Prejudice

10. Once Upon A Time......

Pranav was as always, waiting at the balcony when it was just about to be eight.

He sighed deeply when the car he expected came into his view and Jay waved at him.
He walked inside the bedroom to see his wife arranging the new flowers in the vase.

He walked closer to her and when she realized it, she just slipped away from there, leaving him heartbroken.

He came down and met Jay halfway on the stairs.

"I will be going to Bhopal by the afternoon. I hope you won't need me for a few days." Jay asked after a formal greeting.

Pranav looked at him surprised.
"Is it worth? You have to go yourself?"

"Yeah, I accepted the invitation for the auction. I might explore Chattarpur too." Jay explained.

Pranav nodded in agreement.
"Take enough security. Do you need finance?"

"No. I have that managed. I would just need someone to bring the diamonds to Mumbai, if I leave for Chattarpur."

"Sure. I will send Siddharth." Pranav replied.

That day, Pranav left without breakfast. Shraddha did not persuade him and walked back to her room. She did not realize when Jay left with his backpack.

That night, Pranav came home and was not surprised to find the dining room empty. He was informed that Shraddha had eaten a light meal in the late evening and was not going to come down for dinner.
Pranav got up from his seat and left the table, without touching a single morsel.
Neetu tried to persuade him to eat, but he just placed a hand on her head and left from there.

When he pushed opened the door to his bedroom, he saw his wife, already sleeping with the comforter up-to her shoulders. He quietly slipped into the duvet and switched off the bedside lamp. The room was submerged in darkness. He moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She instantly pushed him away.

"Hey! What's wrong?" He asked.

"Let me sleep. I am tired." She snapped.

Pranav closed his eyes briefly in irritation.
"You said the same thing yesterday. And do not take that tone with me. I am trying to be civil with you."

"By trapping me in the house? What do you think of yourself? I am not your slave."

Pranav blinked at her speechless.

Without replying, he turned around and stepped down the bed. He was out of the bedroom and did not return the entire night.

Neetu had seen him, go to the Pooja room, but she did not see him coming back.

Next morning too, he left way early than usual as he did not have to wait for Jay, who was in Bhopal. He did not even glance at the breakfast.

It was the early afternoon, and Shraddha was trying to read a glossy magazine, sitting on the spacious sofa. A small knock resonated and she looked up to see Neetu standing there.
For some reason, Shraddha did not like Neetu. It was the extreme affection or the unexplainable trust that her husband carried for the mere maid.

Neetu walked in with a tall glass of chilled orange juice with a dash of mint and roasted cumin.
Shraddha looked at the glass with distaste and then at the maid.

"I do not recall asking for anything."

Neetu blinked and looked down.
"I just plucked the oranges from the garden. I thought you would like it."

Shraddha did not reply and focused on the magazine.

"Can I change the sheets and pillow covers?" Neetu asked.

Shraddha hummed in response, without looking up.

Neetu walked to the bed and pulled away the duvet. She was engrossed in her work and at the same time, contemplating whether she should go ahead and talk to her new mistress.

"Bhaisa was upset for some reason. He did not have breakfast today." Neetu whispered loud enough to be heard.

That caught Shraddha's attention.

"Why do you have to be so nosey? Just do your work and leave." Shraddha snapped.

Neetu was taken aback by her tone.

"I was just worried. I just don't want it to happen like last time. I am sorry." She replied.

Shraddha furrowed her eyebrows.
"What happened last time?"

Neetu had her eyes glossy and shook her head in denial.

"I asked you something. What happened last time?" Shraddha asked in a softer tone.

"I really don't know. But it was an year ago that one evening Bhaisa came home and locked himself up in the room." Neetu replied.

"Why?" Shraddha asked concerned.

Neetu blinked and wiped the corner of her eyes.
"That time, Jay Bhaisa was on England tour. We initially thought that he missed him. But he refused to say or reply anything. He was sitting here, with his head in his knees for two long days. I used to come here with food and water, but he did not even touch a drop of water. Two days, not single glass of water did he drink. Finally, Siddharth Bhaisa came home. He went in his bedroom and locked the door. It was after another half an hour that loud cries and wails were heard." Neetu recalled that day with streaming eyes.

Shraddha was stunned by this new found information.
"What exactly happened?"

"No one knows. But that day, Siddharth Bhaisa stayed for the night. He asked me bring a cup of milk. Pranav Bhaisa was fine the next day, like nothing ever happened. But today, I saw the same Pranav Bhaisa, who refused to eat."

Shraddha parted her lips in shock and looked away, contemplating.

Neetu came near her.

"Bhabhisa, I know, it's not my place. But if you have any differences, please talk to him and sort them out. RaniMaa says, that he was not shattered like that, even after his mother's death." Neetu pleaded.

Shraddha just blinked at her. She had no words to express her turmoil. She did not realize when Neetu left with the sheets.
When Shraddha contemplated over Pranav's behaviour over last few weeks, she realized that he had always been a soft spoken and understanding man, apart from the fact that he doesn't like anyone invasion in his private life.
She realized that, though they were living in the same room as husband and wife, their world's were far different from each other.
Pranav had a hard shell around him. She needed to understand him to a much deeper level.

That night Pranav came home. But, instead of coaxing her like everyday, he walked to the dark balcony, after a long wash. That day, too, he refused to eat.
She stepped in the balcony and looked at the man, who was hiding uncountable secrets in his vulnerable heart, yet managed to maintain a tough facade.

She hugged his torso from behind and he was startled.

"I am sorry." She whispered within her cries.

He was quick to turn around and pull her in front. He looked at her tear stricken face with wide eyes. He held her face in his palms and wiped her tears away.

She wrapped her arms around her again and cried softly.

He did not say a word and kept on stroking her hair, until she looked at him and pulled him down to place a soft kiss at the corner of his mouth.

The bedroom could soon witness a passionate yet an awkward encounter  that night.

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Another chapter up.

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