Pratap's phone rang and he jolted a little. It was too late at night. He didn't know when he had fallen asleep, crying. The screen flashed Heer's name. His heart skipped a beat. Was she okay?
"Hello." There was urgency in his voice. "Is everything okay?" He asked almost in a reflex.
"I… hello. It's me. My phone battery died, so…" Ajabdeh's voice made him sigh in relief. "Oh. How can I help you?" He checked his tone. He could hear her sigh.
"We need to talk." She said.
"There is nothing left to…"
"No. I mean… I mean…" he waited with a narrowed pair of brows as she stammered. "You left something here by mistake."
"Oh. Must have got into your luggage." He said. "Let it be."
"No. Why don't you come along and take it tomorrow?" She sounded unsure.
"Ajabdeh, I am sure it's nothing important." He scrutinised the things spread around him in heaps. "I have everything I need here. Don't bother so much."
"Are you sure?" She insisted, "I think you should come around."
"It's about the papers, isn't it?" He snapped. "Fine. You could just say that. I will stop by after work. Take care." He was eager to end the call. Her voice was like a knife stabbing his heart.
"You too." She disconnected.
Ajabdeh paced the room and looked up at the clock. Heer had informed her flight was on time. She sighed. She then picked up the phone and texted.
"You are coming right?" She asked.
"After work. Can be late. We can skip." He texted back.
"No. Come over. Take back what is yours." He was annoyed at her text. She couldn't even keep something that belonged to him for a few days. Did his mere presence irk her so much? He took the car keys and packed his briefcase.
As soon as Ajabdeh opened the door, she noticed how tired and sleepless Pratap looked. Like he hadn't slept all night.
"What did I leave behind that is so important that…'' he stopped as he entered the house. "Wait a minute. Are you alone?" He sounded anxious. "Where is Heer?"
"On a flight back to Delhi," Ajabdeh said rather calmly.
"What?" Pratap looked agitated. "You can't stay alone. The doctor…" Pratap picked up his phone.
"It's okay. I told her to leave. She didn't want to. She has something important at work." She reassured Pratap to put the phone back in his pocket.
"Fine. I will tell Shakti to…" He stopped at her cold stare.
"Fine. Do what you want to. What did I forget that was so important that I had to be here today itself?" He asked. He was scared of being in the same room as she made him vulnerable. "Could it not wait?"
"No. You forgot the most important thing." She said, taking a step closer and making him stare at her with questioning eyes.
"Wha…"
"Your wife is stupid. She is slow. You can't give up on her just because she told you to."
"I don't understand." Pratap managed as his throat went dry and his heart thumped in his chest. "You said…"
" Do you want to take her back or not?" She asked, raising her eyebrows and inching closer to him. He looked confused. "Your wife. You forgot to take her home." Ajabdeh smiled as her eyes sparkled. Pratap thought either this was a dream or she was under medication.
"But you told…" he reminded her.
"I said what I said. I thought you never… loved me." She blinked away her tears.
"Are you crazy? Of course, I love you. I have always loved you."
"But you never said it before. Never said it ever." She placed her hand over his heart. "I was so scared. And insecure."
" I am so sorry. I always thought gestures were enough for us. Like I knew from your gestures that you care, I thought you saw through me." He said, holding her shoulders with both hands. She looked into his moist eyes. "I am so sorry you went through so much."
"No. We did. We went through so much, and I never realised I was not alone. You were there in all the happiness and pain. I just didn't see that. I was blinded by my own pain." Ajabdeh sighed.
"I could have been more vocal. I also took you for granted. I assumed you were happy." Pratap shook his head.
"No. You didn't. You just … I always knew you wouldn't leave me, no matter what. So I tried to push you away. I thought you would be happier. But the moment you abandoned me…"
"I never abandoned you." Pratap shook his head, clasping her chin. "I can never. I am the happiest with you, Ajabdeh. You are my home. My safe place. The one who is there through my biggest failures and flaws and never lost faith in me."
"Then promise me that if I am ever crazy enough to push you away, you will never leave me alone." She looked up as he nodded.
"I promise you." Pratap hugged her. "We are enough for each other, Ajabdeh. We are complete in our own way. We don't need society to tell us otherwise." He said softly in her ears. She nodded, hugging him tighter. Placing her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes and let her tears flow.
"Even when I cry or annoy you? Say things I don't mean? Or oppose you?"
"Even then. I am never going anywhere."
"You have to put up with the mood swings and insecurities. The workaholism and stress. I cry a lot lately." Her words made him smile.
"I am here to bring you coffee and wine, listen to your problems, and wipe away your tears." He reassured her by putting his chin on her head.
"What if there are bad days? Days you are tired of me? Or I want to kill you." She asked, making him almost chuckle.
"We will fight and make up. We will have vacations. We will spend time with the family. Cool down and talk it out. Not keep anything from each other." He reassured her again. "We will be fine."
"I love you." Pratap broke the hug at her words and looked into her eyes with a smile. He wiped her tears away from her cheeks and kissed her forehead.
"I love you, too." She smiled back at his words before leaning in for a kiss.
"You want to take your wife home?" She asked, inches away from his lips as their noses touched.
"Maybe tomorrow." She frowned at his words. He smiled slightly, pulling her by the waist towards him. "Tonight I want to show her how much I love her." He smiled, planting a soft peck on her nose.
"I missed you." She smiled.
"I missed you." He smiled back as she hugged him again.
