The Vagabond

Read Part 1 and Part 2

https://thevagabond.me/2017/10/16/the-promise/

https://thevagabond.me/2017/10/16/the-promise-part-2/

Before continuing here.

Vivek hadn’t thought Meera could ignore him. The same girl who couldn’t stay even a minute without talking to him. If ever they had a fight, she would be the first one to say sorry, even though it was never her mistake.

If he didn’t reply to one call, or few messages, she would bombard him with messages. But today she was just silent. As if something died within her last night. She had never complained. She was never comfortable with his prolonged working hours. She was of the old school. Dinner in a family should always be together, she would always say. He would reply, this is for our future and the talk would end. After a few months, she stopped complaining.

But today it was unlike her. She took more than usual time in bathing. He could look at her and tell she had been crying. But nothing more. Neither did she make an eye contact nor she tried to get close.

Vivek felt guilty. He didn’t want to lose her. But she was in no mood to even listen to his explanation or even admire the roses he had got. She dressed up hurriedly and left.

Vivek tried to call her and tell her to have a breakfast. “You will get migraine” he wanted to tell her, but he didn’t have courage to mutter them now. He was the cause of her migraine.

Lost in the web he had created, he got ready and left. On the way, he received call from Anu. “Everything ok” she asked. Sensing his dull voice, she asked “Did your wife find out?”

“Just a headache!” He said and hung up.

His mind went back to the time when he and Meera had first met. She, the studious types, gold medalist during college would never miss a lecture and he the one who could not sit without sleeping for even one.

How difficult it had been to get her out for first dinner? It had been his birthday, and she had only agreed after being assured a hundred times that he’s just going out because he’s friend. “ I don’t want people to talk that I am your girlfriend, and that he would not cross his limits and develop ideas in mind.”

Yet, after a few months, she was the one who had crossed the line. Though, no one had been more happier than him. It had become increasingly difficult for him to think of their relationship as just platonic.

“This does not mean that we will marry” she had said.

“We will see if our wavelengths match, and decide after we finish MBA. If we do not fit like a hand and a glove, we will part ways.”

They were complete opposites. His idea of relaxation was movies, hers was books. She liked her meal spicy, he would get hiccups with the same. She could sit for hours alone by the beach, he was restless.

Three years later, they had got married after playing mediator among the families on either side for over an year.

Meera could not concentrate in her work today. She had tried everything to be the part of the family who didn’t want her.But for whom? She couldn’t continue with his lifestyle anymore. This was killing her.

In office, Vivek had a difficult business deal to handle. He pushed his thoughts to a corner and went ahead with the meeting, coming out successful as well.

Anu was waiting for him after the meeting finished. She congratulated him with a peck on his cheek.

“So where do we celebrate today?” She asked.

“Have to go home early! Infact just leaving now” He was trying hard to ignore her.

Anu was trying hard to suppress the pangs of jealousy.

“Oh so today is family time!”

“Give my love to Meera!”

“Tell her you fucked me last night.”

“We were in this together. Don’t tell me you do not know that I am married and a father of a 5 year old kid. I told you what I could give you in this relationship and that my family will always be my priority.” He retorted back.

Anu left the room, hurt and shocked.

He had messed it badly today. His wife might forgive him today but he didn’t know how to pacify Anu again.

He frowned and left for home.