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CHAPTER SIX
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Swayam was sitting on the couch since they came back home. Sharon was upstairs. He didn't remember how long he had been sitting there but It had been hours though that he could tell because the sky outside had gone dark. Standing up from the couch he made his way to the kitchen, he wasn't familiar with anything there., he didn't even know how to cook but it was time for Sharon's medicines and she needed to have something for it. He opened the fridge and scratched his head in frustration. It was full and yet he didn't know the use of any of it.
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Sharon could hear the voices coming from outside but her mind was full with her own thoughts to bother about anything else. She was standing at the edge of her window, the cold winds hitting her face. She turned around to have a look at her bedroom. Her dad's words came back to her.
Why had she come back? Because your dad wanted you to! Her mind answered loud. But her heart? Why wasn't it saying anything? She was feeling frustrated and tired. Her eyes fell on the picture sitting on her bedside table. Two laughing faces. Their laughing faces. She walked over and picked the picture up in her hands. They both were supposed to look into the camera but Swayam had cracked a joke just before the shot and she had burst into laughter. His face near her ears smiling and her head a bit upwards owing to her laugh. A faint smile settled on her lips as she revisited the moment in her head.
The sound of latched door brought her out of her reverie, turning around she found Swayam standing on the door with a tray. He looked at her and she stared at him for a moment. His eyes travelled to the photo frame in her hand and realizing it she kept it back in place letting the frame kiss the table this time. She turned around and sat on the bed facing her back at him.
He sighed and locked the door and stood in front of her. She let her eyes travel at him.
"I have brought you some food! Actually its time for medicines. You better. . .I mean you should eat!" He said and kept the tray on the bed in front of her.
"I am not. . ."
"I know! I know you will say you are not hungry! But Sharon please please don't let yourself suffer like this. It's not good for both of you." Swayam said softly.
"You don't need to worry about neither for me nor for my baby."
Swayam stayed quiet. He has never been a situation like this where he has to justify his feelings for her. They have had their share of bad times but this. . . He didn't know how to deal with it. He looked at Sharon who was looking everywhere except at him. The silence around started to suffocate him and unable to take anymore he left the room.
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Sharon's phone buzzed. She was not in a state to talk to anyone. She didn't want to. But the continuous ringing of mobile was irritating her. She picked it up and threw it aside after switching it off. She wanted to be alone. She wanted a moment of peace. She wanted her reel of thoughts to come to a stop but it seemed like nothing in the world was in her favor because the phone started ringing again, this time on landline. She exhaled a heavy breath and picked up the call.
"Hello" The voice from other side made her expression change.
"Mom!" Sharon cried softly, sounding almost grateful for the call. It was Swayam's mom on the other side and she meant her silent support, her guide, her friend everything to her. She just didn't call her mom but loved and respected her like that. She wasn't really open when it came down to sharing her feelings, the only two people in front of whom she had opened her heart was her father and Swayam. If she could she would want to tell her someday that she found her dead mother alive again in her.
"Sharon! Baby how are you?" Swayam called me just now and told me about your accident. . . He is getting so careless these days, he should have informed us before. You were in hospital and he didn't bother to tell us!"
Swayam's mention made her stiff but she didn't want to bother her with her own grievances.
"Its okay Mom! I. . . I am fine now!"
"That's better Sharon! By the way he told me you guys are having some tiff and you are not eating anything. Is that true?" She sounded like a mother totally ready to rebuke left right and center.
"Mom. . ." Sharon tried to give her an excuse but was cut off in between.
"Sharon! Do not play with your health! Eat properly! You are pregnant and you just had an accident and now you are ignoring your health. This is not the way Sharon! Are you even thinking about the child?"
Sharon listened to her quietly not daring to say even a word.
"Eat now! Get it?"
"Yes Mom!" She replied like a kid.
"Good! Take care alright?"
"Yes Mumma! Bye!" Sharon assured her .
She kept the receiver and sighed. He couldn't make her eat so he called his mother knowing well she wouldn't ignore her. Her eyes travelled to the tray Swayam had brought. She picked it up and brought over to herself. Slices of half burnt bread, something which desperately tried to look like an omelet, a glass of milk and a cup of two minute noodles in case she doesn't find the bread and omelet edible.
Tears welled up in her eyes. How can he be this caring, loving person and that man who had betrayed her trust at the same time? How? She cried thinking about the mess their life had become. She cried thinking about the darkness which was ahead. And she cried because she loved him so much.
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Swayam walked up the stairs praying in his heart that Sharon had eaten her food. He inhaled a heavy breath and opened the door to find the room dark. He cautiously made his way towards the bed trying his best to not knock off anything in case she was asleep when the lights came back and he stilled at his position. Sharon looked at him and he back and started scanning the area beside her for the tray,. It was half empty. She had eaten at least something. She left the breath he was holding so long in hope. He went over and picked up her medicines packets stealing glances at her frequently and forwarded his hands with meds and glass for her to pick the tablets and drink. She did it without any argument. He stared at her for a moment and then tried to talk to her
"Swayam please!" She had blatantly refused. He sighed and went back to change clothes.
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Swayam was about to lie down beside her when he heard her voice
"I don't think I can sleep in the same bed as you." Her voice was holding all the coldness she could muster.
"What. . . What do you mean?" Swayam asked suddenly baffled.
"What I mean is I don't think I can stay with you in one room."
"Sharon, are you serious? Do you really don't trust. . ." Swayam asked her, his voice throttled. His heart beating fast.
"Lets not talk about trust Swayam." Sharon said finally looking at him. Her eyes showed her shaken self and hurt.
"Sharon. . ."
"Please Swayam. . . I really don't have any energy to fight with you. And I don't know how you expected that we can live in the same bedroom; sleep on the same bed ever, now that I know everything." Sharon said trying hard to keep her voice as firm as possible.
She looked into his eyes. He was hurt, so was she. He was broken, so was she.
"Listen Swayam! We are living together under same roof and that in itself is a big thing. I don't know how long I am here but right now I am and I really wanna live peacefully. I don't want us to go on fighting, I don't want any blame stories because we may not be together at all by the end of it, which I feel is the most certain thing happening in the near future.."
"Sharon. . . What. . ."
"Will you leave Swayam? I am really tired." With this she lied back on her bed and switched off the light.
The room was dark again and so was Swayam's world.
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Fan Fictions
9