I left Myra in the room and came downstairs.

For the swelling in her feet, I had already heated water. She had changed her clothes, and now it was time for her to eat something.

Everyone was still sitting downstairs.

Ignoring them, I started walking toward the kitchen when Papa's voice stopped me.

"Where is that girl?"

"She's in the room, resting."

"Bring her downstairs... We didn't bring her here to rest. Tell her to come and serve us, we're hungry." His tone was stricter now.

"I'll have the food placed here, you all can serve yourselves and eat. She's uwell after cooking for all of you, I can't bring her here," I said calmly.

"So you've started hovering around that girl now?" he said, hitting the table loudly.

I looked at him. He was glaring at me. Maa was watching with fearful eyes, and Aaditya... it looked like he was enjoying all this.

I looked at Papa again and replied in a normal tone,

"She has a name, call her by that. She is my wife, and I want all of you to respect her."

"She is not your real wife, just a name-sake. Don't forget that. We brought her into this house like a servant, we bought her. Otherwise, girls like her aren't even allowed near us. And all this is happening because of you." He pointed his finger at me angrily.

This time, I spoke with a bit of anger,

"She is not a servant of this house. She is my wife, the daughter-in-law of this house, a member of this family. And she will always stay with this identity, no matter what anyone says."

This time, he said nothing.

I stepped forward.

"You don't have to respect me, it doesn't matter. But that girl has left everything and come to me. Life has already given her a lot of pain, and now neither I, nor anyone else, will be allowed to become the reason for her pain. Remember that."

Everyone was staring at me, but then Maa stepped forward,

"Beta, we're not asking her to do something big. These are things daughters-in-law do."

"They might, but she won't. Why make her do something that is troubling her?"

"Oh, so now the ghunghat is troubling your wife?" she said with a blank face.

"Didn't you see how she fell because of that ghunghat, Maa? Or is there some other reason? Maybe... those banana peels?"

Maa was completely stunned when I spoke the truth to her face.

"But your wife misbehaved with me," Maa said with slight anger.

"What misbehavior?" Papa asked.

"She was going to eat, and when I told her not to eat until you all had eaten, she started arguing with me... saying all sorts of things," Maa said, going near Papa.

"Will you still support your wife?" Papa asked.

"You woke her up at 5 in the morning and then went back to sleep. After that, you made her cook for hours and didn't even let her eat. Who would tolerate that, Maa?"

"I do. I tolerate it," Maa said, her eyes slightly teary yet filled with anger.

"You tolerate it, that doesn't mean she will too, Maa."

This time she got emotional,

"So now you're supporting that girl who just came yesterday over your own mother?"

"I'm not supporting anyone, Maa. I'm speaking the truth. Just because you lived your life a certain way doesn't mean you can expect someone else to do the same."

"So now your wife can't even do small household work?"

"She can, but only when it doesn't trouble her, when her body isn't affected, and when it's not forced."

"Then why did she come here after marriage?" Maa was furious.

"For whatever reason she came, I didn't bring her here to do all this. She came here as my life partner, not as a servant."

Saying that, I started walking away. Maa's eyes were filled with tears, and it hurt me to see that. But she was wrong. Waking Myra up early despite her being unwell, making her handle all the cooking, not letting her eat, forcing her into a ghunghat, placing banana peels in her path so she would fall-everything was wrong.

And I couldn't support something wrong.

I came out of the kitchen holding two plates of food. I told a servant to place the rest of the food on the table and serve everyone.

When I came out, everything was still the same.

As I passed Maa, her voice stopped me,

"If you continue behaving like this, beta, I will never be able to take your stand."

I turned toward her and, with a painful smile, said,

"You never took my stand anyway, Maa."

Maa stilled at her place.

"For you, your husband was everything, still is, and always will be... but what about me? Did you ever think how much I needed you? Did you ever think that while you were busy serving your husband, how much I needed you?"

I gulped and said,

"You became a good wife, but you never became a good mother."

"When you give birth to a son like yourself, this is what happens. Look at him-so weak, so fragile, crying like a girl. Feels like a boy trapped in a boy's body. Useless. Impotent.A man who can't even handle his wife has no right to be called a man. Go wear bangles."

I looked at Maa, and as always, she was silent. For once, I wanted her to speak for me... but I failed again.

I shook my head. It wasn't her fault. Someone who can't take a stand for themselves... how will they take mine?

Maybe this older version of me understands that... but what about that little child inside me who only wanted his mother to defend him once?

"If Myra makes me wear them, I’ll wear them too. Bangles aren’t something to joke about. Women wear them, they like them, they adore their wrists—so how can you even joke about it just because it’s something that belongs to women?

And that did something to his anger-it only increased.

That's exactly what I wanted.

He started walking toward me in anger, but Aaditya, his favorite son, stopped him.

"Leave it, Papa. Why are you wasting time on such a useless man? We are men, and men don't argue with women or weaklings."

Papa stopped. Maa and Aaditya calmed him down and made him sit on the chair.

"Come on, eat your food or your health will get worse," Maa said. And I closed my eyes in frustration.

My back was facing them.

"Take this food away. It's all because of you. If you were decent, you wouldn't have given birth to such a useless man."

"At least eat-"

"Move away!" Papa pushed Maa. I turned, but she had already steadied herself.

"Papa, please just eat," Aaditya said once, and Papa immediately started eating.

I took a deep breath and moved forward.

"he was already unlucky, and now he brought an unlucky wife too. Ruined my whole day."

I climbed two steps.

But then one sentence pierced straight through my heart like a dagger.

"I don't know why he was even born. He should have been killed the day he was born."

My steps froze.

But so no one would notice, I kept moving.

Then suddenly, I felt someone's gaze on me.

Her eyes... full of hurt and understanding for me. Glassy.

I gave her a painful smile. She didn't reciprocate.

Her eyes turned toward them, and soon her expression changed into hatred.

And I knew what she was about to do.

She started walking fast toward them, and I started going upstairs. As she passed beside me-

"Let's go, Myra," I said without looking at her.

"No, I need to talk to them, they-"

"Please..."

I closed my eyes. My voice was vulnerable.

And I walked ahead.

Myra followed me.

"Here's your food. Please eat."

She looked at me,

"Ji..." she said softly, lowering her yes.

And thank God... she didn't ask me anything.

"You eat, I'll be back. Lock the door, and don't do any work even if someone asks. There are servants for that," I said.

"But-"

I wanted to hear her, but I didn't have the strength to stop myself.

My emotions were coming out, and stopping them was necessary.

People around me already consider me weak-it doesn't matter to me.

But I don't want my wife to see me as weak. Never. Because I felt it... she looks at me as her support system.

I went downstairs, ignored everyone, sat in my car, and drove to where I needed to go.

Music. Club.

I entered and went straight to my safe place.

I opened my locker, took out my guitar, ran my fingers over it softly, and kissed it.

Then I sat there, closed my eyes, and started playing.

As the scenes of today, the insults, replayed in my mind... my pace kept increasing. It increased so much that I didn't even realize when the string snapped.

And the room, where I was alone, which was filled with the sound of my guitar expressing my storm within... suddenly fell silent.

I opened my eyes. There were no tears. That's what I wanted.

I looked at my fingers-cut, bleeding.

I smiled. There was slight pain, but the pain in my heart... had disappeared somewhere.

I've loved playing guitar since childhood.

That's also the reason my first love entered my life.

But when Papa found out in college about this, he threw my guitar out.

Somehow, I got it back and hid it here in this club.

Whenever I felt disturbed, I came here and played.

Slowly, it became a habit.

I closed my eyes and leaned back on the chair. Blood dripping from my fingers... but there was peace inside.

Guitar had become my escapism-through it, I expressed everything without saying a word.

This heart never wanted anyone to replace this guitar...

But now... there was a faint image of someone-

Someone I wanted, somewhere deep inside, to become my new escapism.

🌺

I reached home as evening was about to fall.

I went straight towards my room. Just like I had said, Myra had locked the door.

I knocked on it softly and called her name,

and after a while, Myra opened the door.

Her hair was messy, her eyes heavy with sleep.

Ohh... so Myra was sleeping.

But she didn't look at me.

"Myra-"

But without listening, she walked inside towards the washroom.

Maybe She didn't listen to me .

I stepped into the room and sat on the bed.

But then my eyes fell on the table.

And I got shocked for a minute cause Both the plates were kept there... untouched.

"That means Myra didn't eat."

Guilt filled my heart instantly. I remembered how she had done the same thing with the sandwiches too.

"Oh God!!! How could I forget... what have I done... she's been hungry since morning and because of me she slept without eating..." I muttered, lightly hitting my forehead with my fist.

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened and I quickly stood up.

"Myra,"

I called out, but she didn't respond.

"Myra please listen..."

I followed her around the room.

When she still didn't listen, I came in front of her.

"Myra, please... just listen once,"

I pleaded.

And finally, she looked at me.

Folding her arms, she said,

"What do you want to say now? When I was calling you again and again, sitting here worried, you didn't come to talk... you didn't even pick up my calls... do you even know how much one worries when someone leaves the house like that?"

"I'm sorry, Myra."

"For what exactly are you apologizing?" she snapped.

I lowered my gaze.

"I'm sorry that because of me you had to stay hungry... I'm sorry you were worried because of me... I'm sorry I didn't pick up your calls... I'm really very sorry, Myra... but I didn't want it to happen like this... it was necessary for me to leave at that moment... if I hadn't left, there would have been a storm inside me that I wouldn't have been able to control... and about the calls, I genuinely just saw how many calls I had... I know I made a mistake... but please, it won't happen again... forgive me."

Then I looked at her.

Myra took a deep breath.

Then she held my hand.

"Come... let's eat something."

"You're not angry with me, right?" I asked, stopping midway.

"Nooo, Viraat... come," she said with a smile, and a smile appeared on my face too.

Then both of us sat and ate peacefully.

During that time, Myra didn't ask anything about what happened downstairs.

But suddenly, her eyes fell on my fingers.

"Heyyy... how did you get such deep cuts?"

Then she looked at me.

"Where did you go, Viraat? What have you done? Say something."

"It's nothing, Myra... you're worrying unnecessarily," I said, glancing at my injuries.

"If you've ever considered me your friend, then tell me the truth."

I looked at her.

Should I tell her?

What if she judges me for my love for music?

What if she laughs at me for this?

Anyway...

"It happened while playing guitar."

"What? Guitar? You got such deep cuts from a guitar? Were you playing or fighting with it?"

I said nothing and just looked at her, searching for any sign of judgment... but there was none.

She reacted as if it was completely normal.

She shook her head in disbelief.

She let go of my hand and tore a bite of food.

I did the same and was about to dip it in the curry when she stopped me.

"Wait."

I paused, and she dipped her bite in the curry and brought it towards me.

"This bite is for you... leave it, I'll feed you."

"Leave it-" I tried to say.

"Shut up, Viraat... eat," she rolled her eyes.

Why didn't that "shut up" feel insulting?

I took the bite into my mouth... while looking at her.

And just like that, she fed both herself and me.

Many times, her fingers brushed against my tongue... and because of that, I felt a strange sensation in my body.

And maybe she felt it too... because she would freeze instantly every time it happened.

After eating, Myra did my first aid. She applied antiseptic on my fingers and covered them with bandages.

"Don't take so much care of me, Myra... I'm not used to it," I said, looking at her.

But her focus remained completely on treating me, and in the same tone, she said,

"Then get used to it, Viraat... because now I'm going to take care of you."

She said it casually... but it wasn't casual for me.

My heart filled up hearing that.

"Thank you, Myra."

"Not accepted, Viraat," she finally looked at me, narrowing her eyes.

I leaned a little towards her.

"Then what will you accept?"

"Umm... let me think..."

After thinking for a moment, she brought her face closer to mine and said in a whisper,

"A lot of money..."

I got shocked.

"What?" I pulled my head back, a smile lingering on my lips as I tried to suppress my laughter.

"Yesss... there's a huge shortage of money in my life, please give me some," she said dramatically.

And then I finally laughed.

"Ohh Myra... you are so cute," I said, lightly pressing her nose, and she grinned.

🌺

After a while, we both were sitting in the balcony.

Myra had made tea and God, it was so good.

We both were quiet. No one had said anything yet. The soft light of the setting sun was falling on her face, making her skin glow... making her already beautiful face look even more beautiful.

Sensing my gaze on her, she turned towards me and asked through her eyes,

"What happened?"

I shook my head in a no and went back to sipping my tea, looking straight ahead.

Suddenly, Myra started speaking.

"Viraat, suniye na..."

(Viraat, listen...)

"Ji Myra, kahiye,"

(Yes Myra, tell me.)

"Yeh guitar aapki koi private hobby hai kya?"

(Is this guitar your private hobby?)

I got nervous for a moment hearing her question.

"Yeah... I mean, ghar mein nahi pata kisi ko."

(Yeah... I mean, no one at home knows about it.)

"Matlab aap... kisi ke saamne play nahi karte na?"

(So you don't play in front of anyone, right?)

"Nahi,"

(No.)

"Kyuu?"

(Why?)

I looked down at my cup.

"Papa ko pasand nahi tha mera guitar play karna. Unhe lagta tha ki yeh music wagairah ladkiyon ke liye hota hai... toh main sabke saamne nahi play karta. Akele mein karta hoon,"

(My father didn't like me playing guitar. He used to think music is for girls... so I don't play in front of anyone. I play alone.)

"Hmmm..." she dragged and took another sip of her tea.

"Waise aapne kyun poocha?"

(By the way, why did you ask?)

"Kya aap bhi mujhe judge kar rahi hain, Myra?"

(Are you judging me too, Myra?)

The moment she heard that, she quickly kept her cup down.

"Yeh kya keh rahe hain aap?"

(What are you even saying?)

I turned my face forward and lowered my gaze.

"Maine isliye poocha kyunki... kyunki mujhe laga ki aap kisi ke aage play nahi krte ..to aao mere aage kyu hi play krenge ...Rahi baat meri to mujhe to pasand hai guitar. Guitar play karna, guitar sunna... dono."

I immediately looked at her.

"Aur rahi baat aapke play karne ki... toh isse accha kya ho sakta hai? Aapko pata bhi hai guitar guys kitne mast hote hain? Kitne cool hote hain? Aur phir aapki personality pe toh... kitna suit karega..."

(And as for you playing... what could be better than that? Do you even know how amazing guitar guys are? How cool they are? And on your personality... it would suit you so much...)

"Sach mein? Aapko yeh bura nahi laga?"

(Really? You didn't feel bad about it?)

"Nahi, Viraat. Yeh buri nahi... achchi lagne wali cheez hai. Aap socho, aapke paas ek khoobi hai jo kai logon ke paas nahi hoti."

(No, Viraat. This isn't bad... it's something beautiful. Think about it, you have a quality that many people don't have.)

Then she leaned a little closer again.

"Ek baat batao... aapko khushi hoti hai na yeh play karke?"

(Tell me one thing... you feel happy when you play it, right?)

"Bohot," I smiled.

(A lot.)

"It's like an escapism for me... jahan main apni saari problems bhool jaata hoon. Mera safe place hai yeh."

(It's like an escape for me... where I forget all my problems. It's my safe place.)

"Toh bas!" she said, clapping lightly.

(That's it!)

"Jab koi cheez aapko khushi de rahi hai, toh duniya ko buri lage usse farq nahi padta."

(If something gives you happiness, it doesn't matter if the world dislikes it.)

I looked at her for a moment.

"Sahi kaha aapne, Myra."

(You're right, Myra.)

"Haan toh bas, ab aage koi judge kare na, use seedha bolna-'oye, tujhe ABCD bhi aati hai guitar ki?'"

(So from now on, if anyone judges you, just tell them-'hey, do you even know the ABCD of guitar?')

I chuckled at her antics.

She laughed with me.

"To btaiye Aap kabhi mere saamne play karenge?"

(Will you ever play in front of me?)

I blinked at her .

" Aap Sunengi?"

" Jii bilkul ye bhi koi puchne wali baat hai ?"

"phir to mein jrrur play karunga. Bohot khushi hogi mujhe... aapko apne safe place ka part bana ke."

(Of course I will. I'll be really happy... to make you a part of my safe place.)

She smiled.

The tea was almost finished now, and we sat there silently again.

"Aapka safe place kya hai, Myra?"

(What is your safe place, Myra?)

"Books," she replied absentmindedly.

"Kaunsi books?"

(Which books?)

She looked at me.

"Dark-- uhh..Novels... love story novels."

(Novels... love stories.)

"Par maine toh kabhi aapko padhte nahi dekha."

(But I've never seen you reading.)

Her expression fell.

"Gayi thi lene pagphere ke samay ... par woh box wahin reh gaya..."

(I went to bring them during pagphere... but the box got left there...)

I didn't say anything anymore. But I wanted to see a smile on her face which was lost now .

"Myra?"

She looked at me. Her eyes were sad... maybe she remembered everything from yesterday.

"Date pe chalengi aap mere saath?"

(Will you go on a date with me?)

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

They are going to have their first date with each other .🌺

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