A Promise (Completed)

Chap 23

Payal's POV

Looking at the things made me think like past is getting excited and showing up again and it isn't quite appreciable. It's harder to even convince myself to hope for better days ahead. A lone tear escaped my eye as if the flow is reserved for later days.

I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself and In that attempt I slept. I woke up after some time. I used the washroom and when I saw my image in the mirror, it was worst. The mark of my Kohl which followed the path of tear was clearly visible. I splashed water on my face to let all the hurtful thoughts to vanish for the time being.

I checked my handbag and sat down on couch to complete few assignments relating to school. I was rearranging all the sheets and I heard my name, it was Manav. He asked me to come downstairs. I quickly kept all the sheets in the drawer next to the bed and went down.

"What is it?" – I asked

"You had your dinner? "

"No, Not yet."

"Cool, then, join me and this time it's just food and not alcohol or anything else." He said and we both smiled.

We moved towards the dining area. I saw a paper bag on the dinning table. "What's in this?" but before he could answer I took the bag and looked inside. "Plain Chips" we both said at once.

"I like these ones, do you?"

"Yes even I do, I like them plain, exactly this way." Saying so I ate chips and made a 'hmm' sound , to which I earned a giggle from his side and it went on this way. I really enjoyed my supper in his company. I found him very polite and well mannered which was complete opposite to what I noticed the other day.

After filling our stomachs we both sat on the couch and he switched to English channels, which I watch very rarely. He stopped at a TV show.

"You follow this show?" – He asked

"No. What is it?" – a very obvious answer because I watch Bollywood or Tollywood, basically hindi or telugu stuff much.

"It's popular series – The Vampire diaries....." and so it went on, he said the plot of the show till date and I already like the show because of its name as I watched few movies based on Vampires and they are very fascinating.

There was complete season of Vampire diaries playing on TV and I and Manav got involved with the characters in the show and I got a beautiful excuse to shut the door of grief.

Siddhartha's POV

I started drive from office to home very late on Friday. Actually this has become routine for me. I prepared myself to confront her and say sorry and move on but I couldn't gather myself for it. I didn't know why I felt awkward to talk and be sorry about it.

I mean like, I know it is bad to force on someone but I was drunk. Moreover she is my wife and not anybody else that I bumped into bed with. Why doesn't she make it easy for me? why is she giving this silent treatment to me ? I really hate this whole thing happening.

I was good before this whole marriage happened with her. Why did I even choose her? Ok!! I know the answer to it but, what to do, things seemed good from a distant. Anyway I couldn't fix all this, so I better thought of ignoring it for the time being, may be everything might get back to normal with time.

I parked the car and stepped into the house. I heard sounds and I saw that TV was playing and Manav sitting on the couch. I got out of my shoes and kept bag on the table and walked towards him. I was not surprised, Payal was asleep on the couch as usual and Manav was controlling his.

" Manav" I called out

"Haan" he turned suddenly on hearing his name

"Off this TV, go and sleep"

"Yes, I was about to go." He said and then he looked at Payal "She is sleeping.." he again said in a sleepy tone

"Yeah, I'll take her to the room" I said and he nodded his head and turned to walk to his room but he stopped at my voice – "Can you drop her in the morning to the school? I have to reach office early tomorrow."

"Okay" I heard his reply with a big yawn and he walked faster and I heard the slam of the door.

I sat on the couch, I was really tired. Unwilling my eyes turned to look at the sleepy figure, beside me. She looked fluffy draped in thick woollen blanket, a bunch of curvy hair covered her half face, I moved closer and shifted her hair back, her face, her lips tempted me. I controlled myself and moved back. I went into the Kitchen and had some water. I was back towards the couch now, I said 'lets get you to the bed then', as if she could hear that.

I tried to carry her, but the blanket it was so flowy. So I slowly uncovered her from the blanket and picked her up in my arms. She twitched for a moment but after a second or two, she snuggled closer to my chest. This girl gonna kill me one day with these acts of hers. I took slow steps, as to not disturb her sleep. I just couldn't control my senses, I started looking over her. She was wearing a white flowy gown; she seemed like an angel or fairy doll in that dress. White suits her – I thought.

I placed her carefully on the bed but the neck of her dress got struck to the button of my shirt and she got disturbed and her eyes half opened, they were dry and tried. I slowly moved towards her ears and whispered -'it's all right, go back to sleep'. She trusted and drifted back to sleep. I slowly removed the thread of her dress that got tucked with the button. Then I switched on the other lights of the room and looked for the blanket and covered her with it and as I was about to move away, I noticed mark of her kajal, a line actually straight from her eye to her cheek.

Does that mean she cried? I didn't understand. May be I'm overreacting for nothing. I moved towards the switch board to turn off the light, but I saw an open notepad on the table beside bed. There was something written on it. I picked and read it. I was shocked. She thought of leaving the house or is she planning to. There were many unanswerable questions popping up in my head.

It means she really cried. I didn't know she was affected this deeply. I felt worst. I threw the notepad down and went to the couch to catch sleep but all her words rehanged in my head.