Deciphering His Love

30 | The One With The Truth

-M A D H A V      R A M A K R I S H N A-

I wake in an empty bed. I look at her side of the bed and see her missing. Shit! Where is she? It's 6 20 AM and she's usually asleep at this time, if she was staying at home.

I get off the bed and open the washroom. Empty! So is her walk-in-closet, and the balcony too.

Chellam, where are you? I pick up my phone and decide to check her location using the tracker chip I installed in the watch I gifted last night. The door of our room opens, and she walks in.

She was wearing a pastel pink knee length frock with small floral patterns. Her hair was wet, and she was holding a hair drier in her hand.

"WHERE DID YOU GO?" I yell in relief.

"I didn't go out. I went downstairs to Yashoda Ma's room to get her-" she says, rolling her eyes as she walks to the dresser.

"You should have told-!" I say crossing my arms.

"Be practical, Madhav. You were asleep!" She exclaims as she plugs the hair drier to the power socket. I watch her as she gets her hair dry. She looks at the mirror and catches me stealing glances at her. She turns the switch off and pulls the plug out. "Shouldn't you get ready for work? It's almost 6 30 AM."

"I'm not going today." I say and she turns to me. "I thought of taking a day off to spend time with the woman I love so much. I'm all yours for the next 24 hours."

"Take me out, for fuck's sake." She mutters, thinking I can't hear her. You naïve little doll!

I wrap my arms around her waist and press a kiss to her neck. "Let's stay at home and do some really fun and exciting things. We can cook together, chill around in the pool, watch a few movies or that show about that weird guy you drool over- what's his name? Shikhander? Sholay?"

"Shivaay Singh Oberoi." She says. Yeah him, that one. "But Madhav, we could go out on a long drive, to the beach or to the theatre or a good roadside stall and have some chaat- or a fancy ass restaurant of your choice since you are too pompous."

"I don't think so. Indoors is always better baby." I reply grabbing her bruised wrist. "We can be our own selves and have a lot of fun."

"Says the man who has also been ruining my mood for two straight days." She murmurs.

"Before that I need to talk to you." I say and drag her to sit on the Barcalounger. I make her sit on it comfortably and she pulls me to sit beside her. Surprisingly there's enough room for both of us. I put one arm around her shoulders and with the other I take her bruised wrist. She watches intently as I rub my thumb over the faint swollen lines.

I scarred this delicate flower, I hate myself.

"You still love me, right?" I quickly ask her, and she looks at me. She keeps on looking at my face as if trying to read me or as if trying to memorize the minute details of my face. I sigh in relief when she nods.

As I place a lingering kiss to her wrist, she holds my arm.

"Do you love-"

"Yes. Very much." I say as I look at her long slender fingers. "Chellam, I know you are mad at me for-you know what. Just remember one thing, I have nothing with you working but, darling we live in a society where women are not safe at all. You see the news, everyday right? All those rapes, murders, assaults- my aim is to keep you safe from all that- because my life finally has a permanent source of happiness and I am madly in love with. MADLY."

I'm not telling her the entire truth, it's just a broader perspective.

"Women aren't safe in their own homes, Madhav." Shree adds.