Reyansh Carter
Ihave been trying to get rid of this feeling ever since Chhavi talked her nonsense to me, but the thing is, her words scared me.
Ever since that conversation, I have felt like Aisha is going away. It only sucks that she will be in the presence of Chhavi alone, and knowing her, I know she will say some stuff that will make Aisha overthink.
I just hope she doesn’t take her words seriously. I just hope she understands that I love her and that’s the only thing that is constant.
Aisha could sense that something was wrong this morning, and I could have told her what Chhavi said, but that would only ruin her mood. She seemed happy that Chhavi wanted to get her guidance, and I didn’t want to ruin the only chance she had at bonding with her.
I had a hard time focusing on work because despite me checking in with Maa if Aisha was okay, something in my heart said that wasn’t the case.
So instead of overthinking, I called her. She didn’t pick up the first time, increasing my anxiety, but within five minutes she called me back.
“Hi,” she says as soon as I pick up, and her voice instantly calms down my heart.
“Hi,” I say, and my voice comes out breathless.
“Are you okay?” she asks, and I shake my head.
I don’t want her to worry, but what can I do?
“Yes,” I say. “I just called to let you know that I will be leaving in a few minutes.”
“Okay,” she says. “Sounds good to me. I will start getting ready in a few too.”
“Still wearing that red dress?”
“Yes,” she says, and I feel like something is bothering her.
“Did everything go well with you and Chhavi?”
My heart picks up speed as I wait for her response.
“Yes,” she says quickly, and I can tell she isn’t telling me everything. “It was fine. I am glad she is leaving tomorrow.”
“Honestly, me too.”
“Did she say something to you too?” she asks, and I wonder if Chhavi told her anything about our conversation.
There wasn’t anything wrong in it, but I know she won’t tell the parts where she was wrong.
“Not really.”
She stays silent on the other end, and I wait for her to say something else.
“Okay, then. I will get going. I have to get ready.”
“Okay. I love you.”
She hums, and I just wish she would say those words back to me, but I know she will when she feels it is appropriate.
* * *
I sit in front of our apartment for ten minutes before walking inside, and instantly I am greeted with so much chaos.
“What’s going on?” I ask as Maa and Mom sit with their suitcases in the living room.
“We are packing!” They say it together, and I get confused. Packing for what?
“For what?” I ask.
“I am going back day after tomorrow,” Maa says. “And Margot is going on a trip with your father.”
“A trip? With my father?”
As far as I know, they haven’t been on a trip in years. So why now?
“Business trip,” Mom side-eyes Maa, and I am not quite satisfied with her answer, but I let it slide.
“Where’s Aisha?”
“Getting ready,” Mom says. “Eager to see your wife?”
“When am I not?” I say, quite shamelessly, and she chuckles.
I let them do whatever they were doing and made my way straight towards my bedroom. The only thing that keeps me going is her. I dread the dinner with Louis, but knowing Aisha will be there makes it ten times better.
“Aisha?” I call her name, and she comes out of the bathroom.
“Yes?” she says, and my jaw drops to the floor.
The red dress I gave to her one Valentine’s Day still hugs her the same way it did before. If not better. The slit on the dress reaching up to her thigh shows the sliver of her skin.
She has done very light makeup, but the matching red lipstick covering her lips is inviting.
“Reyansh?” She calls me out of my train of thoughts.
“Yes,” I say. “You look beautiful, Aisha. I have no words.”
She smiles, the one that reaches her eyes, and I feel my heart race in my chest.
“Thank you,” she says. “You look tired.”
“Oh, I am feeling all refreshed now. I will just freshen up slightly.”
She nods, taking her heels from the closet and sitting on the bed to put them on. And just because I am obsessed with her, I kneel down in front of her, taking the heels from her hands.
“Let me do it,” I say, and she looks at me surprised but doesn’t complain.
I wrap the straps of the heel around her calf before moving to the other foot. She keeps staring at me intently, and I wonder what is going on in her head.
“I am so lucky to have you, Aisha,” I say, and her face turns red—not because of makeup—but because my words have an effect on her.
“I know,” she says. “You tell me that every day.”
I smile, pulling her face towards me and pressing a kiss to her forehead.
“I hope I make you feel that every day too.”
* * *
The anticipation of what might happen at this dinner makes me awfully quiet, and Aisha looks lost in her head too.
“Aisha,” I say, and she looks at me finally. I love having her eyes on me so much. “Are you okay?”
“I am,” she says, a bit too quickly. “I am just tired. I feel like sleeping.”
“Do you want me to cancel?” I ask honestly, “It won’t be a problem.”
“It is not,” she says with a smile. “Stop trying to get out of this meeting, Reyansh. He can’t be that bad.”
“I am not trying to get out of anything,” I say, slightly offended. “I was just genuinely concerned. Plus, he is not that bad, Aisha.”
“We will face him together,” she says, holding my hand resting on the console between us.
“I know. I hope he doesn’t ruin mine or your mood.”
She chuckles, and I don’t think she understands how well he can ruin someone’s mood or how much he can actually get inside someone’s head. He is an awful person, great at manipulating people, which makes him a great businessman, but at the end, he is an awful person.
The restaurant comes into view, and I park my car as the valet comes to take it.
I get out to open her door, and we accidentally bump into each other as she gets out too fast.
“Careful, baby,” I say, softly. “No hurry.”
“Sorry,” she says sheepishly.
I press a kiss to her cheek, and she smiles.
“Don’t take his words personally, okay. And if at any moment you feel uncomfortable and want to leave, tell me. Okay?”
She nods, and I take her hand in mine, firmly.
“I won’t, and if you ever feel like he is being too much and want to leave, let me know too.”
I smile, shaking my head. She doesn’t realize that no matter the situation or the people we are around, if she is with me, I will be okay.
* * *
Aisha Kapoor
The restaurant is dimly lit, giving it a very posh vibe. Reyansh and I walk quietly to the table that was booked for us, and I see that Mr Maxwell—Louis—is already seated there.
While I have been quiet the whole time, the anxiety of this meeting is making me want to blabber with him.
I remind myself to keep quiet and not talk unnecessarily.
“That’s him,” he whispers the obvious in my ear, and I nod.
“Hi, Louis,” Reyansh greets, and he gets up to shake his hand.
“Hi, Reyansh,” he says, straightening up. “I didn’t know you would come.”
“I promised,” Reyansh says. “And we stick to our promises.”
Louis gives him a smile that is anything but sweet before his eyes land on me.
“You must be the wife,” he says. “Nice to meet you.”
“My name is Aisha,” I say, to remind him that my name is not just “wife”.
“Yes,” he says. “I know.”
Prick. No wonder Reyansh doesn’t like him.
He pulls the seat for me, and I take a step back, a little taken aback.
“Thanks, Louis,” Reyansh says, and I can see already that he looks annoyed. “But I can take care of my wife.”
“Just being a gentleman,” he says, backing off and sitting back down in his seat. I look at Reyansh, who gives me a reassuring nod, and I sit down.
I hope this dinner goes quietly and without any mess.
They keep talking business, and I get to know how smart my man is. I mean, I have always known how smart he is, but seeing him talk numbers like this makes me hot for him. He looks like a…dessert. In his navy blue suit and a crisp white shirt, and his stubble all growing.
“Aisha,” Louis calls me, and I stop ogling my husband. “I have heard you work too at a publishing house.”
“Yes,” I say. “I am the senior editor and executive.”
“That’s impressive for a woman.”
My eyebrows furrow. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” he says, shaking his head with a stupid smirk plastered on his face. “Most women who are married to a rich guy like Reyansh choose to be a housewife.”
“Well, that’s their choice, which I respect. After all, being a housewife isn’t any less than a job.”
“And Aisha supports me in every way,” Reyansh adds. “She is a gift. Supportive and intelligent. Ambitious and caring. My dream woman.”
His words are sweet, but I don’t feel as complimented as I should. We shouldn’t even be having this conversation. I love that he always comes to my defense, but the fact that he had to in this situation in itself is very sickening.
“She is feisty,” he says, and the way he looks at me is disgusting, and I can see from the corner of my eyes that Reyansh is pissed. His jaw is clenched, and his hand holding the fork is tight. “And smarter than you, I must say. No offense.”
“Intelligence isn’t a competition in our marriage, Louis. You could implement that in your life.”
His words probably hit the chord because Louis’s face turns taut and I silently smile.
I don’t have a good feeling about this dinner anymore.
The rest of the dinner goes in a sour mood, and I can feel the tension in Reyansh, and I can feel that this conversation didn’t go well with him.
Neither did it with me.
First, Chhavi, and now him. It is like the universe keeps throwing these balls at us one after another, and now I am crying for help.
I need a break.