The Declaration
Mr. Bajaj sat in his office, staring at the heavy glass in his hand. The squish squash of the liquor in hand aggravated his memories. He wasn't sure if it was the sound or the alcohol that was wrecking a havoc in his consciousness.
"I want a promise", she asserted. "You'll have to quit drinking", she said firmly, with a certain sense of righteousness and responsibility.
He, at first, was utterly surprised. With pleasure or with shock, was unclear at the moment.
"I see you're taking your job, far too seriously, Mrs. Bajaj", he said with a distinct tease.
"You HAVE to give up on alcohol", she said again, with renewed vigour.
He had felt a tuck at his heart. And only he knew that he'd thought of this everytime he felt like drinking. It was an unsaid promise that he never officially gave, but always respected. Cause promising someone was against the norm of being The Bajaj. But here he was, obeying it truthfully.
Okay once, he'd taken a sip or two but only when she'd gone to her mother's home for a week. Never ever, apart from that one time.
He sunk into his chair and gulped the shot all at once. It burned his throat and the sensation soon was into his eyes, that were spitting fire, recalling the conversation he'd overheard.
"Anurag, I love you. I always will, till I'm alive and breathing", she had said, feeling so vulnerable and cornered, lovingly caressing his photograph and sitting distraught, on the floor.
He was angry, would be an understatement. He was on fire, from within. How did he assume the liberty to understand that she was happy with him? Himself. The same old cruel self who'd mercilessly separated her from her lover? Whatever that had transpired between them along the last few weeks, had not only made him admire her with his heart, but also ridden him of grief that she was indeed happy here, with him. Maybe he was right in separating him from the unhealthy Basus. The people who would always insult her and find ways of bringing her down.
But this new revelation had the sky falling upon his head. She was unhappy. She was sad and aloof in his mansion. Lonely and longing for love.
He cursed and hated himself.
The glass came crashing down his skin. He felt the surge of searing pain but it was nothing, as compared to his aching heart. A smile escaped his lips. He shot a glance at the heavy piece ticking time. It was 1 am.
He finally got up heavily and set off for Bajaj Mansion. He didn't want to face Prerna at all.
He entered the living, tired. Blood was smeared all over his palm but astonishingly he couldn't feel the pain. His senses were rendered numb. The mere mention of Prerna became a mirror to his own defeat. His own devices were hurting him now and yet, he took himself in such high regard that he found it impossible to accept them. The Bajaj was faltering and he could do nothing to save himself from the downfall.
He staggered. His shaky steps didn't go unnoticed for long.
She was looking him in the eye, sooner than he'd thought.
"Go away", he gestured. "Leave this place", he said quite in-audibly.
"You're drunk", she said, cross.
He laughed and perhaps nodded.
"So?", he uttered senselessly.
She stepped in close. "I told you I hate this very smell of alcohol", he could hear her whisper lightly.
He could feel his palm being tended to and that's when the pain started being felt. Her soft hand met his hard one and he was twitching in pain. She applied some weird and pain inducing ointment on his cuts.
He silently wish she would leave his house and go away soon, to the man she loved.
...
The next day, he walked out of his room. The events of last night were still fresh. He saw the living unusually silent. He felt heavy. She'd left.
But in a moment, she appeared from inside the kitchen, carrying breakfast.
"I'd asked you to leave", he said.
"I'm sorry, if you've forgotten the deal, let me remind you..."
"I said LEAVE and I mean it", he said, angrily.
"Let me remind you", she continued unaffected. "No wait. You know what? Toh kya hua if I couldn't get the love of my life? I got some crazy amount of respect here. I understood what it was to be a homemaker. A woman. A mother. A wife. Yes I love him. But I will honour this deal too. Not because I'm compelled. But because I've agreed to it.", she said.
"So please stop blaming yourself, cause you were constantly murmuring being guilty yesterday, and be like the weak people I've left behind in my life, long ago".
He looked on, in total rapt attention. He didnt see this coming.
"I hereby declare myself as Mrs. Bajaj, till I'm alive and breathing", she said. There couldn't be a prouder moment.
He smiled without hesitation.
"But no breakfast for you. Cause you were drunk last night", she said and sat on the table, eating, making him roll his eyes in wonder and disbelief.
Yes, she'd indeed taken her job far too seriously.
...
Writing from Bajaj's POV is so addictive lol.
Edited by Mishti_Dahi - 4 years ago
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