Chapter 12: Unsure
"Daddy!" Rohan ran out of the house as he heard RK park the car.
It was just 6pm but already dark outside. RK picked Rohan up in his arms and walked in.
"Where did you go Daddy?" Rohan excitedly asked as RK made him sit on the sofa next to Ria, also kissing Ria in the process.
"Daddy had some work beta. Did you finish your homework?"
"Yep. That too by myself. You know Mumma was not feeling well."
RK looked around the house but didn't spot Madhu.
After the long discussion about their past in the morning, RK knew Madhu needed some time so he went outside, giving her some space. Besides, there were important things he needed to deal with as well. He was hoping Madhu would have calmed down by now, or at least she would be willing to hear his apology. Not seeing her, he looked questioningly at Ria.
"Ma is okay now. We gave her medicines. She has gone just now to buy some groceries at the shop down the road." Ria explained.
"Okay. How was your day?" RK askedher.
"It was good. (pause) Daddy?"
"Yes darling."
"I am sorry."
"For what honey?" RK sat down next to Ria, taking her in his lap.
Ria looked at him apprehensively. "I was...earlier I was not nice to you. Ma says we should always apologize if we make a mistake. You're not angry at me, right?"
"It's no big deal honey. You're daddy's princess. Daddy can never be angry at his princess." RK hugged Ria, who smiled.
"And what about me?" Rohan yelled, getting no attention.
RK laughed. "Ok Ok You're my princess too!"
Both RK and Ria laughed and Rohan frowned.
"Dadddyyy!"
"Okay champion. You're my hero." He said and Rohan smiled.
"I am the herooo Ria di is zerooo I am the herooo Ria di is zerooo" he sang, irritating Ria, who jumped off RK's lap and started running behind Rohan to hit him.
RK sat back, looking at the kids running in circles around him, feeling lighter than he'd felt all day.
Fifteen minutes later, Madhu walked in the house, with Vikram right
behind her carrying her bags.
"Vikram uncle!" shouted Rohan, who had finally settled with his coloring book, and ran to Vikram as usual. RK looked towards them and stood up. He looked at Madhu, but she didn't directly look at him. Instead she turned and grabbed grocery bags from Vikram and walked in to the kitchen just as Rohan jumped in Vikram's arms.
"Vikram uncle, my chocolate?" Rohan asked.
"Right here" he grinned pulling Rohan's favorite chocolate from his pocket as always.
"Yey. Thank you Vikram uncle. See Daddy, this one is my favorite. Vikram uncle knows that I like." Rohan grinned and leapt off Vikram's arms.
As Vikram kept Rohan down, his eyes met with RK's, who had been watching the whole thing. Seeing his college best friend Vikram after all these years warmed his heart. He had heard from Madhu that Vikram had supported her and the kids when she had nobody. Yet, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as he saw him enter the house with Madhu and then seeing his bond with his kids.
"RK." Vikram finally said, a touch of incredulity in his voice. He smiled a little and walked upto him.
"Vikram!" RK too responded with a smile as he hugged his old friend.
"I cannot believe this. You...how are you?" Vikram said as they broke the hug.
"I am fine...great in fact, now that I have finally come back to my Madhu and kids." RK answered, his eyes meeting with Madhu who was standing at the kitchen door, watching them.
"Yeah. The kids are great."
"The best. Even though I missed so much, I think it was for them and Madhu that God kept me alive these years." RK rued, his eyes still locked with Madhu's.
"I understand. These kids, Madhu, this family...it's worth living for, it's worth everything..." Vikram turned and looked at Madhu too, as he spoke.
RK looked at Vikram looking at Madhu, then at her. Her eyes were tired and hurt.
"Vikram, listen...I am really grateful to you. What you did for Madhu and the kids in my absence...helping them...this house...everything...I cannot tell you how thankful I am for everything you did for my family..."
"Oh come on RK. I didn't do anything special. You were my best friend. Losing you was such a...Besides, Madhu is my friend too now, and I can do anything for my friends. This family...isn't this my family too?" Vikram's voice was hoarse as he continued to look at Madhu.
"I will get you both some tea." Madhu spoke to diffuse the silence and turned to go back in the kitchen.
"I mean...Radha ma had always treated me as her own son." Vikram said again, facing RK who had observed everything.
"Yeah" RK responded, his voice saddened on remembering Radha.
"I am really sorry. Radha ma..."
"I missed a lot Vikram. But I cannot thank you enough for..."
"Arey enough. No more thank yous. The only thing worth being thankful is that you're alive and back to all of us. Madhu has spent so many nights crying for you...Anyway, what plans now? Are you rejoining Air Force?"
"I..."RK began to say, then saw Madhu glaring at him as she walked out with the tea.
"I don't know...let's see." he said, and pulled Madhu to sit next to him, but she stood up only a few seconds later.
"I will go check on the kids." she said and walked towards the kids' room, visibly upset.
"Madhu looks upset" Vikram said to RK, a few minutes later, as they both finished their tea.
RK looked at him quizzically, wondering how much Madhu had told Vikram about the incidents earlier in the day.
"I mean...I don't know what, but something is clearly bothering her. She was yelling at the shopkeeper about some trivial thing when I saw her on my way back from work. She never does that normally. Her eyes show she has been stressed. And then I saw how much chocolate she bought. That's a clear indicator as any. Did you guys...fight or something?"
"No nothing like that. It's just...it's been a lot over these past few days, emotionally for all of us to take."
"I understand. So much time and distance, relationships don't stay the same any more."
"Yeah, but it's me and my Madhu. Our love is stronger than time. Together, we will be fine."
"Yes, yes of course."
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Later that night, Madhu was already asleep by the time RK reached their room having put the kids to bed. He sat next to her and slowly caressed her cheek once. She had been through an exhausting day, and RK knew she needed some time and space. But still, the silence between them was too loud for RK. Seven years of his disappearance had already put so much time and space between them, that these few hours felt intolerable.
"I am super mad at you Mr Kundra" Madhu yelled as soon as RK picked up the phone.
"What? What happened now Mrs Kundra? What did your humble servant do?"
"Humble servant my foot! Why aren't you home yet?"
"Yet? It's only 5. You know I leave work at 6 whenever I am in town."
"This means you forgot! How could you? I hate you." she yelled and disconnected the phone.
"Forgot? Oh shit! Didn't Madhu say last week she had already made plans for the special occasion this week, or something like that? Was it today? Yeah, she was all dressed up and dropping hints in the morning too. But what is today? It's not her birthday or mine. And it's only been 6 months to our wedding..." RK thought to himself, perplexed.
"You better get your ass home by 6, or you're screwed." beeped a text message on RK's phone, and he decided it was more important to get home right now than figure out what was that he forgot.
"Hi" RK shoved the bouquet in front of him and put on a big smile as Madhu opened the door, to melt his wife's temper.
"Aww...how sweet!" she immediately brightened up as she took the flowers and gave him a big hug.
"Phew" RK sighed in relief as he walked in the house.
"'Sorry' what? Why does this card say 'sorry'?" Madhu suddenly yelled.
"Umm...woh..."
"What are you sorry for, Mr Kundra?" Madhu glared at RK.
"You know...I am late, and I made you wait...and..."RK struggled to remember.
"You forgot!" she yelled, at threw the flowers at RK.
"Madhu...jaan...I am sorry..."
"What sorry? You can't even remember such an important day...I don't mean anything to you. Just because now we are married...now you don't have to make any efforts right. Romance is for girlfriends, not wives, right" Madhu continued to throw cushions on RK as she yelled, while RK continued to duck. Suddenly the cushions near Madhu were all gone, and a fountain of tears erupted instead and Madhu slumped on the sofa.
"You don't love me any more."
Seeing Madhu cry made RK's heart stop and he kneeled next to her, holding her hand and wiping her tears.
"No jaan...I love you loads. I love you more than anything in the world." he tried to convince her but she continued to balk.
"Liar. You don't even remember the date when we first met. Last year you remembered it, now it's not important."
'Shit' RK thought to himself. "How was a man supposed to remember so many anniversaries? Isn't wedding anniversary the one that matters?" but he didn't say anything aloud, instead tried to calm down his dramatic wife.
"It's nothing like that. It was the most important day. I am an idiot. If that day hadn't come then how would I have met my beautiful angel. Then who would have drenched me in icy cold water in Shimla's winter and then how would I have got fever?"
"Hawww...I brought you medicines and stayed up all night when you got that fever to heal you."
"Exactly...if I hadn't met you, how would I have found so much love and care in my life? My life would still be colorless and boring." RK said, gently kissing Madhu on her cheeks as she had stopped crying.
"You and your talks. You know, how much effort I put in planning everything for today. I even cooked! And I had so many ideas to tell you about the big surprise. But you ruined everything."
"Big surprise?" RK questioned, and suddenly Madhu's eyes brightened up with a glint of joy. She smiled and nodded, then took her mouth close to RK's ear and whispered something.
"What??? Really!" RK suddenly jumped up in excitement, then hugged Madhu tight and lifted her up in his arms.
"I am really going to be a dad." He asked Madhu again as he kept her down. She nodded with a blush, and he crushed his lips on hers.
"I am an idiot" murmured RK as he gently caressed Madhu again. He hoped against hope that she would wake up, call him names and punish him, but also forgive him quickly. He hoped against hope that Vikram was wrong, and their relationship would stay the same love-filled dream it used to be.
RK picked up the picture of him and Dipali that was still lying on Madhu's side table and turned it upside down, not wanting to merely hide away the truth but also wanting to keep its ugliness away from Madhu's constant gaze. Then he switched off the lights to try to sleep himself, unsure of what the following day was going to bring.
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
Kumkum Bhagya
