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Wonderful update.
Please continue soon.
Hello guys. Here is the next chapter. I hope you all like it.
Also THANK YOU all so so much for all the love and comments. It is very much appreciated. I hope you continue to shower this chapter with love too. You guys are the best. Love you all.😳
CHAPTER 3
Kunj woke up groggy and disoriented. It took him more than his usual minute to gather his bearings and when he did, he found out that he had passed out on his bed. The fact that he got to sleep on his bed after so long a while made him smile. However, a minute later the situation and the events of the by gone day crashed into him like a freight train. His bed was now forgotten and the only thing that occupied his mind was Twinkle.
Twinkle was getting discharged from the hospital today. She was coming back home, and he hadn't even begun the preparations, he deemed necessarily done before she arrived. He had a lot to do. First thing on the list however was a hot shower. He desperately needed to refresh himself, body and mind, after last night. He hastily grabbed his towel from the cupboard and made his way to the bathroom.
He opened the door to the said room and everything come to a halt. His world seemed to be on pause. Twinkle's blood was yet stained on the tiled floor. No one had thought to clean it off. The breakfast Kunj yet didn't have threatened to come up in vomit. He however shook his head, trying to clear his mind and swallowed heavily. He then made a mad dash to the bathroom cabinet, pulled out the bottle of bleach in there and doused the whole floor in it until the red brown stain of blood, faded into a pink. He next grabbed the scrubbing brush and brushed the floor until it shone white. Clean and new.
He wanted nothing, absolutely nothing to remind him of the past night. He never wanted to be reminded of the night he found Twinkle, so near death, so willingly near death. His shower was long forgotten, instead he pulled out the shirt he was wearing yesterday, the one that had Twinkle's blood on it from the laundry hamper and threw it in the dustbin. Once satisfies that nothing with her blood remained, he was satisfied to continue on with his shower.
He pulled on his favourite shirt and jeans combo, trying his absolute best to impress a certain someone. And only then went downstairs for breakfast.
The dining table lacked the subtle magic and feeling of togetherness that Twinkle bought. He also noticed how the table looked empty, bare almost. It wasn't filled with the usual array of dishes. There was no aloo paratha, no oatmeal, no smoothie. Rather it was just a bowl of fruits, toasted bread and butter. All the members ate in silence. No one had anything to say-what could be said in such a situation anyway? No one could even meet the others eye. Manohar excused himself after a while, Usha soon followed lead. That left Kunj and Anand on the table. The latter gave a small smile to the other, a smile that said Everything will be okay'. Kunj hoped the same.
Before leaving for the hospital, Kunj ordered the servants to cook all of Twinkle's favourite dishes. When asked what those dishes were, Kunj was upset that he couldn't remember more than three. It just proved to him his failure as a husband. He wanted a table full of Twinkle's favourite food, just the way she does for them for breakfast. Instead he could only answer 3 of her favourite foods. He knew he was pushing himself into a negative headspace, but he couldn't help it. So he shook his head once again, hoping that all this negativity could fall out of his ears if he shook his head hard enough. He focused on the positive now; they at least he remembered her top 3 favourite dishes and hey if he could always get to know her better. It would be fun. He forced a smile on his face for added effect and left for the hospital.
He stopped on his way there to pick up some flowers. He felt it required and obligatory. But more than that he wanted to give her flowers. He thanked the lord a million times, because he knows her favourite flowers. Lilies and Orchids. That unusual thing doesn't like roses. He picks out a carnation of pinks and purples and irks the shopkeeper until each flower is properly arranged.
Twinkle was ready in her everyday clothes by the time he reaches her room. She is sitting on the bed, facing the doctor as he addresses her. He knocks, grabbing the attention of the occupants of the room.
Twinkle raises her gaze to meet his and then noticeably embarrassed lowers them again.
"Ah! Mr. Kunj, acha hua aap aa gaye. Twinkle ji ne already discharge papers sign kar diye hai. Main sirf aap ko yeh inform karna chahta tha ki make sure she takes her medicines on time and that har Wednesday ko aap ka mere saath appointment hai okay?" Kunj had his eyes fixed on his wife, even as the doctor talked to him. He nodded when he thought was appropriate every now and then. Without even being aware of the act, Kunj extended the bouquet towards Twinkle. She accepted it without looking at him.
"Okay! Sab clear kar chuke hai hum, aap ab Twinkle ji ko ghar leja sakhte hai. Aur Twinkle ji, Monday to aap ka therapy session mat bhool na. I'll be waiting okay?" Twinkle nodded in response.
They way to the car was a short walk filled with silence. As he always does, Kunj opened the door for Twinkle. She yet hadn't looked at him, nor had she said anything.
Amritsar's traffic was inevitable. The journey from the hospital back home was supposed to be a mere 20 minutes, but now they had been stuck in traffic for 20 minutes. Kunj turned his head to get a better view of his wife. She hadn't said anything yet, but he could see the subtle way she was opening and closing her mouth again and again, trying to find the words to say. Her hands delicately caressed the flowers in her lap. She bit her lip finally and "Kunj, I am sorry!" she turns her head to look at him and her eyes are welled up with unshed tears. "Mujhe khud nahi pata main kya sooch rahi thi. I am so-"
Kunj cuts her off there, grabs her hand and with eyes brimming with sincerity says "Twinkle jo beet gaya who beet gaya." He then places his hand against her cheek, watching it turn red. "Ab humhe sirf tere theek hone par focus karna hai. Aur sorry vorry ki koi baat nahi hai"
The traffic ahead of them moves, forcing the conversation to end.
Reaching the gates of the Manohar Mansion, makes Twinkle tense again. A million thoughts run through her head. What will Mummy ji and daddy ji think. She must have put them through a lot of pain and unnecessary tension. Will they be angry? Will she be punished?
Amidst these thoughts, Twinkle hadn't noticed Kunj get out of his seat and was now standing in front of her seat, with his hand extended to assist her. She takes in absentmindedly. He locks the car behind him and wraps his arm around her shoulder. "Zyada mat sooch. Koi tujse gussa nahi hai. Sab bas tera ghar aane ka wait kar rahe hai" he said, guessing her train of thoughts.
Twinkle hadn't paid attention to a lot of things that day, like the fact that by the time they had reached home, it was almost lunch time. She, however noticed that the dinner table was filled with her favorite food items. There was pasta, there was palak paneer and naan, and dim sum soup.
It made her feel guilty now that she thinks about her actions. She hadn't thought about anyone else and the consequences of such a radical step. And here they were trying to make her feel better when just yesterday she thought they never cared for her.
Kunj pulls out the chair for her and takes his place on the next one. "Sab kaha hai?" she asks him, feeling awkward to eat alone, feeling embarrassed and unworthy of this special treatment. The servant who came by to re fill the juice mug, informs them that Usha ma'am would be with them sortly and that the sirs had to leave for the office. It angered Kunj, that no one bothered to say behind to welcome her.
Usha came by the dining table a minute later, gave Twinkle a hug that seemed too forced and practiced for Kunj now, and made the civil and customary inquiries after her health.
They ate in silence, but Kunj was satisfied with the fact that Twinkle did actually eat. She usually skipped lunch. Once satisfied with lunch, the pair headed to their room. They sat next to each other on the white couch. There were things that needed to be addressed but neither knew how to approach the subject.
He figured asking her about her health was a good place to start. "Tujhe ab kaisa lag raha hai?"
"Embarrassed." She said, hanging her head low so that her hair forms a curtain that she could hide behind.
He lifts his hand and tucks her hair behind her ear. "Embarrassed hone ki baat nahi hai Okay?"
"Okay" comes a feeble response.
"Ab kya?" he asks.
"Ab bas recovery par focus karna hai."
Silence envelopes them again, this time lasting for a while longer. They both know that they can't hide behind this silence forever and that one day they eventually have to talk about the elephant in the room. When they decide to talk, they both do it at the same time. They try again and yet again they interrupt each other. Now they wait for the other to start.
Twinkle decides to bite the bullet and start. "Mujhe khud nahi pata maine aisa kyun kia, main bas itna jaanti hoon ki main bahut frustrated thi aur mujhe bas tumhara razor dekha aur-
"Kunj main kho gayi hoon." She says she turns to face him and sits crossed legged, determine to finish the topic, to clear everything. "Mujhe aisa lagta hai ki main ek kagaz ki kasti mein hoon aur mere upar ek ke baad ek leher aati ja rahi hai, aur main doob rahi hoon.
Maine khudh ko bachane ki bahut koshish bhi ki, par ek point par mujhe laga ki bas ab bas hua. Mujhe aisa lag raha tha ki ab mera koi hai hi nahi toh jeene ka point hi kya hai?"
Mujhe pata hai mummy ji mujhe pasand nahi karti, ma mujhe se itne gusse mein hai ki who mujhse baat hi nahi karna chahti hai, aur tumhare liye yeh shaadi ek samjoata hai. Tum sab par main sirf ek boaj hoon na?"
She has tears in her eyes, he has tears in his eyes and they both have a million words left unsaid on their tongue that neither know how to say so they sit there silently, staring at each other until they just have to blink. When Kunj does blink, down comes the first tear racing down his cheek.
His next movements were too fast for Twinkle to even comprehend. First he quickly wipes the tear of his face and the next things she knows is that he had his arms tightly armed around her in a bone crushing hug. She can feel him shaking, trying to hold in the sobs that are so close to spilling.
"Twinkle" her name on his lips are just a sweet whisper. "Twinkle, tu nahi jaanti tu mere liye kitni important hai." He kisses the side of her head to proof his point. "Main kitna dar gaya tha, Twinkle. Agar tujhe kuch ho jata toh main-" he kisses her head again. "Twinkle I promise, I promise Twinkle, yeh shaadi, tu mere liye sabse zyada important hai. And I am sorry maine yeh baat kabhi bhi zahir nahi ki. I am sorry Twinkle." And he kisses her again.
She breaks apart from the hug and wipes her tears first and then his. "Chalo inn sab baato ko chodo. Dr. Satish ne kaha hai, mujhe ek daily routine bana na hai. Toh tum meri help karo gey?"
"Har kadam par"
So they set themselves in readying a routine for her, deciding what she can do in her free time and which days are assigned to what. By the time they had completed the timetable and started on her diet chart, it was dinner time.
The pair decided to have dinner in their room. Actually Kunj insisted they have dinner in their room, he was yet upset over his dad's and Anand's absence from lunch time and their complete disinterest in Twinkle's wellbeing. They put on a movie when the silence between them became too thick and settled in bed.
Usually Kunj would sleep on the couch, but after what had happened not even two days ago, he was very reluctant to let Twinkle away from him. Twinkle was fast asleep, her night medications made her quite drowsy. She had her head pillowed on Kunj's chest and her arm haphazardly thrown over him. Kunj had one arm around her while the other gently stroked her hair. He was deeply lost in his thoughts. He couldn't get her image lying limp on the bathroom floor out of his head. The fact that he almost lost her, makes him subconsciously tighten his grip on her. As if she would disappear if he didn't hold her tight enough.
While there was nothing overly good about the current situation, Kunj believed that this incident really opened his eyes to a lot of things. He had been a fool for so long, thinking his family member's behaviour as something quite normal and acceptable. They all were (he included himself too) flawed and hypocritical to the point of ignorance and blindness. Leela was unreasonable in her anger and everything and everyone now to Kunj seemed messed up. His only regret is that Twinkle had to pay the price.
He decides to give it another month or so, If Twinkle's condition doesn't improve then he promises to himself and the lord above, he is taking her away from this prison of a life.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Well guys, this is chapter 3. I know this is a very slow story but please bear with me. I promise it all gets better...eventually. Please comment and thank you all for reading.
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