Chapter Nineteen – Hymn of love Two months later She rubbed the knot at the base of her neck, as she glanced up at the wall clock. It was
past two in the night, and she'd be on air in another fifteen minutes.
Taking her reluctant eyes off the clock, she wondered for a few moments when she would go home, and fall asleep. But that thought would almost drive her home, so instead she thought about the past couple of days, especially a month back when she had first managed to attain the position of a news anchor.
And how her husband had thrown a tantrum over it. He'd sulked and brooded.
She highly suspected part of it was due to the reason that she'd slipped right under his nose, and gotten a job. That night had been awful. Full of verbal, emotional blows. They both had said the worst things to each other, and stayed up the whole night arguing over it. The next morning when she'd stubbornly walked out of the door he'd been pissed off. They hadn't spoken for two whole days, but gradually he'd come around with it and everything had slowly settled back to normal.
Though, arguments still remained the integral part of their relationship. Often at times he would joke around that his day wouldn't be any good without picking an argument with her. He enjoyed it.
It amused him. It irritated her. He loved it. She hated it. But they both loved each other.
The knowledge was there. Evident in every action of his. In his eyes. When they met hers. It was all there the heat, the fire, the love. Although they had never gotten round to saying it out loud. And, she liked that. She didn't want the meaningless words. She'd seen plenty of that in couples. That was unreal, artificial, fake what she wanted was his love, that was visible, but silent, without the need for any words to be expressed.
And it was apparent.
Especially when he came to work and dragged her home when he thought she was working too hard. He acted like a really fussy husband, and she liked that. Part of her wished he would come tonight, and drag her home. Toss her down in bed, and grumble about how she was being a royal pain in the ass. To her that was love.
Who was she kidding?
Even with a million wishes he wouldn't be able to make it tonight. It was least likely for him to show up when he was a thousand miles away, out of the country for a two week long trip. And to top that he would be back two days from now.
And she missed him. He always complained that she never called. Of course she could never tell him that the house felt empty without him. No, she amended, her life felt empty without him. He would think she was fool for talking like that. So instead she worked like a maniac took up as many shifts as possible, so that she wouldn't have to think about him. The only times she called him was when some ugly dream drove her to the phone. Their conversation usually was very brief, asking each other's whereabouts, and that was it.
"Hey girly, you ready?"
Luke interrupted her thoughts, as he waved at her from the corner. She nodded her head, and sighed.
A full hour to go, precisely forty five minutes of footage and fifteen minutes of break time, spread out in portions of three minutes over a series of five breaks. And in two hours she would be home.
The bruises under her eyes easily covered up with makeup, and she'd drunk four cups of coffee since morning.
An amazing transformation. Thanks to the magic of make up and coffee. What would women do without both?
Luke frowned watching her. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She replied.
"You look pale." He commented. "Are you sure you are okay?"
Her lips twitched. "Yes, Luke. I'm fine."
And that's when everything went dark.
==
So she wasn't exactly the phone person, he thought bitterly, anytime he called she was so eager to hang up. Not that he was so eager to talk either.
Grr. That was ego talking. But whatever it was annoying to deal with her microsecond's speed of hanging up. And tonight he'd walked home intent on surprising her, but instead he'd found the house empty, wife gone.
Pressing down hard on the accelerator the car instantly shot into an overdrive, as he went speeding down the highway. He didn't have any doubt that with the way he was going he was certain he was going to get a speeding ticket and most likely even end up crashing up somewhere.
All due to his wife.
The woman was trouble. Truly capable of setting the world on fire. Hell, his life itself was on fire. Thanks to her. But despite everything. He loved her.
But tonight he would set her straight. He would tell her, who was the one in charge. Especially since he'd been in such a good mood when he'd walked home, so excited to see her, but when his wife was not at home in bed, where she should be, but rather out at work at two in the night. And a pile of newspapers on the doorstep from the past three days awaited his sight for which he was most anxious to hear her come up with a reason. All the joy, excitement had vanished, and in turn anger had taken its place. He'd gone for what two weeks, and the woman wouldn't show up home for days in a row?
He planned to give her a damn good lecture. Tie her up, if he wanted, but to tell her in plain words that this would not be permitted in the house, and he would start locking her in the room, if she kept working like a maniac. No more work.
He pulled outside in the parking. It was dark and a bit chilly. He slipped his hand in his pocket and jogged his way to the entrance. He caught Grace sitting in the corner looking a bit weary.
Grace was an Irish woman in her late fifties, who worked as a receptionist at Kripa's work place. She was extremely sweet, and Angad enjoyed talking to her.
"Grace." He smiled, as he hugged the old lady. "I missed you."
"Angad!" She hugged him smiling. "Where have you been?"
"Out of town." He explained. "Work."
She shook her head not at all liking it.
"I'd my reasons." He added smiling.
"And they are?"
"Secrets." His lips twitched. "Highly confidential."
She grinned. "Want to keep the suspense going?"
"oh, yes." He looked up anxious to get upstairs and see Kripa. "Where is the wife?"
"Upstairs. She misses you."
"She told you that?" He asked surprised.
"No." she admitted. "She doesn't say anything, but you can make it out."
"The eyes. Eh?"
"Yes." She sighed. "The eyes give it away. She has been working too hard."
"I figured. You just watch, she has hell to pay. It was nice catching you Grace."
"See you later, handsome."
He blew her a kiss.
Skipping three steps at a time, he rushed up the stairs, eager to see her.
==
The blood drained from his face, as he caught sight of her. It felt like someone had sucked him out of his breath.
She looked so pale, so beautiful, and so lifeless on the floor. Luke held her head, as he rushed to her. He lifted her head, and grabbed the glass of water someone passed sprinkling it all over her face. Scared to death that something was wrong. She was dying. S***.
This couldn't happen to him.
Not again. Not after his mother. The first one he had loved. And she'd been taken away. Then his grandma. She had been taken away from him as well. And after that it had been his aunt. From then he'd forever bullshitted with Aditya and mentioned that he didn't give a damn about him. But they both knew the real reason. He'd been eight when he'd finally lost his aunt to cancer and that night his eight year old brain had come up with the logic that god took away everyone who he loved, so from that night on he'd decided not to love anyone and risk losing them.
==
She woke up with her head pounding, felt weak and legs that felt too heavy for her. And then she saw him. She was dreaming again. She gave a brief smile, hoping he wouldn't disappear, blinked, and closed her eyes again.
"Hey." He grumbled pulling her up, "Come on. I'm not that bad."
He was here! "I know. You're worse than you look."
"Jeez. Thanks." He held her down tilting her head up and down, "Still feeling light headed?"
"A little."
"Nausea?"
Her lips twitched, "Yeah, your sight makes me nauseous."
He had turned pale, and his hands were trembling. She couldn't believe it.
"Can you get up?"
"I'm not dying, Angad."
"Shut the hell up, slim."
Something was definitely wrong now. She sensed it. But she didn't bother bringing it up, he would deny it of course. Instead she decided to resume their usual normal conversation. "Done with your diagnosis doc?"
"When did you last eat?" he demanded.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean?" He sounded furious, as he carried her to the couch.
"I really don't know."
"How can you not know?"
"Well, I just don't, okay. Can you stop screaming? I've been a bit busy here." She avoided his eye.
"That's it. You're quitting tonight, slim."
"The hell I am."
"Luke, can I have a minute with my wife?"
"No." She declined. "Don't leave me with him. He is a horrible husband. He comes back home after weeks, and instead of… Never mind. Starts screaming his lungs out!"
Luke winked. "Baby, you should have listened to my proposal, and we should have run away and gotten married."
They all knew he was joking.
"I know." she smiled ruffling through his hair. "When this moron was gone on a two week long trip."
"You don't call your husband a moron, Kripa." Angad commanded. "Luke, out of here. I need to teach my wife some manners!"
"No, you don't. Luke, don't leave."
"Out."
Luke stepped out. Angad watched her jaw harden, as she turned to look at him, "That was unbelievably rude."
"I don't care– " He replied.
"Well, I do. This is my workplace not yours!"
"Was your workplace. You're quitting tonight–"
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not going to quit for a silly reason."
"Kripa." Angad warned in a threatening tone. "I've had enough! I was gone for what two weeks, you're not willing to even talk to me on the phone, and then I come here hoping to see you, but when I get home I find you're gone. Newspapers from the past three days lying on the doorstep, and you expect me to reasonable?"
"I admit I got a bit carried away, but if you expect me to quit for this silly reason, then you've lost your mind!"
"Do you know what I think? I think I've let you loose too freely, and what I should do is tie you up at home, because that's what you deserve!"
"Tie me up? In your dreams." She replied dryly. "Why are you so pissed off Angad? There is no reason to get so worked up and furious over nothing."
"Worked up? You call me worked up." He made his way towards her. "You fainted right here in front of me, and you expect me to be fine with it-"
"I only fainted. It's not like I'm dying or anything!"
He looked angry. Really angry. She'd never seen him look this furious before. He looked like he would break something.
"Kripa?" Satish interrupted from the door.
"What the hell is this joker doing in here?"
"Is this a bad time?"
"No." Kripa shook her head.
"YES." Angad grabbed her hand, "Out Setish."
"Its Satish." He murmured sounding annoyed. "Kripa, are you alright?"
"Shit face, I don't see you walk out that door in ten seconds, then I'm going to personally escort you out!"
"Satish, just leave!" Kripa pleaded.
"I'm not scared of him, Kripa. If he thinks I'll run away, then he is wrong!" He stepped inside making his way towards her.
"Please leave Satish. I'll talk to you in a minute."
"She doesn't need your stupid concern! She has a husband."
"Well, you won't be soon, and then she'll be mine."
"Over my DEAD body!"
"Hey!" Kripa yelled. "I'll be my own self first before either one of yours."
But her words were unheard, since Satish walked past Angad.
"What the hell are you up to S*** face?"
"Kripa, divorce him right now. That man does not deserve you one bit!"
"Satish, I don't want –"
Satish stepped in front of her.
"You freaking touch her and I'll throw you down the window!"
"What are you going to do?" Satish threatened.
He grabbed her hand. Wrong, terrible, worst move.
And before she could stop it.
Angad lifted him off in the air, and tossed him down sending him flying down the table, which fell hard against the wall shattering instantly to pieces.
"That was for my touching my wife!"
Before she could see it. Angad lifted his chin up and rammed his fist through his jawline the second time. Kripa heard the crack of teeth.
She was horrified.
Before he could do any more "damage" she rushed to Satish. "You Moron. Out of the way." She yelled back pushing him away, as she stumbled down to catch Satish.
Angad sulked, as she looked at Satish.
"Is this a way to behave?" she demanded "Like little boys?"
Satish continued to bicker about his wound, "Shut up, Satish." She ordered him. "Not a word from your mouth either."
"Shit face, was clearly trying to act smart!"
"I said NOT a word from anyone's mout-"
"Trying to take advantage of you showing all false concern."
"I was not!" Satish defended.
"Satish, I don't want to hear a word" she told him, "Angad, I'm not stupid, he was not doing anything! And I can handle myself very well."
"Yes. You can handle him Kripa. But I don't trust Shit face. He'll sweet talk you into things!" He told her, then turning to Satish he threatened heavily. "This time I was nice enough only to break your teeth this time, if I catch you around her again I'll break ALL of the 206 bones in your body!"
"
Angadd!!"
THANK YOU for the overwhelming response to the previous part. I was going through the comments earlier and it really encouraged me to write 😃
A long time back many requested for jealousy, hence I wrote this part. Its a bit rushed hope you excuse me..
Please comment if you can 😊
Edited by Sonali06 - 17 years ago
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
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