting passed at him, he searched for one of the oldest workers in the company.
"Gopal ji," Anirudh called for the man and he halted in his place earning all the attention in the room. "How are you?"
"G...good, Sir." The old man stammered on being addressed by the Boss himself. "You want...something?"
"Yes. Bohut bhookh lagi hain. Khana garam karwa dijiye, please." He smiled sheepishly and the old man looked baffled before breaking into a gentle smile that he seemed to be passing to only a few in the office, one of them being his Petal.
(Yes, I am starving. Please heat the food for me.)
"Abhi karwa deta hoon, Sir." He assured and ran towards the inbuilt kitchen to fetch the packed lunch. (I will get it done immediately, Sir.)
Anirudh turned and occupied one of the empty tables at the side. He dug into his phone and stared at the screen awaiting her call.
5 minutes and his food was served in the cutlery that was sent for him. He eyed the food and his device that was yet to buzz with the correspondence from the woman he wished to share his lunch with.
Turning impatient, he dialed her number only to be received at once.
"I am almost there." Said Dhwani rasping for breaths.
"Why are you breathless?" He frowned, panic rushing to him.
"I am walking." She deadpanned. "More like speed walking so that I do not waste your time."
"You would never waste my time, Petal." He worded it with disappointment seeping into his heart.
"I...I didn't mean it that way." She tried to cover it up. "I meant it was only a waste to take a lazy walk in this sun. Nothing else."
He hummed quietly.
"Anirudh, really, are you upset because of this? I thought you wanted me to tell you anything and everything until yesterday."
"I still want you to tell me everything and anything." He reiterated the words from last evening. The one where they conversed sitting on their room balcony until both couldn't stop their eyes from drooping anymore. "I just..."
"Stop being like this." She chided, voice calming from the onslaught of heavy breathing. "Now, you are overthinking."
"Fine. Let's drop it." He announced and switched from voice to video call.
Her face popped on the screen after seconds, she nervously glanced around and tucked her hair behind her ears, flushed. "You are acting impatient."
"In your case, I am the most impatient man on earth." He stated with confidence and smiled watching her roll her eyes. "What is this place?"
"This is a restaurant within walking distance from the site." She looked around the place being his eyes. "I found it on my way here so I thought I could have my lunch here only."
He hummed observing the crème background with soft lights and wooden window sills. "Why not order for yourself?"
"I will." She said sitting on an empty table, she adjusted the device against some stand and looked around to check if anyone was eavesdropping.
He followed her action and placed his phone down giving her a view of his plate.
"This looks delicious." She smiled taking in the food.
"It would be when I am sharing the meal with you." He stated truthfully, holding her gaze through the call as if she were sitting infront of him.
Her smile tipped up as she averted her gaze from him. "You are acting so much unlike the man I married."
"Is it?" He cocked a playful brow. "Is it good or bad?"
"Good." She flushed, her bangs covering her face from him.
"Does that mean you will stay longer?" He asked and watched her frown. "Today is the 7th day, Petal. Tell me you will stay."
She licked her lips and looked away, taking a deep breath she turned back and nodded slowly. "I will if you want me to."
"I do." He admitted.
The waiter placed her food in front of her and he picked his spoon, steepling it towards her.
"Now, I want you to eat first." He commanded.
She chuckled at his bossy tone, mocking a salute "Yes, sir."
A really light and happy chapter before we dive into dramatic entries and exits.
I wish to hear you about this story.
How is it going?
Boring?
Cliche?
Uninteresting?