OUR MARRIAGE IS JUST A PIECE OF PAPER : EPISODES 71 – 80
Episode 74
I drove like a maniac until I stopped at a small local inn on the outskirts of the city.
Going back home was out of the question.
Ahana must be waiting for me there. I turned off my cellphone and rented a room for the night. Although sleep was elusive.
It has been more than a week now since I changed my phone number.
I left the city the day after that. I felt fortunate to have a car. I’ve been wandering aimlessly, not knowing where to go.
I haven’t been to the office or even checked my emails. I know I’m being irresponsible. I have no idea what’s going on in the office.
I don’t even know the date. Thankfully, I have my car and a credit card with me.
“Sir, how much?”
I was at a gas station, filling up my car with fuel.
“Fill up the tank, please.”
The attendant started filling the tank while my eyes fell upon the calendar. It has been almost seven and a half months since we got married. It’s August, and it’s raining heavily.
It has been two weeks since I left home. Time flies so fast.
I didn’t realize that for the past two weeks, all I did was wander around like a crazy person in the outskirts, near the forests, and watch couples enjoying themselves in isolation. And embracing each other on the beach under the sunset. Seriously, I was never such a person.
“Sir, it’s 1600 Rupees…”
I paid for the petrol using my credit card. I also realized that I have grown a beard now.
It was itching now. I don’t like it, but seriously, was I so lost in the last 14 days to not have realized all this? Where was I and what did I do in these days…? What have I made of myself? God… How could I do that? I have abandoned not only Ahana alone but even my responsibilities towards her and the company.
All I did was wander from one place to another and then drink. How can I be such a coward?
I switched my cell phone on. As soon as I switched it on, it was filled with notifications.
294 missed calls. Some from Ahana, some from Mir, and some from the office. I even had some from Dad. Then I remembered that it’s one month already, and they’ll be back in a month.
But the weird part of all was that Ahana’s missed calls stopped four days back. I only had Mir’s, Dad’s, and Jen’s calls. Why did she stop calling me? Did she give up on me already? But why am I thinking like this? After what I have done, she has all the rights to do so.
I saw a salon nearby. I went and had a haircut and a clean shave. After that, I bought a new suit from Raymonds and then headed straight to the office. I was only wearing some casuals that I had bought from some local store. I was glad that I smelled good after all.
OUR MARRIAGE IS JUST A PIECE OF PAPER : EPISODES 71 – 80
When I entered the building, everyone was a bit taken aback. A few whispers and hushed sounds fell in my ears.
“What… This is the reaction that you give to your boss,” I shouted.
“Morning, sir…” Everyone replied in unison. Of course, they must be surprised.
I went towards my cabin and I saw Jen was busy assigning some work.
“Jen… I want all the reports about what happened in the last two weeks…”
“S-Sir…”
She looked surprised.
“No… Questions, please… And Jen…”
“Y-Yes… Sir…”
“One strong coffee, please….”
Saying so, I dashed inside my cabin through the glares of the employees. After all, their irresponsible boss finally showed up.
Surprisingly, there weren’t any piles of files as I had expected. I thought I would have tons of pending work to do.
“May I come in?”
“Yeah, Jen… There aren’t pending files. I wasn’t there for 14 days. Normally, if I don’t come for a day, there is a lot to do,” I asked, moving my hand through my hair.
“Well, Ahana took care of your work. She said you went for a vacation, so she handled all of it.”
Saying so, she left, keeping the coffee on my desk. I was so angry now. What a person she is… I seriously can’t understand her. I can’t even remove her from my system.
With a shift of my hand, I pushed the coffee away. The mug crashed on the floor, spoiling my expensive Belgian carpet. I missed her coffee…
“Ansh!!! What the hell!!! Was that… Have you gone mad?”
“Mir… What are you doing here?”
“Shouldn’t I ask you this question? Where were you, buddy? You have driven all of us crazy.”
“Hmmm… I was on a vacation,” I said, avoiding eye contact.
Repeating what Jen told me, Ahana must have shared it with everyone, I suppose.
“Ansh, stop avoiding my gaze. It was a good thing that Ahana managed everything perfectly. She didn’t even bother to inform me that you ran away…”
I looked at him suddenly when he mentioned my escape. Anyway, it was true… I did run away.
“I called her to help me with Piya’s nursery since I couldn’t reach you. And as always, she was a sweetheart in your absence. She even managed the media. Otherwise, have you considered the consequences if they knew you had vanished? They would have created all sorts of stories.”
Now I was actually considering the situation. I didn’t think about all these consequences at once. If Dad had come to know…
“Then…?” I asked.
“Then what? We surprised Piya without you. Ahana had to give so many ridiculous reasons to Uncle and her dad about you. I just hope they believe her. But seriously, Ansh, tell me… Where were you?”
“Let it be now… I am busy.”
“Yeah, busy doing nothing. Ahana has done all your pending work. She worked day and night here to complete it. And you being irresponsible…”
Oh God… Have I really messed up things to such an extent? It’s frustrating that I don’t even have any work to do now. I can’t even keep myself busy here.
But where the heck is Ahana? I haven’t seen her for so many days. My heart longs for her sweet smile with the dimples.
I looked towards her cabin, but it appeared empty.
“If you’re searching for her and she isn’t here,” Mir answered.
“Hmmm… I’m not,” I said confidently.
“Stop lying to yourself, at least,” he said, about to leave.
“Mir… Where are you going?”
“Since you’re back home safe and sound, I also have a house and a wife to take care of…”
“Oh! How is Piya?”
“Thanks for asking. She’s fine. We’re due next month.”
“Oh! That’s great…”
But he didn’t even wait for me to finish.
Have I really broken so many hearts? Technically, I didn’t have any work to do. I just went through the records of what happened in my absence, and they were excellent. The company did well, and Ahana managed everything in my absence. But where is she now?
I even called Dad and had a small chat with him. He sounded really worried, but everything was fine. I told him I was busy, and he believed it. I was getting a bit impatient now.
I decided to go home. Maybe Ahana was there, resting.
I left, taking my laptop with me. When I reached home, I was surprised to find it locked. I opened it with my keys. Everything was pitch dark. I started to feel a bit tense. It was only 10 o’clock, and Ahana never slept so early.
I walked toward the bedroom, hoping she would be there, waiting for me or peacefully sleeping. But as soon as I entered, disappointment filled me. There was no one. The bed was neatly made, without any wrinkles as if no one had slept in ages.
I called Sara.
“Sara?”
“Ansh, sir… Finally, you came home. I’ve cooked your food. If you want anything, I’ll come right away.”
“No… But how did you know I’d come home today?”
“Ahana ma’am said.”
But how did she know?
“Okay… But do you know where she is?”
“She said she had some work and will not be home for some days.”
What… I am home, and she is out for some work. But I don’t think there is any work related to the company.
“Sir…”
“Thanks…”
I hung up.
Where did she go? She is a complete mystery. I called her cell, but it was switched off.
Was she getting back at me or something? I don’t know what game we are playing.
I was starving, so I had my dinner and went to the bedroom. I could smell Ahana’s fragrance. So it means that she was here a few hours ago. Then where did she go?
I laid on the corner of the huge bed, not at all wanting to mess it up. But I couldn’t find peace.
Do I miss her? How could I? I am not allowed to…
Not once in these 15 days did I find peace.
It’s been a week of sleepless nights now. I still have no news from Ahana.
I can’t believe what game we have gotten into. Jen said she wasn’t aware of where Ahana was.
I wasn’t even able to concentrate on my work.
How did Ahana manage everything so well in my absence is still a question. I didn’t work at all.
Dad and everyone else will be back in a week. They had cut short their vacation by a week.
Ma wanted to meet Ahana. She was missing her. But whom will she meet because Ahana herself is missing.
OUR MARRIAGE IS JUST A PIECE OF PAPER : EPISODES 71 – 80
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