CHAPTER 9 - A Forgotten Birthday

Karthik noticed that his wife had been sad and dull the past few days; not that she was happy before but she looked lost and broken now. He wanted to know what happened that made her like this, all of a sudden.

She looked like a robot with no emotions whatsoever on her face; everything she did seemed mechanical to him.

One morning when he sat at the dining table for breakfast, he found Sindhu busily talking to someone in the balcony. When she saw him waiting for her, she hastily cut the call and entered the living, serving him breakfast. Before she served herself, she got a call again making her run towards the balcony with her mobile.

She closed the balcony door behind her and picked up the call. He was perplexed to see her on the phone as he never saw her get any calls from her friends; at least not when he's at home. He observed her through the glass doors; she seemed to be in better spirits but still sad. She came back to the dining only to go back to take another call.

Sindhu was shocked to see Hemanth call her. She almost lost her voice hearing him; all the heartache and hurt she felt the past few days caught up with her and she started crying hysterically.

"I am so sorry Sindhu.. Please don't cry" She heard him from the other end but she couldn't stop her tears anymore. It was almost an year since she last talked to him.

She remembered the way he celebrated her birthday last year before leaving to US. After he went there, he called her only once.

Never did he make attempts to talk to her again nor did he take her calls; she gave up after numerous trials. She missed him so much.

"Happy Birthday princess. It's your first without me" he said, his voice cracking up.

"I hate you" she yelled at him. It was a lie; she can never hate him.

"I know you don't"

"Why did you call now? To know if I am alive or dead?"

"Please don't talk like that" Hemanth's voice sounded painful.

"You didn't care how I was. You know that you are my only best friend; yet, you left me and never cared to look back" she said, fighting back tears.

"I am sorry. Please forgive me drama queen; I will never do that again I promise" he said softly.

She remembered his nickname for her and smiled between tears. When he didn't hear her, he added "I am sorry Sindhu.. Please, I missed you too; so damn much"

"I never told I missed you" she said childishly.

"I know you did" he said, teasing her. She could feel him smile; he may be at the other end of the world but she knew him well enough to know that.

"So how was your birthday? Your husband must be all excited since it's your first one after marriage" he said excitedly.

Sindhu felt sad when she heard the familiar line she had been hearing from all her friends since morning; even her parents said that.

She remembered the conversation with her dad. He told her that he planned to visit her but cancelled as he thought the newly wed couple might have plans.

She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard him "Sindhu. Are you there?"

"Huh? Yes Yes. So, tell me was life at US so good that you forgot me?" she said changing the subject; which didn't go unnoticed by Hemanth. He thought something was wrong in her life but decided to let it go this time.

"No. Nothing's better than staying with one's own family. I understood that after I came here" he said sadly. He missed her and her family, more than his own parents.

"Then why don't you come back?" she asked softly.

Hemanth noticed her voice was wistful; like she really missed him and he felt guilty. He left the only best thing of his life but, he wanted more. He left when he realized she will never love him the way he did her.

"I will" he promised.

Sindhu looked through the glass doors and found Karthik observing her, with his eyes narrowed.

"Ok, keep in touch. Karthik's going to office, I will call you later" She disconnected the call after he wished her happy birthday again.

Karthik was surprised to see Sindhu crying in the balcony. He couldn't hear her words but was sure she was talking to someone really close to her. He observed her and saw multiple emotions run through her face in a span of few seconds.

"Who is it?" He asked her, surprising himself when she strolled into the living.

"Hemanth" she said with a small smile.

When she saw him frown, she answered his unspoken doubt "My best friend"

"The one in US?" he asked slowly.

She nodded and left the room only to come back with his lunch bag. Karthik wanted to ask why he called her after so long but stopped himself thinking it's none of his business.

After he left, Sindhu felt alone but continued doing what she did everyday; watching TV. She got phone calls occasionally but nothing could keep her mind off Hemanth.

She had so many friends; none close to her like him. Her other friends talked to her rarely; they are distant to one another and called only on occasions like this.

She never had a problem with that until Hemanth left. He was her everything and she was his; except they wanted different things from each other. She loved him like a family while he was in love with her.

Another boring day passed and Sindhu was exhausted with so many things running in her mind. She wanted to see Hemanth; it's been so long.

The next morning she was granted a surprise visit by her dad. She understood he came early to meet his son in law.

"How is life Karthik?" her dad asked her husband.

"It's fine" Karthik replied nervously.

"I hope my daughter isn't troubling you" he said with a wicked gleam.

He gave a small chuckle "No"

He looked different when he smiled, Sindhu thought.

"I came to give you this" her dad said, pulling a medium size paper bag from his bag.

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

"Your birthday present" he beamed.

Sindhu gulped loudly when she heard him; she saw surprise flicker in Karthik's eyes.

"You need not do that" she said awkwardly.

"You are saying 'No' to a present?" her dad gasped, surprise dancing his eyes.

She rolled her eyes as he looked at Karthik "So what did she make you buy for her birthday yesterday?" and added before he gave a chance to reply "I am sure she won't take no for an answer"

She glared at her dad whose eyes gleamed with excitement.

"I- I—" Karthik stuttered, looking totally confused and out of place. She found that funny somehow.

"A camera" Sindhu answered, saving him from an awkward moment.

"Wow. I won't say I am proud of your convincing skills" her dad taunted making him smile.

When neither of them said anything, he continued "So, where is it?"

When Sindhu saw the color drain out of Karthik's face, she answered instantly "We ordered it in Flipkart; the last time I checked it, we won't get it for another week"

"Kids these days, ordering everything online" her dad muttered, as if talking to himself.

Soon, the conversation shifted to lighter topics which made her sigh in relief.

Her dad left after few minutes not listening to her pleas to stay. However, before leaving he invited them to come to their house.

"Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday yesterday?" Karthik asked her, when his father in law left. He left like a fool, a while ago not knowing his wife's birthday.

"I thought it doesn't matter" she said softly.

"To who? Me?" he pondered.

She nodded "I know you don't care about me or my life"

Somehow, her answer bothered him so much. He wanted to say that he cares for her; she is his wife for god sake.

When she didn't hear him reply, she added "I am sorry I didn't pack your lunch today"

Karthik remembered she didn't know he was eating her food; she packed him lunch but never asked him if he was eating.

"That's ok. I am planning to take a leave today; it's already late" he replied.

"Oh. I will start cooking then" she said.

"Sindhu. Cook curries only sufficient enough for lunch; we are going out for dinner"

"Why?" she asked with a surprise look on her face.

"Just like that" he said shrugging off.

"You don't like the food I prepare?" she asked, looking sad.

"No. I mean it's fine" he blurted out but she didn't look like she believed him.

"I eat your food three times a day. I won't do that if I haven't liked it" he said, trying to look annoyed at her question.

He didn't want to say he felt guilty about not knowing her birthday and so planned to take her out; he thought going out will also change the mood she's in the past few days. Moreover, he wanted her to know he eats her lunch.

She nodded giving him a small smile and left the room.

He switched on TV and watched a replay cricket match until he heard Sindhu say lunch's ready. They ate food together, none of them trying to make a conversation.

Karthik took her to Grand Paradise for dinner, a famous restaurant in Secunderabad popular for non-veg varieties. He noticed guys looking in her direction as she passed and thought she looked beautiful tonight. In fact, she always looked beautiful to him.

He learnt a lot of things about her just by watching her; like she can't sit still in a car without feeling sleepy, and that she likes to wear simple clothes even when going out with her husband for the first time. She also doesn't take much time to get ready like most girls do including Tulasi and that she loved non-veg but doesn't know how to cook. The last part he guessed as he never saw her cook non-veg at home.

Sindhu liked the food at paradise; she visited this place a number of times with Hemanth. Whenever they had a row, he would bring her here as a peace offering and she would forgive him instantly. This was their place.

It was ten by the time they reached home as the place was faraway from their house.

"Thanks for taking me out" Sindhu told him as he was about to walk away to his room.

He knit his eyebrows together as she continued "I know you did that for me"

He nodded, saying nothing looking like his usual self with a poker face.

"What would you take for a birthday present?" he asked, looking serious.

She wished she had the confidence to say 'You' but stayed calm.

When he called her name, she snapped out of her reverie and gave him a sad smile "Nothing"

They called it a night and retired to their respective rooms.

—

Thank you so much for reading.

Please Vote, Comment and Share

Paradise is a famous place in Hyderabad known for its dum biryani. I heard even Salman Khan likes that place..

So friends, what do you think of Karthik now?

How's their date, sort of?

And Hemanth!! How is he, by the way?

- JANAKI S