Akshara sat on her bed clutching a shirt of her husband close to her heart. It has been 2 days since he had left to Kasauli with just a goodbye. With her anger long subsided , she was now missing him dearly.
He has been ritually calling twice every day to check if she had her medicines and if she is feeling good. Only those two questions, nothing less nothing more. To clear her broody mood , she spent most of the daytime with Abhir helping him in studies, the evenings are dedicated to cooking and chatting with others. But the nights have been the toughest, reminding her again and again of how much she missed him, his smile, his touch, altogether his presence which was her peace .
Akshara's phone rang breaking her train of thoughts . Without even seeing the phone, she was sure of who it was.
" Hello Abhinav" she answered in the second ring.
" Hello, how are you?" Abhinav enquired.
" Thik hu, how are you?"
" Mei bhi thik hu ji, have you taken your night tablets?"
" Ji" Akshara answered .
A moment passed as they remained silent.
" Abhinav, how is everything going on? I mean regarding the business?" Akshara asked to extend their conversation.
" Ji, everything is fine" he kept his answer to the point.
Akshara's heart twisted in pain with his crisp reply . Another moment passed.
" Ji Abhir hai?" He asked his usual question that put an end to their conversation everyday.
" Ek minute" Akshara walked to Abhir's room to find him playing video games with his Bumi.
" Abhir , papa wants to speak with you " Akshara walked into his room disturbing both of the players.
" Hey .. papa" Abhir dropped his controller down and got the phone from his mother's hand enthusiastically and ran outside.
Akshara took control of the joystick and continued the game along with Muskaan.
" Look at him, almost snatching the phone that eagerly as if he hasn't spoken to his papa for a month" Muskaan commented
" Haan Muskaan... sometimes it's very difficult to believe that these two doesn't share a DNA.. I'm sure if they did it will be filled with full of PJ's and pathande" Akshara said as Muskaan laughed at her sentence concentrating on the game.
" You know what.. to think ,even look wise Abhir looks more like Abhinav . " Akshara added
" Haan bhabhi, even Suhaana di said the same last time when she came to our house that how Abhir looked the same as the cute golu molu teenage Bhaiji" Muskaan let out a small chuckle and turned towards Akshara who was glaring at her with dagger eyes.
Muskaan straightened up with a stupefied face turning away from her sister in law's stare.
" Waise bhabhi, how is Bhai ji...I haven't had a chance to speak to him since he left, even when I called Neelamma he was always outside... was he able to arrange for all the vehicles needed?" Muskaan questioned trying to change the topic.
" He is good .. I asked about it, he vaguely answered everything is fine. " Akshara rolled her eyes.
"Waise bhi, with the two vehicles already, he might just need to get another 4 by 4. I think it will suffice, doesn't it?" Akshara further implored.
Muskaan turned to look at her with an confused reaction and faced away as soon as she could
" Muskaan, I caught that face. Is something wrong? " Akshara questioned concerned.
" Nothing bhabhi... " she passed an awkward smile and focused on the game.
" Muskaan please bolo na, what's the problem? " Akshara insisted.
" Bhabhi.. wo.." Muskaan tried to come with an excuse.
" Muskaan I have known you from when you were 16. I can tell when you start to lie you too fret just like your Bhai ji.. please tell me the truth" Akshara pleaded.
" Bhabhi.. Actually Bhaiji now doesn't have those 2 cars that was with us when you guys left to Udaipur. He has sold it. He now only has one car that too on lease " Muskaan revealed the truth.
Akshara's eyes widened on disbelief.
" Muskaan what are you saying?" Akshara asked baffled.
" Wo.. Haan bhabhi ..I thought you already knew that's why I blabbered.. I'm really sorry.. are you okay?" Muskaan asked fearing about her condition.
" Yeah.. I'm ok.. but why did he sell those cars ? Those cars were like his children.. he spent all his life savings on them.. " Akshara questioned confused .
" Wo bhabhi...I don't know if Bhai ji told you, but before you guys came to Udaipur for Abhir's operation, Abhir had an operation done in Kasauli itself unfortunately it didn't work. That operation cost was 20 lakhs. So Bhaiji sold both his cars to raise that money " Muskaan told her the whole thing.
" He did ..what?" The controller from Akshara's hand fell to the ground for the second time in a day for no fault of it.
"Bhabhi.. are you okay?" Muskaan questioned again seeing the color drain out of Akshara's face.
" He spent all that he earned on Abhir? " Akshara was shocked to the core.
" Bhabhi.. I don't know why you are this much shocked.... after all it's Bhai ji.. If he could have he would have donated his own heart to save his Nikkeji. " Muskaan said with an emotional smile on her face .
" I know Muskaan, I know.. I'm just shocked thinking what good things did Abhir did in previous life to get Abhinav as his father " Akshara wiped a tear forming in the corner of her eyes.
" Bhabhi .. please don't think much , it will affect your health.. also if Bhai ji comes to know that I was the reason behind it , I have to live all my remaining life in hiding " Muskaan made the situation lighter.
" Ok good night bhabhi.. I'm getting sleepy.. " Muskaan stifled a yawn.
Giving a side hug to her bhabi , she proceeded downstairs.
Akshara walked back to her room, seeing his shirt that she had left on the bed, she took it and wore it over her kurti. Hugging herself she drifted off to sleep.
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It had been almost a week since Abhinav had left to Kasauli. After that night, Akshara kept herself busy hitting the law books again.
She couldn't sit still when Abhinav was toiling hard to keep the family afloat. Even after all these hardships, he never compromised on his responsibilities. Abhir still studies at the same convent as he was studying before, and his medicines are always purchased without fail. Not once he has let his difficulties show up on his face . He always made sure they are happy and content, no matter how much he had to suffer.
Akshara started researching law based professions in Kasauli and applied for some. Eventhough she doesn't remembering passing the bar, she couldn't sit waiting for her to memory to return . She would have to study and get on with it. She was determined that will support him anyways that she could and fulfill all his wishes.
After staring at her book for about an hour, knowing that her brain and eyes are done for the day Akshara went downstairs to join her family.
She saw both her sibling sitting in each sofa looking bored out of her mind. Abhir and Ruhi were playing out in the garden .
" Hi bhailog, kya haal hai? Why are you guys looking so bored?" Akshara asked taking a seat on another sofa .
" We have sitting here for the past one hour , badi maa and Mimi have gone to temple, bade papa and Muskaan haven't returned from work yet. Being too tired to join the children, We decided to just stare at the wall . " Kairaav whined.
" Aree aap dono bhi na.. all three of us are here.. let's talk about something so that time will pass" Akshara suggested.
" Wow.. great idea.. don't you think we tried talking, ran out of topics after a while" Aarohi asked sarcastically .
" Hmm..maybe I can tell you guys about the laws I learned today! Do you according to the section..." Akshara stopped her sentence midway seeing her siblings roll their eyes giving them a sheepish reaction .
" You know these are times when I miss Abhinav ji so much.. " Kairaav stated.
" Haan yaar, I miss jiju too.. till he was here all the evening time would pass in a jiffy with his PJs and liveliness" Aarohi exclaimed.
Akshara smiled at both her siblings. She was happy that Abhinav had managed to create a good rapport with her siblings to the extent that they too missed him dearly.
" Waise Aaru, I'm really suprised to see the bond between you and Abhinav. I mean, in a good way. Now I don't remember much but with Kairaav bhaiya I can understand that since he is married to his sister ,so they would have bonded but with you and Abhinav it's really a sweet wonder to me. I'm so glad" Akshara spoke her heart out.
" You know Akshu.. when I first met Abhinav ji even I thought it will be difficult to converse with him. But he took the first step and spoke with me. As days passed ,he became closer with family especially Ruhi.
One time, Abhimanyu, Ruhi and I went to a summer camp. As fate would have it you three Abhinav ji, Abhir and you also came to the same summer camp. Abhimanyu knew the truth by then , wanting to spend more time with Abhir he didn't notice that Ruhi was feeling left out. Abhinav Ji noticed that and made sure to spend most of his time around Ruhi encouraging her and pampering her.
To be true, even we sitting and talking like this is only because of him. In the same camp, I was really irritated with Abhimanyu's antics and blamed you wrongly for all of it . But he spoke to me and made me see the point that I can't hold you responsible for Abhimanyu's actions. He has such a calm and composed personality that no matter how much angry the opposite person is, they would also feel collected and compelled to hear him out. That speech changed my entire outlook on life and made me regret how much I have blamed you for my shortcomings. He is really a gem of a person and most importantly a part of family too" Aarohi passed a smile to her sister to which Akshara blinked her now wet eyes in understanding .
" You know it's funny that Abhinav ji is also the reason for me to let go off the anger I had on Akshara . Maybe we should recommend him to the UN, then no countries would be at war anymore" Kairaav chuckled making the environment brighter.
" Really bhaiya? what's your story with your jeeju slash saale saab?" Akshara questioned curiosity taking over her.
" Oh yeah.. you don't know right? Sometimes I forget that your brain is fried" Kairaav said playfully earning a smack from his sister.
" Ok... do you remember I was angry at you because you ran away without informing anybody and never talked to you when you came to Udaipur for mimi's birthday? And Abhinav ji trying to broker peace between us and I kept going all berserk on him? But he kept on trying which melted the ice bit by bit.
Later you guys went back to Kasuali and I made peace that we were never going to meet again. But as fate would have it, one day Muskaan was very tensed and on questioning she told me that Abhinav Ji had been arrested and she was very worried " Kairaav detailed.
" Arrested? Ye Kab hua.. " Akshara asked baffled at the new information.
" Wo...calm down first.. nothing major.. he was wrongly accused of transporting drugs when a bag that was left in his vehicle by some tourists was found by the police. But by the time I reached there , his lawyer wife had worked all night and successfully proved his innocence.
You both were walking out of the police station when I met you guys, I tried to escape back to Udaipur but Abhinav ji compelled me to atleast visit your home.
I came to your house and you were so enthusiastic and made me a cup of my favorite coffee. Abhinav ji sat me down and explained to me about how much you respect relations . He also said that you left Udaipur only because you didn't want us to go through the same pain that you were suffering from . He also told me how he had found you that day walking with any hope in life. After that we hugged and sorted our differences out.
Truth be told Akshu, I was so angry on you for marrying a stranger but today I can assure that you couldn't have made a more right choice . He is perfect in every aspect and the standard he is setting as an husband is really tough to achieve. Im really happy for you" Kairaav squeezed Akshara's hand as a sign of assurance .
If her eyes wet after Aarohi's story it was now an waterfall. Her husband's image just grew thousand folds in her heart.
" You know sometimes I suspect if Abhinav ji is a magician, he makes everyone fall for him with a snap . And your house in Kasauli , it's really the most peaceful thing I have ever resided in." Aarohi praised.
" Aaru, then Akshu must be the biggest magician because she had made the magician himself fall for her. Do you know the second time they got married in Kasauli, he paid off all the loans on the house and changed the ownership of that house to Akshara's name?" Kairaav revealed making Akshara's eye widen.
" Sach mei?" She was perplexed.
" Haan Akshu.. Muskaan told me " Kairaav nodded his head.
" Anyhow ,It just so serene. From now on, we have to planned to spend all our yearly vacations there" Aarohi concluded.
" Yes it is. And you guys are most welcome anytime. " Akshara said giving a bright smile.
**************************************
Finishing her dinner , Akshara walked back to her room . Just as she entered her phone rang.
" Hi Abhinav" Akshara greeted .
" Aap theek hai? Dawai le liya?" He asked his routine question.
" Theek hai.. kha liya" she answered.
Silence ensued.
" Thanks Abhinav "
" Ji? Kiss ke liye?"
" just keep it."
" Ye udaar hai kya.. boliye na .."
" Wo.. aaj kairaav bhai.."
" Ek minute ji..Suhaana.. be careful with the fireplace... that's not how the way to lit it.. you will get hurt..
Mujhe math sikha Navi...
Oww..
I told you na .. here put on this ointment
Haan sorry Akshara ..... you were saying something .. " Abhinav came back on line.
" wo.. kuch nahi.. Suhaana humari ghar mei hai kya?" Akshara questioned .
" Huh? Nahi ji.. hum Neelamma ke ghar par hai..wo.. as you already know that her company's trip is starting from tomorrow. While all others are lodged at hotel, she opted to stay in Neelamma's house. Neelamma is preparing dinner for both of us " Abhinav explained.
" Hmm.."
Not knowing what else to talk, she wished him good bye and cut the call.
Abhinav looked at his phone longingly, he had been keeping his distance knowingly, after whatever happened he didn't want to probe much. He decided to let things happen at its own pace.
**************************************
Four days passed, the trip had ended successfully Akshara atlast let a sigh of relief. Eventhough she was cent percent sure Abhinav would never ever cheat on their relationship, she didn't like having Suhaana anywhere near him. She was too friendly and also seemed to have an emotional bonding with him .
As planned Abhinav was returning in two days. She was excitedly counting down the hours.
Akshara's final doctor appointment was due today and Aarohi was supposed to accompany her. But due to an emergency surgery, she had to pull out at last minute. Akshara assured her and decided to go on her own.
After consultation and doctor signing off that she is perfectly healthy , she walked out of the doctor's office when she heard a voice calling her name.
" Akshu.."
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