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Anuj woke up with a start, he didn't know when he had collapsed. All he recalled was him shaking in anger and frustration before it started. The rising anxiety in his chest as he realized she was gone. She had actually left him. Where was she, he needed her now more than anything. How could she do this to him! She had promised to never ever leave him. The contents of the letter pained him to no end, that she'd think he needed to make a choice. They would've fought together and they would've gotten through this. But, no, once again she made the choice for him. And once again he was incomplete, how would he ever feel complete without her again?! Where could she be, his mind itched to call someone at Shah house, but inside he knew that no one there would know either. She had left all of them.
Anuj recalled the last few days of trauma and shuddered.
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He had driven in silence as Anu silently sat next to him. He had taken them for a long drive post the drama at Shah house. They both needed the time to process things, he internally winced at the accusations hurled at him and the pain in Anu's face as she trembled defending him, with questions in her own eyes. Neither of them spoke as they took in the view around them, the silence wrapped around them like a cocoon, both of them scared to break this warming silence lest they crumble with all the unanswered questions between them.
Finally, he asked her: "Tum theek ho?".
"Kaise ho sakti hoon?"
She glanced at him and saw how he winced at her response and she felt despair at his pained expression. This wasn't going to be easy and she could see how disturbed he was. She had a choice to make, she drag this out or accept that he made a mistake, albeit it was with keeping her in his mind, he was still wrong. Or she could just figure out how they move on from here.
She loosened his tight fingers from around the steering wheel, and softly said: "Tell me what happened." And with that soft question, Anuj crumbled and he had shared his version of the story. Without another word Anu got out and walked him out to the passenger side. She got back in the car and drove them home, he wasn't in a position to drive. The guilt he had been carrying in his heart was enough trauma for the both of them. She'd figure out her emotions later. She held onto his hand as they drove back home. Time for another confrontation at home.
Later that night, Anuj woke up with a start and looked around for Anu and he heard the shower running. He realized he had slept quite early after Anu had forcibly made him lie down. As he heard the running water, he relaxed back on to the pillow and looked at the ceiling. He must have laid there for a good 30 minutes before he realized Anu never takes this long of a shower. She was usually efficient with her showering time. With that he sat up with a start and walked to the bathroom door. He heard the water running from the shower but he also heard some muffled sobs emanating from the bathroom. He collapsed onto the ground in front of the door as he sat with his head against the door listening to her breaking down. For the first time he dared not face her. She had kept a brave face throughout all of this, but he knew her. He had inadvertently brought her back to a similar situation she had faced 2 years ago. He had heard from Devika about how Anu had been one of the last to hear the truth and unknowingly he had failed her and again put her in a situation where she had to learn the truth from someone else. Whether she trusted him or not was the question, but her being back in a similar situation had given rise to her emotions similar to the the time she had broken down 2 years ago and had been on the verge of losing herself. That feeling and those emotions were something she had always been scared of revisiting and today she somehow was there again. Both of them sobbed on either side of the door and after a while Anuj realized he need to help her. Would she want to see him in her vulnerable state right now?
