Chapter 18

Two weeks passed by with the same routine. There was no music blasting in the morning and Rishi had no reason to groan or feel frustrated. There was no music blasting when he returned home at night so Rishi had no reason to feel irritated. His room was clean and tidy just like it was used to be before he got married so he had no reason to lash out on her. There was no creeching sound of the swing at night so there was no interruption to his sleep. There was no girl running around in shorts and T shirt. There were no good mornings and good nights from Aadhi and Rishi didn’t have to feel that she was pretending, she wasn’t saying any joke and laughing at her own jokes. In fact Aadhi never spoke a word to him leaving him in his own world, the world he wanted to live away from her…. away from her calling him Rishu every now and then yet he was not at peace.

Rishi couldn’t sleep at night because there was no creeching sound which he got used to hear every night. Since he slept late he woke up late every morning and the reason Aadhi never turned on the music system which worked as a alarm to him. He ate half breakfast or even skipped breakfast because she stopped giving him milk coffee and made him his black tea the one he used to have before they were married. Breakfast and dinners tasted bland and finally he hated being home scared of the silence that he loved once.

His employees dreaded attending any meeting, Sudhir felt like giving up but he really didn’t want to leave the man knowing he was going through something very bad in his life. His routine of asking for coffee and dumping them in the trash never stopped.

Aadhi’s life was calm like a still water in a pond. She never let any thoughts distract her. Her exams had started and she had her focus completely on her studies. She never called Vimal for anything and even if he called her she cut within few seconds with some excuse. Malini and Chaitra stood by her and helped her through everything.

It was Saturday and Rishi felt like he was exhausted and decided to stay home. He woke up early morning and made his presence in the living. He stood froze on seeing Aadhi dressed in a salwar and her hair tied in a towel, she was doing pooja.

Aadhi made coffee for her and returned to her room to continue with her preparation for exams. Rishi entered the gym still lost in thoughts and her silence started haunting him. When he got ready in his casual clothes,  he expected her to question him staying home on a Saturday but she cared less and placed the breakfast on the table. For the first time in two weeks and 2 days she sat opposite to him with her breakfast. For no reason he felt his heart was thudding but he managed to be relaxed visibly.

Aadhi didn’t spare him a glance and finished her breakfast scrolling through her mobile. Latha arrived to work as usual and for the first time in two weeks and 2 days he saw her smiling not the regular one yet a gentle smile towards Latha.

Aadhi: Latha aunty, I need some stationery so I m going out and will be back to cook lunch.

Latha hummed and Aadhi smiled at her in return, the elder woman watched Aadhi leaving and Rishi returned to his room to relax his mind and prepare himself to find a way to talk to Aadhi once Latha would leave finishing her work. 30 minutes later he received a call from an unknown number but he ignored and paced in the room thinking of someway to fix the broken soul.

He heard a knock on the door and saw Latha looking at him.

Latha: Sir, your grandfather is here.

Rishi frowned on hearing the  sudden arrival of his grandfather. He  quickly arrived in the living and touched his grandfather’s feet for blessings.

Grandpa: Rishi, where is Aadhi ?

Latha: Sir, she has gone to buy some stationery for her.

Grandpa: Rishi, why didn’t you accompany her instead of letting her go alone ? By the way you lost weight, what happened to you  ? Why do you look like you are in some stress or depression ?

Rishi: I don’t know what is happening with me grandpa but don’t worry I will be fine.

Grandpa: How is your life with Aadhi ?

Rishi’s face paled on his question and to distract he called Latha to get them coffee. On seeing Rishi hesitant to talk his problem grandpa decided not to force him.

Grandpa: You can always come to me Rishi. I only want you both to be happy.

Rishi Mv: I don’t know if I can ever be happy again grandpa. I feel like my life is mess, the mess I created on my own. There is a lot in my mind and I m totally confused about it.

Rishi: Sure, I will come to you grandpa.

They had coffee and Rishi noticed the time in his watch and the door. Even Latha saw it was late and without waiting for Aadhi she started cooking lunch. Grandpa and Rishi were watching news and looking at the time since it has been 2 hours and Aadhi had not returned.

Grandpa: Rishi, call Aadhi and check if she need your help. Its been more than 2 hours and she should have returned by now if she wanted to buy only stationeries.

Rishi only then realized he did not have Aadhi’s mobile number to check on her. He hesitated and scrolled through his contacts unable to look at his grandpa who would be sure disappointed to know that his only grandson did not have his wife’s number.

Before Rishi could find a excuse the door opened and Aadhi entered with her head bandaged and Malini walked her inside. Grandpa rushed to her while Rishi felt his heard thudding against his rib cage on seeing the bandage on her head and the blood stains on her dress. His hands started trembling and tears brimmed in his eyes on seeing her state but he quickly composed and looked at her. Malini and grandpa helped Aadh sit and Rishi saw she was not looking at anyone and gripping her shawl in a tight grip.

Grandpa: Aadhi, what happened to you, how did you get hurt ?

Malini: Hello sir, I m  Malini, Aadhi’s friend. She met with an accident and she called me from the hospital since the doctor wanted someone to be her side for support.

Grandson: Call me grandpa and what did the doctor say ?

Malini: Its just a minor injury but if Aadhi feel any dizziness for the next few days she must be taken for diagnosis immediately.

Grandpa: Aadhi, why didn’t you call Rishi ? I was here in a few minutes after you left and we would have come immediately.

Aadhi: His number was not reachable so I called Malini.

Rishi slapped his forehead immediately on the grave mistake he had done by leaving the call unanswered. Grandpa looked at Rishi immediately and the way he was reacting was giving him answers to the unasked questions.

Malini: Aadhi, rest well and I will see you on Monday.

Aadhi looked at Malini while Rishi looked at Aadhi who was gulping to control her tears. Once Malini left Latha gave juice to Aadhi, hardly holding back from revealing everything to Rishi’s grandpa.

Aadhi: You are here for the first time grandpa, I will cook lunch quickly.

Grandpa: Latha has taken care of the cooking Aadhi and you can cook the next time I come here. You should rest now and let Latha stay for few days to help you. Tomorrow is my wife’s death anniversary so Raghavan has arranged for a pooja. I came here to invite you both personally and Vani has gone to invite Manjari and Vimal. Will you be ok to attend the pooja, Aadhi ?

Aadhi: Why not grandpa ? Sure, we will be there. Am I right Rishi ?

She smiled at Rishi since she didn’t want to give into any doubts to his grandfather. Rishi looked at her and bobed his head trying to reciprocate the smile but deep down he felt the walls of his heart clench on hearing her call him Rishi. She has never called him Rishi even for once. He has always been Rishu to her and hearing Rishi felt like his name sounded foreign.

Rishi Mv: What is happening to me ?

Latha informed that lunch was ready and everyone moved to the dining table. Grandpa watched Rishi and Aadhi sitting next to each other and Rishi pouring water in her glass. Latha served the food and once they were done Grandpa took his leave.

Aadhi rushed to her room and Rishi heard the thud of the door being closed. Aadhi removed her clothes and picking the scissor from the cabinet she started cutting it into pieces. An hour later she walked out dressed in her a salwar and saw Rishi standing by her room.

Ignoring him she was about go ahead but stopped when Rishi stepped before her.

Rishi: I m sorry.

Aadhi: Why are you sorry ?

Rishi: I did not know it was your number and ofcourse its my mistake, I should have got your number but I swear, that was not intentional. I would have sure answered if I knew it was your number and it was not my intention to leave your call unanswered. I m really sorry.

Aadhi: You don’t have to feel sorry for not answering a stranger’s call.

Rishi felt like he was slapped and looked at her injury.

Rishi: How do you feel now ? I can call our family doctor for second opinion.

Aadhi: I m doing fine and you don’t have to call your family doctor. I can take care of myself. Thank you and you don’t have to feel guilty for anything happening with me. I know you won’t like to talk to me so please leave a message through Latha aunty on what time I should get ready for tomorrow’s pooja. I don’t know this custom of your family.

Rishi Mv: Your family ?

He sighed and before he could say something Aadhi walked away leaving him rooted in his place. Rishi returned to his room and sat on the bed hell confused and stressed on everything happening. He picked the mobile from beside him and saw the number of the call he missed. He typed ” AAD” but erased it. He thought for a while and saved as ” 💥💥💥💥💥”.

Rest of the day Aadhi slept out of exhaustion and Rishi spent his time walking from his room to the living with no reason but his eyes never failed to take a glance at the closed door of her room. He rushed to the dining for dinner and Latha served him the dinner.

Rishi: Aunty, call her to have dinner.

Latha: She had to take medicines so I served dinner in her room and waited until she took her medicines. She must he asleep now.

Rishi nodded and had his dinner with too many thoughts running in his mind. Before leaving to his room he informed Latha that they had to leave to his parents home at 9 in the morning. Returning to his room he laid on the bed but he couldn’t sleep a wink.

The next morning he got ready in a formal shirt and pant and stepped out of his room looking for Aadhi but saw the door was closed. He decided to wait for her in the living and descended the stairs but froze on seeing Aadhi ready dressed in a pink silk saree, for the first time after their marriage he noticed that she had braided her hair that reached her waist. She had removed the bandage and put a plaster on her injury. Just as she turned on hearing his foot steps the little jhumkas swayed and she walked out with him following her.

Rishi unlocked his car and Aadhi got seated in the back seat leaving him in utter shock. Aadhi’s mobile pinged with a message from Malini giving Aadhi a clear threat to confront Manjari.