SS : Together Forever ... Part 3 Updated pg 4

The house was eerily quiet.

Ragini thought as she made her way to the balcony, the puja thaali in her hand.

She could never get used to this quietness, this loneliness again - she realised, as she placed the salver of flowers on the side table. Realising that she needed the sieve as well, she moved to the kitchen, a wave of nausea assaulting her as she tiptoed to get the sieve out from the shelf above.

She looked at the sieve pensively. Nachiket's face loomed in front of her. She smiled fondly as she remembered those eyes, the sudden smile ... him, in general.

A few more days, and he would be gone. Ragini thought sadly, as she looked all around her. She would have to get used to the loneliness, the emptiness and blankness all around her. Once again.

But she could never deny him a happy life, the life he had led so far in US, the life that had everything going for him. Except her.

She sighed as she returned to the balcony and lit the diya. The fast that she had kept for his long life and well-being, on occasion of the auspicious Karwa Chauth, was the least that she could do for him. She had not told him about the fast; she knew from experience that he always got hassled whenever she did something like this. Something that was remotely emotional for either of them.

He had gone to drop Nishi at her in-laws place. The other children had also accompanied them, to gorge on delicious food that Nishi's Mother-in-law seems to have prepared. She had excused herself from the visit. The recent happenings had perturbed her deeply and she hadn't wanted to temper down the festive spirits of the children.

She would have to find a way to repay that loan. Somehow. She couldn't let her offspring destroy the only solace in her Mother's life.

...

Nachiket thrummed his fingers on the steering wheel, as the car heaved like a recoiled jaguar in the milling traffic of the city. He was impatient and fidgeted in his seat, his mind somewhere else. Somewhere else with his Ragini. He remembered her tired and dejected eyes, her somewhat stooped shoulders - signs that he knew indicated resignation. Something that he hardly associated his Ragini with.

His Ragini ...

Interesting, he thought. How even during and after the farce of the contract marriage, he always considered her as his wife. Subconsciously.

Was he happy playing this role of a contract husband? He thought for a while, his eyes fixed on the traffic signal, wishing with all his heart that it turns green. He couldn't make her wait anymore.

Not for his words. Not for his words. Not for the truth.

Serendipity indeed! The red lights turned into green, and the car leapt forward to cover the stretch of asphalt lying in front of it.

Yes, he had the answer to the question that his mind had asked a few minutes before. He was happy being her husband, in whichever capacity it worked. He needed her back in his life. And he undoubtedly wanted her.

His feet pressed on the accelerator as the distances went on reducing.

...

To be continued