A week later
" Bhai ji.. is this some new reading method?" Abhinav heard Muskaan's voice which made him break out of his trance. He had been admiring his wife who was preparing for morning Aarti in the mandir.
" Huh what?" He asked being caught suddenly .
" Newspaper Bhaiji.. is this some new reading technique" she teased him looking at the paper bring upside down in his hands .
Abhinav immediate reversed it, taking the tea from Muskaan's hand , he pretended to concentrate on the paper hoping his sister would go away.
Muskaan took the seat next to him .
" You know she is your wife right? And you don't have to watch her like this?" Muskaan pulled his leg.
Abhinav rolled his eyes at his sister choosing not to respond.
" Bhai ji .. I can't believe you are stuck in the same position once again.. last time we had to push you so much to confess your love.. and we are back to square one.. why don't you directly tell her the truth about your relationship before the accident? She was able to aceept bigger things she will definitely accept this too" Muskaan encouraged her brother.
" That is what I'm most afraid of Muskaan.. that she might accept it but not feel it... all other things are just information, this is an emotion.. what if she accepts this but her heart doesn't feel the same ... what if she forces herself to love me... then it might never be the same... i don't want that" Abhinav spoke looking at Akshara.
" But Bhai ji.. she loves you too.. maybe her memory got lost but her heart knows it.. she will definitely feel the same.. I have no doubt" Muskaan reassured Abhinav.
" I hope so Muskaan.. but I can't take that chance.. let some time pass and see if she regains her memory.... I can wait for her forever.." he concluded passing a smile to Muskaan.
" What are you siblings gossiping about? Come here for pooja" Akshara's voice sounded in distance as both of them left leaving the topic.
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It was night time , with everyone in the house fast asleep, sleep eluded a lone person.
Akshara was sitting in her bed staring at a picture of their marriage. Abhir putting a hand on each of their shoulder and all three posing happily for a picture. Both her and Abhinav seemed to have happy tears in their eyes and looked very happy and content.
Past week ,after knowing the truth about the accident has been an emotional rollercoaster for her. Trying to process that a women who she had respected and cared for as a mother tried to kill her husband was much more to take in . But thankfully she had Abhinav with her, her forever companion, he had been there for her , rather it be giving her space or being there for her by her side, from a close friend to guide he had been her everything. She turned to take a look at him fast asleep in the other side.
A question still lingered in her mind... what were they? Just close friends? Until her memory could remember yes, they were good friends till then , but after that till the accident, were they just friends? Her mind couldn't accept it , they seemed much more . Everything around her was evident to how much things had changed between them. The main evidence being the man himself . Eventhough he had put up a guard against his feelings Akshara had caught him in his vulnerable state many times. His feelings and emotions towards her seemed to have changed drastically from what she could remember. He seems to be more casual and unconfined around her . The past Abhinav she remembered used to so bounded and always be on heels. She couldn't help but admire the small little changes in him.
Even if not for him, she could easily feel the changes in her . He has become her center of the world. His reaction means everything to her nowadays. She couldn't stand seeing him sad or tensed , her heart starts feeling the same until his mood changes. With an small army of people at home, but she had been only looking forward to evenings when he would return home. Time spent with him seemed so enjoyable to her. All those stolen glances, handholds , side hugs....
Was she right? Were they more than friends?
But if they were wouldn't he have told her all this while? Why would keep this a secret?
What if they were not ? What if it's just her broken brain imagining things?
Only one person could answer her question... Abhinav Sharma , her husband who was sleeping so peacefully while there was a war going in on her head.
" Abhinav.. uthiye" she tried to wake him only to have no response.
" Abhinavvv" she called slightly louder as he sprang into sitting position.
" What happened Akshara? Are you okay?" He asked concerned.
" I'm fine.. nothing to worry" she said quickly assuring him.
" Then why did you wake me up?" Abhinav asked still hazy from his sleep.
' Why did she wake him up? To question about their relationship status.. how could she ask it directly? No... she couldn't.. she would have to think of something ... quickly ' her mind started to formulate an idea
" I want to have kachori" she said looking at him defiantly.
"What ? What is the time now?" He checked his phone.
" 11.45 PM? Akshara you want to kachori now? Sleep .. you can have it in morning" Abhinav said lying down and trying to drape the sheet above him.
" Abhinavvvvv... your wife is hungry , but you value your sleep more?" She said pulling the sheets off him.
" Akshara.. sone do na... please..." he requested pulling a puppy face .
" Hmph" she didn't say anything but crossed her hands and turned to the other side.
Abhinav took a look at her and melted at her antics.
" Teek hai Akshara.. let's go" he said getting up to get ready making Akshara smile widely .
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" Abhinav.. I know a shop nearby , they will be open now.. let's go there" Akshara said pulling Abhinav slowly out of the house careful not to disturb anyone.
As they walked together, Udaipur seemed more Serene and beautiful together. They reached the kachori shop and had some kachoris and hot tea.
Abhinav eventhough had first despised the idea , but now had started to enjoy their impromptu date . He kept on adoring his wife munching on her second kachori.
" Abhinav.. here have a bite " she forwarded the kachori she was eating to his mouth . He was quietly suprised but still took the bite without showing any reaction.
" Abhinav.. this matki ki Chai reminds me of the time you went off in the middle of the night to have chai in kasauli and I came searching for you " Akshara reminisced sipping on her tea as Abhinav's eye widened in suprise.
" Kya hua Abhinav.. why are you looking at me strangely?" Akshara asked curiously.
" Wo.. nothing " he said taking the empty glass out of her hand . After paying the bill, they both planned to take a long route back to home to digest the midnight snack.
'Akshu ... did you forget why you woke him up at the first place.... ask him about the relationship ' her mind prompted her.
' But how to start the topic?' She was trying to come up with something.
' Did she just remember an incident out of the blue? But she doesn't seem to remember what happened before that or after! So does it mean she will get back her memory in fragments? But its a start , hopefully she will regain it completely. I should tell about this to the doctor in the next visit ' Abhinav's mind was occupied with theories.
Both lost in their own thoughts wasn't aware of how close they were walking until their hands brushed against each other passing a jolt of current inside them.
' Move ' their brain screamed but their limbs refused to obey to its command. I
Pretending to be ignorant of their closeness, they both kept on walking looking straight ahead. After a couple of times their hands touched again, Abhinav decided to listen to his heart, his hands slowly took hers in his.
Akshara's heart raced as his manly fingers brushed against her palm and was heading towards her fingers.
Abhinav gave her a couple of seconds to retract, but feeling nothing of that sort, his fingers reached hers. To his suprise, he felt the gap between her fingers widen as he entwined his fingers with hers closing his hand over hers.
Out of the corner of the eye, he could see a crimson hue on her cheeks and a shy smile on her face . His heart started thumping as fast as it could .
They walked hand in hand for sometime , Akshara gathered her courage and was about to speak when she felt a drop of water fall on her head.
Before they could realize what was happening, Udaipur's skies started to drizzle which was turning into a little downpour. Fortunately, there was a bus shelter at the corner of the road .
" Akshara.. let's go there" Abhinav pointed to the shelter as they both ran inside to escape the downpour.
Being so late , the road was practically empty with occasionally one or two vehicles passing by. Abhinav and Akshara took a seat waiting for the rain to reduce.
Akshara looked to right to see Abhinav rubbing his hands in cold. She felt bad as she atleast had a shawl over her while he was just in his kurta pyjama. Slowly moving closer to him, she draped one end of the shawl around him and the other end around her.
Abhinav looked at her passed a little smile of gratitude . Feeling cozy inside the blanket he could feel the warmth radiating from her body. Her fruity smell intoxicating him. Their limbs pressed against each other was not helping his case either.
Akshara felt her kurti top being bunched under her as she struggled to free her dress, she gave a mighty tug as a last resort. But to her dismay, the satin dress against the metal seat didn't hold any friction making herself slip away from the seat.
" Sambhalke" she heard Abhinav's words as his hand inside the shawl closed around her waist catching it to breaking her fall . Her left hand which was still clutching the other end of the shawl caught his shoulders in self defense.
Akshara's mind took her to scene playing around in her head in recent times. Both of them in front of a swing , his hand clutching her waist and hers over his shoulders and they come closer to kiss.
Meanwhile, Abhinav was altogether lost the vision of his surrounding. All he could concentrate on was the kohl filled eyes intensely gazing up on his, mirroring the same need as his. His gaze slightly traveled down to her cherry red lips and back to her eyes.
Akshara's lips and cheeks were burning as she understood the direction of his gaze. He slowly dipped his head forward as did she. Their foreheads touched as they slowly aligned their heads preparing for the kiss.
" whizz" a car sped past them
Both sprang up realizing what were they about to do and moved apart as far and fast as they could.
' How could you!' Abhinav's mind thrashed him for his actions as Akshara remained more confused than before.
By then the rain had also stopped, Abhinav took a couple of steps outside the bus shelter and looked over his shoulder at Akshara . She got up and joined his side as they both walked back in total silence at an arms distance.
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Akshara stood in the garden watering the plants lost in her thoughts .
It was two days since that night and Abhinav had been avoiding her like a plague. He had been leaving early and coming back late . In the little time they are alone he mostly looks guilty.
'So he thinks it's a mistake? All the proximity and closeness she had felt with him was all her imagination? Were they just friends still? What was in his heart... Arghhh' Akshara felt frustrated with still no answers.
" Akshara...." she suddenly heard a women's voice call out to her. She turned to see a strange woman walking towards her.
" Omg! You are here too! I planned to drop to give Muskie a suprise visit.. didn't think would catch you here... so it means Navi is also here?" The women questioned giving a bright smile.
' who is this woman ? How does she know my name?' Akshara gave that strange woman a second glance to see if she could recognize her but to no use.
' Muskie? Is he speaking about Muskaan? How does she know her? And Navi? Who is that?' Akshara's already frustrated mind couldn't make sense of anything.
" Akshara ? Kya hua?" The woman nudged her breaking her out of her thoughts.
Just then , she saw her husband coming into the garden. Taking a look at her , he was about to take a u turn back into the house when his eyes fell on the person besides her.
" Navi !!" Before Akshara could respond to the women, the stranger walked towards her husband taking him into a friendly hug.
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Hi guys,
I don't know if all you know about this, but there is a story on AkshNav called reverse vows on wattpad written by the author maan_euphoria.
Since it is tagged mature it is not showing on the tag. I really enjoyed reading it and thought would recommend it to you all . If you guys hadn't catched it till now do give it a read.
Thank you, will be back with an update soon .
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Leave your love for the story in comments and votes guys ❤️