Everything but her

Regrets

'So, how's life after marriage?', Ridhima, one of Aarushi's friend asked her.
They were meeting after a long time to celebrate Aarushi's success and she definitely was the envy of every eye.

'It's wonderful. More than I expected. It's simply the most amazing experience I have had in my life', she replied beaming ear to ear.

'It all seems perfect in the beginning', Aakansha another of her friend joined in the conversation, 'ask me I have been married 4 years now. My husband barely looks at me. Especially since my daughter, we both have hardly had time for each other.'

'I agree with you Aakansha. Even with me, we're both so busy with our professional lives that we hardly make time for each other', Ridhima responded.

'I guess it takes efforts from both sides. Virat and I have never had such issues. We try to be there for each other. Yes, professional success is important but not at the cost of relationships. We're really competitive because that's how you survive in this world but we come back home and try and make time for one another', Aarushi told the both of them.

'Aarushi, you are too simple to understand the complex world of these men. They might be pleasing you on your face and cheating you at the back of it and the lives you and Virat lead, it is most common there. Do you know how many girls are still gaga over him? I mean, you can resist all this but only up to a certain level. And it is all easily forgotten by the world. For men, all mistakes are forgiven and forgotten. You need to be careful', Aakansha gave Aarushi a word of caution.

'That all might be true and the fact is no one is born a saint and I have no problem in Virat occasionally looking at a few girls but I know for a fact that he won't go beyond that. Everyone is different. Not everyone is cut from the same cloth', Aarushi said sipping her coffee.

'Well, men they say, are all the same', Ridhima said.

'I trust my man', Aarushi said adamantly.

'Hmm, hopefully he never breaks your trust', Aakansha said.

'Ok, let's leave all that. Tell me who is this actress you would be designing for in this movie that Karan Johar is making?', Ridhima asked her excitedly.

'Well, I don't know but tomorrow we might meet the entire cast. I hope it is Deepika, Kangana or Priyanka. I love the three of them', Aarushi told her.

'Tell us when you find out and also let us know their starry tantrums', Ridhima said.

The ladies had a great time gossiping about various issues and no one wanted to leave and there were a few wet eyes when they finally decided to. Aarushi cherished each moment spent with her friends and hoped she would meet them real soon. With promises of catching up soon, everyone bid goodbye.

Aarushi felt really proud that she had instantly shrugged of the very notion of Virat ever going the path her friends had said. She somehow knew that he would never cheat on her. And her belief got stronger every time she was with him. They had been through a lot and now was the time to relish each other's presence and not live doubting one another. And thinking all this, she matched her clock to Virat's and called him up. A few seconds into ringing the phone, it was cut off. Aarushi tried once again and this time it told that the phone had been switched off. She was surprised as Virat had never done so. It just all seemed weird to her. He always left his phone on silent even if he was busy. He never cut her phone like this. What was he up to, she wondered. She sent him a message to call her when he was free.

Aarushi went home with several questions running in her head. Was this his way of taking revenge from her for not going to England? Was there a reason to worry? Were her friends right? Should she be a little cautious? Had she given too much leverage to him? What was he trying to convey by doing this? Maybe she was overthinking? Maybe he's just busy, she convinced herself. But why would he switch his phone off immediately after she had called? She was sure his battery would not have died cause that never happened with Virat. He was meticulous in charging his phone as soon as it reached 40% and moreover he always carried a power bank. Wow, she thought, all for saying she trusts her husband. Maybe all women are the same, she concluded. My poor baby might be stuck in something. It took an hour to reach home and till then she had weighed in all the options and nothing made sense than him being busy. She could not think of anything else by the end of it.

After about another hour, her phone buzzed and no surprises, it was Virat. She hurriedly picked up the phone and said:
'Hello, Virat what happened? Were you busy?', she asked all in one breath.

'Aarushi, calm down. What is the matter? We had all gone to dine with the English team. I was giving a speech as a captain. My phone was with Unmukt so he switched it off. I am sorry I forgot to tell you', Virat explained.

'No, I wasn't worried. I mean, I was but I understood that you would be busy that's why you must have done something like this', Aarushi said trying to sound normal.

'No, I mean I usually don't switch off my phone so I thought you would get worried as soon as Unmukt told me that he had switched off my phone right after some call had been coming', Virat said.

'Yeah, no, it's okay. So how was the dinner?', she asked him.

'Good, missing the home food though. Not yours for sure cause you are a horrible cook but mom's food', Virat teased her.

'Hmm, and tomorrow is our anniversary. Remember me', Aarushi said sounding a little sad. She seemed to be regretting her decision now.

'How on earth will I not, Aarushi? Now, bye bye and stop worrying about things. Mom and Bhabhi okay?'

'Yeah, yeah everything's fine. Bye bye. Love you'

'Love you too. Bye', Virat said and hung up the phone. He was concerned as he could sense a fear in Aarushi's voice. He was unaware that she was in one of the most regretful phases of her life.