Musings

Maybe

He has already knocked on her bedroom door twice. With still no response, he grabs the doorknob and enters into the room himself. The room is filled with the soft scent of her shampoo, hinting that she had just come out of the shower. He quietly places the take out on the side table and proceeds to the small balcony where he finds her lazily sitting in the swing, her finger swiping up her iPhone. It's so strange that by just her posture alone, he knows that another issue has come up and she is reading all those hateful comments thrown their way. He involuntarily sighs.

She looks up from her mobile and a small smile appears on her face, a smile that does not reach her eyes.

"Got the food already?"

"Yes"

"No takeaway line"

"No"

"Did you remember to bring the spiced fries? You know I don't like the mild ones"

"I did. Just like always"

Their strained conversations is enough for them to know that she needs to get it out of her system

"They are not happy with you going there without me"

"They will never be"

"Should I tweet something about it?"

"Don't bother, its just going to add more fuel to the fire", he replies back tiredly as he lays back on the chair.

She watches him closely. Even though he doesn't say anything, she knows that he must have seen those tweets too. Not all of them, but enough to get the gist. This has been their way whenever they have to deal with such issues, and by whenever it meant every other day. She tells him the latest 'problem', they either laugh it off or just leave it aside and forget about it, like today.

But for some reason, today she did not feel satisfied with this arrangement. Somehow today's hanash has affected her more than ever. Maybe its because they were far away from home yet were still supposed to deal with this behavior or maybe because it spoiled her good mood.

"Love?"

"uh?", he asks without removing his hand from his eyes.

"Do you ever..... Did it ever.... Cross your mind.. that maybe...?"

"That maybe they are right?"

"I guess. I mean humans are adaptable creatures. We learn to adapt ourselves to our surroundings in order to survive. When they say that this unexpected event occurred in our lives.."

"We just went with the flow; we did what was asked of us. And maybe we did more than what was asked that somehow it became our second nature?" he says as he sits back up.

She nods.

He massages his eyes, tiredness evident from his every body part but not the physical type. "Actually many times. I have been in this industry for more than 5 years now. I have faced countless challenges, you know. To survive in this cruel world, to be able to support my family, I said what they told me to say. I acted like the way they wanted me to act. Adaptable right? This entire time I only did just that. So ever since you came into the picture and these "theories" began to make the rounds, I found me questioning myself countless times that ' What I am doing, is it still part of the show or is it by my own accord?, Am I doing it out of my own free will or because its expected from me......", he stops

"And did you find the answer?, she asks in a small voice

"Most of the time, I knew I was doing it for myself. But when these fans claim to know better myself, I reevaluate my actions and suddenly.....",he hesitantly looks up.

She smiles. "And suddenly you are not so sure of yourself. I understand. When they say that I only fell in love with you because it was my job descibtion or that I was heartbroken and wanted a do-over, and when they say it with full conviction, even I'm left dumbfounded"

Silence once again seeps into their conversation, filling the spaces that their words fail to. The afternoon breeze flows through, ruffling their hair, making his more unkempt.

"Maybe if we spend ..."

"Some time away from each other?"

"Maybe we will find the answer..."

"Answers that might tell if our feelings our REAL or just a by product of our work relationship?"

"I guess..."

"Worth a shot?", they both ask simultaneously and bow down their hands but nod in agreement.

"So...."

"Start from now......"

"No time like the present", she says. He crouches down to kiss her lightly on the head and with a last wave he proceeds to the door ,while she looks out to the sky.

.

.

.

.

.

.

In a single heartbeat they both run to each other other's arms and explode into a thousand laughs.

Cause in this whole wide world, if they are sure of one thing only

Its

THEM.