“You are sleeping here tonight!” She threw the pillow and the blanket on the sofa and stormed out of the room.

Same day, few hours earlier.

Sameer was to leave for the US for a month long project the next day. He wanted her to travel with him, but given that she was working too, it didn’t work out.This was going to be her first long separation from him ,since marriage.

A Christan banglorean, married to delhi guy, a year ago, Shalini met Sameer in her old office. Cupid stuck, parents got involved , after quite some bit of paatoying the parents ,they tied the knot.

Ever since she had learnt about the US trip,there was a eruption of mixed feelings, sad, happy, irritated.She would miss him dearly,having him around had become a habit,but then again,this was very a good opportunity,that would boost his career growth.

Off late the two of them had been really busy with work, getting hardly to no time with each other. With just one day left, she wanted him all for herself.Just the two of them, no one else. Just be around him, hold him,well, it would be good one month before she would be able to see him again!

“kahana laago?”
“Sweetheart, just give me a min, almost done with the mail”

She made his favorite. Sitting at the table they were enjoying their dinner, when she heard ‘We don’t need no education’, his latest ring tone.

“Hey Ricky, what’s up man?” answering the phone
“Oh, yeah rite! I almost forgot”
“Well, alright let me check and get back to you?”

She couldn’t gather much from the one sided conversation, but she did get a feeling, a feeling that the evening may not end up the way she had planned. Ricky was Sameer’s child hood,’Chaddi’ friend, he was there when Sameer needed him and vice verse.

“That was Ricky”
“So I gathered!”
“Well, we had this plan, and now that I am leaving tomo, I kinda gotta go meet him” trying to convince her
“Ok.Can’t he come over?” all ready to fight
“Well, you know , he is been having a bike problem and” apologetic
“Alright, so you are going?” Very angry
“I have to” he wasn’t looking at her.
“Fine.Go.I think I’ll sleep off early” warning him of the consequences
“Its just 9.30? That’s way too early for you!” sensing the cold war.
“Well, I am tired, I will be alone! I might as well catch up on my sleep” She pushed and chair and walked away to kitchen to put the dishes for wash.Her walk conveyed him of the trouble that he had landed himself into!

Sameer, didn’t want to, but then sometimes, you gotta keep your promises. Ricky needed his help.

He kissed her on her forehead, promising to be home within an hour, zoomed away on his bike.

She watched him go, and then when he was no longer in her line of sight, tears trickled. Angry, she decided to act on her words.

10.30 pm.
He wasn’t back yet.

11.30 pm.
Groggy, she got up from her sleep to findthe light’s switched on. He wasn’t around Slowly, she walked towards the drawing room, from far off, she could see a pair of legs on the center table. Just up from sleep, she wanted to be absolutely sure,and there he was! seated on the sofa, his legs stretched out on the table, chatting with someone on the laptop.

While putting herself to sleep, she had felt very bad about the fight, and told herself “Let him come back, I’ll make it up to him”. But now looking at him chatting with no remorse, and landing up 2 hours late, the ‘I’ll make up to him” flew right out of window.

She went and stood right in front of him and gave him the ‘Devil’s’ stare. Waited for few mins and stormed out of the room. Expecting him to come and pacify her, she waited for good 10 mins.

When he didn’t turn up, she stormed back into the drawing room, he was still sitting there, smiling while he chatted. He looked up at her, ‘blank look’ and continued with his work.

‘I need to talk to you. Mr Sameer, can you please spare me 10 mins of your Precious time’
He wasn’t in the mood. he was upset with her, for sleeping off ,when she knew he was gone tomo, for blowing the whole episode into a such a big fight.He ignored her completely. She felt like either he had gone deaf or she was invisible. When he didn’t budge from the sofa, she lost it.

Couple of mins later, she stormed back in.

“You are sleeping here tonight!” throwing the pillow and the blanket on the sofa and stormed out of the room.

Sameer, was expecting it. He knew he had driven her wild. Today he wanted to be around her, but with this fight turning ugly with every passing min, he decided to let her be and not say a word.

Back in the bedroom, she sat at the corner of the bed, tears trickling down. She was angry,sad, irritated!! After 5 mins,a li’ll calmer, she felt responsible, guilty. She had actually taken the whole thing too far.

Feeling bad about the whole ‘pillow throwing’ thing,she quietly sneaked into the kitchen.

“Do you think, there is enough space on the sofa for both of us? Holding two cups of coffee and a Sweet smile.

He smiled back. She kept the mugs on the table and fell straight into his arms 🙂