Meenakshi woke up in the morning and noticed that Aakash was sleeping on his side with his back facing her. They had always slept cuddling each other and now he had completely avoided her. A silent tear rolled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. She got ready for the day and walked out of the room to carry out the daily chores.
Once she had finished cooking, she returned to the room looking for Aakash and froze at the sight before her.
Aakash was dressed in a baggy shirt. His hair was styled the way she had seen when she met him for the first time. He was wearing the same old glasses with a thick frame.
“Aakash…” she whispered, as tears rolled down her cheeks. She quickly shut the door and hugged him tightly.
“Please forgive me. Don’t punish yourself because of me. I really didn’t mean to hide it from you. Please, Aakash… don’t do this,” she said through her sobs.
Aakash gently stepped back from her embrace.
“Why are you crying, Meena? Shouldn’t you be happy that I’ve chosen to live the way I did before you walked into my life? I don’t think it would be fair if I lived happily while you were treated like some slave or maid by my family. I think we are equal now,” he said, adjusting the frame of his glasses.
“I will do anything you say. Please don’t hurt me anymore. I can’t bear this, Aakash. You are the only person I rely on. If you hate me, then I have no hope left in my life. I don’t want you to open the door to your wounds again… let it remain shut forever,” she said, crying as she hugged him.
“Go pack my lunch. I will be out in a while,” he said coldly and turned away from her.
Meenakshi hugged him from behind and gently kissed his back.
“Please don’t give up on us,” she said softly and walked out of the room.
She served breakfast and a few minutes later Aakash arrived, dressed the way he always did. Seeing him like that made Meenakshi feel relieved. She sat next to him and served breakfast onto his plate and then onto hers, since he always liked having meals together.
“Appa, I have something important to share with all of you,” Aakash said and everyone looked at him, surprised by the authoritative tone in his voice.
“Hmm… it seems like you have already made a decision and now want us to know about it. But I’m proud that you are finally becoming the Aakash I always dreamed of. Now tell us your decision,” Balaram said, stopping his breakfast.
“Meenakshi will work. She will join a school as a teacher. And before any of you question or doubt her capability, let me inform you that she had been a teacher even before our marriage. She taught students of grades 11 and 12. So now she will resume her job. I will hire a maid to take care of the household chores. I think cooking alone can be managed,” he said firmly.
Everyone was stunned to learn that Meenakshi had been a teacher. By announcing that a maid would be appointed, Aakash also silenced any objections about household responsibilities.
After breakfast, he returned to the room. Meenakshi followed him and shut the door. Before she could say anything, Aakash spoke first.
“I hope you don’t have a problem with me making this decision for you. And let me make one thing clear. I’m not some sadist who would lock you in a room, treat you like a maid during the day and like a sex worker at night. I see you as my wife… my best half. If you feel the same way about me, then never allow anyone to walk all over you. Stand up for yourself. That would be the best gift you can give me. I would be really proud of you. I would be happy knowing that I am the best thing that happened in your life,” he said.
Meenakshi hugged him tightly and sobbed against his chest. Aakash took a deep breath and gently patted her back.
“Thank you so much, Aakash. I promise I will do anything you say. You are the best thing that has ever happened in my life. Whatever happens, please don’t give me the silent treatment again. It hurts far more than any taunts or insults people throw at me,” she said.
He lifted her face gently and kissed her forehead.
“I’m sorry too. And I don’t want you to do everything I say. Stand up for what is right for you, even if it means standing against me when I’m wrong. Be yourself,” he said andMeenakshi nodded.
“Now, I don’t want you to waste even a single day. Don’t worry about anything. I will support you in everything. Decide which school you want to join,” he said, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“The school where I worked before is quite far from here, so I will approach the nearby schools today. I hope they will recruit me,” she said and quickly opened her trolley and handed a file to him.
Aakash felt proud and happy when he saw her certificates.
“Get ready and go by auto. I will be eager to hear from you,” he said before leaving for the office.
Meenakshi washed the vessels and all the while she could feel a strong gaze fixed on her.
“We are already treated like guests in our own home and now once you start working, we will become paid servants,” Padma said and Meenakshi remembered the promise she had made to Aakash.
“Aunty, I have been a paid servant all these days. Aakash has agreed to appoint a maid to take care of all the chores. I will try to cook on most days. I hope you will be happy that I am supporting your son,” Meenakshi replied calmly and Padma had no reply to that.
Meenakshi went to the room and listed the nearby schools where she could apply for a job. Then she picked a beautiful sky-blue linen saree and quickly got ready.
When she walked out, Balaram smiled at her while the others remained silent. He walked her to the gate, wished her good luck and watched as she left in the auto she had booked.
At the office, Aakash was tense and nervous as he waited for a call from Meenakshi. He entered the pantry, made himself a cup of coffee and stood leaning against the long mirrored wall.
He suddenly heard someone clear their throat and turned to see a woman from his department smiling at him. Earlier, he had always seen her scoff at him. But after the change in his physical appearance, he had noticed her smiling at him a few times. Still, Aakash always ignored people who showed interest only in appearances.
“Hi, Aakash. You seem lost in thought. Want to share? After all, we work in the same department, and it would be nice to get to know each other,” she said.
Aakash simply gave a polite smile and ignored her.
“You have changed for the better and everyone wants to be friends with you. I believe we could get along well. Want to have lunch with me?” she asked and Aakash scratched his brow slightly.
“You are Ms…?” he asked and she was shocked that he didn’t know her name. In reality, Aakash knew everyone in the department but pretended not to recognize her.
“I’m Ramya,” she said with a smile, stretching out her hand.
“Ms. Ramya, my wife never fails to pack lunch for me and I love her cooking,” he said calmly and walked past her leaving her shocked.
By lunchtime, Meenakshi walked out of the third school after they informed her that there were no vacancies, despite her qualifications and experience. She sat at a bus stop when she received a call from Aakash and answered it immediately.
“Where are you, Meena? Did you have lunch?” he asked as he opened his lunch box.
Meenakshi explained everything to him and Aakash quietly closed his lunch box.
“No problem, Meena. That’s enough for today. Go home and have lunch, or eat at a nearby restaurant before you reach home. Rest well. You can approach the other schools on your list tomorrow. With your experience and qualifications, you will surely find the right place that values your talent. Call me once you have your lunch. I will eat only after you have yours,” he said.
Meenakshi went to a nearby restaurant, had lunch and sent him a picture. Only after seeing the picture did Aakash begin eating in his cabin.
Meenakshi visited two more schools before finally returning home. Balaram noticed her tired face and immediately went to the kitchen. He returned with a bottle of water and handed it to her.
Padma, Lavanya and Sharmi watched her face and Padma gave a mocking smile.
“Rajesh has been searching for a job for almost two years now. And here madam thought she could get a job on the very first day of her job hunt. Now decide what you will cook for dinner,” she said sarcastically.
Balaram looked at her as if his gaze alone could burn her.
“Go prepare tea and coffee. Let Meenakshi rest for a while,” he ordered his wife.
Meenakshi quietly went to her room to freshen up.
At the office, Aakash received a message from her saying that she had reached home. Since she hadn’t mentioned any interview success, he assumed she hadn’t been successful that day. Wanting to cheer her up, he decided to buy her favorite sweets on the way home.
Meanwhile, Meenakshi prepared all of her husband’s favorite dishes for dinner. When Aakash returned home, Meenakshi followed him into their room. He handed her the sweets and kissed her forehead.
“I thought you would love these sweets and this is also a small apology for the way I reacted yesterday,” he said.
Meenakshi smiled and stuffed a piece of sweet into his mouth.
“Apology accepted. But you still deserve a punishment, which I will decide later. And thank you for the sweets because I needed them to celebrate my new job,” she said and Aakash looked at her in shock.
“Congrats, baby” he said excitedly and in his excitement, took a playful bite on her cheek.
She pinched his arm and rubbed her cheek to ease the pain. Aakash immediately kissed her cheek and turned her toward the mirror to see the mark.
“How will I go out now? I haven’t shared the news with anyone yet. I waited for you because I wanted you to be the first person to know,” she said, glaring at him.
“That’s my gift for your new job. Let’s go out and share the news with everyone,” he said and quickly changed into a track pant and T-shirt.
When they walked out, Meenakshi tried to hide her cheek. Aakash handed the sweets to everyone.
“Meena has got a new job,” he announced.
Everyone was shocked except Balaram. He happily took more than one sweet and blessed Meenakshi. The others were still stunned that she had secured a job on the very first day. Padma felt embarrassed, but she also didn’t fail to notice the mark on Meenakshi’s cheek.
Meenakshi served dinner and Aakash smiled when he saw all his favorite dishes on the table.
“Aakash, I spoke to one of my friends. He recommended a maid who works at his home. She will come here tomorrow before you leave for the office,” Balaram said.
“Why me, Appa? Meena will talk to her and instruct her about what needs to be done,” Aakash replied.
Padma felt powerless in her own home, which only fueled her anger. Later, Meenakshi was washing the vessels when Padma silently entered the kitchen and stood beside her.
“Aren’t you ashamed? You have taken my son completely away from me and now I mean nothing to him. And look at you… don’t you even have the sense that we have an unmarried girl in this house? What if she had seen your cheek?” Padma spat angrily.
Startled, Meenakshi dropped the plate from her hand.
“I haven’t done anything to change your son. He is simply seeing the real you now. Did you ever say this to your other son and daughter-in-law? I’m sure Aakash and I behave far better. Aakash will come here for his sweet any moment and once he hears this, you will fall even further in his eyes. So please leave before he comes,” Meenakshi replied firmly.
Padma walked out of the kitchen. Before she could enter her room, she saw Aakash walk into the kitchen. He picked up the snack jar, stuffed a sweet into his mouth and fed one to Meenakshi while she was washing the vessels. He pinched her waist playfully and she glared at him.
“I’m yet to decide your punishment, accountant sir, so behave,” she warned him.
He chuckled and waited for her to finish the chores, helping her with a few small tasks.
Later in their room, he tried to hug her but Meenakshi stopped him and twisted her lips in mock annoyance.
“Yesterday I hugged you and asked for forgiveness. You removed my hands and didn’t even cuddle me. So go sleep quietly without disturbing me, just like you did yesterday. Don’t expect anything from me,” she said and lay on her side.
Aakash lay down beside her and hugged her from behind.
“Don’t scold me now. I’m only doing what you wanted. I did cuddle you yesterday after you fell asleep. Before you woke up, I moved aside just to show that I was upset,” he said softly.
“Now tell me, when do you have to join work?” he asked and Meenakshi turned to face him.
“I have to join next week and it only takes thirty minutes to reach the school,” she replied.
Aakash hummed in response while absentmindedly tracing circles on her shoulder.
“Where do you get all this energy?” she asked him teasingly and he chuckled at her question.
“You… you are the reason. But honestly, being in this small room is a disadvantage. We should find some way to spend more time together.” he said softly.
They continued talking and teasing each other for a while before finally falling asleep, exhausted but happy.
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A/N:
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