Chapter 1. Music when Soft Voices Die
BY PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY
Music, when soft voices die,
Vibrates in the memory
Odours, when sweet violets sicken,
Live within the sense they quicken.
Rose leaves, when the rose is dead,
Are heaped for the belovd's bed;
And so thy thoughts, when thou art gone,
Love itself shall slumber on.
Abhay has closed his laptop and cast a tired look at the wall clock; it was 3 in the morning. "Another long night" he had murmured getting up to change in a pair of comfy black track pants and vest. Picking up his Ipod he had shoved the earbuds in his ears and put on his Skechers, time for his run.
Panchi had heard the main door lock click and had woken up. Being a light sleeper she was always aware of her surroundings no matter what time, she had yawned and stretching her hand had straightened the alarm clock reading the glowing digits, 3:00am. Must be Abhay she had mused silently casting a stray glance at her husband Siddharth who seemed to have sold every horse in town tonight snoring as loudly as his lungs would allow.
"Uff yeh kharratey" she had groaned it felt like thunder and drumrolls all at the same time. Tossing and turning on her bed she wished she could kick Siddharth out of their bedroom for good but then she realized the vows she had taken at the time of their marriage included enduring her husband's nightly musical concert and had smiled, looking at him lovingly. Draping a warm pashmina over her shoulders she had padded softly out of her bedroom, she might as well make Abhay his coffee she had decided.
It had been the same routine for Abhay since the past two years; he would work from day break till late in the evening and would run a mile or two in the last quarter of the night. A routine Panchi had wished hoped and prayed would break soon. She had changed the filter in the aero press and counted the seconds before she could push the plunger.
Abhay she had realized very early on in her marriage was very particular about certain things in life and one of them was coffee. She remembered distinctly how she had made coffee for her in laws the second day of her marriage while everyone else had nodded and smiled sipping on their drink politely Abhay had gazed at her staidly stating calmly, "This is the worst beverage in the history of mankind Panchi." She had looked at him aghast while Sid had apologized on his behalf. "I love you sweetheart just as you are regardless of your culinary skills" he had proclaimed while Chand and Haseena her father and mother in law had laughed aloud.
Over time Panchi had understood that Abhay was different than most people he wasn't polite or courteous; his remarks though blunt would always portray the truth. Panchi who considered him rude and obnoxious before her marriage had gradually understood him to be the straightforward person that he was. Had he always been like this, she had not known the Raichands had moved to Dehradoon only a couple of years ago and since her first glimpse of him he had been the same cold and ruthless.
Even though he appeared nonchalant there was a restlessness in him that had made him mercurial. Though he had never been impolite to her she realized it had been his extreme love and respect towards his parents and Sid his elder brother that did not allow him to cross boundaries at home. She did not share a normal devar bhabhi relationship with him but she knew he loved her as much as he loved the rest of his family.
She had checked the time again and had run the hot water through the filter, discarding the coffee grounds she had strained the brew in his cup and waited for him. She did not have to wait long as she heard him come in softly locking the door behind him, he seemed unsurprised to see her there waiting for him with a steaming cup of coffee.
"You shouldn't have" he had said putting the cup to his lips he had drawn in a long sip of it. "I was making some tea for myself" she had replied smiling at him. "Is Sid still trying to beat Aerosmith?" he had questioned taking off his shoes. "Yes," Panchi had laughed sipping on her tea "One of these days I'll just send him to them" she had muttered under her breath and Abhay had smiled. For a split second Panchi's heart had soared to see her brother in law smile if even for a fraction of a second but then it had gone as swiftly as it had come.
"Will Sid take you to your doctor's appointment tomorrow or Mom?" he had questioned her. "Sid has to, it's the ultrasound tomorrow , if he doesn't come this time the doctor is going to kill him" she had grinned remembering her previous visit to her gynecologist where her husband had failed to appear much to the ire of the physician. "I'll make sure he doesn't forget what time is it at?" he had inquired rubbing his temples; insomnia did have repercussions after all. "11:30 in the morning" she had supplied him the answer studying him discreetly.
Her heart broke every time she saw him this way but there was nothing anyone could do Abhay had chosen to live this life, a life that had nothing but misery in it for him. Yet he slaved every day to forget, forget that he breathed, forget that he lived, and forget that everything he had loved was lost never to be found again. If only he could forget.
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Edited by soul76 - 9 years ago
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