The Exchange

My Wife

After the concert ended, Dr. Khera had ordered Akshara to go back to the hotel with Maya. But, before Akshara could get into the car with her, Maya told her to go pick her up some food from the restaurant down the street. She asked her to take a cab and meet her back at the hotel before Kunal found out they were not together. Without saying a word, Akshara started heading in the direction of the restaurant. And right as she entered, she saw his face. He was standing in line, staring at his phone. But, his heart sensed her presence and he immediately looked up...

They stared into each other's eyes once again, both getting more and more desperate for each other with every passing second. "Sorry mein kahi aur chali jati hoon..." Akshara said, as she headed for the door. He ran out of line and told her to stay. "Agar tum ab mere itne pas bhi nahi reh sakti ho, toh mein chala jata hoon..." Abhi said, the pain pouring out of his words. With that, he exited the restaurant, taking in the cold air outside. 

His Akshu followed him out, telling him to go back inside. It was getting colder and colder by the minute. "Abhi tum andar jao..tum bimar ho jao ge...jao andar. Abhi please..." she said. 

"Tum jao.  Tum ho jo har baat pe bimar ho jati ho...Akshu tumhe fever ho jaye ga..." he argued back. 

"Nahi tum." 

"Nahi tum." 

They both went back and forth for minutes, taking turns telling each other to go inside, telling each other they would get sick. It was as if the trauma of the past year had disappeared...it was as if they had never separated. It was as if this had been their life this entire time. This was their normal....this was their solace. Forgetting everything else, they fought so lovingly for each other's safety, for each other's health. And when they finally realized what was happening, they both burst into laughter...laughter that freed them from all of their agony...laughter that for a brief second made them forget every single other thing in the world. They laughed so loudly that their stomachs hurt, they laughed so loudly that even the gods heard them. 

And before they knew it, Akshu started sneezing... finally ending their fit of laughter. Entirely concerned, Abhi rapidly took off his jacket and put it around her. "Ab dekh liya na? Kabhi toh baat sunliya karo...tum bhi na..." he said as he zipped his jacket around her body. Seeing the concern in his eyes, seeing the care on his face, she felt herself slipping away into his love...slipping away so rapidly that she did not think she would be able to ever pull herself back out again. She jerked away as harshly as she could, when in reality, she could not get herself to even move back an inch.

 And as she was trying to leave, trying to walk away, she saw a man staring at her from through the window of the restaurant. Had he been eyeing her this entire time? She felt her heartbeat start to speed up only for it to calm back down immediately. Her Abhi was with her...for the first time in a year, she felt entirely safe. Abhi was so lost in her eyes that he did not see the man come outside, slowly walking towards his Akshu. "Hey Miss... how are you doing he asked", coming closer and closer. Akshu instinctively walked back to Abhi, standing close by him. He took her into his arms, telling her not to worry. 

"Sir, please leave." he told the man, telling him to get lost. 

But, the man would not take no for an answer...he was clearly drunk, out of his senses. Abhi looked down at Akshu and whispered..."Akshu, calm down...chalo...yaha se chalo...ok?" She silently nodded as he started taking her in the other direction. But, the man continued following them until Abhi could no longer tolerate it. 

"Don't you bloody understand? LEAVE!" 

"Chill bro, who the hell are you?" The man asked...."who is she to you anyways?"

"She's my WIFE.", Abhi roared, slapping the man across his face. 

Hearing those words, her heart melted into the galaxy's largest ocean of love...her entire existence found peace. Yes, she was his wife...and he was her husband...no amount of distance, no amount of pain had changed that...and nothing...no force in the entire world could ever alter that fact. She looked at him in such awe, in such adoration.... and she knew that he would not let her walk back alone...so, she let him continue to hold her...she let him continue to love her as they walked away together into the depths of the night...