The Rathore's Family

Fair

It was late at night. Drishti sat at her desk, a book open in front of her as she tried to focus on her studies. Suddenly, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, and upon seeing the caller ID, a soft smile played on her lips. Pushing the book aside, she picked up the call—it was a video call.

“How was your exam?” Advait’s voice greeted her, calm yet curious. On the screen, she could see him sitting in a chair, his laptop open in front of him. It was clear he was still immersed in his work even at this hour.

She made a sad face, pouting slightly. “First, promise me you won’t scold me,” she said, tilting her head.

His lips curved into a smile as he gazed at her. Just seeing her erased every trace of exhaustion from his face. “Why would I scold my wife?” he teased gently.

She smiled back, though a thought crossed her mind: He says that now, but I know how easily he finds reasons to scold me.

“Tell me,” he urged again, his eyes soft with encouragement.

Drishti sighed dramatically. “It didn’t go that well. Actually, it wasn’t my fault at all! I studied the entire syllabus, even all of the literature, but I think the person who made the question paper must’ve been out of their mind.”

Advait chuckled, the sound warm and comforting. “It’s okay. Just focus on the next paper now. We’ll figure out whose fault it was later.”

Drishti pouted. “Whatever the case, it definitely wasn’t my fault.”

He couldn’t help but smile at her stubborn expression. But before he could reply, she asked, “Did you eat anything?” Her eyes shifted slightly, noticing the coffee mug he had just taken a sip from before setting it down.

Her gaze narrowed, and her tone grew sharper. “Is that all you’re going to drink? Coffee? At this time? Don’t you know it’s bad for your health to skip meals and drink coffee late at night?”

Advait looked at her with wide, almost guilty eyes, like a little boy caught stealing sweets. “I did eat, okay? Why are you scolding me, poor me?”

Drishti sighed softly, her voice quieter now. “I’m not scolding you, Advait. But you don’t take care of yourself. You’re glued to that laptop all day, and you’ve set just one fixed time to call me. Is that fair?”

He clicked his tongue lightly, dismissing her concern in his usual manner. “I’ve done this so that you can stay focused on your exams. Right now, that’s what’s important for me.”

She pouted again, her next words slipping out without much thought. “But even if I study, I can’t concentrate if I don’t talk to you.”

Advait froze, her words catching him off guard. Slowly, a smile spread across his face, and a light blush crept up his cheeks. He tried to compose himself quickly, though his happiness was evident.

“Alright,” he said, clearing his throat. “For now, go to bed. You have to wake up early tomorrow. If possible, I’ll call you in the morning.”

She smiled, but neither of them wanted to end the call. They simply sat there, staring at each other through the screen, feeling each other’s presence despite the distance. Knowing she wouldn’t hang up on her own, Advait finally ended the call.

It had been 15 days since he had left, and not a single night had passed without him calling her. Sometimes, he even called in the mornings to wake her up.

Drishti had never truly realized the depth of his presence until now. The way he was always there for her, silently watching over her, had been a source of security she had taken for granted. Now, she could feel the void left by his absence.