I Found You

61.

Adhira pushed a strand of hair back from her face as she folded the freshly laundered clothes, her hands moving mechanically.

The house bustled with its usual evening rhythm as everyone gathered in the living hall for evening tea.

The sounds of cricket highlights playing on the Tv filled the room muffled with the soft barks of Sky as he chased Veer around to snatch the cookie he was munching on.

"Abey, bhookhe. Tujhe har cheez hi kyun khaani hoti hai." He teased, giving him a tiny bite.

Adhira smiled faintly, watching them from her seat but her mind remained occupied. Her fingers fumbling with the collar of his shirt while her gaze kept flickering to the screen of her phone.

"Adhira?"

She blinked, pulling out of her thoughts by Saanvika's voice who was looking at her with amused expression. "Chai thandi ho rahi hai beta."

Adhira glanced at the single cup in the tray, steam no longer rising from it. Before she could say anything Mukti stood up to get it reheated. "I'll do it."

"Vikram se baat hui teri?" Saanvika asked, setting her cup down onto the table.

"Nahi," Adhira shook her head. "Kal raat hi hui thi bas."

"Bhaiya told me it'll take him two or more days." Kabir informed, patting Sky's head
as he now settled near his legs, his tail wiggling lazily.

Adhira's hand stilled on the fabric she had been folding, the weight of words pressing down on her chest.

Four days. It had been four days already since Vikram left for Bangalore. Four days since he'd come from office and told about the urgent business trip.

Everything had happened so fast. He had barely packed, squeezing in a quick dinner before leaving early the next morning.

The past four days had felt slow, almost dragging. She felt as if a part of her was missing. And till now, she hadn't realised how deeply she had gotten used to him.

They had managed few calls between his meetings but they never felt enough. She needed him beside her.

"What's taking him so long in a site visit?" Jaideep asked, lowering the volume of Tv as he turned his gaze to them.

"Something urgent came up. So..." Kabir shrugged, giving him a knowing look.

"Acha!" Jaideep nodded, getting the sign.

Later that evening, Kabir, Mukti and Veer insisted on cooking with Adhira, another small effort to lift her mood.

"Bhabhiii," Kabir stretched, eyeing her as she stirred the sauce. "Who even puts haldi in pasta?"

"I do," Adhira replied, dropping a pinch into the pan.

Kabir scrunched his nose mockingly while grating the cheese. "Bhaiya can disown you for this, you know?"

Rolling her eyes, she shot back. "He eats whatever I make without complaints."

"Not the garam masala, please." Mukti chimed in, peering over the counter with wide eyes.

"I make it this way, okay?" Adhira huffed, turning to glare at them.

"I don't know about your Bhaiya's fancy italian recipes." She added, stirring the sauce.