The tick of the clock could be hear clearly into the silence of his office. It was 1 am but the man, sitting on the plush chair, resting his elbowon the hand rest while his fingers traced his stretched out lips, seemed to be immune to everything. The darkness of the night was nothing compared to the dark black hole, he was feeling in his heart. His eyes, which have never cried after the death of his parents were teary now. He felt that he was about to lost a beautiful dream.
"Why you did this to me Arohi" He shouted and throw the paper holder away that broke an exquisite flower vase, which was placed at a side.
And his heart broke too.
"Why...yyy...Why Arohi?" He covered his face with his palms and cried like a baby, leaning on his desk.
The flashes of two weeks before ran infront of his eyes.
FlashBack
Arjun and Arohi along with Arjun's Bari Ma, who raised him up after his parents death, and aryan were having their dinner. Aryan was staying with them for the night as he had a meeting to attend in delhi and being Arjun's childhood best friend, he always stay with him rather than a hotel.
Aryan left the table and soon, Arohi and Arjun were too.
"I am feeling too tired...Arjun, please wheel me too my room beta" Arjun nodded and after cleaning his face with the napkin, he get back on her wheel chair and took her to her room.
In the mean while, Aroji took care of the table alomg with the maid and put the soiled dishes in kitchen.
She was just moving towards her room when Aryan opened his room door and pulled her inside and Arjun had seen that. How infuriated he felt, only he knew.
He felt like banging the door of Aryan's room and took Arohi out but he stopped.
"Dont jump on the conclusion too soon Arjun" He told himself but curiosity took better of him and knowinghow unethical it was, he still went to the door and evesdrop on it.
"Dont call me bhabhi please...I feel too old" He heard Arohi saying with a giggle that burnt him more and before hearing anything anymore, he marched to his room.
FlashBack Ends
Two weeks, two weeks he tried to drown himself in his work...not saying a word to her...waiting for her to say and explain herself bur every night he found her waiting for him, asking him for food and then helping him with his night suit till he was off to sleep.
But today, he felt that the dam was broken and he was constantly being deceived.
****************
As Arjun entered, today instead of Arohi, he found Bari Ma waiting for him while sitting on her wheelchair. Arjun's mother and Bari Ma were sisters too which were married in a same house. While Bari Ma's son and daughter were settled in abroad, she choosed to stay back with Arjun as he needed her more.
Arjun frowned as worry took over his mind.
"Bari Ma, Why are you still awake?" He moved to her only to see her clentched jaw and hand raising up to stop him in his tracks.
"What you said to Arohi, Arjun?..." "That girl is day and night working in this house, taking care of your Bari Ma, your needs, your happiness came above on her list...Then why when she left the house so happily in the afternoon, she came back with a crying face and rushed to her room? Why cant you give her a moment of happiness?" The accusation in Bari Maa tone made him ruffled his hairs in agnition.
"Bari Ma, I dont want to talk about it" He tried to avoid and get at the back of her to wheeled her towards the room but Bari Ma stopped him.
"I dont want you to wheel me today. May be I dont have legs anymore, I still have hands and I truly dont need your fake care" saying, she took hold of the wheels and get away, grumbling.
Arjun ruffled his hands through his hairs. God! their everything wrong is happening to him and here, everyone is blaming him.to do the wrong.
He put off his coat and went to his room to see Arohi not being present on the bed. Instead she was sleeping on a sofa. Her body was pulled up in a ball as her head was placed on the handrest. She was hugging herself.
Arjun felt bad seeing her state and went towards her with hesitant steps. Tears traces were still visible on her pale face.
His heart wanted to pull her up in his hands and make her lie down on the bed, keeping her secure in his hug but then, her words to Aryan and then, the memory of seeing her getting down from Aryan's car flashed in his mind and he stopped.
"If you have stopped to care about me...If you are fed up of me to the limit that you are going behind me with my best friend, then I think, I should let you go" telling himself, he took two steps backward, a tear fell from his eye before he went to change.
Jisko hai kho jana wo milta hi kyun hai
Dil ko murjhaana tau khilta hi kyun hai
**********
Arohi got up late in the morning to see the neatly made bed, as if no one had slept on it. She stood up and look around to get not a single hint of Arjun.
"May be he hadn't came back" She told herself, taking a deep breath. It was not unusal for him to stay back in office. But when she went into the bathroom and the strong smell of his colonge hit her, she knew he was here and left without even talking to her. Even without the morning kiss, they used to share. He never missed it right after from the wedding day. Even when they have an argument, he liked to shut her up and kiss, making her feel how he feel for her. Tears again took place in her eyes and she cried in her shower.
****************
Arjun looked out into the cloudy sky. Sun rays were trying to make out their way through the holes and making the view look breathtaking.
"What a beautiful view, isnt it?" Shaina, Arjun's PR cum friend said from beside him. Arjun nodded just in response
Shaina hugged the file, she was holding, to herself and a wRm smile graced her lips.
"Love is just like this na Arjun...Peaked in your heart through the holes you ignored to fill while building a wall around it. But love surly do have a way...like they say...Love will find a way" Arjun deeply inhaled the sand smell that was filled in the air before he turned at look at his fridnd.
Shaina was heart broken at a time. Her bas**** to be fiance was caught cheated on her just 2 days before their engagement date. She was devastated but she lived on. With all the love and support she got from her family and friends. It wasn't easy to put an end to a relationship, she was living in for about 6 years.but she did it and Arjun thought, he found her more happy now than before.
Arjun himself had thought at a point that hs willnt fall in love ever. Love leave you alone and hurt when it goes. He had seem his Bari Maa holding his bare papa pic at nights and cry her heart out. He has seen his friend getting burned by its torture. He himself was at lost when his parents died. He was too young to feel but he felt it. He tried to avoid it but with Arohi, it seemed that love was knocked at his heart from all the sides without giving him a chance to completely protect one.
"Damn...Again Arohi" He cursed his mind to think about her once again and tried to divert his attention.
"You needed something?"
"Yeah...sign on these papers...I need to send them further" Arjun went back on his desk, roughly read through the file, Shaina gave him and signed at the end.
Shaina took hold of the file and looked down at his friend.
"Take an off today Arjun... in last three weeks, you hardly took an off. Even on sundays, you were here and other days, you go back home at the end... Arohi too need your time...Dont ignore her" Shaina suggested.
"Only If You Know..Right now Ignoring her is the only option I have...atleast...she is their, infront of my eyes when I go back home..." Arjun thought helplessly.
Things you need to do while being in love.
"She understands Shaina...And beside, I want to be get done with this project...then only I will be able to be at peace" He made an excuse. A pretty good on that surly convinced Shaina.
"Ok...but later, do take her out on a vacation..." Shaina winked tried to tease but his eyes were already back at his laptop screen.
Shaina shook her head. Arjun need a solid kick for being so Insensitive towards his wife. She thought. And as a thought struck her, she grinned and went back to her room.
*************
Dekho dekho zara, haye kya tha kya ho gaya
Haye tum meharbaan thay humshaadma thay
Mehki thi dil ki vaadiyan
"Arjun..." She called him as she entered the small office room, he had in the home. His eyes were deeply struck at the LED screen and his fingers were furiously typing.
"hnmmm" He only made a sound that he makes when he is extremely busy. She sighed and sat on the plush leather chair that was placed in a corner. Making him hear or talk or look at herself will only prove futile so she avoided asking anything further but she observed him.
He was such a workaholic. His forehead had a frown struck to it as he went through some files before turning back to the screen. Sometimes he would just scratch his stubble when he willnt understand anything. He sighs, he takes notes, he play with the pen in between his fingers.
So many emotions run through his face in just a matter of a few minutes.
An hour passed in the same way.
Her own eyelids started to drop as she was feeling sleepy and thats when Arjun shut down his laptop. He stretched his arms up to relax them when his eyes fell on a half sleepy Arohi.
In the madness of his work, he was oblivious of her. His tired eyes softened after looking at her and he went to her. He avoided to make a sound and sit down on his knees to have a good look.
She was a fairy wrapped up in the body of a human. He knew that cause someone who could bear his anger and at the end of the day, still stays with him, has to be special.
She moaned in her sleep and get herself into a comfortable position on the single sofa but that surly left him uncomfortable.
The light blue silk robe, she was wearing slipped from her shoulder making her net dark blue brazer visible for his eyes.
He gulped down his saliva while looking at his sexy wife. He had bought this pair a month back and he surly remembers how he teased her many times later on, until she would get red with embarrassment and shyness.
She was reluctant to wear that two piece but he knew it.
He knew that she wore it to get the attention of him and he bet, if she had slipped that robe away after she had walked in the room, he would barely had looked anywhere.
But better late then never. He smirked and moved up to kiss her cheek. the desire to have her right now right here was too overwhelming. She didn't move so he let his lips trace her skin.
"Hmmm..." She made sound in her sleep as he slipped the robe more away from her shoulder and kissed it.
To make her responed and feel his love, he left a small bite on her neck.
"Ouch..." She squealed and looked down to find the man, her man, looking at her with eyes full of love.
"Sorry..." He winked and motioned at her shoulder to show the red mark.
"How can you go to sleep when you dressed up to kill me tonight?" His fingers traced the knot of the robe and pulled it open. Arohi felt shied and tried to stood up but he pushed her down and kept a strong hold on her wrists.
"No...No...Your aren't going anywhere tonight" His husky voice send shivers down her spine.
Bringing her hand near his mouth, he pressed soft kisses on it.
"I love you Arohi...I ...I want to...I want to love you here...right here" He was in pain and she knew it. Running her long fingers through his thick hairs, she gave her silent acceptance as she kissed him lightly on his lips.
Thirsty, he kept her their as his fingers roamed on her slender figure, trying to make her bare for his eyes.
She moaned as he entered his tongue in her mouth and took his fill of her taste. Her fingers opened up his buttons and went inside to feel his hard warm chest.
It was time for him to moan as he roughly pulled her down on the rug and held her hands up her head.
"Dont touch me Arohi...tonight, I want you ...All of you...Let me take my time"
She was in no place to not do, for what he had asked.
A strong blow of wind put her out from her dream. The passion she felt that night, still left her body tingled and sweaty even though the cool wind from the window, she was standing beside, was enough to give her chills.
Slow smile graced her lips as she remembered how he took her exhausted body back to the room and again took her to the edge of passion. He was incorrigible that night. His kisses were so deep, loved filled, his sighs, his groans, his touch, everything had made his body feel alive.
She touched her neck as if she could still feel his lips against it when her mangalsutra came into her hand and she looked at it with wishful eyes.
"How happy we were Arjun...You loved me...You used to trust me...Where that trust has gone Arjun...The words you said yesterday, the way your eyes questioned my devotion to you, the way you accused me, broke my badly. Why it feels like I am living with a stranger. The distance between us has never been this wide as its now after a year and half of our wedding. Please, dont push me away Arjun...Please" She thought and prayed as tears traced her cheeks.
Arjun entered the room to found her lost in the thoughts. Holding her mangalsutra, tears tracing her cheeks, she was looking too vulnerable. He so wish to take her in his arms and sooth her, but again...his anger took better of him and he shut the door hard behind him, making her attentive.
Arohi looked at him as if its ages, she last saw him but he ignored. He ignored her and put his hand bag on the study table.
She braced herself and after wiping her tears, she went towards the cupboard to took out his night dress. It was one of the duty she loved to perform for him.She took out a grey half sleeves shirt with black bottoms and turned to put them on bed when Arjun passed her, took out the first shirt and trousers, he got in hand and went into bathroom.
What she felt that moment, only she knew.
Falling down on her knees, she cried into the bed.
She hasn't came to the dinner that night. As Kaka served him, his eyes kept on looking back at their room door but she didnt appear.
Perfectly knowing that she would never have her dinner without him, how could he eat.
"Beta, why arent you eating? Even Arohi beti hadnt eaten anything since morning beside that single bread slice that Bari Begum forcefully made her eat...She even skipped dinner last night...She is alright na?" The older servant inquired in a fatherly tone.
Arjun's hunger died more hearing it and he pushed the plate away.
"Kaka, please clean the kitchen and go to sleep...I...I think i caught a bug...not feeling like eating" He got up and went to the study room.
It was 5 in the morning when he get back in the room to see her sleeping on the sofa once again. Her half laying position wasnt comfortable and today, he couldn't backed himself away to make her lay down correctly.
He put her legs on the sofa. Brought the pillow and quilt from the bed and after putting the quilt over her, raised her neck up to put pillow under her head.
Her intoxicated smell filled his nostrils. Her face was too close to him to feel her breath but right then, Aryan face flashed infront of his eyes and he closed his eyes in anger. Nevertheless, he made her head lay on pillow, re-adjust the quilt and switched off the lights.
Ho ho chaahat bari woh aankhein, rass mein doobi woh baatein
Kho gayi jaane kahan
Palkon ke thay jo saaye, kyun ho gaye paraaye
Kyun aa gayi dooriyan
He get onto the bed when he felt something under him. Sitting straight, he saw a rose placed in his bed side. Few petals were off due to his body pressure and were not scattered on the bed.
Smiling, he picked the rose and observed it. Under the rose, their was also a paper that he noticed. He picked it, opened it and started to read.
"Happy Birthday Arjun...
May God bless you with all the success and a long blessed life.
I wish and prays that all your hardwork will prove fruitful to you.
I wanted to wish you face to face but seems like, I willnt get the
chance. Thats why I am writing it in this note.
Dont know what should I gift you today but I promise, I will
give you anything you will ask for.
Yours,
Arohi"
On one side where he was feeling happiness to know that she remembers, on the other side, he was feeling more depressed too.
"Why are you playing these games Arohi?" sadly, he looked at her sleeping form and thought. His heart was feeling torn in between feeling love for her and feeling deceived by her.
Next morning:
Arjun again was gone before she even woke up but today, instead of loneliness, their was a note placed on the side table of the sofa, she was sleeping on.
On understanding that from where the pillow and the quilt came, she got a huge smile on her face but that smiled soon dulled.
"Why he hasn't put me in bed? Don't he want to feel me close? How could he go to sleep without cuddling up to me?" these kinds of thoughts surround her mind and she frowned.
"Silence willnt take us anywhere. We need to talk and clear up this mess...and that too today" She made a resolution with herself when her eyes again fell on the note.
She opened it carefully to see his handwritten words.
Jisko hai kho jana wo milta hi kyun hai
Dil ko murjhaana tau khilta hi kyun hai
"Thank you for the wishes.
I never knew our relationship will get to such extent of formality
ever. But now as it has been, I dont think we should hurt eachother
anymore.
You wanted to gift me something, then give it.
Leave Me Arohi .
Leave me, my life, my world.
I dont think I can give you the happiness you deserves.
Best wishes,
Arjun"
And with that, she felt herself destroyed.
*****************
It was late in the evening when he get back home. The lights of the porch and the house were off but he didnt give it much of a thought. His mind was already somewhere else.
Since morning, he was in a bad mood. Even when he was in a conference, his mind hardly hear a word said by his employees. His mind was preoccupied by the thoughts of her, the note he left behind and what will be his life if she accepted to do what he has written.
Did he doubt that she willn't? And just that thought would make him feel suffocated.
What would be his life without her?
Last night, in anger and emotions, he had wrote all that but deep inside his heart, he wished she would spoke up, she would fight with him, try to explain him but nothing happened. All through th day, how many times he checked on his mobile, only he knew.
He entered the house to find a flicker of darkness before the lights came along with shouts of people.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARJUN" and then the clapped to see him stunned.
And stunned he was.
Bari ma was sitting on her wheelchair infront of the table that holds the cakes, snacks and gifts. At the back a big birthday banner was put on along with blue flowers that he liked. He saw many of his old friends, colleagues, sub ordinates along with Aryan and Shaina who were smiling broadly at him.
Aryan came and gave him a tight hug.
"You liked the pressurize?" He asked cheerfully.
"Of course he would have" Bari Ma said happily as she wheeled close to him and asked him to hug her. "You and Arohi have been working on it from so many days...how can he not like it" Bari Ma completed.
"Arohi..." He heart felt low. Is it what they both were planning about?
"Yes...Why you think we have been hushing and discussing about...Look around, how she worked on the minor o minor detail to make it special"
"Where is she?" He searched into the crowd to get her glimpse.
"That I don't know...She was here just a half an hour back..." Aryan scratched his hairs and looked at Shaina. "You knocked at her door, right...what she said?"
"Arohi didnt say anything Aryan. I think she was in the shower" his eyes widened in horror.
Shaina thought that Arjun was wide eyed on hearing her talking nicely to Aryan with whom she always used to fight and also the way she addressed Arohi by her name instead of her usual Bhabhi.
"Wo Arjun, I wanted to tell you before...bu...but i thought to give you a surprise on this party. Actually...me and Aryan...are together" Aryan held her hand in support that gave her courage. "And as Aryan think of Arohi as his sister, Arohi asked me to call her by name and now she teased me by calling me bhabhi"
What moved? Earth or his head only he knew.
OMG...Althrough, he was doubting a sacred relationship his best friend and his wife created between them. What the hell had happened to him? Why was he being so presumptuous. What he had said and did to Arohi?
"Arohi" he mumbled before he panicked and ignoring all the smiling faced people behind, rushed up the stairs to check his room. And as expected, no one was their. He checked the bathroom and terrace but it was of no use.
He looked around to find a hint of her existence still around him and next went to check on the cupboard to see few of her clothes were missing too
His legs were giving away. His heart rate was getting low when he remembered Aryan's words. "She was here half an hour back"
"That means she wouldn't be too far gone" A hope light up and without wasting a moment he rushed down.
People who just saw him running up towards his room, saw him now running out of the house in a hush, without any explanation and were perplexed.
*******************
Walking on the lonely road with just a small bag hanging on her shoulder, she was looking nothing more than a lifeless doll.
Her tears stained face was saying its own story. She wanted to take her time before she left this city and go back to Manali at her parents place.
How hard it was for her to get out from the house, without letting anyone noticed her. how she is going to miss them all.. .
But she was happy too. Bari ma so wanted to hold a surprise party for Arjun.this time as he had stopped celebrating it on a huge level after his parents death. Aryan bhai has also got his happiness in Shaina which Arohi knew, was perfect for him.
But what about her? Where she will find her happiness now?
Still being lost in her thoughts, she stood on the bus stop when a car came and stopped beside her. She looked at it to find an angry Arjun coming out and standing infront of her. Thinking that she visualized it, a big smile get on her face.
"Are you mad? Where are you going at such a night?" He snatched the bag from her and tried to put it in the back of his car when she pulled it back.
The dreamy state of her mind was gone and she was retorting now.
"What are you doing here Arjun? You should be back home, celebrating your birthday" Her tone was emotionless. Not taunting, not complaining
His heart melted at her helpless state as he held her arms and pulled her close.
"And everyone thinks that you should be rigjt their with me, celebrating my birthday"
"Is that what brought you here? Your family and friends? because I can call and assure bari ma and Aryan bhai to not mess it up" She assured.
"Mess..." His tone lowed as he held her hands and played with her fingers. He bit his lips before he spoke
"Its already a mess Arohi...I messed it up and I messed it up badly..."
"Arjun"
"No Arohi...let me speak" He dare not look up at her as he spoke further.
"I...I know whatever I did and said to you, is totally unforgivable...its not that I don't trust you...trusting you was not an issue...I was just feeling possessive..." He stopped and corrected himself.
"Over-possessive...I...I.just couldn't bear to see you with anyone else even if that someone is my best friend...I over heard things but didn't come to you...I didn't give you a chance to explain before I made my own assumptions...I am just so bad...I am too bad for you" Her fingers came and covered his mouth.
"You are not bad..." He kissed her fingers before putting them away and looked into her eyes.
"I am...I know I am...If I hadn't been...I would have not accused you of such a horrendous subject" She just let him say his heart out...its unusual for him to express so much.
"But you stupid girl...I told you to leave and you leave just like that..." He now turned angry at her. "Why the hell you haven't wished me face to face...why you haven't forced me to talk to you..."
Arohi's nose flared at his tone and now she turned angry too.
"You were angry...You didn't let me explain anything so how can you put blame on me...all these days, it was me who was suffering from your anger... I have been sleeping on the stupid sofa...Did you once dare put me to bed?...No, beacuse Mr.Punj needed all the space to himself" Her childlike whine was the last straw that he needed for a push as he crushed her in his arms.
"You are too bad Arjun...so bad" She hit his shoulders many times and he let her, feeling her soothing presence within himself. He kissed her neck and cheeks and finally kissed her forehead.
"I wrote that note in anger...but later, I was hoping for you to come and fight with me...Demand me that how could you leave your own house. Its as much mine as yours Arohi" Cupping her face, he told softly.
Arohi looked into his eyes and all the anger, hurt she was feeling within herself, just melted away.
"Ok, from next time you get angry with me and asked me to leave you...I will do it" She told seriously making him frown.
"And I will kick your butt and ask you to leave the house" She winked through her tears filled eyes as he smile.
"Take me back home Arjun...I can't live without you" She whispered in a pleading tone.
"Me either...and as much great as I can't live without you sound...I love you Arohi...and I am sorry"
"Enough" She put an end to the topic as she smiled and he smiled in return.
Next moment, he pulled her up in his arms, making her shriek and rounded up the car. "I better not let you gather complains against me..."
She smiling moved up and kissed his cheek.
After putting her comfortably in the passenger seat, he closed the door, get back to put her bag in the back of the car and drove back home with happy smiles.
"Thank God, they are still here" Arohi said as she entered the house, hand in hand with Arjun.
"Oh No" He grumbled as he wanted to have Arohi alone at this time.
"Lets go and celebrate" She pulled him into the crowd who bombard them with questions like what happened, and how it happened but they let it go and rather concentrate on celebrating his birthday. She was standing right beside him when he cut the cake and feed her first followed to Bari Ma, Aryan, Shaina and so on and on. They danced, they laughed, they shared a meal in the same plate. Al through Arjun kept on asking her to minimize the time length of the party on which she showed him her narrowed eyes and he had to back off, sulking.
Finally, as the first set of guests left, he took a sigh of relief and promised himself to never allow her to host a party in the house itself. Outside anywhere she can plan one, from where they can rush back home or better, SKIP.
"I will just help the maids with cleaning" She said and disappeared into kitchen. Bari Maa was already off to sleep.
Taking hold of her bag from the car, he went up and put her dresses back into the cupboard. He took a step back and sighed in relief.
"Now thats their destined place..." he whispered and went into bathroom to be ready for the night.
She followed soon and went to take out her sleeping suit from the closet to find her suits hanged back in their position.
A slow smile graced her lips which get to its full as she saw him coming out from the bathroom looking devilishly handsome in a white vest with white trousers.
But before he can take up a hint of her smile, she grabbed her things and rushed passed her to the bathroom, banging the door hardly at her back.
He shook his head with a silly grin and took his place on the bed.
She came out soon and after applying a cream on her hands and mouth get to the bed.
Arjun raised his brow in askance as a sexy smile was placed on his lips. He rose his hand up to grab her but she dodged her and grabbed the pillow and quilt from the bed and went towards the sofa.
"Arohi" He called her with a frown. "Are you going to sleep on the sofa? I told you I am sorry" Her actions deeply frustrated him.
"Who said I am going to sleep here?" She pointed her index finger at him and then at sofa.
"Me?" He was flabbergasted.
"Yes, Mr. Arjun Punj...You...You hurt me, haven't you?...You deserve this punishment" He looked at her with a puppy face but that didn't effect her as she get back to bed, and tapped her foot, waiting for him to make the move.
"But Arohi"
"This is my house...and you better do as I say"
Seeing her non-reluctance, he got up grumbling and fell on the sofa with a thump.
She tried to hide her smile seeing his childish behavior.
Putting his one hand on his eyes, he closed them and tried to fall asleep when he felt a movement beside and a second later, she was leaning onto him. Putting her head on his chest, she covered his body with hers and hugged him to herself.
"Now what happened to your punishment?" He teased as he hugged her back.
A
stayed silent for a moment before whispering. "Staying away from you is
a punishment for me in itself...Never make me get away from you
Arjun" Her serious tone, made him serious too.
Rubbing her small back up and down, he replied "Never...I promise" and kissed in her hairs.
"And as for the punishment" The cheery tone was back "You will have to let me sleep over you on this sofa for the whole night" She put her chin on his chest while looking up at him.
"Its more like a gift then a punishment..." She giggled as he pulled her up. Now her head was on his shoulder and they both drifted to a peaceful sleep after days of aggression.
