To Reach You (A Married for Money sequel)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

They stared at each other and a tiny notch locked in her forehead.  Moments later, the pink full lips widened and she gave him a gummy smile, dimples slashing down her cheek. And for the second time in his life, he fell in love all over again.

“Where were you all these days?” asked the old lady, her eyes narrowing and quickly shooting to the absence of wedding signs on Aishwarya.

“You might ask that question to her,” snapped Arul, watching Aishwarya’s back through the partly closed door, as she fed the child in the room.

“I have known that girl since two weeks and she doesn’t strike as a bad person to me. You, on the other hand, have been rude, violent and angry all the while. Forgive me if I don’t trust you.”

Usually, this long speech would have made Arul get up and leave the room in a dignity affronted silence but now, he held his tongue. All that the woman had told about him were true. But in the case of Aishu, she can’t be more wrong.

“I was Aishu’s boyfriend a year and half ago. We were to be married and she had gotten pregnant. When we parted to speak with our parents, she just disappeared.”

“And you didn’t go after her?” asked the lady in a tone which showed just exactly what she thought of him.

“She told me not to,” snarled Arul, going defensive without meaning to, “And she told me that she had aborted the child!”

“Obviously she hasn’t,” said the woman, pointing out the obvious, making him reach the boiling point. And just like his father, he went immensely polite when he lost him temper.

“If you don’t mind, can I please know who you are to her?”

“I take care of the child when Aishu is gone to office,” she replied casually, “And now what are you going to do?”

“I am going to throw you out of the house,” smiled Arul.

“This is my house, young man,” said the woman, standing up and pointing a finger at him, “And is this how your mother taught you?”

“Would you be kind enough to leave on your own or do you want me to throw you out bodily?” asked Arul, still smiling.

She huffed and shouted at Aishu who had twisted at her waist and was looking at them over her back, “If he comes back, I am going to have to ask you to leave, Aishwarya.”

She must be one for dramatics for she ‘hmpf’-ed before she left.

Arul closed the door gently and pulled his cellphone. Quickly informing his father that he was safe and will be home soon, he threw his phone on the couch and walked in to the room. She must have finished feeding for she was buttoning herself up. She raised the child in her arms and gently patted the tiny back waiting for the burp.

Arul leaned against the doorway, smiling at his child as she stared back at him, her lips widening in a smile, making milk drip out from the sides. A soft ‘urb’ shook her gently and he laughed at her surprised face.

Aishu stood up and turned around, hiding his child’s face making him frown. They stared at each other and she whispered, “Can we please talk?”

He swallowed and murmured, “First of all, look, I was angry and- and bitter, and I did not think what I was-”

“Are you apologizing?” she queried, her face a mask of confusion and what seemed like sadness.

“I never hit a woman and I can’t tell you how sorry I am,” he said, emphasizing his words, “I promise I will never do it again.”