TOGETHER WE STAY

CHAPTER 10

Koel was in the terrace. In that absolute silent surrounding she stood under the moon with her mind making the most noise. It felt as if someone had just touched her old wound. The more she tried to calm her mind, the more it made noise. The more she tried not to think about that night, the more clearly it flashed in front of her eyes.

She clearly remembered that night.

The clock ticked at 2am. The incident that took place few hours ago kept playing infrot of her eyes. Their argument Faizi's getting violent and throwing the cup and pushing Koel away. And along it flashes of their almost daily arguments and disagreements. Koel was sitting on her table and re-reading the letter that she had written. Then she stood adored everything that was placed in the room. And then her eyes fell on her marriage pictures hung right in front of the bed. Along it were hung so many more pictures of her and Faizi together. One of their college fest, one of their beach trip together, one was of camping trip that they went, one was of their first Diwali after marriage, one was of their first anniversary date night, one was of their baby shower and lastly her eyes got stuck on that one picture. The clicked when Nikhil had turned a week old. Koel had just returned from hospital.

Brushing off tears and thoughts with a heavy heart and slow steps she proceeded towards Nikhil's room. Nikhil was sleeping along Faizi. Usually after their fights Faizi used to sleep along Nikhil. Nikhil and Faizi were sleeping hugging onto each other. It broke Koel's heart to see them like this. Koel rushed out of the room, after few minutes of sobbing silent tears she knew that it will be difficult but she will have to do this, she slowly tried to take Nikhil out of Faizi's hug but the more she tried to pull Nikhil the more he cuddled back towards Faizi. Finally, after few minutes when Faizi turned his side, Koel picked Nikhil in her arms and moved out of the room. With each step Koel took in path of walking out of the room so was she walking of Faizi's life. And in night's darkness Koel disappeared. She took a taxi to airport.

Koel had tears in her eyes as she boarded the taxi and looked at the going figure of her home. Koel looked at her house for the very last time. She never knew that one day would come that she would have to leave behind- the very place that she had built with so much love. She remembered how excited she and Faizi were to buy a place that they would call as home. Their very own home. From the interior to curtains to furniture to wall colour to décor, Koel and Faizi both had invested so much time and emotions in building this place.

Koel was clueless where to go. But the very first place that hit her mind was of- Bhubaneshwar. Koel's maternal grandmother used to stay there. Koel was thinking of visiting her since long. She never knew that this trip would be planned in haste. But in life often unexpected things happened. She took her phone out and booked two tickets to Bhubaneshwar. The ticket was of morning 6am. Before Faizi could realize anything, Koel was already gone far away from his life.

The tears in Koel's eyes had already blurred her vision just like how her mind was currently. She had so many thoughts in her minds, but she lacked clarity. She doubted each and every step that she was taking. But before she could think about it, she was already sitting in the airport's waiting area. From the glass walls she saw the pinch of orange that spread across the cloudy sky. She had already switched off her phone. As the announcement was made of boarding. Koel picked Nikhil in her arms and with slow and heavy steps proceeded.

Coming out of this flashback Koel kicked her leg in air in frustration, only she knew how long this journey had been for her. After spending few days with her grandmother and then taking up job alongside. And then how one day Koel got a job offer from New York. Koel had spent making sleepiness nights before finally agreeing to take this job offer.

*****

Siddharth knew that it was way beyond his sleep time but his mind kept playing games with him. The whole burden that he carried in his heart all this while just poured itself out infront of Sanjana. But instead of feeling light this weird kind of feelings had filled in his heart. He wanted to just run away from his own mind. Time and again flashes of that phone call kept playing on his mind.