THE PROMISE OF TIME (SEQUEL of ' SPARK OF LOVE')

chapter 7

Ritika was shivering slightly as she got into the guest bed room and locked the door. Her vision got blurred and her breaths shallower. Abhiram's words were like a slap to her face, a brutal reminder of how their marriage began. And just like that she was flung into the past.

Her marriage with Abhiram had been a dream -come true for her.

But for Abhiram, it had been a marriage of convenience. He himself had told her once that he hadn't been sure initially if he should say yes to their alliance. Probably his had shoved their decision down his throat, she thought grimly. All her insecurities and fears that she had experienced during the early days of her marriage raised their ugly heads and threatened her sanity. After her marriage, she had come to terms with his past and slowly it had stopped bothering her altogether. He had always been the loving husband. He had never hurt her before like he had done today. Why?

Did he think of Rupa often? Rupa had been a stunner at college and they had been a popular couple. Watching them together had been agonizing. Now would she have to compete with Rupa's memory too? Ritika shuddered and shook her head dejectedly.

May be she shouldn't have taken Rupa's name. But why would he utter those words if he hadn't had it in his mind? Now she knew exactly what he thought.

"I'm sorry." Ritika heard Abhiram say. Abhiram had tried pushing open the door. He couldn't open it for obvious reasons.

"Open the door," his voice was fierce.

Ritika was in no mood for this conversation. She currently was wallowing in self-pity and talking to Abhiram now would only make her loathe her own behavior. He was her world and he had this power to hurt her. Only today she realised that his past also had the power to hurt her equally. But she didn't want to appear weak nor was it her intention to make a scene and disturb her in-laws. Reluctantly, she opened the door.

"Ritika," he barged into the room, slightly panting.

"You had brought up her name." Abhiram gently touched her shoulder, but she flinched and looked away.

Ritika pursed her lips tightly and raised both her hands gesturing him to stop.

"I know. I'm sorry. I learnt my lesson," Ritika whispered hoarsely.

"What I told was absolute..." Abhiram was not allowed to complete the sentence.

"The truth," she completed it for him. Or atleast that was what she believed.

Abhiram let out a harsh breath. "Rubbish. You know it's not true."

Ritika bit her lower lip, trying in vain, to stop her tears. "Please,..not now," she said bleakly, knowing it would only worsen things between them. May be she would talk to him when she was more composed, when she had a control over her thoughts. Now, she was more muddled than she had ever been.

That night, Abhiram lay wide awake in the bed with Abhika wedged between Ritika and himself, sleeping peacefully. The faint yellow glow from the night lamp lit the room and Abhiram could see Ritika's silhouette. She must be lost in thoughts.

"Shall I take Abhika to her room?," Abhiram asked her. He had said things he had never meant and now he had no clue what to do to make her smile. He wished to take her in his arms and clear things between them, make her understand that Rupa never crossed his mind unless Ritika reminded him about her. And even if she crossed his mind, it was nothing pleasant.

Ritika had spoken to him normally during dinner while his parents were there. But now it was back to monosyllables.

"No," she mouthed.

"Do you hate me now?" Abhiram asked her.

"I wish..," Ritika said.

Suddenly, Abhiram felt like he had been crushed by a boulder. Words did have the power to hurt.