One Hostile Hubby and A Joyful Wifey

2. The union

The motionless night's chilly wind had circled Aniruddh making his fingers turn icy cool as he stood leaning by his friend's bike lost deep in thoughts. After reading those messages and that scrapbook he couldn't stay in the apartments for at least a second, noting his disturbed mood his friend suggested to hang out to cheer up his mind. 

They drove a little far away from the apartment stopping by a small tea stall around the corner of the street. His friend Aakash is someone who always understands him, as long as he remembers since childhood whenever things go wrong in their life, both of the friends always managed to stay and comfort each other. 

"Here, take a puff." Saying Aakash forced the half-smoked cigarette in Aniruddh's fingers and he took a long drag as he could feel the warmth sweep inside making him feel a little better. Recently, he thought of reducing this smoking habit of his, but on days like these, he couldn't help but take himself back to smoking.

Aakash let out a long breath, preparing himself to bring up the issue. 

"So let me get this straight. You found a book, in which she wrote that she would never marry a poor guy-" 

"No, she didn't write any as such but her scrapbook looked like that!" Aniruddh glanced at Aakash trying to make his point, she didn't particularly jot down those words but that book definitely looked that.

Aakash chuckled loudly not understanding this childlike behaviour of his friend before speaking, "Buddy, I too had a scrapbook you know?" 

"Really? Did you also paste pictures of you and Noor like that? Like, with those pink and red hearts and-" As if Aniruddh's mouth had its own brain it began babbling.

Aakash recently, a year ago, married his longtime love, Noor Fatima. Aniruddh was almost killed by both the families of Noor and Aakash for helping them run away from the house to get married. While Aakash's family couldn't understand why he had married a girl from another religion which soon lead them to disowned Aakash, Noor's family tried to file a police complaint against Aakash for kidnapping their daughter and blah, blah, blah. Nobody could digest the fact that they loved each other and respected their religion equally.

Aakash laughed at the question as he answered, "Don't tell this to Noor, but I had newspaper cutting pictures of Kajol and my photos stuck in it." 

Aakash as much as blushed as he thought about his childhood memories and Aniruddh almost gagged at his friend's dreamy expression.

"Wait till we reach Bangalore. I am going to inform Noor and make her beat the shit out of you!" Aniruddh laughed as he imagined the trouble his friend would be in if Noor finds this out. She absolutely has the upper hand in their relationship which fortunately helps to keep Aakash out of trouble. 

 "But on a serious note, I don't actually think a twenty-five-year-old like Avni will maintain a scrapbook and stick pictures in it." 

And that sentence took away all the joy Aniruddh just found making him frown deeply, "What if she actually-" 

"What does that picture look like? I mean I don't actually think she actually looked any sad or forced today when you exchanged rings." He reasoned out trying to explain to his friend that everything you see might not be true. 

But Aniruddh was adamant, those texts and that sparkly scrapbook got his spirits down. 

"She looks a little young but I don't know Aakash, those texts I read are really bothering me. All the one hour we talked, she never told anything important! The only thing she said other than normal talk was that she doesn't want to work-" 

"Why? Any reason? I heard she was a university topper." 

"I don't know man, she dodged my question away when I asked her this. Maybe, because she is waiting for that guy-" His heart quickened at thought, it can possible that she genuinely might not like to work but he happened to read that scrapbook in which she mentioned something about the job.