Discordance

Chapter Fifty

He wasn't going to respond to her because he really wanted this to be his final penance, even if she kept telling him he didn't need it. It was a penance to himself because try as he might, he couldn't forget that their wedding happened under duress, and he wanted to erase those memories and give her some happy memories that she could carry with her for the rest of their life. He was selfish in a way because he wanted her to choose him without the pressure because only then would he truly grasp the magnitude of her love and be able to accept it without the walls that formed their initial bond.

"You wearing my ring brings me so much joy." He whispered in her ear as they were getting dressed for bed the other night. When she turned her face up to smile at him softly, Abhimanyu felt like he wanted time to stop in that instance so he could capture this moment forever. He wished he could prolong his sickness because he had been extremely needy yet she had refused to give up babying him until he was fit and fine.

Love of her life, that's right. He was the love of her life and he would make sure the rest of their life was filled with love, joy and smiles because Akshara deserved nothing but the best. He turned towards her to touch her and bring her close, but she was already fast asleep, her palm resting under her chin, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout and cheeks puffed up. Sometimes his obsession with her scared him because it almost felt like an out of body experience every time she smiled at him or blushed for him or whispered "more" when she couldn't get the words out or when she hid her face into his neck.

He was finally fit enough to go back to work but he wasn't as enthused about it after being spoilt rotten by his wife but one thing about being better was that he could kiss his wife and share bodily fluids without worrying about her falling sick and that was the little win that brought a spring in his step despite his misery at having to go back.

"Abhimanyu" instantly his head whipped towards his office door, startled to find his beautiful wife standing at the threshold playing with the hem of her dress. He was on his feet in no time stomping over to her trying to figure out what she was doing there.

Grabbing her arm he gave her a quick onceover, his worry easing when she giggled and wriggled into his hold "what are you doing here?" he asked casually trying to cover up his very obvious spike of fear reflected upon his face.

"I have a guy here getting some spinal surgery and I thought I would wait in your office. I didn't know if you would be around or not-"she trailed off and like a puppet Abhimanyu nodded at her, elated that he got to spend time with her even at work. Haaaaah! Already this day was better than any day he had spent in the hospital.

"Everyone's whispering behind my back. I want to go back to being Akshu but I guess that's a pipe dream now" she said as she sat with a thump on the sofa twisting her hands in front of her and Abhimanyu hated the anxiety laced in her voice. She didn't deserve to have her friends isolate her solely because she was his wife. Akshara had time and again proved how dedicated she was to her job and he hated that they would come around only after making her suffer.

Lifting her up to her soft protest he sat down on the couch with her on his lap, rubbing her arms soothingly. "You haven't been at the hospital much after that day baby, as much as it sucks it will take time. Just keep doing what you do and everyone will see that nothing has changed and you are still as lovely and perfect as before."

"I don't want to wait, why can't everything go back to normal already. It feels like I am constantly trying to catch up to life. Something or the other is always happening, I just want to disappear for a bit and sleep for a week straight" she muttered but at least she rested the back of her head onto his chest. Her words made him think back to ever since they had been married for what 7ish almost 8 months now and how things constantly kept happening and both of them were dragged into this whirlwind almost daily.