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•

Divija had finished packing her belongings, when Adhika stormed in and walked directly to her closet. "Pack your things, Divija, we are leaving." She opened the closet and was surprised to find it empty. She turned around and found Divija zipping up her suitcase. "Good thing you're done. I will go get my things, so we can leave." She turned to leave, but Adhika's voice made her halt in her tracks.

"No, Adhika." She stood and walked up to her. "You're not coming with me. I'm leaving alone. I get it." She gulped. "I'm no longer needed here, so it'd be best I leave right now."

"Why are you saying this?" Adhika queried. "You know how much I need you here, don't you? In this big house, you're the only person I have to talk to. What do you want to happen to me if you leave?"

"Sameer was right; I shouldn't have stayed here for this long. I have overstayed my welcome. You two are newlyweds, you need privacy. I'm just an intruder."

Adhika seethed and raised a hand "If you say that again, I'm going to slap you. You're not leaving and that is final." Adhika unzipped Divija's suitcase and flung it off the bed, making the entire content fall out.

"Please, Adhika, just let me leave. I don't want to stay here any longer." She crouched and began to pick her clothes shattered on the floor.

"Then I'm coming with you." Adhika remarked. "There's nothing you can say to stop me."

"Adhika." Divija called in a subdued and sat on the edge of the bed, frustrated. "Please don't make this more difficult than it already is. What do you think? That I'd stay here forever? At a point in time, I will have to leave and the time is now. Sameer's words made me realize I have really overstayed. I'm not mad at him. I swear, I'm not. And don't worry about a thing, I'm not going to tell mum that I was kicked out by your husband." She chuckled.

Adhika sat beside Divija on the bed and took her hand in hers and caressed. "I'm sorry. I wish there is something I can do to change your mind."

"Right now," Divija shook her head. "There's nothing you can do to change my mind and even if you manage to, will you be able to change your husband's? I will leave today, but that doesn't mean I won't be visiting. He will have to blindfold himself if he doesn't want to see me." She huffed.

Adhika smiled and drew her cousin into an affectionate embrace. "I'm sorry. I feel embarrassed."

"Hey!" Divija pulled back and smiled. "It's not your fault. There's nothing to feel embarrassed about. In a way, I'm glad I'm leaving."

A frown etched Adhika's forehead. "Why?"

"No offense, but this house is mind-numbing. It's weighing me down. I'm outgoing."

Adhika forced a smile— she knew exactly what Divija was doing. Clearly, she was saying all those things, because she wanted her to feel she wasn't affected by what happened, but Adhika could see right through her act of nonchalance. "That's right." She nodded in concurrence. "You're the only person who makes this house a tad lively. I can't imagine how tedious this place will be once you leave."

"Very very." Divija snorted. "I should get packing, before Sameer comes here and personally throws me out. One hour is almost up."

Adhika watched in a gloomy manner, as Divija crouched and continued picking her belongings.

•

Adhika made sure to wipe all traces of tears from her face, before going back to their room. She expected to see Sameer inside, but he was no where in sight. She concluded he must have left for work again.

Just as she was about to go into the bathroom, Sameer emerged with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Adhika took a step backward. "Sameer, I..." Her voice trailed. "Divija has left."

"Good." He walked pass her and into the closet.

After a few minutes, he emerged, clad in his grey business suit. "You haven't left yet?" He asked, obviously to taunt her.

She chose to remain silent. What could she possibly say? He would probably just taunt her more for being full of big talk.

"I'm going back to the office." He apprised and without another word, walked out of the room.

Adhika plopped into the bed and face palmed. Due to her assumptions, she had pushed him farther away from herself.

•

Like always, Adhika waited up for Sameer. Even though she knew he'd probably reject her food, she cooked.

She was busy setting the table, when she heard the main door open. Swiftly, she finished up and walked up to him before he could go upstairs to their room.

"You're back." She stated the obvious. "Welcome home."

"Thank you." He responded and attempted to walk away.

Adhika stood in front of him, blocking his path. "I prepared dinner."

"I'm no—"

"Please don't say no." She implored. "I haven't had dinner yet. I have been waiting for you, so that we can eat together. Please."

"Fine. I'll just change into something comfortable and return." He responded and walked up the stairs. 

Adhika smiled and walked back to the dining room. She rechecked and made sure everything was in place.

Satisfied with the arrangements she had made, she took a seat on one of the chairs and waited patiently for her husband's arrival.

"What's the occasion?" Sameer approached and asked from behind.

Adhika took in a sudden breath and almost jumped out of her seat. "Geez! You startled me." She placed a hand on her racing heart, in an attempt to soothe it.

"What's the occasion?" He repeated his question, staring intently at the varieties of food on the table.

"Please have a seat first." She motioned with her hand. "I will tell you after we've eaten."

With a hand cupping her right cheek, Adhika watched as Sameer scooped a spoonful of the biryani and took it to his mouth. His words from earlier surged back into her mind. From the time he uttered those words to her, she had not been herself. It hurt her to find out he still hadn't considered her his wife in spite of all the efforts she put in. "How is it? Do you like it?"

"It's okay." He replied.

Just okay? Adhika wanted to ask, but refrained herself just in time before she could blurt out the words. "Hmm...about what happened earlier—"

"Can we talk about that later?" His words were quite muffled due to the food in his mouth.

"Okay.." Adhika picked her spoon to eat, but because she didn't have an appetite, she ended up picking her food instead.

"What do you have to say to me?" Sameer asked, after he had finished eating.

"I shouldn't have ransacked your phone while you were sleeping." Adhika started. "I shouldn't have gone to your workplace and cause a scene there. I'm sorry for that. I hope you don't hold this against me." She paused, expecting a response from Sameer, but when he didn't say anything, she continued; "I don't know what prompted me to do that. I have never done something like that before. I felt insecure. When I saw the text message, I couldn't stop myself from believing you were seeing someone else. I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry." Sameer reached for her hand across the table. "All these wouldn't have happened if I hadn't created a room for doubt. Thinking about everything in the office, I realized to some degree, I'm to be blamed for the action you took. I haven't been spending enough time at home. I'm also sorry if my words hurt you— what am I even saying." He lightly hit his forehead. "I know they did. I didn't mean any of the things I said. I said them in a fit of rage. You're my wife and there's nothing that can change that."

Adhika blinked in an attempt to fight back tears. His words truly hurt her and even though she was glad he apologized, she knew it wasn't going to be easy for her to forget.

"And Divija.." He heaved a sigh, caressing her hand in his. "Knowing she's the only one that keeps you company while I'm away and even when I'm not, I shouldn't have sent her away."

"That's right, you shouldn't have." Adhika grunted. It hadn't even been a day yet and she was already missing her cousin so much.

"Should I call and ask her to return?"

"She's not going to return now."

"I'm sorry.  I'm going to make it up to you." He promised.

Adhika gave a tight lipped smile— the same thing always happened: he would make a mistake, then turn around and promise to make it up to her. In as much as she was tired of hearing the sentence, it lightened her heart to know she mattered to him, even though it was just a little.

"Tomorrow, we're going to spend the whole day together. We will do whatever you want and go to wherever you want." 

At his words, Adhika felt like jumping for joy. Her lips spread into a smile. "Really? But...what about work?"

"I'm going to take the day off. Is that okay?"

Adhika nodded. For her, it was beyond okay. Exceptional even. She could not be happier.

•

👋 everyone!

Have you ever made the first move in apologizing to someone you got into an argument with?

What do you think of Sameer so far?

Do you like him already?

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—deey_jah