An abortion, few fractured ribs and some legal shit to home.

After our office, it was planned to crash at Naina's place. It's Friday and no one really wants to wake up under the same roof. I, on the other hand, was excited about spending time with her.

Everybody eventually knew about us and were aware of what we had - unnoticed gazes, casual touches that'll send shivers through my body and the eye contact that spoke it all.
I was in a happy place just being around her.

This Friday was no different. Soon after we reached her place, she took me separately and started to argue yet again.
"Why don't you see someone. You do know this current sexy pepper look will soon look only old!" she said.
I smirked at her 'sexy' remark. She realized she slipped a word enough for me to pull her leg.  I always enjoyed this - she thought of me as sexy; how she always wanted me to be in love.
I said, "Find me someone who'll love me more than you do". and started to head back to the living room to join others.


Naina's 10th wedding anniversary was near and as always she was not excited about it but thanks to social media and undying relatives, it was brought out that evening. From where it all started...
She was sipping her fav glass of wine when Aarthi casually mentioned, "So... what plans?"
Naina: "Hmmm...?"
Aarthi: "Your wedding anniversary girl!"

There was a slight amount of awkwardness. Everyone slowly turned towards me and I didn't raise my head. The plain glass of water looked pretty interesting at this point in time.

Naina didn't reply and I slowly walked out to the next room.

Naina followed me. She asked, "When will you start seeing someone?"
I looked at her with amazement.

She had coloured her grey hairs - red burgundy streaks made her look like wildfire. Her slightly squint eyes were always perfect enough to look into my soul. Her wrinkles were her real tattoos. The one I actually liked.
I said... "Can I have some tea?"
"You stopped having tea 4 years back! Stupid way to stop me smoke". She failed to look angry. She knew I love tea, especially with her.
I said, "At least you reduced - or maybe in front of me. I can live with that".



She sighed. "You're making it all very difficult for me." You moved into my city, managed to get a job at the same office. I know you helped me here and may have saved my ass one or few times but its difficult. Do you think people can't see the way you look at me? The way you're around me. The way you're closed to any relationship... The way... the way... she stuttered and stopped.

I asked, "The way what?"
She said, "The way you carried me to the hospital when I fainted!"
I couldn't keep my cool and raised my voice. "Why in the world you aborted!?"

She started to weep. I can take a bullet for her but couldn't see her cry.

I hugged her and whispered as part of my routine, "I'll always love my home - you're my home." and left her to recover.

I returned to the gang who now were busy chatting about work, cribbing about family and movies.

Naina walked back into the room, trying hard to keep her composure and look fine.
I thought to myself: here I am ready to move mountains for my love while she stands in front of me - feeling helpless and mostly, unloved.

I took a leave to use the restroom and had barely made it to the seat when I heard a lot of sound from the living room. I rushed to see HIM waiting outside the restroom.
The awkwardness was surreal. I had always imagined this introduction to be awkward but this was painful.
Can't blame some other human for my grief. We all were victims of time and place. Wrong place at the right time.
I couldn't, rather didn't greet him. Left to the hall to gather my stuff and leave.

Everyone in the room knew how much I loved and craved for Naina that I am sure no one would have stepped in to stop me if there was even a blood-bath. I wish Naina knew too.
Just when everyone expected to break havoc I started to leave. Just then, he joined us in the room and made the heroic announcement. "Guys I have a surprise for my wife! I bought her tickets to her fav place."
Before he could finish, I whispered to myself, "Hope at least he knows it is Bali..." and he said "... Bali".

I was relieved and in pain - a great amount of pain.

Naina didn't say anything. She was silent; enough to make it loud - that she wasn't really happy. She could never fake. My honest lady love.

Without bidding bye to anyone, I headed down from her house on the 13 floor. In the lift, I was thinking... "I left my country, my people, my career, my LIFE to be with her and give her what she really wants. A loving home."
"How does a week-long trip to someplace compare with a life in a loving home...? Wow... what a life!

It's been 3 weeks since that night. The night he wrongly touched her for the last time - the scar he caused her is still afresh in my heart and soul.
My knuckles do hurt with the fracture I caused to his ribs. He shouldn't have hurt her again.
I didn't touch her this time - she wasn't pregnant. The last abortion had left her weak and incapable to conceive again.
The abortion he forced her to take.

The abortion that killed our baby - my baby.

Aarthi's timid call helped me reach on time and rescue her.

Naina is recovering now. She's back where she always belonged - in my arms. I was back home too. A home for only us.
So what if we can't have a child - I anyways called her with our daughter's name, if we were ever destined to have one.

It took us an abortion, few fractured rib and some legal hassle to finally unite as one.

She was always my everything - my life, my love and my home.