Solace

|38|knowing

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NIDHI

After a moment, I heard someone clear their throat, followed by a chuckle and a giggle. I raised my head and saw my dear brother-in-law standing there. I tried to detach myself, stealing glances at Aadarsh, but my husband remained steadfast.

Aadarsh walked inside. "Bhaiya, let go of Bhabhi," he said, and I closed my eyes, feeling a wave of secondhand embarrassment.

Vaibhav groaned and released me, and I immediately took a few steps back.

"Next time I'm here, don't enter," Vaibhav spoke, while Aadarsh chuckled again. He walked around the kitchen island, and opened the refrigerator. The brother's had different taste in clothing. I never saw Vaibhav wearing a printed shirt, which Aadarsh was wearing right now.

"I'll change," Vaibhav spoke, glancing at me, equally awkward to meet my eyes. Despite myself, a small breathy chuckle escaped my lips. He glanced at me again, amusement dancing in his eyes. I quickly straightened my face, trying to appear normal. He grinned and left the kitchen.

Aadarsh lingered in the kitchen, clearly eager to find new ways to tease me. While, I prepared tea, waiting for my husband to decide what he wanted for dinner. About half an hour later, Vaibhav entered the kitchen, wearing a light bluish long-sleeved T-shirt and black joggers.

While I strained the tea into two cups, he looked at me intently, then at the cups, and back at me. Why was it so surprising that we could have our evening tea together? He pulled his sleeves up to a little below his elbows and sat down. I handed him a cup.

Either, there is something wrong with me, or there is something wrong with his appearance.

"Aadarsh?" he asked, taking a sip of tea, closing his eyes as he savored it. I shook my head a little, and blinked a few times to take out my mind from the gutter.

"Went to his room," I replied clearing my throat, I pulled out a chair for myself. We sat facing each other.

"Let's go for a walk after this," he murmured. Although I wanted to tell him I had already walked plenty during the day, I kept silent. I was ready to take whatever time he offered. At some point, his time had become precious to me.

"Okay," I agreed.

"But dinner?" I added. Already my mother in law, had a few issues with me, I didn't want to multiply them.

"Tell Rupa what to make," he suggested. I remained silent until Rupa entered. Then I asked her to prepare dal fry, dahi bhindi, and rice, as Aadarsh and Vaibhav sometimes ate rice too. For an extra dish, I requested fried gobhi.

***

Now, we were walking side by side on the stone path. We were near the children's park where I had played with Anirudh Bhaiya's kids a month before. My mind, however, was focused on Vaibhav.

It had been days since I last saw them, I realized. College, home, and my husband had been keeping me quite busy.

How did he know Maa had said something?

Had she spoken to him too?

Whatever it was, I didn't bring up the topic again, not wanting to recount the hurtful words she had directed at me. Abruptly, he encircled my hand with his, his warm touch comforting my cold fingers. His hands were warm, like his heart.

"How was your day?" I asked, breaking the silence. We needed to talk about something; we couldn't just walk in silence forever.

He stopped abruptly, prompting me to halt as well. Why did I even ask? Now I can't just retract the question.