TWINJ
“No, it is not like that. Did I miss your anniversary? I am sorry… was not very much active these days, K.” she apologized to K, An appropriate nickname to Kritika she had invented for her in their school.
“I called you so many times in the last few months but you never responded and so I thought to give you some time to…you know…to heal.” with visible hesitations in her voice, she tried to finally talk with her friend on this.
“Earlier I didn’t have the courage and will to talk but Now I am fine… you know na the saying YOU DON’T DIE WITH THE UNUSUAL, YOU KEEP FIGHTING AND THEN YOU START LIVING WITH IT.” popping the joints of her fingers she took a deep breath.
It was followed by a split second of silence before she thought to not make it any worse.
“Hey, tell me about you? How are you and How’s Sagar… any plans to visit Manali?” she asked a series of questions to reflect her friend into some positive talks.
“We are good and we shifted to Nagpur in July… it was tough due to the rains but a transfer is a transfer and anyway, Sagar had been managing alone for the last few months so as soon as I got the confirmation we shifted immediately,” Kritika told her.
“Hey,” a smile bloomed in her voice. “then we are close…” it was like getting a lifeline to her, Friends are indeed friends and finding them in neighbors is definitely a beautiful feeling.
“Yeah, I was thinking to see you but then I wanted to talk with you beforehand.” She was her friend but the circumstances make you paralyzed and you have to wait for the right moment.
“hun, I understand.” a misty air was again back in the environment.
“and by the way how’s our baby,haan… I missed her these days,” she asked about the chubby cheeks whom she wanted to pinch in those early photographs Twinkle has sent her.
“growing fast every day. now says small words and asks orange juice every time.” smiling on her own daughter’s tactics she told her.
“oh … looks like she inherited the love for juices from her mother, I still remember how the canteen guy used to keep your one glass ready for you as soon as we used to enter the college.” Kritika laughed at that memory.
“K, please. You guys have already teased me a lot in the past… it was not that he kept it ready… it just became a regular so he kept it for me…
“READY.” completing the sentence with a laughing input Kritika waited for her.
And together they laughed on that again.
“How’s life Twinkle…I was thinking to come tomorrow only?” she asked when their laughs seized.
“i am fine… there are a few things that keep me engaged.” it was strange to tell her about it, it felt strange.
“that’s good you are keeping yourself busy..” with genuine happiness that was not coated in the pitiful smile Kritika expressed her emotions.
Life after the sudden demise of your spouse and then to the one you have loved for your life is not an everyday thing but then people need to live with it and the least others can do is to make them feel strong and loved.
This was the same man, her friend along with her family wanted her to get married but then a lot has happened …Now was the time to accept it wholeheartedly.
With the thought in her mind, she walked to the picture frames along the balcony walls and staring at the photograph of him that was a few years old and where his cheeks were fuller than now she spoke.
“Kunj and I got married a few weeks back…
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She seemed quiet, alarmingly…did something happen in this one hour when he was… “his heart asked to the surroundings but only if they could answer?
Throwing a glance around her, searching for any sign of something that could have troubled her, he tilted his lips and rubbed with one of his fingers in puzzlement.
It was one odd position she had been sitting on the bed and was staring at something he was not sure about … whether it was a picture or her phone.
“Twinkle… he called her in a soft voice to not disturb her and walked to the bed.
“hey, sorry…I didn’t hear, when did you come?” the urgency in her voice to seem normal caught his hold again.
“I just came… what happened? everything okay?” he was genuinely concerned.
“Nothing… it was nothing.” and with that, she opened the drawer and put away whatever it was.
“i don’t want to make it weird but were you crying?” he asked her when she was about to turn to him.
And it stilled her for a while…
“Kritika, my best friend called…
“and…” what could be wrong in a best friend’s call, he waited for her to explain.
“and it was hard to tell about it…about US.” she whispered and in a minute realization hit her.
it could hurt him again…
She pushed the drawer tightly and stood up to stop him but collided with his frame only.
“i am sorry…” she spoke as soon as their eyes met.
“about this collision or something else…” he asked without exiting the infectiously-puling territory of hers.
“i didn’t mean to hurt you earlier…” and she turned back.
“We didn’t talk last few months and when we finally did, it was all so strange to tell…” she told.
“did she judge you?” he asked her.
“i don’t know…but it was so strange, last we had a talk was on…
“here, look at me… he turned her towards him holding her shoulders.
“no one is going to say a single thing… and if they say let them say. They were not the reason you were happy earlier and even in the future they won’t be the reason… it Is us only us who make our heart happy and sad,” he spoke staring her eyes.
“It is easier in words and toughest in actions.” she tried to leave.
“if you have decided otherwise then nothing can be done…” he muttered and went to collect his laptop and charger.
“by the way, my flight is delayed by a few hours so tell Bebe, we can visit the temple today only,” he said before making himself busy in the bright screen of his phone.
“why on earth you cant stop your words before they hit his eardrums.” her heart scolded her.
“i didn’t want to, I tried not to irritate him but I did eventually.” she grieved on her stupidity.
He was right with every word but what about her heart who could not make peace with this new setting… but wait…Did she just reply to him back easier in words and toughest in actions?
of course, she did like the time she was married to Yuvraaj and with Kunj, the only conversation was this kind of give and take backs.
“Should I keep this white shirt for you?” her question shocked him.
He anticipated no talks after this little moment but her question shocked him and he looked up to find any sign of his daydreaming.
Finding her busy in the cupboard to choose a pair of trousers or jeans whatever her brain thought was convenient in such outing, he took a moment and then he realized.
She was trying…
“take out that orange color saree.” he nearly ordered turning back his attention to the screen before she looked to his side.
“Are you sure?” and her voice hinted amusement.
And he found something equally amusing when he looked up –
Holding The hanger of orange saree in one hand she had been looking at him and then the saree.
“That was not funny,” he told with a smile returning to his face.
“so white color, final?” she asked keeping the saree on the dressing chair.
“if orange final then white is final,” he told smiling softly on their sudden progress.
“what is final, then? Tell us also.” Shail entered and teased them.
“ask your daughter in law,bua…” he teased her as well.
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“Your married life will always be in trouble beti…your husband will always be in debt.” the man in the attire suiting a great monk told the girl in front of him.
“don’t say such things, Baba, I am marrying her to a big and rich man.” the woman in her early 50s, perhaps the mother nearly cried to the monk.
“i am telling what is in her hands, daughter.” the man told them with no mercy.
Twinkle’s insides churned on the scene. She had been very peaceful after visiting the Shiv-Parvati temple her mother in law has insisted them to visit but this one conversation halted her feet.
“don’t worry, do you think one can see the future?” her husband calmed her who joined her after lacing up his shoes.
“It frustrates me why people believe such astrologists… and look at him, he is just so rude,” she commented while the mother-daughter duo offered some money to the monk.
“until people stop supporting such things, this kind of business would keep flourishing,” he answered supporting her back with his arm and dragging her to the exit.
“i don’t think it was for money, he didn’t take the money…I m 100 percent sure he didn’t take the money.” she crossed him.
“then might be something else…hey, don’t tell me you think he is some top-level astrologist or something!!.” he warned her.
“no, it is not like that…I was just thinking about him,” she told him as they exited the temple premises.
“not going home?” she stared at him when he didn’t make any attempt to unlock the car.
“how about a cup of coffee?” he asked with hope.
“ohkay…but Kavya might be waiting for us.” she agreed but expressed her anxious mind.
“Yeah, lets go…it is already turning dark.” he took no moment to go with her wish.
“can we take a packet of those popcorns?” spotting a young boy with the stall she asked him.
“Yeah, why not… wait for me.” and in a moment he was gone.
“I told you for one…” she smiled when he gave her at least 7 packets.
“keep in our cupboard and we will have them later.” he smiled back to her unlocking the car.
“appreciative,” she commented keeping the packets away.
“Are you fasting or something?” he quizzed when she didn’t open any packet.
“no,” she replied.
“then open the packet na, I am already feeling the evening hunger.” his voice was impatient now.
“oh sorry…here you go.” she tore one of them and extended to him.
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Hey everyone!!! again taking this moment to thank all of you, the readers , the silent readers and in general every new and old TU member reading this story…we have come this far only because the constant support you guys have been.
i just hope you guys are doing fine and COVID-19 has not been able to break your enthusiasm towards life… of course a huge percent of the world is facing difficulties but then we have no choice but to stop everything so this virus is stopped… just today read about Mumbai flamingoes doing rounds of a water body in a huge number after a few years…
so let’s just say it was Nature’s own way to heal itself. i mean let us take out the positivity from the negative thoughts
Stay safe and stay home guys.
With love Morusya.
Part 42 – the kiss lasted for a long moment, she felt paralyzed.
of course, it was different… it was neither forced nor requested…it was a husband’s righteous action to calm his wife.