It was been two days and Manvi was not speaking with Virat. He tried to talk with her, make her understand his point of view but she did not budge even a bit. They were staying with Rahul and Priya, friends of Virat. The three of them were college mates and now were completing their residency in the same hospital. Rahul and Priya were recently married earlier that year. They knew everything about Virat.
"Manvi, Rahul told me about that there is a penthouse in this complex. It is up for rent. We are going to check it out. I think you should come too." Virat told her. Manvi didn't reply or even look at him.
Her silence was driving him crazy. "Manvi, stop this silent treatment. I can't take it anymore. You have not spoken a single word since we left." Manvi looked at him angrily, ready to burst open but she saw Rahul and Priya waiting by the door. She controlled herself and walked to them, signaling that she was ready to go with them.
It was a small house on the top of a big apartment complex. There was one bedroom, a living room and a really small kitchen with just a lot of empty space outside. Virat didn't like it at all and said the same to the landlord "Sorry uncle, we need atleast one more room."
His eyes searched for Manvi. She was silently standing by the wall in a corner. The entire city was visible from there. She closed her eyes for a few seconds to feel the cool breeze hitting her face and her lips curved into a small smile. 'That's the first in the last two days' he thought.
"On second thoughts, we will take it. It's fine, it's really cute" he amended looking towards Manvi. Rahul and Priya eyed Virat sharply and looked at each other with a smile.
"That's great Virat, we will be a few floors down, it will be fun" Rahul said.
Virat walked towards Manvi, put his hand on her shoulder and asked "Manvi, do you like it?"
"How are we going to manage Virat? You won't get paid for another year and even after that, you have to clear entrance exams for post grad courses abroad. I know how expensive they are. We have to pay rent, tuition and so many other things. Are you going to leave the program? Your whole life, your dream, your ambition? How can you not think about all this. You have made such a hasty decision. Please Virat, let's go back; we will apologize and everything will be back to normal. They have a problem with me, I will do whatever they want. I don't care." Tears rolled off her eyes.
"But, I care Manvi. All our dreams will come true. I promise you that. Please don't worry about all those things. I have not taken any hasty decision, on the contrary, it is a well thought out one. I have a fellowship, so do you. Even otherwise, my dad left me a huge trust fund and my sweet bhai had called me more than hundred times in the last two days asking if I needed anything."
"We haven't left the house in contempt or anger Manvi, we will go back. All in good time. This is not easy for me either. You think I won't miss my mom, my bhai and everyone else? Ofcourse I will Manvi, but there is a place for everything in life. If you keep sacrificing your desires, your hopes and ambitions for others, there will not be anything left in you. You will look back after a few years and not be able to recognize yourself. You will have become just a collection of other people's opinions and ideals. I will never let that happen, either to myself or you. You know why? Because the person standing in front of me is so beautiful. I can't let that change in anyway" He smiled.
"Now cheer up. Stop crying. I can't see you like this. I need you partner. I need you to understand me and support me. Bolo, dhoge mere saath?" he extended his hand.
His words touched her heart. He thought about her more than she did, or anyone else did. How can there be anything more important than supporting him? She remembered her beeji and what she said 'Beta, hamesha Virat ka saath dena. Main janti hoon woh tumhara haath kabhi nahi chodega.' With tears in her eyes, she finally smiled and gave him her hand softly. He hugged her and patted her back relieved.
---
They had a small house-warming party the next day, with Rahul and Priya as their first guests. Manvi started liking their small little world even though she missed everyone back at home. She could see the sky from the windows; sunrays filled the house with light early in the morning. They started settling in slowly.
Virat used to whine constantly about how small everything was and how he had to do everything himself. When Manvi asked him if he missed anyone at Vadhera house, he said he really missed Tarun, his help, who used to do all his work.
She was getting annoyed of his constant cribbing. "Virat! If you didn't like it that much then why did you lease it in the first place. You should have taken a house as big as Vadhera house; hired a dozen helpers: one for washing your clothes, one for pressing it, one for cooking.."
"Tum hi kyu nahi karti yeh sab kuch. Mujh se nahi hota." he threw a fit.
"Ideal biwi nahi banna tum ko?" he asked her nicely with his best smile.
"Ideal biwi?? Nahi, nahi, ideal toh aap ho Viratji. Kya kya show off karte ho sab ke samne. Manvi ke liye yeh, manvi ke liye woh. Waise agar kisi ko problem honi hai toh, muje honi chahiye. Ladki main hoon. Did I complain I don't have privacy? Did I complain the closets are so small? I didn't say a word. I didn't, because I am adaptable. I am a happy person. I don't complain like a 5 year old, unlike others" she gave him a dirty look.
"Bas bas..waise apne aap ko ladki math bolo. Tum toh dadi ho. Dadi ki abhi amma ho." Virat pulled out the toast he just burned onto the plate and with full focus was trying to break an egg.
"OH MY GOD! Hato yaha se." she pushed him away from the stove. "Ek toast nahi bana sakte ho. Bade aaye brain surgeon banne. I wouldn't even trust you to paint my finger nails."
Virat watched her making an omlet "kitna accha banathi ho tum Manvi. Roj tum hi banaya karo." he said with a chuckle..
"Sara kaam main karungi toh aap kya karenge??
"Saving lives baby. Future world's top surgeon, the doctor with the golden hand" he said throwing his hands out proudly."
Manvi rolled her eyes and stuffed the burnt toast in his mouth to shut him up. He stopped her by holding her hand and twisted it lightly turning her back to face him. They were so close to each other that the proximity brought back all those feelings she wanted to suppress. She froze again and her heart started racing like a rocket. But then she saw Virat throw up the toast and make such a disgusted face that she forgot everything and laughed uncontrollably with her hand on her tummy.
--
Next day when she came back from college, she saw that their bedroom was all revamped. Their bed was pushed in one corner. One the other side, was a small round bed, with a pink canopy over it. It had was a small note stuck on it. It read 'For Bandariya.' Then she remembered how she told him that she didn't have any privacy. She quickly opened her closet, to see all sorts of space savers in it. She immediately went to find Virat; he was studying with Rahul and Priya outside. She stood there, not wanting to disturb him, looking at him unable to believe his sweet gestures. He looked up at her from his books, completely understanding her expressions of appreciation. He just winked at her and smiled. She blushed a little and went back inside with a smile so wide that it touched her eyes.
