THIRD Lover [COMPLETE]

THIRD LOVER

He placed the water jug on the nightstand. Rekha would need it in the middle of the night. She didn't know correctly where was the fridge, where was the aqua guard etc. It was been only four days since they returned from the hospital.

Sanjeev cleanly spread the bedsheet on the bed.

In these three years, he had heard many varieties of her scolding just because he ruined the systematic folds of these cotton sheets while getting on and off the bed. She loved everything perfectly clean and in its place. But in these three-four days she didn't raise her voice at him. She was silently sleeping on the one side of the bed and eating whatever he was delivering her, boiled or delicious.

Not even four times they conversed properly in these four days. She just answered him by nudging her head to any of his questions. And it was an obvious response from a person to a stranger.

He could feel how it was difficult for her to live with a man under the same roof when she didn't have any idea of their precious relationship.

Two and a half months back Rekha got into a severe accident. Resting in two months of the coma she gained consciousness only six days back. Doctors said she had forgotten her recent pasts, and he was the first person who got paralysed for an hour unable to bear the trauma. She had no idea of the past five to six years. The only people she remembered were her parents’ family members and some of her old friends. She got shocked when it was announced to her that she was married. She was numbly silent, gazing at him but after a few minutes, she accepted everything not finding any point to argue.

And it had pained him a lot that one more time she was coming into his life without finding any other option.

Then the discussion between her paternal and maternal family started about where to keep her in this condition. He was so vulnerable and quiet at that time to give any suggestions. He didn't want to share her times with anybody else but he couldn't shout it out. Later seeing his condition they decided to let her leave with him. He also selfishly didn't protest it not thinking about her confusing state and took her to their home.

Next, a new phase of his life started like a new lover but the situation was reminding him as if he was reliving his fresh wedding.

At a young age, he was extremely engrossed in his studies and making a career. When he got a secure job his typical family forced him to marry but he was not in an interest to take on new responsibilities over his shoulders. There was another reason that he wanted a love marriage in which his partner would unconditionally love him and then accept him of her own will not like being randomly thrown to marry him. 

It was so ridiculous for him how two strangers started living so proximally not only under the same roof but on the same bed without having a piece of proper knowledge about each other.

He had a lack of time at that period so he didn't give it a try to be in a love relationship with someone and this unmentionable grief always persisted inside him.

Finally, his arguments with his family finished and he was defeated. On a summer day, he tied the knot with Rekha.

He was too awkward and she was way too much shy at first. Internally he felt irritated when his own room separated into two and his things were disturbed from their places. But being a gentleman he didn't state his discomfort on her face because the thing that was different to him was completely new to her.

Like or unlike other couples it took them a complete month to start a normal conversation without his hesitation and her stammering. Slowly their relationship took shape. The things which were irritating him before later felt so sweet and satisfying.