Love Happens With A Twist

16

Delhi

All she saw at the moment was her life being snatched. She saw the man who would have her hanged approaching her, coming closer and closer.

"Ahhhhhhh!" she screamed, tears rolling endlessly on her face. His mother was a step on the stairs when she stopped upon hearing her scream. She thought she might have injured her hand with the glasses from the broken plate, and as she was still a guest for them, she turned back to go help her, but after reaching where she left her, she saw her crying.

"What?" her eyes scrutinised her hands carefully, which looked okay before she proceeded, "Why are you crying?"

"Please give me your phone to call Abhimanyu. Please!" She spoke to her with manners, even folding her hands before her.

"Why? You can't call him. He's at work. He will come back at four."

"It's urgent for me to call him now. My phone is out of battery, and..."

"I won't give it to you. Maybe I would have given it if you were respectful towards me and my family, but you weren't. Whatever you must say should wait. He will come back later." She turned and started returning to the stairs when Poonam overtook her and muttered, her head bowed down.

"I've never had a mother in my life. People judge me without ever caring to find out why I am always rude to others who have a complete family. I'm sorry, Aunt, but you are doing the same now. You are also judging me because of what I've said." Her tears slowly dropped on the floor.

His mother cleared her throat silently, feeling guilt for talking to her coldly and judging her like she mentioned without knowing her.

"Calm down and stop crying." She pulled her in for a hug, and she accepted it, not having the time to oppose it. Although she doesn't hug everyone,  she did only to get her phone.

"Tell me why you're crying. Did someone say something to you?" She asked after they withdrew and sat down in the living room.

"I want to apologise to Abhimanyu. His heart is definitely clean. He would forgive me, wouldn't he?" Her eyes were still pouring tears, as that was the only thing she could do at the moment since her life was hanging between death and life.

"What for? Are all these tears for him? What did you do?"

"I made him angry." She moved her face to the side, wiping them as they poured while impatiently waiting for her to give her the phone instead of the useless conversation she was trying to have with her.

"Because you hugged your childhood friend?"

She nodded, not knowing why she was unnecessarily trying to prolong the conversation.

"He was obviously just jealous. Don't worry. He will not remain angry with you for long."

"If I don't call him and apologise right now, I will continue to blame myself. I won't stop crying, nor will I find peace. I may even end up depressed before four o'clock because, thinking he is still angry with me will keep hunting me. Please, Aunt," she gazed at her again with folded hands and whispered, "Please give me your phone."

She handed it over to her because she didn't want her to be anything she mentioned she would be, and also because she was also convinced that she may not be the person she thought she was.

"I've saved his number as my pride."

She smiled through her tears and, with difficulty, controlled her eyes from rolling because who saves one's son's number with my pride?

"Hello, Mother!" he answered before the call rang.

"It's Poonam!"

He halted his car in front of the station and ended the call instantly while going outside.

She tried the number again and again and again, but he didn't answer any of them. A text message then arrived from him.

"Return my mother's phone. Where is yours?"

"After you're done, bring the phone to my room." She got up and gave her a little smile, then left.

"Damn you, Abhimanyu. You will regret everything you're doing to me now." She mumbled under her breath, trying his number again.

He was registering the complaint, but the more his phone rang, the more it distracted him, so he thought of hearing what was so important that she hadn't left yet and was instead trying to speak to him. He kept the pen aside, answering the call.

"Before you hang up, I want to tell you I'm not leaving anymore. I'm staying..."

"Wait wait. Let me get you right. Staying as? Who are you now? I've already freed you. There's no longer a reason for you to stay because that was an opportunity I gave you to save yourself, which you played with."

"I know, and I'm sorry for that. Just please don't register the complaint. Don't give the evidence. This time, I promise to do whatever you want me to do. Please!" Her voice fell to a whisper at the last word, and she waited to hear his response through his continuous breath that echoed in the speaker.

"You've used the chance already. There's no going back."

"I'm apologising with sincerity. Please. It is the first and last time I will make the mistake again. I will convince your parents about our marriage. I will also never speak to Rudra again. I will do whatever you want me to do. I won't try to leave again. Please. Come home and let's talk it out."

"Let's talk it out as? We're no longer married. We mutually agreed to separate."

She took a minute to sigh and roll her eyes before she said what he wanted to hear: "We will talk it out as husband and wife. Please come home and don't register the complaint."

"Fine. I will because I have an understanding heart, unlike you."

She heaved a sigh of relief and happiness while he continued.

"We will talk many things out. When I come home, I want you to do the exact same thing you did to that man. You'll run and hug me."

"Wha...."

"I'm not done. You will convince my parents to agree to our wedding before I return. The rest of it, we will discuss later." He hung up, and she closed her mouth, which she had opened, to tell him she wouldn't hug him when he comes, as even though she agreed to continue being married to him, the fact that the marriage is forced won't change; hence, there won't be any physical relationship between them.