The Devil's Love

Chapter Ten

Shehnaaz sat across from Sidharth, handed him a bowl of fruits. "Ray told me you skipped breakfast today."

"It was early morning. I was not hungry." Sidharth responded. "I wanted to be home soon."

Shehnaaz nodded. Sidharth took a piece of fruit and forwarded the folk towards his wife. "I missed you, angel."

Shehnaaz's face lit up with a small smile, the kind that assures.

"I don't want to make assumptions— was the trip okay?" Shehnaaz asked cautiously. "You said there was a problem."

Sidharth didn't respond immediately, but shrugged noncommittally.

Shehnaaz took his hands, almost as if she was curious to see a miracle come to life between his fingers. Then, she pressed a soft kiss on his knuckles and smiled at him. "We don't have to talk about it immediately." She assured him.

"How was your week?" He asked, causing Shehnaaz to roll her eyes. She responded with a small summary of her week.

"You knew all that." She said quietly. "It was a shitty week except for the two NGO visits."

Sidharth cooed at her affectionately, "Koi baat nahi na meri jaan, at least tune NGO jaake toh masti ki na."

Shehnaaz grinned. "Woh to hai.."

Sidharth kissed her cheek fondly. "I love you, Shehnaaz."

She smiled. "I know you do."

It was a long week for both of them, the first time that they had realized how important their partner was for them, both as a friend and an emotional support. Sidharth hadn't touched on the topic that had distracted him for the last few days and he knew it wasn't a permanent solution but having his wife, his best friend there made things better, if only just a little.

Shehnaaz knew he was running, he was scared. She hadn't seen him like this before and she was worried but at the same time, she trusted the man. Everyone runs, sometimes. Everyone's scared sometimes. Sidharth had his family, his wife to depend upon, on those days, he would always have them.

***

That evening, Shehnaaz found her husband watching the sunset from the room's balcony. He was quiet, staring into the vast expanse of the sky and smiling softly.

"It's beautiful. The sky, bathed in a red hue." Shehnaaz said quietly, walking over to her husband and linking her arm with his, leaning against his shoulder.

Sidharth didn't move and Shehnaaz didn't mind that.

"I hated red, as a child. All the cartoons I had watched with my parents, the color was danger, blood, death. Then I saw the other beautiful red things. The hibiscus, for example. I didn't love it instantly but it was not horrible." Shehnaaz said softly.

"My favorite color is white. Ironically, the color of peace." Sidharth told her. "It doesn't go well with my personality."

"What color do you think goes with your personality?" She asked curiously.

Sidharth shrugged. "I don't really know."

Shehnaaz nodded. "White suits you."

"Am I being told that you find me hot when I wear white?" Sidharth gasped, looking at her eagerly.

"Possible."

Sidharth grinned. "I like yellow on you."

"I know. You stared at me puppy eyed the last time I wore my yellow dress." She said gleefully.