The ride to the hospital was pleasant and fun filled , with Abhinav cracking PJs making Abhir burst with laughter. Akshara just stayed silent and let her boys enjoy their time together after long.
The hospital tests ended in a jiffy and everything turned out to be normal, much to everyone's pleasure.
" Akshara, woh.. actually.. since the tests ended this soon, can we take Abhir out to the mall today? " Abhinav asked his wife while standing at the hospital parking lot. He knew she wouldn't stop him from spending time with his son but he wanted to spend time with her too.
Akshara looked at those puppy eyes , she too wanted to have a quality family time
"Ok.. let's go " she nodded her head as both papa and beta got excited and hi- fived each other . He passed her a little smile .
It was noon by the time reached the mall
" Let's have lunch first and plan what to do . Nikkeji.. bolo lunch mei kya chahiye" Abhinav questioned his son
" Pizza papa" he said without even giving a second thought
The trio had their lunch and went to a animation movie.
After which they proceeded to the play area .
All through the day, Akshara stayed as a silent spectator to the father son antics . She missed them so much. Abhinav giving up to every whim of Abhir and Abhir clinging to his papa for comfort. That was her peace. That was her home.
Abhinav and Akshara were standing together , Abhir was playing a shooting game inching closer to the highest score ever recorded. They kept on cheering him . As the time was about to end , Abhinav felt a hand entwine with his. He looked down to see his wife has clutched his hand in anticipation. He slowly closed his hand over hers and looked at her . As Abhir won, she turned towards him and saw him looking at her. First confused, then she saw their hands together. She retracted hers, eventhough dejected Abhinav was happy at the little contact.
It was 7 when they finally reached home. Abhir was drowsy and exhausted from all the fun they had.
" Aao sab log, dinner ready hai" Swarna called them .
All of them proceeded to have dinner. Abhinav fed Abhir from his plate.
" Buddy, tell me about all the fun you had that you seem too tired to even eat?" Manish initiated a chat
" Buddy, we had full masti today. We went to mall. There we had pizza, saw a film and played at the arcade too. You know, I got the highest score in a game and collected so many tokens! " Abhir kept on talking about the day.
Goenkas were happy to see the family together again.
" I'm so tired from all that playing. I just want to sleep. And papa is also here. So I will sleep with mama and papa after so long" Abhir added. Abhinav tensed up .
" Yaara, sorry I forgot to tell you . But I have booked return tickets in tonight's train. So papa won't be here all night" he said with a guilt ridden face that he is not able to fulfill his son's wish.
Akshara was crestfallen hearing his plans but decided not to show any reaction.
" Aree papa, aise kaise, you come after so many days , and dont even spend a full day with me! Not fair papa" Abhir said turning his face away from Abhinav.
" Mama, aap bhi kuch kaaho na papa ko, daant toh lo" he went to Akshara knowing she was the final decision maker.
" Abhir, mei kyu daantu tumhara papa ko, wo uska baala bura jaanta h, wo jo bhi karta h uske hissab se karte h" Akshara was angry at him for the same reason Abhir was.
Abhinav looked down sadly, she was still angry at him . He linked her sentence with the happenings on wedding day.
" Nikkeji , idhaar aa" he called his son as he came to him with a sullen face.
" Look Yaara, it's just 7. Papa's train is only at 11. So I will leave only after making you sleep , okay?" He tried to reason with him.
" okay papa" Abhir said still feeling sad.
" Beta, thoda has toh le" Abhinav tickled him.
Abhir laughed finally .
After dinner, Abhinav took Abhir to his room and lied next to him. Abhir climbed on him in habit and dozed off in a minute. Abhinav who had missed this all along also closed his eyes for a minute and slept off.
Akshara walked to the room with a glass of milk and saw dad and son sleeping together. A sight she often adorned in their house. It brought tears to her eyes, she missed her home. She decided not to disturb them for now, since there was still ample time for the train. She went inside and put a duvet on both of them. She then kissed Abhir's head . She saw Abhinav scrunching his face , as a strand of his hair was falling on his face disturbing his sleep.
Her hand working on its own , moved the hair off his face. The touch woke him up . He saw Akshara's face near to his face, her hand on his forehead. Their eyes met.
Akshara stood up straight from her position
" Wo.. aapka baal.. aapka chehre mein" she tried to form a sentence trying to explain why she was so close to him.
Abhinav nodded understandingly and made Abhir lie down on his bed comfortably and covered him with duvet.
He then got up , looked at Akshara who was standing there, looking at the floor.
This was the first time they were alone after the wedding. The tension in the room was apparent. The silence in air was deafening. He wanted to say many things , but he had no words. His eyes pleaded with her to say something but she didn't even meet his.
Abhinav looked at the clock, it was just 8. He didn't want to make her more uncomfortable with his presence and decided to go back to the room he had booked.
" Akshara " he called out hoping she would meet his eyes atleast now.
She raised her eyes and looked at him, he hoped it to reflect anger but it only reflected sadness, the one he had caused. Her pain troubled him . He had to apologize. Eventhough she had asked him not to apologize, he wanted to try it once more.
"Akshara, The house is looking so empty without you both . It has been a fortnight since you left, but it feels like years. Please comeback . I'm sorry for whatever I did. You don't even have to forgive me. Just comeback to the house. Be angry with me there. Fight with me, shout at me, even slap me. please talk to me. Your silence is killing me. Please
Akshara, im really sorry" he apologized for his mistake and saw Akshara was crying too.
She moved forward and hugged him as tightly as she could. Abhinav felt content holding her after what seemed like years. He planted a small kiss on her hair. After a minute of staying like that Akshara moved back and wiped her tears.
" Bye" she said and ran off to her room.
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Akshara looked through her window with a tear stricken face as her husband was boarding a taxi. She wanted to run and stop him but she couldn't. She simply couldn't. She looked at him turn back and look at her room. She moved back behind curtains and looked only when she heard the taxi leaving. She fell on the floor and cried with her head between her knees.
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Abhinav reached the room . His resolve to stay strong enroute broke when he was alone. He didn't knew what else to do. He had tried apologizing again and again but of no use. His heart felt heavy as he went through the happenings of the day. He didn't have any idea of when he would be able to see them both again.
' what if she never....' Abhinav stopped his thoughts in its tracks.
' No no..she will come back.. she has to.. she said she loves me.. then why won't she' he had to stop his insecure mind, the one that is the main reason for all of this mess.
He opened his bag and took out a box.
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Akshara after all the crying , went to the bathroom to freshen up . She washed her face , as she heard some sounds coming from her room .
" Kaun hai" she called out and exited the bathroom thinking it would be mimi or swarna wanting to speak with her.
She went outside saw Abhinav sprawled on the floor near her window. She was unable to react in shock
He got up and steadied himself
" Woh .. Mei.. I was trying to jump from the window, but slipped and fell!" He said sheepishly catching his back which bore the brunt of the fall.
Akshara was still shocked hearing that her ethical husband entered her room through the window .
After a minute , regaining herself from the shock , Akshara spoke up
" Aap... aap yahan kya kare rahe hain? Did you leave anything here? " she asked confused as to why he came back.
" No but I have to tell you something . " he answered her.
" Abhinav , If you have come here to apologize again , then please don't. I dont want your apology" she said turning her back to him , not able to see the hurt in his eyes again and again.
" I'm not here to apologize, Akshara. Im not here to even ask you to come back" Abhinav said with a new strength in his voice. Akshara was confused with his statement and his tone.
He caught her wrist and turned her to face him.
He cupped her face and made her look at him.
" I love you Akshara" he said looking directly into her eyes. A lone tear left Akshara's eyes.
" I love you, this is my truth. Our truth. I can't leave from here without confessing this to you" he said with a slight smile on his face.
He reached his pocket and took out a box and a letter. Akshara recognized it immediately.
" Akshara, I got this earrings for you 3 years back. " he opened the box and showed it to her.
" We started our journey as Abhir's parents, but along the way I fell in love with you . I didn't know when or how , but I do know that I love you so much. But at that time, I knew that you hadn't moved from the pain that your past had left inside you. So I wrote my feelings in this paper and got this earring for you. I was sure I would never give these to you in this lifetime. But things changed, feelings changed. Now these are yours" he handed both the letter and earrings to her.
Akshara looked at him teary eyed.
" Akshara from the moment I realized I am in love with you, I was afraid. Afraid of losing you and Nikkeji to the past. Afraid of losing you by confessing my feelings. But now I'm not. I dont harbor any more fear or guilt. You are mine and I am yours. No one can come between us anymore." He felt free after Years.
" I came here to convey all this to you. Now I can leave to kasauli with peace. I will keep waiting for you at our home. I know you will come back. I trust in our love. Bye" he said and planted a kiss on her forehead and walked past her when he felt a tug on his hand.
He turned back as she crashed into his chest
" I love you Abhinav. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you" she kept on confessing . Her tears strated to wet his shirt.
" Akshara ... " he moved her and wiped her tears signaling her to not cry.
" I'm sorry that I had to hurt you so much these days. I wanted you to take a stand for your love. I wanted you to realize how strong our relationship is. I wanted you to trust us. That's why I pretended to be angry with you. I'm sorry for all the pain I caused " she hugged him back.
" Shhh.. " he consoled her and the lovers stood in each other's embrace getting all the comfort they needed.
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