Along the Lines of Love | ✓

Chapter 73 : Apologies & Guilt

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yeh naraazgi kaagzi saari teri

♪

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It had been a week, that Nikhil hadn't really spoken to her. Their communication was limited to what was necessary. Sharanya tried to initiate conversations but he either walked away or ignored her altogether. It was beginning to hurt her, his indifference.

She settled on the chair, turning to her right to look at Nikhil. She filled his plate with the sweet she had just re-heated and passed the bowl to Saahil.

Nikhil looked at the sweet she has scooped onto his plate. Her small gestures were very endearing. But they couldn't undo the hurt that still resonated in his every cell. Every now and then his mind would go back to that night. It vexed him. He had never thought he'd hate Gargi so much. He didn't know if it was his insecurity, his jealousy or a logical dislike.

"Nikhil, we're planning to go to meet the Nagbushan Family, specifically their daughter Tanisha, for Saahil, tomorrow evening."

"I have a meeting, I will come late anyway. But I will keep the spare key."

The others stared at him. His mother opened her mouth to say something but then changed her mind and turned to look at Sharanya.

"Sharanya," his mother prompted.

"I will come home early, by afternoon."

Nikhil kept his lips in a straight tight line. Of course she would go. Saahil was second on her list after Gargi. For all he knew, he was at the end of that list, if at all he was on it.

The Senior Mrs. Kumar looked between the couple. She could make out that there was some tension between them. She didn't want to pry. At the start of a marriage there were a thousand things a couple would have differences on. Maybe it was just one of those. They'd eventually figure out how to deal with the curveballs life threw at them.

"Shreya, you'll come right?" The mother asked diverting her attention to her daughter.

"Of course, you don't even have to ask." Shreya smiled at her mother before glancing at her elder brother with a disappointed look.

Saahil silently ate his dinner, occasionally looking between Sharanya and Nikhil. Everyone at home knew there was some tension. They barely spoke to each other. It wasn't like they were very interactive otherwise. But one couldn't miss the coldness between them, the robotic behaviour instead of the warm communication their gazes always engaged in.

Sharanya looked at Nikhil as she entered the room after wrapping up the kitchen. She was beginning to get tired of his aloof behaviour. That also came with the realization that she missed her husband being himself around her. It was like he had pushed her out of those walls he had built around himself. The same walls she had always been welcomed inside.

She never thought that Nikhil's silence could be so hard to deal with but it was. 

"Sharanya,"

God she missed him calling her like that by her name. She hummed in response, walking over to him with anticipation. Maybe he was tired of this behaving like strangers too.

"I spoke to Mr. Sunderraju, your landlord. He was okay with increasing the security deposit by three lakhs and reduce the rent to twenty five thousand."

"Twenty five?" Sharanya repeated surprised. That was a significant fall.

"Yes," He confirmed, before going on, "I had asked my advocate to draw up two draft agreements. As per both, the net refundable security deposit would be five lakhs and rent twenty-five thousand plus maintenance. This one is if you or Harshit become the tenant. The second one is if you and Harshit jontly become the tenants. That way you'll each have to pay half the rent. It will probably be a manageable amount for him and you both can claim HRA benefits and get relief from tax. Talk to him and see what works out for both of you."