OS: After marriage

Sahir felt more than heard Arzoo enter the conference room. She wore a simple yet elegant shalwar kameez. The color, a dull one that went well with her professional look yet somehow Sahir couldn't absorb the subtle changes in Arzoo. The dull colors were a far cry from the colors she used to favor weeks ago. Two weeks to be precise.

"We're getting into a new project on hostile grounds. The market as we know is far more competitive than anything we've experienced so far so I'm going to need all sorts of creative input. The theme I'm looking at for now is 'life'" Sahir briefed his small group of able employees. His eyes automatically rested on Arzoo, hoping against hope that she'd give an opinion on the topic at hand.

"I believe sir, we should give it a touch of nature... Some green to put the effect of nature in our line. We could make it a mix of fire earth water air. The four elements thought to make life" Sunaina, a young and enthusiastic designer offered. Sahir nodded in acknowledgement and gave everyone a chance to speak, silently waiting for Arzoo's input when she offered none, he looked at her quizzically.

"I admit that the biscuits and chai are good incentives but we're primarily here to discuss the project" Sahir said in his usual manner lacking the bitter and derogatory tone though. She no longer had a shy countenance around Sahir and that bothered Sahir more than he'd care to admit

"I think we should enter the market with our high prices in tact. I know that sometimes it's advised that we lower prices but I wouldn't suggest that since we have a brand image to maintain" Arzoo went on about pricing strategies and Sahir sighed in disappointment. After their marriage he could never get Arzoo back to the designing. It was like everything that made Arzoo was no longer a part of her.

"I think I've had enough for today" Sahir announced in between Arzoo's monolog. He walks out of his office, effectively dismissing his employees. Sahir then drives home with his driver, still unable to overcome his fear of driving even after all this time.

"Sahir... will you have dinner?" he heard his mother ask as he entered the living area. He shook his head in reply and went to his own room to sit alone for a while. Sahir liked being alone but now it bothered him just a bit that now his thoughts were mostly centered around Arzoo. He sat in his study table with a pen in hand. It stung him a bit when he realized that he could still write despite all that happened but Arzoo could no longer draw. He lamented over these thoughts while shaking off his jacket and loosening his tie. Arzoo walked in the room at that moment but failed to meet his eyes. Sahir's eyes followed her in silent harmony as she put away her items from work but opened her laptop to do more work.

"Why don't you design any more?" Sahir voice filled the tense silence between. They had grown apart over their marriage. Ironically what was supposed to bind them together tore them apart but Sahir couldn't forget that fact that their marriage was namesake only.

"I see better chances of growth in project management than designing" came her quick answer.

"Growth is all you want?" Sahir asked, nonchalantly as he put his pen's lid back in place, no longer wanting to write.

"It's all that matters"

"You used to aspire to becoming a good designer, always wanting to create" Sahir replies with a sad smile while flipping through his diary.

"Drawing is a reflection of one's beliefs, I don't believe in a pleasant things anymore so I don't draw anymore" Arzoo replies. There was no accusation in her tone. There wasn't even any trace of bitterness. It was said as though she were relating a simple fact. Sahir sat there observing the Arzoo work, she robotically went through her life now. Work took precedence over everything else. She rarely engaged in conversation and was often detached.

"If I... if there came a time where I asked for forgiveness, would you grant it?" Sahir asks as he lifts his loosened tie over his neck and unbuttons his suffocating shirt. For a long moment, Arzoo was silent and Sahir wondered whether she heard him but her stilled hands indicated that she did.

"I don't have it in me to forgive anymore" she replies and then continues working. Sahir looks at her for a moment and wonders had he made the right decision when he forced this marriage on her.

"Would you listen if I gave you reasons?" Sahir tried to keep the desperation off his voice as he faced the pool.

"No reason would be great enough. So why bother?" Arzoo replies while closing her laptop.

"Would you punish?" Sahir asks as they both take their place in their beds.

"It would get me no where" came her silent reply that bothered Sahir through the night.

Arzoo woke up in the morning earlier than Sahir. It was a habit she had made and still followed through. After a bath, she prepared herself a coffee and went about making everyone's breakfast. Once prepared, the entire family came down for breakfast, including Sahir. He sat in his usual place while Zaki sat as further away from him as possible. The brothers still hadn't resolved their issues.

"Goodmorning" Anam greeted the dysfunctional family if it could be called a family anymore.

"Good morning" Zara responds with a cheerful smile.

"The breakfast smells delicious. Arzoo definitely cooks well" Kurti comments as she bites into her plate of scrambled eggs.

"She learnt it quickly" Zara comments while chewing on her food.

"Arzoo learns a lot quickly like how to tilt situations to her benefit. I mean look at her marriage situation. When things didn't work out with Zaki, she had the backup plan of someone else" Bhabhi replies with a sardonic smile.

"I would advise you to not disrespect my wife in my presence, at my home" Sahir says, praying for patience.

"Which one? I am sorry to interfere but I forgot which one we're talking about" Kurti aapi feigned confusion.

"Kurti aapa" Sahir warns but Arzoo's mother steps in.

"What has she said wrong? It's common knowledge Arzoo has become a second wife but first homewrecker in this marriage" Anam replies and Sahir waves his patience goodbye. But he also notices Zara's reluctance to defend her sister. He wonders how Arzoo would take her own sister's lack of concern for her.

"Since when did my marriage became a public topic for discussion? I married Arzoo. Arzoo married me. Since the two people actually involved have no complaints the rest of you could graciously accept it or alternatively make peace with silence. If anyone feels free to insult my wife, feel free to walk out the door before the security shows you the way out" Sahir warns in pretense of calm voice as he looks at every family member. His gaze finally meets Arzoo but what he finds unsettles him. Her eyes weren't sad nor did they hold any blame on him, they were just empty. As though she felt nothing. She then calmly bids everyone a good day and leaves to work. Sahir stares after mulling over the extent of damage he'd done to her.

Sitting in his office, Sahir listens to his finance analyst drone on about marketing strategies but Sahir found himself otherwise distracted by Arzoo standing outside his office. Sahir quietly observed her as she went about her work minus the passion she once held. She looked almost robotic, going about the chores without a smile or any expression to indicate how she felt about the task. Without realizing it, Arzoo steps next to Sahir's cabin while shuffling through papers. Wordlessly Sahir gets up and stands next to her, the glass pane separating the two of them. The analyst stops with an irritated sigh realizing his boss's evident lack of attention. Arzoo mistakenly staples herself and blood seeps out of the tiny puncture. Sahir pushes the glass door and steps out, holding Arzoo's finger in his hand.

"Get a bandaid" he calls out in a harsh voice. He looks up to find a slight smile on Arzoo's lips. Sahir's fingers still while grasping her hand.

"Sometimes.. moments like these you make me think you might feel something but then I remember who you are and remember your incapacity to feel" there was a small smile on her face with her eyes looking suspiciously glassy. Bitterness filled Sahir as he absorbed her words.

"My incapacity to feel? Surprising is it not, how you manage to make me feel?" Sahir replied, his voice low, menacing while his grip on her hand tightens "Feelings like anger, frustration, hatred"

"Count it a favor. I managed to keep something intact which would separate you from robots" Arzoo replied while snatching her hand and walking away. Sahir wondered the irony of the situation, a moment ago, he had synonymized robots with her and now she termed him as the same.

"Wonderful. Two robots married to one another" Sahir sighs and walks into his office.