Wilful Wife | ✓

Chapter 26 : Missed

"He was hurting a lot, more than she could imagine."

It had been three days since Jaanki last heard his voice. The last time being that call where he bluntly ended the call saying he was in a meeting. She was hurt and angry. She sat alone in the cafeteria wondering if he even missed her as she missed him. He hadn't bothered to meet, call or even text her. Was she so unwanted in his life? A tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it lest anyone noticed. It was the examination week. She had  got an excuse to seem busy. Nonetheless, deep down her thoughts were occupied by her husband. 

Jaanki was making her way out of the canteen when she got a call from Yukta. Panic set in as she saw the caller identity flash. She picked it up quickly hoping everything was okay. She sighed in relief when Yukta requested her to be there for the therapy session with the family. She whispered a prayer and sighed, she wnate things to ho back to normal. She was done with this.

* * *

Jaanki had narrated to Yukta the happenings of the few days. She informed her of the entire context regarding why and how she hadn't spoken to her husband. Yukta was skeptical hearing about it."That's very unhealthy in any relationship, Jaanki!"

"I can't always be the one to make up." She argued still mad at her husband. 

The therapist inhaled sharply before saying, "Are you tired of his behavior? Or are you scared?"

"Both," Jaanki sighed. "It's scary. I don't want him to withdraw from me. He doesn't seem the same person I loved."

"Jaanki, " Yukta placed her hand on her knee. "He loves you. He has been very distracted from the past three days. I suspected it was to do with your moving out. Hence, I called you for today's session. I had thought keeping you away would heal him faster but I don't think that way anymore. He needs to make peace with you to focus on his recovery." 

Jaanki simply nodded in response. "I hope he realises that."

Avinash was surprised to find hisbwife seated on the chair he usually preferred to sit on when he came for his therapy session. Their eyes met. Her eyes accusing him openly. He looked from his wife to his therapist. Yukta smiled pointing to the seat. He silently sat on the chair placed beside the one on which Jaanki sat.

"I need you two to talk out whatever it is before we talk about anything else. Avinash, I need you to be patient. And Jaanki, you need to be a little more understanding and easy on him. Sort it out the two of you." Expressing herself, Yukta made a beeline for the door.

Jaanki took a deep breath and turned to him. "You don't miss me, do you?"

He stared at the wall before him, looking rather tried.  He did miss her. If not all the time, at least in those hours when he was at home. He felt nice hearing her voice. He shouldn't have spoken to her rudely the other day when she had called. Her timing was super bad that day. He was angry when she had called.

"Fine. Don't talk. I am not dying to talk to you either way." She exclaimed turning herself towards the window. Avinash's lips began to curve upward and he pressed them back into a straight line. It was cute when she pretended to be angry at him while dying inside to talk to him. He sat in complete silence. Breathing the same air as her, being in the same room with her was like nectar to a parched soul. He was scared honestly. What if he spoke and things went further downhill between them?

Yukta entered the room. "Avinash, Jaanki, you both need to talk. If you cannot talk about the present or future, then talk about the past. The good memories, begin there. It's important for the two of you to stop being angry or upset. Avinash, she's your wife. You can't open up to me I understand. But she's always been there for you. You need to involve her. You need to take her support. Things won't become magically alright. And if it's this recorder that's holding you both back..then.." she picked it up from her table and pressed a button. "This is out of the way." Saying that she walked out again.

"I feel like we are kids who fought and are now brought to the headmistress' cabin to peace out," Jaanki muttered and he grinned. She turned to look at him. As her eyes fell onto the curl of his lips her heartfelt elated. Her admiring gaze didn't waver and he glanced at her.  Their eyes meeting. 

"I missed you!" She confessed softly. He held her hand, his eyelashes flickering. Jaanki was confused with his silence. She waited for him to say anything. She glanced at his hand. His hold was tighter than usual. Her gaze momentarily went back to his face. She had a hunch that he was hiding something. He was having an internal debate with himself. Her gaze went back to his hand. It was minutes later that she noticed a small cut on the back of his palm. 

She gently caressed it, smiling. She was almost certain he got that while chopping vegetables. "You've been having an adventurous time cooking, huh?"

Her question made Avinash propel out of his thoughts. "No. You know I am too lazy to cook." 

At his reply, Jaanki's smile wavered and she frowned. She glanced back at his hand. She casually held his hand and turned it. There was another slash there. Her heart momentarily forgot how to beat. Her eyes traveled to his wrist. It was covered under the sleeve of the shirt. With a thudding heart, she raised his hand to her lips. The shirt's sleeve finally moved down, revealing a little of his wrist. Jaanki parted her lips exhaling relief. She kissed his wrist and that made Avinash snap his head in her direction. He tried pulling his hand back but she held on. Her accusing eyes made him look away.

She ultimately gathered the courage and rolled his sleeve up hurriedly before he could protest. It was then that she noticed a bigger cut that ran on his forearm. Tears making way to her eyes as she stared at the four inch longer scar. He retrieved his hand from her hold and quickly pulled his sleeve down. "A bottle broke and I was cleaning up the mess.." he tried explaining.

"Why!" She whispered in despair.

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-Anami! ♡