20. Monday Blues
The alarm rang at 6:30.
For a moment Ruhika didn't move. Her eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. The room was quiet except for the gentle hum of the ceiling fan.
Then the memory arrived ~ Monday.
Work.
The quiet stretch of days since the wedding had finally come to an end. She lay still for a moment, staring up at the ceiling as the morning light slowly crept into the room.
For the past few weeks mornings had been slower.
Unhurried.
But today the familiar rhythm of routine had returned. She sighed softly and turned her head.
Shivansh was still asleep beside her.
His hair was slightly messy, the way it always became when he slept deeply, and his face held the kind of calm stillness that only came in those quiet early minutes before the day truly began.
One arm rested loosely across the mattress between them, his hand lying close enough that if she moved even slightly their fingers would brush.
A small smile tugged at her lips. For a moment she stayed where she was, simply watching him.
The morning light had begun to touch the room gently, soft gold slipping across the bed and brushing the edge of his shoulder.
Carefully, trying not to wake him, she slipped out from under the blanket.She moved quietly toward the wardrobe, her movements slow out of habit rather than necessity.
Behind her the mattress shifted faintly.
Shivansh stirred. His eyes opened halfway, still heavy with sleep.
"Already?" he murmured, his voice rough and low.
Ruhika glanced back over her shoulder."First day back."
He groaned softly and rolled onto his back, one arm coming up to rest across his forehead as if the idea itself was exhausting.
"That should be illegal."
She laughed quietly under her breath. "I don't remember you complaining this much before the wedding."
She shook her head slightly and turned back toward the wardrobe
Walking to the window, she drew the curtains aside. As she opened the doors, the sunlight grew stronger in the room.The morning poured in fully now.
Behind her she heard him shift again.
When she turned slightly, she saw that Shivansh had pushed himself up against the headboard, watching her with the sleepy patience of someone not quite ready to join the day yet.
"You're very energetic for a Monday," he said.
She picked out her clothes from the wardrobe and laid them carefully across the chair. When she turned again, she noticed his hand had fallen back onto the bed — almost exactly where it had been before.
Right between them. Almost without thinking, she stepped closer to the bed to reach for her phone on the bed
Her fingers brushed lightly against his. The contact lasted barely a second. But Shivansh caught her hand before she could pull it away.
His eyes were still half closed. "You're escaping very quickly," he said quietly.
"I have to get ready."
He didn't hold it tightly — just enough to delay her for a second.
"You'll be late," she said.
"Possibly."
For a moment they both stayed like that.
Then he finally let go.
"Fine," he said, settling back against the pillow again.
"But I'm blaming you when I regret waking up."
Ruhika smiled faintly as she picked up her phone."You were already awake."
She walked toward the bathroom door, pausing briefly.
When she glanced back, he had closed his eyes again — but the faint smile still lingered on his face.
_______
By the time Ruhika stepped out of the bathroom, the room had begun to fill with the quiet movement
The wardrobe doors were open.
Shivansh stood in front of them in a half-buttoned shirt, scanning through a row of neatly hung blazers as if the right one might suddenly appear if he looked long enough.
The hair dryer hummed softly in Ruhika's hand as she stood in front of the mirror, leaning slightly forward while drying the last strands of her hair.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
The quiet coordination of two people getting ready for the day slowly unfolded around the room — drawers opening, hangers shifting, the soft thud of shoes being placed on the floor.
"Have you seen my blue tie?" Shivansh asked without turning around.
Ruhika glanced toward the wardrobe through the mirror.
"The second drawer."
He pulled it open. It was there.
"That was suspiciously quick," he said.
She smiled faintly and switched off the dryer, placing it aside. The room grew quieter immediately. Ruhika leaned slightly toward the mirror, reaching for the small box on the dresser.
Shivansh had moved to the other side of the room now, fastening his watch around his wrist while glancing briefly at the time.
In the mirror he noticed her lifting the small container of sindoor.
For a moment he paused.
Ruhika stood very still as she carefully placed the thin line of red along the parting of her hair.
It was a small gesture.
Simple.
But it carried the quiet weight of their new life in a way that still felt unfamiliar some mornings.
Shivansh watched her reflection for a second before adjusting the cuff of his sleeve.
"Monday looks better on you," he said casually.
She shook her head, though the faintest smile appeared as she closed the small box again.
He walked past her toward the dresser, reaching for his wallet.
Then he paused. Something had caught his eye.
The mangalsutra rested lightly against the neckline of her kurta, slightly twisted where it had shifted while she was adjusting her earrings.
Without thinking too much about it, he stepped a little closer. "Wait," he said quietly.
Ruhika lowered her hands, glancing at him.
He reached out and gently straightened the chain so it rested properly again.
The gesture was simple.
Careful.
His fingers brushed lightly against the fabric for just a second before he stepped back.
"There," he said.
Ruhika looked down briefly. The chain sat neatly again against the collar.
"Thank you," she said softly.
For a moment neither of them moved.Then Shivansh picked up his watch from the dresser again.
"Do we have time for coffee?"
Ruhika checked the clock.
"Barely."
She laughed quietly as she reached for her bag. The morning continued around them — ordinary, familiar.
But somewhere between the open wardrobe doors, the quiet mirror conversations, and small gestures that no longer felt hesitant...their new life together had begun to settle into something comfortable.
Something easy.
Something that felt a little more like home.
By the time they stepped downstairs, the house had already begun its familiar morning rhythm. The faint clatter of utensils came from the kitchen, along with the warm smell of toasted bread and fresh parathas.
Sunita stood near the stove, moving efficiently between the kettle and the pan as she overlooked preparations for the breakfast.
Aarav was already at the table, leaning back in his chair with his phone in one hand and a half-eaten toast in the other.
The moment he looked up and saw them walking in together, his grin appeared instantly. "Well, look who finally returns to civilization."
Ruhika laughed as she pulled out a chair.
"It's been more than two weeks."
"That's a strong accusation."
Sunita glanced over from the kitchen."Enough talking. Sit properly and eat."
Ruhika reached for the plates but Sunita waved her hand dismissively. "I've already served."
Within seconds plates appeared in front of them.
"Eat properly before leaving,both of you " she added firmly.
As they began eating, Shivansh reached for the teapot without looking up.He poured tea into Ruhika's cup first.It was a small gesture.So natural that he didn't even seem to think about it.
Ruhika noticed though. She glanced at the cup for a second before quietly picking it up.
Across the table Aarav watched the exchange and raised an eyebrow.
The table filled with small morning conversations — the kind that made the house feel lived in again after the quiet weeks of wedding celebrations and travel.
___________
A short while later they stepped out into the driveway.
The morning air carried the quiet buzz of a weekday beginning — distant car engines, a neighbor closing their gate, the faint rustle of leaves in the early breeze.
Shivansh locked the front door while Ruhika stood beside the car, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
It was strange in a small way — after spending almost every hour together during the wedding and the trip, this was the first morning they were heading out separately again.
Normal life had quietly returned.
Ruhika reached for the car door.
Just as she opened it, Shivansh said, "Wait."
She turned slightly.
"What?"
He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he had noticed something.
Then he reached forward. For a moment she thought he was adjusting something on her shoulder, but instead he brushed his thumb lightly near the corner of her lip.
"There was..." he said casually."A crumb."
Ruhika blinked.She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly aware of how close he was standing.The moment lingered for half a second longer than it needed to.
Then Shivansh stepped back, slipping his hands into his pockets again.
"All clear now."
She shook her head slightly, though a faint blush coated her cheeks "Very helpful."
He nodded, smiling "I try."
She opened the car door again.
Just before she got in, he spoke again. "Call me if the day turns terrible."
She paused."And if it's good?"
"I'll assume my good influence."
She laughed softly.For a second neither of them moved.Then he reached out and lightly tapped the roof of the car."Drive safe."
Ruhika slid into the seat and started the engine.
As the car rolled out of the driveway, she glanced briefly through the rearview mirror.
Shivansh was still standing there for a moment, watching the car disappear down the street before turning toward his own.
The morning had fully begun.And the quiet comfort they had brought back from the ocean was already finding its place in the rhythm of their everyday life.
______
The city had already slipped into its usual weekday rhythm by the time they reached their offices.
Traffic, hurried footsteps, phones ringing somewhere in every direction.The quiet, unhurried days of the past two weeks already felt far away.
The moment Ruhika stepped into the office lobby, the familiar hum of work life wrapped around her.
People walking briskly with files, the reception phone ringing, someone discussing a meeting near the elevators.
For a second she simply stood there.
It felt strange returning to a place that had once been routine but now carried a faint sense of distance.
"Ruhika!"
She turned.
Two colleagues were already walking toward her.
"Finally!" one of them said, "You're back!"
"It was nice, typical and chaotic" the group groaned dramatically, but someone's phone rang and another colleague called out for a meeting update, and the moment dissolved into the usual office chaos.
Ruhika took the opportunity to slip away toward her desk.
Her chair.
Her files.
Everything exactly where she had left it.
For a second she just stood there, taking it in.
The familiar desk lamp.The small stack of sticky notes she had left unfinished before the wedding. The pen stand slightly tilted because one of the clips had broken months ago.
It felt oddly grounding.
Like stepping back into a version of life that had paused while everything else had moved forward.
She placed her bag down and sat, the chair rolling slightly beneath her weight.
The screen of her laptop lit up as she switched it on.
Emails began loading almost immediately.
Dozens of them.
Meeting invites.
Follow-ups.
Updates from projects she had handed over before leaving.
Work had clearly continued without waiting for her.
She let out a soft breath, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she began scanning the subject lines.
A notification buzzed on her phone.Without thinking, she picked it up, intending to silence it.
But the screen had already lit up.A photo filled the display.
One of the beach pictures from the trip. For a second she simply stared.The memory of that moment returned instantly.
The sound of waves.
The warmth of the sun.
Her lips curved slowly into a smile.Something soft settled in her chest.She locked the screen gently and placed the phone beside her keyboard.
"Focus," she murmured quietly to herself.
Her fingers returned to the laptop.
Emails.
Deadlines.
Work.
But every now and then, without meaning to, her eyes drifted briefly toward the phone resting beside her.
And each time, the faint smile returned — like a quiet reminder that even in the middle of spreadsheets and meetings, a small part of the sea and sunlight, the memories still belonged to her.
__________
Across the city, Shivansh stepped into the glass-fronted building that housed his office, the morning sun reflecting sharply off its polished fa?ade.
The lobby was already alive with the steady rhythm of a working day.
Assistants moved quickly between desks, phones rang in the background, and the low murmur of conversations floated through the space.
As he entered, a few heads lifted instinctively.
"Good morning, sir."
He acknowledged them with a small nod, his stride unhurried but purposeful as he made his way toward the elevator.
The doors slid shut behind him.
For a brief moment, the quiet inside the elevator created a small pocket of stillness before the day fully began.When the doors opened again, he stepped out onto his floor and headed toward his cabin.
Everything looked exactly as he had left it before the wedding.
The glass walls.
The long conference table at one end.
Files arranged in clean stacks on the side cabinet.
Screens resting on the desk.
Routine had resumed.
He set his bag down, shrugged off his jacket, and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt slightly before settling into his chair.
The screen lit up as he opened his laptop.
Within seconds, emails began populating the inbox.
Updates from different departments.
Reports waiting for review.
Meeting reminders.
He skimmed through the first few messages, already slipping back into the focused quiet that work demanded.
A knock sounded against the glass door.
Before he could answer, it opened. Rohan stepped in with the relaxed confidence of someone who had never been particularly concerned about formalities.
"So," he said, leaning casually against the doorframe.
"Married man returns."
Shivansh didn't look up immediately.He finished typing a quick reply before glancing at him.
"You're very dramatic."
Rohan pulled a chair forward and dropped into it, stretching his legs slightly."How is married life?"
Shivansh paused for a moment, fingers resting lightly on the keyboard. "It's good."
"That's a suspiciously calm answer."
Shivansh leaned back slightly in his chair, his expression thoughtful rather than defensive.
"It's... normal."
Rohan studied him for a second."That sounds like a good sign."
Shivansh didn't respond.Instead he reached for his phone to check the time.
As he placed it back down on the desk, a faint scent reached him.
Subtle. Familiar.
The perfume. Her first gift to him.He hadn't thought about it that morning while getting ready. But now the memory surfaced clearly.A faint smile crossed his face before he could stop it.
Rohan noticed instantly."Ah," he said.
"There it is."
Shivansh looked up. "What?"
"That look."
Rohan stood up, brushing his hands together lightly. "Sure."
As he reached the door, he paused and added casually,
"Good to see you happy, by the way."
The door clicked shut behind him.The cabin fell quiet again.
Shivansh turned back toward his laptop, scrolling through the next set of reports waiting for review.
But for a moment his focus drifted, thinking that Somewhere across the city, Ruhika was probably sitting at her own desk right now.
Adjusting back into meetings. Answering questions from colleagues.
Finding her rhythm again. Just like he was.The thought lingered briefly — not distracting, just present.
Then he closed one email, opened another file, and leaned forward slightly as the familiar pace of the workday settled back around him.
Outside the glass walls of his cabin, the office moved steadily through its morning.
Inside, Shivansh returned to his routine.
Only this time, there was a quiet awareness in the background of it all.That the end of the day didn't simply mean leaving the office.
It meant going home.
__________
By the time the clock crossed 2 in the afternoon, the office had fully slipped into its weekday rhythm.
Phones ringing. Printers humming. The low murmur of conversations drifting across cubicles.
Ruhika had already moved through two meetings and half a dozen emails when she finally leaned back in her chair for a moment, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
The morning had passed quickly.
Too quickly.
Her laptop screen glowed with another event budgeting report she needed to review, but her eyes wandered briefly toward the glass window beside her desk.
Outside, the sun hung high over the city. Somewhere far away from spreadsheets and presentations.
Her phone buzzed softly against the desk.
She glanced at it instinctively. A message.
Shivansh
She unlocked the screen.
Shivansh: Surviving?
The corner of her mouth lifted immediately.The message was simple.But somehow perfectly timed.
She typed back quickly.
Ruhika: Barely.Its harder than expected
A typing bubble appeared almost instantly.
Shivansh: Same, too much happened in last twenty days it seems
She smiled faintly, leaning back in her chair. For a moment she simply stared at the conversation, the quiet comfort of it settling around her.
Then another message appeared.
Shivansh: Did you eat?
Her fingers hovered over the screen.
Ruhika: About to.
Which was technically a lie.Her lunch was still sitting untouched in the bag beside her desk.
Another pause. Then—
Shivansh: It's already Two, eat on time
She hesitated before sending the next message.
Ruhika: And you?
There was a short delay this time. She imagined him at his desk, probably leaning slightly forward in his chair the way he did when he was reviewing something carefully.
Finally his reply came.
Shivansh: Didn't get the time yet
She knew exactly what that meant. A small crease appeared between her brows.Without thinking too much, she reached into her bag and pulled out her lunch box.
She opened it, set it beside her laptop, and snapped a quick picture.
Sent it.
Ruhika: Proof.
Across the city, Shivansh's phone buzzed against his desk.He glanced down at it between two documents.
The photo filled the screen. Her lunch box.
Half opened. Placed beside her laptop, sunlight from the office window falling across the desk.
For a moment he simply looked at it.Something about the image felt oddly intimate. A small glimpse into her day.
Another message appeared immediately beneath it.
Ruhika: Now your turn.
A second followed. The corner of his mouth lifted.
He leaned back slightly in his chair and glanced toward the small tray placed on the side table of his cabin, which he ordered half an hour ago
His lunch. Still untouched.
He picked up his phone, angled it toward the tray, and took a quick photo — the plate, the file beside it, and the corner of his laptop.
He sent it.
A few seconds passed. Then her reply appeared.
Ruhika: For How long it has been sitting there?
He exhaled softly through his nose — something close to amusement.
Then typed back.
Shivansh: Not long enough, it's still edible
Another message appeared from her almost instantly.
Ruhika: Eat properly.
He paused.Just for a second.
Because he understood immediately what she had meant when she asked for the photo.
Not curiosity. Not teasing.
Just making sure he had actually stopped to eat.The faint smile returned to his face. He picked up his fork.
Typed one last message.
Shivansh : You too.
Across the city, Ruhika watched the message appear.
She shook her head softly, rolling her eyes at the screen.But the faint smile returned anyway.
For a moment neither of them sent anything else.
The conversation ended exactly the way it had begun.
Quiet.
Simple.
But strangely comforting.
Ruhika set her phone down beside her keyboard and finally picked up her fork, taking the first bite.
Across the city, Shivansh set his phone aside and did the same.
Work resumed almost immediately afterward.
Emails.
Meetings.
Deadlines.
The steady rush of the afternoon took over again.
But something had shifted. Between reports and ringing phones, between two completely different offices on opposite sides of the city, a small thread had quietly woven itself into their routine.
A message.
A photo.
A reminder to eat.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing anyone else would notice.
And somewhere in the middle of busy schedules and ordinary Mondays, that simple thought made the day feel a little lighter.
_______
For a few moments after the messages stopped, Ruhika simply sat there with the phone still in her hand.
The office around her continued moving in its usual midday rush — someone discussing numbers a few desks away, the printer humming again, footsteps passing in the corridor outside.
But her attention lingered on the last message.
You too.
Such a small thing.
And yet something about it settled softly inside her chest. The first bite tasted better than she expected.
Maybe because she hadn't eaten since morning.
Or maybe because someone had just reminded her to.
She shook the thought away lightly and returned to the report glowing on her screen.The afternoon stretched ahead — familiar, structured, demanding attention in a way the last few weeks hadn't.
For the first time since the wedding, the part of her life that had existed long before Shivansh was reclaiming its place again.
Deadlines.
Presentations.
Colleagues stopping by her desk with questions.
It felt grounding.But also slightly strange.Because somewhere in the middle of it all, she was aware of something new. A quiet sense of belonging that hadn't been there before.
Earlier, if the day had felt overwhelming, she would have simply pushed through it.Now there was someone who would eventually ask, How was your day?
The thought was unexpectedly comforting.
______
Across the city, Shivansh's afternoon meeting had begun.The conference table in his cabin was surrounded by three department heads discussing numbers projected on the screen behind them.
He listened quietly while one of them explained the quarterly breakdown.
Occasionally asking a question. Occasionally making a brief note.
Focused.
Composed.
The conversation moved smoothly.But as one of the managers paused to switch slides, his phone buzzed softly against the table.
He didn't check it immediately.
Only after the meeting ended and the others left the room did he glance at the screen.
No new message. Just a calendar notification.
Still, his thumb hovered briefly over the chat window with her name.
He didn't open it. Didn't type anything.
Just locked the phone again and placed it back on the desk.
Work resumed.But the awareness of her somewhere across the city lingered in the background like a quiet presence.
By the time the afternoon stretched toward evening, the energy in the office had begun to change. The sharp focus of midday slowly softened into the quieter determination of people trying to finish what they could before the day ended.
Shivansh closed the final file on his laptop and leaned back slightly in his chair.The office outside his cabin had already begun thinning out.
Chairs pushed back.Lights dimming in empty sections.
The familiar quiet that came with the end of the day.
He glanced at the clock.
7:54 PM.
He stood, slipped his phone into his pocket, and reached for his jacket.As he stepped out of the cabin, a couple of employees passing by greeted him.
"Good night, sir."
The elevator ride down was quiet.When the doors opened into the evening air outside the building, the city had already begun shifting into its after-work rhythm.
Traffic heavier now.
Streetlights flickering on.
People walking toward buses, cars, metro stations.
He unlocked his car and started the engine.For a moment he simply sat there, watching the slow movement of vehicles on the road ahead.
Then he pulled into traffic.
?
Back at her office, Ruhika finally shut her laptop.The soft click of the screen closing felt strangely satisfying.
She slipped it into her bag and stood up. The stretch in her shoulders made her realize just how long she had been sitting.
Her desk looked slightly different now than it had that morning. A few empty coffee cups.
Scattered notes. The lunch box she had already packed away again.Work had returned. But so had routine. The elevator doors opened to the parking area.
Evening air rushed in as she stepped outside.The drive home felt slower than usual.Traffic lights. Buses pulling in and out of lanes.The quiet patience of the evening commute.
But Ruhika didn't mind.Because somewhere between the office and home, her mind had already begun shifting out of work mode.
She found herself thinking about small things.
What her mother might be cooking tonight.she mentally noted to call her on the way.
Whether Aarav would still be home or out somewhere.
Whether Shivansh would arrive before her or after.
And that thought lingered.The idea that someone else's arrival time now mattered to her.
The sky had turned darker by the time Ruhika pulled into the driveway.The house lights were on.
Warm yellow light spilling through the windows.
She stepped out of the car and stretched slightly, the tiredness of the workday finally settling into her shoulders.
Just as she reached the front door, another car pulled in behind her.
She turned.
Shivansh stepped out.
For a moment they simply looked at each other across the driveway.
No words.
Just the shared understanding of the day ending.
He walked toward the door."Long day?" he asked.
"A little"
He smiled faintly.And together, they stepped inside.
Because the part of the day they were both quietly looking forward to had finally begun.
_________
They walked toward the living room together.
Aarav was stretched across the sofa with his laptop balanced on his stomach.
He glanced up."Well look who has returned from the corporate battlefield."
Ruhika laughed faintly. Then she turned toward the kitchen. "Let me help."
Sunita looked up immediately. studied her for a second before smiling slightly and moving aside.
"Alright. Cut these vegetables."
Ruhika picked up the knife and began slicing slowly.
The rhythm of it felt calming after a day of typing and meetings. The steady motion of chopping, the warm smell of spices blooming in the pan, the quiet familiarity of a kitchen at dinnertime — it all felt grounding.
Sunita moved between the stove and the counter, stirring something in the pan while occasionally glancing at the vegetables Ruhika was preparing.
"Not too thin," she said lightly.
In the doorway, Shivansh lingered for a moment.
Watching.
The scene felt oddly peaceful. His mother moving between the stove and the counter.Ruhika standing beside her, sleeves rolled slightly, carefully chopping vegetables.
But he noticed something else too.The way she paused once to stretch her fingers.The faint heaviness in her shoulders.The small exhale she didn't realize she had let out.
Tired.
Not complaining. Just pushing through the day the way she always did.
He stayed there another moment before quietly stepping into the kitchen.
Ruhika glanced up."You're blocking the light," she said automatically.
He didn't answer. Instead he walked past her, opened a drawer, and pulled out another knife.
At the stove, Sunita paused for a brief second while stirring the pan, the spoon resting against the edge before she continued again.
Shivansh picked up a second chopping board and placed it beside Ruhika.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Helping."
He picked up one of the remaining vegetables and began slicing it with calm precision.
For a second Ruhika simply stared at him."You're very confident for someone who has never done this before." She shook her head slightly, returning to her own chopping.
Beside them, the vegetables slowly filled the bowl.At the stove, the spoon stirred the pan again.
Once.
Twice.
Then it paused for a moment longer than necessary before the flame was adjusted slightly lower.
No one said anything about it.The kitchen returned to its quiet rhythm.Knives against wood.Oil crackling softly.
Three people moving around each other in a space that had always belonged to routine.
Shivansh slid the chopped pieces toward the bowl. Ruhika wiped her hands lightly on the cloth beside her.
For a second their shoulders brushed as they both reached for the same plate.
They both pulled back slightly. A small laugh escaped her.
At the stove, Sunita reached for another spice jar without turning around, her attention still fixed on the pan in front of her and said, " Go, freshen up, it's almost ready"
Both of them nodded
The vegetables fell into the pan with a soft hiss.The aroma of spices rose immediately.The moment passed as quietly as it had arrived.
But somewhere in the middle of that ordinary kitchen scene, something had shifted ever so slightly.
Not spoken.Not acknowledged. Just noticed.
And stored away, the way small observations sometimes are, waiting quietly for their meaning to unfold later.
____________
The dining table filled slowly.
Aarav appeared first, sliding into his chair with exaggerated exhaustion."I don't understand how people work every day," he announced.
Ruhika laughed softly, setting the bowl of vegetables on the table.
The conversation stayed light.
Shivansh narrating something mildly dramatic that had happened at work.
Sunita reminding Shivansh about an upcoming family dinner.
Ruhika listening more than speaking, occasionally adding something small, her voice softer than usual after the long day.
Shivansh noticed.
Not in an obvious way. Just in the pauses between her words.The way she leaned slightly back in the chair once dinner was halfway done.
The way she reached for water twice in a few minutes.
She wasn't complaining. Just tired.
When dinner ended, Aarav carried his plate to the sink and disappeared upstairs with a quick goodnight.
Upstairs, the room felt quieter than the rest of the house. The soft lamp near the bed cast a warm glow across the walls.
For a moment she simply sat on the edge of the bed. She stood up and walked toward the window, pushing the curtain aside slightly.
Outside, the streetlights glowed faintly.The city moved at its own steady rhythm.
Behind her, Shivansh reached for his phone.
She didn't notice. Not until a few minutes later.
"What are you doing?" she asked when she saw him tapping the screen.
"Fixing something."
She returned to the bed, pulling her hair loose from the clip.
The tension eased slightly as it fell over her shoulders.
Ten minutes passed quietly.
Then there was a soft knock at the door downstairs.
Shivansh stood up.
"I'll be back."
Ruhika frowned faintly.
When he returned a few minutes later, he was holding a small paper bag.
She looked at it.Then at him. "What's that?"
He placed it on the bedside table and pulled out two small tubs, making a call meanwhile
Ice cream.
Her eyes widened slightly. "You ordered?"
"Yes."
She laughed softly. He handed her a spoon.
"Routine."
The one that had quietly built itself over the last few days.
Evening walks. Late ice cream stops.Sitting together after dinner when the house had grown quiet.
Ruhika pulled the blanket around her legs and leaned back against the headboard.
He sat beside her.
Not too close.
Just close enough that their shoulders brushed lightly.
The room smelled faintly of vanilla and chocolate as she opened the lid.
Just then, there was a knock at the door and Aarav entered, "Kya hua bhai, you called?
Shivansh nodded, handing him a tub of his favourite butterscotch icecream to which his eyes shone
Just as he glanced between the two of them, and was about to create some mischief, Shivansh sensed and quietly dragged him towards the door, "Goodnight Aarav, enjoy your icecream"
Ruhika chuckled as she watched the exachange, as Shivansh locked the door behind him, she said, "Why didn't you let him be here for a while, he must be sulking, Bechara
Shivansh shook his head, smiling, "Never be fooled by his innocent face, He's no Bechara at all, and I didn't want to mess up the little quiet we managed for the day"
She took the first bite and closed her eyes briefly. "Okay," she admitted. "Ice cream was definitely a good idea."
_____
For a while they ate in comfortable silence.The kind that didn't feel empty.
Just the quiet that comes when two people are unwinding from the same kind of day — long hours, crowded thoughts, the steady pressure of work that follows you even after you leave the office.
Ruhika held the small ice cream tub between her hands, absently drawing the spoon through it while staring toward the window.
Her shoulders had relaxed now.The heaviness she had carried home from work had begun to melt somewhere between the kitchen and this quiet moment.
Without really noticing it, she leaned slightly toward him.
Not a dramatic movement.Just the way someone settles closer when they finally feel safe enough to stop holding themselves upright.
Her shoulder came to rest lightly against his arm.
Shivansh didn't react outwardly.
But he noticed.He always noticed these things.
The way her body relaxed when she was comfortable.
The way her voice softened when she was tired. The way she unconsciously leaned toward him more often now than she had even a week ago.
He didn't move away. Just continued eating slowly, letting the quiet stretch between them without disturbing it.
After a moment, Ruhika spoke."How was your day?"
Her voice was softer now than it had been downstairs.
Not casual conversation.More like someone asking after they had both stepped out of the noise of the world.
Shivansh rested the spoon against the edge of the tub and leaned back slightly against the headboard.
"Busy,had too much to look into, would take a few days before fully " he said after a moment.
She turned her head to look at him.
He smiled faintly. "It usually is like this, more after even a work trip, this was still the wedding break, so I was expecting this"
She studied him for a second. "Let me guess," she said, shifting slightly so she could face him more comfortably. "Back-to-back meetings, a hundred emails, and someone still messing up a report that should have been done three days ago."
"Two days ago," he corrected calmly.
Her lips curved."So it was a busy day."Then she added carefully, "Just take care of yourself, don't overwork"
He nodded slightly, her concern warming him up, "Okay, I won't"
"What about you?" He asked, "How was your day back"
She exhaled softly, letting her head fall back against the wall behind the bed. "The first half of the day felt like my laptop was punishing me for abandoning it for three weeks," she said.
He chuckled quietly."That's accurate."
"And the second half," she continued, "was everyone asking me the same questions."
She lifted the spoon again, thoughtful.
"How's married life?"
He glanced sideways at her. "And?"
She shrugged lightly. "I said normal."
His expression softened slightly.She thought about that for a moment.
Her eyes drifted briefly toward the empty ice cream tub between them. Then back toward him.
"It feels... calmer than I expected," she admitted quietly.
He didn't answer immediately.Just listened.
She continued slowly, searching for the right words.
"I thought there would be this long period of adjusting to everything," she said. "The house, the people, the routines."
"There still might be," he said gently.
"Maybe," she replied. "But somehow it doesn't feel... overwhelming."
He watched her for a moment."Why?"
She turned her head slightly toward him again.
And for a second she hesitated. Not because the answer was complicated.
Because it was simple.
"Because you make it easier," she said quietly.
The room fell into silence again after that. Not uncomfortable. Just thoughtful.
He didn't respond with a grand statement.That wasn't who he was.Instead he simply shifted slightly so their shoulders rested more comfortably together.
A small movement. But one that answered her just the same.
The tiredness in her eyes had softened now. Not gone entirely. But eased by the quiet of the room and the steady presence beside her.
She placed the empty ice cream tub aside and pulled the blanket more securely around her legs.
The small bells of the anklet he had given her chimed faintly when she shifted.
He noticed the sound instantly."You still wear those," he said quietly.
She glanced down toward her ankle. "You gave them to me."
"Besides," she added lightly, "you said you wanted to know when I was walking around."
He chuckled softly. "I did say that."
The room fell quiet again.
Eventually Shivansh reached over and switched off the brighter lamp, leaving only the softer bedside light glowing.
The atmosphere shifted immediately.
Quieter.
Slower.
Ruhika slid down slightly under the blanket, adjusting the pillows behind her.When she lay down this time, she didn't hesitate.She turned naturally toward him.
Her arm rested lightly across his chest.
It wasn't deliberate.Just the quiet instinct of someone seeking warmth after a long day.
He adjusted the blanket over both of them, his hand resting briefly over hers.
Neither of them spoke.Outside the city hummed softly in the distance.
Inside the room their breathing slowly began to fall into the same rhythm.
The day had started with alarms and rushed mornings.
Separate cars.
Separate offices.
Separate worlds.
But it ended here. In the quiet of a dimly lit room.
With someone beside you who had become part of your everyday life without you even realizing when it happened.
And as sleep slowly crept closer, neither of them moved away. Because somewhere in the quiet days since the wedding, the distance between them was quietly disappearing.
______
Aesthetic
____________________
Double update!
To mark the day this book just crossed 500 reads????
I know it may not be that significant of a number but it's my first book and I want to mark smallest of milestone it touches!????
Hope you're liking this story so far!
Please ?? and leave lots of comments at the end and between the chapters, knowing how readers connect is always a great feeling????
And keeps one motivated, also you never know what new ideas it may stir in the writers minds????
See you soon!??