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"What are you doing here?" he asks me, his eyes raking over my drenched body and widening. Instantly, he opens the door further, allowing me to slip inside and grab a towel from somewhere, handing it to me.
My sobs may have taken a backseat f...
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For the third day in a row, I slip the door to my adjacent balcony open and find a new, comfortable pair of saree waiting for me. When Aayansh told me to keep my window open two nights ago, which was also the last night I saw him, I obeyed. I'd kept my window open that night but I'd been too tired to stay awake late and hadn't realised when I'd slept.
The next morning when I slid the door to my balcony open, as promised, Aayansh had left two bags for me, one of them carrying a saree and the other one a comfortable, cotton pyjamas for the night. The same thing happened yesterday when I'd been unable to stay up and that has happened today as well.
I don't know how he gets into my balcony every night but I know it's him because there's a text waiting for me in the morning everyday. Even now, I skip out of the window and go to grab my phone, my clothes in my other hand. I swipe on the screen of the secret phone he's given me and sure enough, there's a text waiting for me.
Aayansh: Good morning. Did you get your clothes? I hope you like them. Tell me what you want for tomorrow and I'll drop them.
After Aayansh made me talk about how I had to sneak into Neil's room to get my clothes for the day, he almost completely lost his shit. So, somehow, she climbs through the wall every night to drop a pair or two of clothes for me so it doesn't make my wardrobe suddenly look suspicious, if some of my husband's dysfunctional family members decide to break into my room.
Me: Yes, got them. Thanks so much. You don't have to do this everyday, you know that.
His reply comes within a second.
Aayansh: I want to. Besides, you didn't answer my question. What do you want to wear for tomorrow?
Me: The green saree with golden border. The one from that Sabyasachi bag.
Aayansh: Okay, see you tonight. Text me when you can. Don't forget, I have my ears on you. Be careful.
Me: Gotcha. Bye.
This has become such a routine for us, I find it hard to deviate from it. Every morning, I wake up at six-thirty and brush my teeth first. Then, I go into the balcony, grab my clothes and chat with Aayansh for the next fifteen minutes. I go to hide the phone next, take a quick bath and get on with household work.
And, Neil has kept his word. He's had me rugged more than ever. I'm not only responsible for my own room and laundry, but his as well. In the last three days that I've been back here, the Rajans have cut down on their staff. Usually, I'd have chalked it upto their desire for torturing me, but the wrinkles on Mahesh's face as he sits for breakfast and does his tallying reminds me of how Aayansh told me how Rajans are on the verge of bankruptcy. It must be true after all, considering how they're laying off their staff little by little.
