Chapter 11-The Name He Whispered
Vinaya found him on the floor.
"Vikram!"
She hurried to him.
He had knocked over a small table but appeared otherwise unharmed.
His eyes opened when she touched his shoulder.
"I'm fine."
"You're on the floor."
"I noticed."
"Can you stand?"
"Probably."
He could not.
Vinaya struggled to help him.
"Stop fighting me."
"I am not fighting."
"You weigh as much as a horse."
That earned a drunken laugh.
"You compared your husband to a horse."
"I apologize to the horse."
He laughed again.
For one strange moment, Vinaya forgot everything.
This was the man Ranveer remembered.
Warm.
Teasing.
Alive.
Then Vikram looked at her.
Really looked.
His laughter disappeared.
His hand lifted.
Vinaya froze as his fingers brushed her cheek.
His eyes softened in a way she had never seen directed toward her.
Her heart began pounding.
"Vikram?"
He smiled.
Not at her.
Through her.
"Priya."
Vinaya stopped breathing.
One word.
That was all it took.
His hand remained against her face.
"Priya," he whispered again.
Vinaya's heart broke quietly.
"No."
She caught his wrist.
"Vikram, look at me."
But grief and liquor had blurred whatever he saw.
"You came back."
"No."
Her voice trembled.
"I'm Vinaya."
He moved closer.
"You're angry."
"I'm not Priya."
"You were always angry when I drank."
Vinaya tried to step away.
His fingers closed around her hand.
"Don't leave."
There was such desperation in his voice that she stopped.
That was her mistake.
Or perhaps simply another tragedy neither of them yet understood.
"Vikram..."
His forehead rested against hers.
"I waited."
Vinaya closed her eyes.
He was speaking to a dead woman.
Not her.
Never her.
She should call someone.
Ranveer.
Lakshmidevi.
Anyone.
Instead she whispered, "You need to sleep."
His arms came around her.
Vinaya went rigid.
"Vikram."
He buried his face against her hair.
"I missed you."
Tears burned behind Vinaya's eyes.
She had spent months wishing he would reach for her.
Now he finally had.
And it was the cruelest thing he could have done.
Because Vikram held his living wife while mourning another woman.
Vinaya pulled back enough to look at him.
"Please see me."
His unfocused eyes searched her face.
For one heartbeat, she thought he did.
Then he whispered,
"Priya."
And reached for her again.