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CHAPTER 26
Aarav
Jhanvi wants to leave me? That one thought has pierced a hole in my heart and I don’t think it’s ever going to ease things soon in my life. The whole day though I am at the office, I can’t focus on work. Does she really want to choose her present? Jhanvi has got every evidence of her real identity and yet she wants to leave me and the family we have built together and fly to New York? How could she not think of Aarvi? Or does she think I’ll let her take that decision? She already has seen what happened when Aarvi didn’t see her for a day after Amaya’s birthday party then how can Jhanvi take such a big decision without thinking about the welfare of our daughter? My Jhanvi wouldn’t have done that if she had her memories. Me and Aarvi are her world and she wouldn’t think beyond us. It’s high time I do something to get her memories back. I check the contact details of the neurologist whom I’ve been waiting to talk with for a long time. Picking the receiver, I ask my assistant to connect me to this international number.
In the evening I enter my mansion and the first thing I witness is Aarvi and Jhanvi playing with teddies. They are in the living room, with Aarvi’s kitchen toys all laid on the small table before the couch. Aarvi is acting to cook for her teddies and Jhanvi is faking to feed them. They keep on chatting and giggling, having no clue I am home. Having no plans to disturb them, I quietly make my way towards the stairs but Aarvi notices me first.
“Daddy,” she runs into my arms in no time and I pick her up. She kisses my cheeks and I return her kiss glancing at Jhanvi who gets up too. In the past, Jhanvi always welcomed me with a hug when I returned from home and then we would steal kisses when Aarvi wasn’t around. Now seeing Jhanvi behaving so cold and distant from me creates a void in my heart. Knowing she is my wife, the woman I love and realizing she doesn't love me back the way she used to love me before, only because she has lost her memories, stabs my heart.
I put Aarvi down but she drags me to the couch where Jhanvi is.
“I’ll make tea for daddy. Okay, Daddy?” Aarvi touches my chin as she makes me sit on the sofa and I can’t object her. So, I get involved in her play.
“Okay, sweetheart. Make Daddy some tea,” I agree.
She hurries to her kitchen toys.
“Mommy, I’ll make tea for you too?”
“Hmm” Jhanvi smiles at her and then looks away as if trying to process how to face me. She has so many questions in the back of her mind to know my reactions to our morning’s argument. Little more patience and she’ll know what she’s going to lose.
“Add more sugar to Mommy’s tea. She lacks sweetness these days,” I mock.
Though Aarvi doesn't understand the meaning behind my bitter words, Jhanvi does, and she glares back at me.
“Aarav?”
I raise my hand gesturing for her to stop that at once.
“You said enough today.”
“I didn’t know I had no right to speak my heart in this house,” she argues.
“Don’t talk about rights when you have stamped everything I’ve laid at your feet, for your future plans.”
She is about to argue when Aarvi returns to us with the small cups and saucers from her toys.
“Mommy, tea.”
Jhanvi takes it from her and fakes to drink. I do the same and then kiss Aarvi’s cheek again.
“Daddy has to freshen up, baby. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” she kisses my jaw and lets me leave. When I turn just to take a glimpse of Jhanvi from the stairs, she’s already looking at me and I don’t see her very happy with my behavior. If she thinks I’ll take her future plans lightly then she needs a reality check and I’m giving her one tonight. Ignoring Jhanvi was never an option and doing so today bleeds my heart. She doesn't deserve it from me nor do I deserve the kind of plans she has for herself which doesn't include me and our daughter.
Jhanvi
At the dinner table, I’m going to feed Aarvi but Aarav doesn’t let me.
“Today Daddy will feed Aarvi.” He snatches the plate from me.
I don’t argue, though I know he is doing this on purpose. I quietly eat my meal while staring at them wondering if this was how they stayed in my absence. Aarav makes small talk with Aarvi where she shares her plans for going out together with us, watch movies and also some teddy bear shopping and every time she asks me when we can go, I have no reply. What will I tell her? That instead of spending time with her and showering her with all the love and pampering, her mother is more interested in flying to New York and starting her life afresh there?
After we finish the meals, I want to talk to Aarav but he doesn't even wait to listen. Since Aarvi demands me to put her to sleep, he knows he can’t fight that so he heads to the room before us.
When we are in the room again, and after I put Aarvi to sleep, once again I try to speak to Aarav who comes out from the bathroom, but he deliberately pretends to dial someone on his phone and walks out of the room, increasing my tension and frustration, both. I follow him out as Aarvi is fast asleep but he is genuinely speaking to someone on the phone. I don’t want to overhear his conversation but whatever I hear so far makes me believe he is speaking to his lawyer. He shuts the door of his drawing room and then I can’t hear him at all. He is deliberately doing this, but tonight, until I know what’s going on in his mind, I am not going to stop chasing this man.
I get changed into my nightdress, the one which I am usually comfortable in, the one which doesn't belong to my wardrobe here. Aarav is still not in the bedroom and Aarvi is peacefully sleeping on the bed so I walk out of the room looking for him again. He’s not in the study room. I search him everywhere and then finally the servant tells me he is on the Terrace. What is he doing there? Whatever that is, he and I both know until we clear this thing between us, about our stand in our relationship, sleeping peacefully is never going to be easy for either of us.
