Waiting

Life without my wife is a miserable experience. Anyone who says otherwise doesn't love their wife. It’s been two weeks since my life partner went to visit her parents. I couldn’t go because of work but this time really made me wish I could just quit and go to her. She refused when we talked on call every night and I expressed my wishes. 

Waiting for her for these past weeks has been hard, but today it’s been unbearable, simply because of the anticipation of her coming back soon. For the waiting period to be finally over. 

Maya: Just left. Will be there soon. 11:05 am

This was 4 hours ago. 3 hours ago there was a voice note saying it was raining and that it was so fun to drive with the feel of the cold breeze on her skin. That was the last I heard from her.

To keep myself from texting her (obsessively), I completed all my official work, and house chores so she doesn't have to and made her favorite halwa that she loves to eat in this weather.

It's around 3:15 pm when the creaking sound filters my ear and I am instantly at the door, picking her up and twirling in my arms just as she closes it. She laughs. My favorite part of her laughs is when she is mildly surprised and a lot of happy. 

“So, I am guessing time without me wasn’t that great…” She asks as her laugh subsides and I carry her to our living room sofa. 

“It was hell. Nothing is right without you.” I settle her on my lap and her hands instinctively come around my neck, our routine, our comfort. 

“But you lived.” 

“‘Barely survived’ is the correct phrase to be used here. What I was doing was not living. You are not going to your parents' house again for this long and that's final.”

“Your phone is buzzing non-stop.” She points to my phone on the side table. “Leave me and pick that up.”

“No chance.” I shake my head and hold her tighter in my arms to really drive the point. “I have had to spend two weeks without you. Anyone in this world can wait. I have to spend some time with my wife.”

“You really can't live without me, huh?” Her fingers play with the hair at the base of my neck that makes me go crazy– and she knows it.

“Never.”

“And what if something happens to me?” My mood instantly drops at that. 

“We don't say things like that. Nothing's gonna happen. Why would you even say that? And stop grinning, it's not funny.”

“My dramatic king! I am grinning because I am the luckiest girl to have a husband like you. Even if something happens to me, I will go happily.”

“Stop saying that, will you? I don't like discussing something happening to you. Never ever. You are stuck with me for life. Got it?”

“Got it. But get unstuck from me now and get ready.”

“Ready? Why?”

“I have a surprise.”

“Surprise?” I couldn’t have sounded less thrilled.

“I know you don't like surprises but go and get changed na. You might need to go out for this one.”

“You don't need to rest?” Usually, trips like these exhaust her and she doesn’t love getting up.

“I have enough time to rest. Get changed and wear that black shirt. Suits you well.”

“Your favorite one?” I smirk, knowing it was the shirt I had been wearing when we first met. She hasn’t let me throw it even after all this time. 

“The one and only. Now go.” I make a mock grumpy face and get a kiss in return. “I love you.”

“Love you more. Your halwa is in the kitchen. Eat it.” She smiles but with a strange expression on her face. A part of me wants to question it but the other says to go with the flow.

Ready in my shirt, I call out for her from the room but no reply comes in return. I step outside and search for our home.

“Maya. Maya. Such a small house and you get lost here also. Maya.” 

She must have gone outside to take her bags.

I pick up my phone to call her but the number of texts and missed calls catch my attention and stop me in my tracks. I open the last one. 

Papa Ji: Pick up the damn call. Maya got into a car crash. Come fast. 2:15 pm