Discordance

Chapter Seventy-Three

Akshara didn't even have time to wrap her head around everything that had happened because she was thrown into the choppy waters without a lifeboat at this point and all she could do to cope with it was swim like her life depended on it, but more so like Abhimanyu's life depended on it. She didn't even have time to assemble her own emotions about this but she felt Abhimanyu's pain like her own.

Abhimanyu who was currently pacing the floor of their room as he spoke with someone on the phone about Manjari's reports as he shot out question after question and listened intently. He looked so fierce as he walked that Akshara was quaking in her boots just at the thought of interrupting him because if he lost his temper at her, he would somehow feel a hundred times worse and she just didn't want to add that on his plate. So with stealthy feet, she left their room walking towards the kitchen with the intention of making some haldi milk for both Abhimanyu and herself so that they could sleep.

As Akshara rounded the corner to get to the kitchen she stopped short as Manjari and Harshvardhan came into view. She had all intention to leave them be and find a quiet corner in the house to hide but her heart clenched as she saw Harshvardhan hug Manjari and she couldn't quite tell from the distance but she was sure Harshvardhan was crying and Manjari patted his back. Akshara reached a shaky hand up to wipe the moisture gathered on her cheeks and was surprised that her tears kept falling. She had never had anyone care for her as much as Manjari had and Akshara made a vow right there and then to never talk to her kanhaji ever again if he stole the only mother she knew from her.

Breathing in once, she straightened her spine chiding herself for letting her emotions get the best of her because if Manjari wasn't crying then she had no right to cry and be weak. Abhimanyu and her Father in law can afford to get emotional, but Akshara didn't have that liberty. Plus she had years of experience hiding her feelings and emotions behind an impenetrable wall and thankfully that was a skill one could never forget, especially after going through the kind of childhood she did so with a stone cold sober heart she turned away meaning to go to their gazebo and sit outside in the quiet.

Unfortunately for Akshara, her house slippers made a loud thwack as she was walking away and she heard Manjari call out a soft "Akshu" from behind her. Plastering a wide smile on her face, she turned towards her in-laws to find Harshvardhan stealthily wiping his eyes before he looked up to give Akshara a small smile and walked away, squeezing Akshara's shoulder once.

"Yes mumma?" Akshara said after Harshvardhan had left, to find Manjari tilting her head and giving Akshara a thoughtful look.

"You don't want to tell me how sorry you feel for me?" She asked and Akshara could only imagine how horrible Manjari must be feeling and she didn't want to add to her distress so she just shrugged her shoulders "Why would I feel sorry for you? You have the best doctor in the world who will look after you" she said with a small smirk which turned into a giggle when Manjari pinched her cheek.

"Okay good. I needed this, needed someone normal in this madhouse. Nobody seems to want to meet my eyes or talk to me now without tears and it's frustrating." Manjari said with a loud sigh before bracing her hands on the kitchen countertop and staring out of the large window contemplatively. Silently Akshara gave her mother in law the space she so craved as she went about taking the ingredients out to make some haldi milk for them.

" I have so much to live for and to look forward to. There is no way anything bad will happen to me, because I can't live Harsh alone , I have to yet see Neil get married and most importantly I have to see your kids grow up and get them married" Akshara's smile slowly slid off her face as Manjari's words registered and she blinked rapidly at her mother in law not knowing what to say, especially when Manjari was smiling at Akshara openly like she expected a response. How could she tell her now that her irritating monster of a son had effectively banned any talk about kids.