— Isha, meri baat sunne ke liye kya logi tum?
As Shantanu walked into their flat, his question hung in the air. Isha, busy with dinner prep, stopped chopping and raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with amusement,
— Shantanu, Main bacchi nahi hu jo tum bologe wahi karungi!
— Isha, Tumhe kuch samajh aaraha hai? I have seen Rao Saheb in Ramtek!
— Woh tumhara vahem bhi ho sakta hai Shantanu! Tumhe kaise pata ki tum hundred percent sahi ho?
— Isha, precaution is better than cure yeah baat tumhe samajh kyu nahi aarahi! Maine tumhe bola tha ki tum mere bina matt jaana ghar lekin tumhe to zaldi thi!
Isha got up from the chair and said,
— Shantanu, iss mein itna gussa karne ki zarurat nahi hai. Ajj pehela din tha tumhara, tumhe late hota I know. Isiliye aagayi main. Tumhe maine nikal ke call kiya, ghar pohoch ke call kiya. Tumne nahi uthaya!
— Isha, you know what tumko samajh hi nahi aaraha mera point!
— Areh, Rao Saheb agar yeha hai bhi to kya ho gaya? Main shaadi ke baad tumhare saath usi ghar pe rakhungi jaha woh rahenge...
— Isha, hum waha nahi rehete... Main kahi or ghar le leta!
— Shantanu, unki galati ke liye tum ghar kyu choroge? You are just overreacting. Galati unki thi, tum mujhe kyu rok rahe ho akele nikalne se?
— Kyunki I care. You know what Isha, tumhe meri baat kabhi samajh nahi aayegi cause tum haar waqt yehi karti ho... Apni man mani!
Saying this Shantanu went inside the bedroom. Isha shouted,
— Ha main hi galat hu. Tum to hamesha sahi hote ho!
Isha threw the knife on the table in irritation.
Shantanu stood in the balcony, his face etched with irritation and confusion. He was certain his eyes hadn't deceived him - he had seen Rao Saheb in Atul's balcony, but the image was hazy, like a fleeting shadow. The memory of Atul's words earlier that day still lingered, piercing his mind like a sharp needle. He recalled their conversation, every phrase, every tone, every nuance.
Flashback
— Isha ji mere ghar pe bohot comfortable thi!
— Ha, sat saal thi to hogi hi comfortable!
— Ha... Woh mere sath bhi comfortable ho gayi thi.
— Accha!
— Ha re... Raat ko sone jaane se pehele we used to talk about the whole day. Woh mere kaam ke baare mein sunke itni haasti thi! Unko utni khush abhi nahi dekhta main. Kya hogaya kya pata! Asal mein woh yeha independent thi, maine unhe kabhi bandha nahi tha...
Flashback ended
Shantanu's heart skipped a beat as a sudden fear of losing Isha gripped him. A sense of foreboding settled in, like a dark cloud looming over him. He frantically searched for her in the drawing room, but it was empty. He dashed to the washroom, kitchen, and other rooms, his anxiety growing with each step. The silence was deafening. The fear began to manifest physically, his chest constricting with a sharp pain. His eyes stung, threatening to spill tears.
— W... Woh mujhe chorke chali gayi! P... Phir ekbar. Meri gaalti ki wajah se, maine ushe bandhne ki khosish ki! Ma... Maine...
he whispered, his voice trembling. And then, his heart plummeted further as he saw the main door ajar. He murmured, his voice barely audible, "No...no...no..."
Isha stepped into the flat, bag in hand, and was immediately enveloped in a scene of raw emotion. Shantanu stood frozen, tears streaming down his face, his eyes red-rimmed. As their gazes met, he sprinted towards her, wrapping her in a tight embrace, his body shaking with sobs. Isha stood silent, feeling the warmth of his tears seep into her shoulder, her clothes growing damp. She set the bag aside and gently extricated herself from the hug. With a soft touch, she cradled Shantanu's face, his eyes welling up again, and asked,
— Kya hua hai Shantanu? Kya hua bolo! A... Aise rone jaisa kya hogaya?
Shantanu just asked her,
— K... Kaha gayi thi?
— Laundry mein jo kapde diye the woh de gaya security ko. Wahi lane gayi thi!
As Shantanu's heartbeat returned to normal, Isha's face, etched with worry, remained inches from his. She asked again,
— Kya hua hai Shantanu? Bolo na...
Shantanu said finally,
— M... Mujhe laga tum mujhe chorke chali jaogi. Tu... Tum Atul ke paas shayad zyada khush thi. Sh... Shayad main tumhe badh raha hu, independence chin raha hu. I am sorry Isha, main baas concerned tha isiliye chilla diya. M...
— Shhhhh! Shantanu, woh baate kyu leke baithe ho. Tu... Tum baitho yeha.
Isha made him sit on the sofa.
— Main paani lati hu.
As Isha moved to get water, Shantanu's grip tightened, holding her in place. He nestled his head into the soft curve of her belly, his arms wrapped possessively around her waist. He whispered,
— Matt jao plz. Mere paas raho.
Isha knew he needed her most in this moment. She enveloped him in a warm embrace, her lips brushing against his hair in a gentle kiss. Her fingers softly caressed his hair, comforting him as he buried his face in the warmth of her stomach. Shantanu's heart felt like it was shattering, as if he was losing his entire existence. His grip on her tightened, his face pressed deeper into her skin, seeking solace in her love.
_______________________________________
To be continued...
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Author ❤️
