54. The Place Change

Anika’s PoV

He’s decided to punish me without even letting me explain my side. So I have decided to shower my love on him to make him understand what we really have between us. He took me back to our room after my late lunch. Since ours was a suite, we had a sitting area with a trundle sofa and a small partition with a microwave, coffee maker, and fridge and a separate room with a huge bed and attached bathroom.

When we went in, she was sleeping on the sofa. He went to her and gently shuffled her from her sleep.

“Anu, refresh and come. Let's go have some coffee and an evening snack.” He told her. I just had my lunch and I cannot eat anything until tomorrow, that is how full I am.

“Sure!” She went into the restroom and I saw Arjun go to the room following her. I ran in behind him and saw him looking into his phone relaxing on the bed. I, not knowing what to do, stood near the bed. How awkward is this? My husband is in a room with two of his wives.

“I am ready.” She came out of the restroom with the same cloth she wore when she came here.

“Let’s go.” He stood from the bed and walked near to her to escort her out of the room to the restaurant. He never cared to even glance at me. What should I do now? Should I tag along or should I stay back?

“Is she not coming?” I heard her ask him.

“Oh, she said she has a headache. She will rest.” I heard him say when I was about to join them. I stayed back in the room with a heart full of hurt and the terrifying thoughts of my future, now that she is back. They did not return until it was 9pm and once they were back, I was once again worried about the sleeping arrangements. Would he kick me out to the sitting area and sleep with her?

“What took you so long?” I asked him.

“We went shopping to get some necessities for her. We also had our dinner. If you want, you can order your dinner. We need to leave early in the morning tomorrow. So, good night.” He told me and went into the room.

Wow, they had coffee and did shopping together and also had dinner in three hours? Great. I don't feel like eating. I tried my luck in getting a response back from her.

“Do you want to talk to your mom and dad? I have their numbers.” I showed my phone to her.

“I have a phone and their numbers.” She said and settled herself in the trundle once again. Oh,rude. Oddly, I see myself in her behavior. I thought I was being straight forward so far but from another person's point of view, I was a rude girl. I hate to admit it but that was the truth. At least I get to sleep in the same bed as my husband in this joyous honeymoon of ours that lasted only a day filled with horrors and nightmares.

We checked out of our hotel room the very next morning and drove to the airport and this time we all sat in the same row next to each other. Me on the window seat, she in the middle and he in the aisle seat as he wanted legroom. I regretted having to have walked first to sit in the window seat as because of that she got to sit beside him. The flight journey was 4 hours and it was an uncomfortable silence.

We went straight to the farm house from the airport. He dropped me and my belongings there and took off with her leaving me in dismay. Where is he taking her? I thought he was going to make her stay here but looks like he has other plans for her. I walked into the house only to see it empty. Oh, yes, he sent the laborers away. As I advanced in, I saw cook Kathir emerging out of the kitchen.

“Come in, dear. I never expected to see you again so soon. Here, this is the key for the entire house.” He greeted me and gave me a bunch of keys.

“This one locks the front door and this one for the back door. Don't worry, this place is very safe. There is a watchman and a gardener outside all the time. Convey my heartfelt thanks to Arjun sir once he comes home. It has been almost an year since I last visited my hometown. He has given all of us three months of paid leave. Who will be this generous to their employees?” He spoke while expressing his gratitude towards Arjun. Poor him, doesn't know that their boss has not given them this out of mercy but out of hatred towards me.

“Will sure tell him, bro.”

“And, there is a notebook on granny’s side table with all the details of her routine and medicines. Her medicine cabinet is near her bed. There are only three tablets a day. Two after lunch and one after dinner. Ok, dear, I have to catch the bus. Take care.” He left in a hurry.

Great, just great! The only man I knew here, also left. I went into granny’s room to find her sleeping. So I decided to take a house tour. That day, I was so engulfed in myself, I didn't look through the house properly. It is a very compact house with a beautiful living room with a wicker seating arrangement that gives it a look of the 1960's. To the left, there is a bedroom with an attached bathroom which is granny’s room. To the right of the sofa, they have a huge dining table that seats eight people and behind that is the kitchen. Straight to the main door is another bedroom with an attached restroom. That is it, but still bigger than my home in Coimbatore. There is a room upstairs but the staircase is behind the house. I made sure granny was still sleeping before going out to the staircase.

As I climbed up I saw the room was locked. I tried the keys from the bunch of keys Kathir had given me and after seven tries I opened the room. The room was full of cobwebs and old things. I went out and closed the door behind me and walked on the terrace. It was so hot outside just like it is in my heart. When I ponder over my life, what wrong did I do except that I love my husband? I gave into a natural feeling in college but it was a mistake and soon after I realized that it was a mistake, I came out of it. But Arjun is stupid to think that I betrayed him and married him for his wealth. If at all he listens to me once, I can make him understand this. But he is not ready to hear me just because I never talked about Arun. I mean who in the world will talk about their mistake?

The heat in my heart is now because Arjun is with Anamika and he has taken her somewhere without anyone’s knowledge. He also has reprimanded me from talking about her to anyone. Our rapport is not at its best now and I don't want to end up in the wrongest side of him than I already am by talking about her to others. It hurts me to see him call her ‘Anu’ with affection everytime and he has always called me by my full name!

I got down when the heat was unbearable to my feet. I saw granny walking to the sofa with her walker when I entered the house through the back door.

“Oh, Granny, wait let me help you.” I ran to her.

“Oh, who are you? Where is Murugan?” She asked me, squinting her eyes to see me.

“Um… I am here to help you. Everyone else has gone on vacation. Shall we eat lunch?” I asked her.

“Oh, you are here to read Mahabharatam to me? Now I remember seeing you somewhere.”

“Um… yes. I can read it to you daily. We shall start after our lunch and medicines.”

“Ok!”

I walked her to the dining table where Kathir anna had already arranged everything for lunch. I made her sit on the chair and ran to her room to look at the note with instructions to see if I had to follow something. We had lunch and I gave her medicine. I made her lay down on her bed and sat on the chair near her bed and took out the huge book on the side table.

“Should I start from the first or from the book marked page?” I asked her.

“Start from the first. I don't remember anything.”

I started reading the first chapter but she was fast asleep when I was near the fifth page. I closed the book and went out. What is this life? Do I have a purpose? Why am I here? I cannot talk about my life to anyone. I felt like I was suffocating. I took out my mobile phone to call my mom or brother but changed my mind to check my mails. Ah, the stranger! I can mail him about my situation. It will definitely be a vent and maybe he can give me courage and the right pointers to solve my problem. How did I forget him? I immediately composed an email telling him my current situation and hit the send button.

I opened the mail I sent to him and started re-reading it when I heard a loud bang on the door. I was terrified is the small expression of my feeling. I looked up only to see my hot handsome hubby standing on the doorstep.