Locked in love

Chapter 5

In a couple of days' time, they established a routine for themselves.

Vicky would get up early and make tea for both of them. He usually had his black tea but made some regular tea for Ruhi. Breakfast and lunch were Ruhi's responsibility, dinner was usually their combined effort.

The London office had got in contact with Vicky regarding his job situation.In the e-mail they sent him ,they had acknowledged the current world scenario and promised to get back to him in a couple of weeks' time as to how they would go ahead.Vicky got the feeling that they would want him to continue working in his current position in India.He had to keep his fingers crossed for now and hope for the best.

The only problem was he didn't know what was best for him now.

Vicky was on the balcony with his iPad and tea. The balcony had become one of his favorite spots in the studio where he would sit and enjoy his solitude. The other one being the sofa from where he would watch Ruhi do the daily mundane tasks.

He was going through the e-newspaper. The world news page looked pathetic. Helplessness and despair seemed to be the new normal. The corona virus pandemic had by now started gripping almost every nook and corner of the world with its deadly tentacles. Already countries like Italy and France were reeling under its vicious effect. He shuddered to imagine the condition of India's future.

He didn't want to see any more of this sick news. He didn't want to think too much about it. Hoping to read something less appalling, he swiped the screen to the business page. Not that he expected anything hunky-dory on the business page, at least it would not be frightening.

The stock market had plummeted. It would take a nosedive and hit rock bottom soon, he thought with a miserable certainty. He invested regularly in equity funds for long-term wealth creation and tax benefits. As some gentleman had once said, only three things had permanent dwelling in a man's head.

Tax, Ex and Sex.

He hadn't believed in the saying till now. It was true, he realised.

There was nothing much he could do about his market investments. To the hell with Tax. There were graver things to worry about.

Sex was non-existent for him. Currently.

He walked back into the studio living space as a surge of annoyance crept up. Had he reached a point where he couldn't even read the business page in peace?

It was best not to lose sleep over it.

Easier said than done , because his 'Ex' was right there, cleaning the kitchen counter, her supposedly daily cleaning routine. He wished he could wipe out some of his unspeakable, wicked thoughts about her as effortlessly as she cleaned the dirt off the table.

***

Ruhi was working on a new design for a static ad about the safety norms for the prevention of the spread of the corona virus.Her eyebrows as she made some confident strokes on her iPad with a sleek Apple stylus. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shirtless Vicky moving about in the room. She got distracted.With a drool-worthy body like his, it was hard not to

For a few seconds,she couldn't take her eyes off him. So much for my concentration ,she thought as she mentally chided herself.

"Why are you loitering about in your boxers?," she asked him feigning annoyance.

"Am I distracting you?" He asked her with a sly grin.

"Poof.Please."

"I took a shower now and washed my clothes."H had been putting off washing his clothes for a couple of days and didn't have a spare T shirt now.