3
Safiya let out a slow breath and forced herself to calm down.
Why was she expecting so much from him? Yes, Zaviyar loved her.
He had confessed his feelings. But a stubborn part of her heart kept whispering that perhaps his love was rooted more in responsibility and obligation than in the kind of love that remembered little things on its own.
She was annoyed at herself for even thinking this way. A few weeks ago, she had casually mentioned in front of him how important the six-month mark of a marriage could be. After hearing Akshat celebrate it with his wife, somewhere along the way, Safiya had started wanting the same thing.
And now she felt foolish. Zaviyar had a hundred responsibilities on his shoulders. Meetings, projects, village matters, family obligations. Expecting him to remember one small date among all of that suddenly seemed childish.
Safiya tried to convince herself that she was being unreasonable for expecting Zaviyar to remember their six-month anniversary.
Just then, the sharp ring of her phone cut through her thoughts.
Zaviyar!
She stared at the screen for a second. Part of her wanted to ignore it and sulk a little longer but she answered anyway.
"Hello..."
"Ha...lo... Sa...fiya..."
She frowned and tapped the speaker icon.
"Awaaz nahi aa rahi. Hello?"
[I can't hear you. Hello?]
The voice crackled again.
"Wa...wait, main balcony mein jaati hoon."
[W-wait, I'll go to the balcony.]
She pushed herself off the bed and walked toward the balcony. Pulling the curtains aside, she slid the glass door open and stepped out, expecting nothing but the usual darkness of the night.
Instead, she froze.
"What is this? When... how?"
Her balcony was glowing in soft golden light.
The small pavilion had been transformed.
Fairy lights hung from the ceiling, transparent balloons shimmered gently in the night breeze, and the moment she took another step, rose petals rained down around her.
Safiya covered her mouth in shock as she slowly walked forward, taking everything in.
Zaviyar's amused voice came through the phone.
"You really thought I forgot all about our six-month anniversary, right?", a single tear slipped down her cheek before she could stop it.
"Now look up at the sky.", she lifted her gaze.
The night suddenly burst into color as fireworks bloomed across the sky, one after another, lighting up the darkness above her. Safiya stood there mesmerized, watching the sparks scatter like stars.
"You do know fireworks aren't allowed after ten p.m., right?" she finally said, unable to hide the smile in her voice.
"I've already applied for a permit. But if making my wife happy is a crime, then I guess I'm guilty."
She laughed softly through her tears.
Before she could say anything else, bubbles suddenly floated past her face. Safiya blinked in confusion and looked around. Her eyes widened when she spotted two of Zaviyar's men hanging by the side of the balcony with safety harnesses, enthusiastically blowing bubbles toward her.
She stared at them for a second before shaking her head in disbelief. The men grinned sheepishly and waved at her. Safiya couldn't help waving back before retreating inside, laughing under her breath.
"Avi..." she called sweetly into the phone.
"Boliye, jaan-e-Zaviyar.", the huskiness in his voice made her miss him all over again.
[Tell me, beloved of Zaviyar.]
"Main nafrat karti hoon tumse... sadu akdu aadmi kahin ke.", she muttered, trying very hard not to sound emotional.
[I hate you... you grumpy, arrogant man.]
"Jaanta hoon, jaan. Main bhi aapse bahut pyaar karta hoon." , His answer only made her eyes sting again. She sniffed and rubbed her nose before replying dryly,
[I know, my love. I love you very much too.]
"Budhape mein kaan kharab ho gaye hain kya?"
[Have your ears gone bad in old age?]
Safiya tried to hide how much she missed him behind sarcasm, while Zaviyar answered every complaint with affection.
Safiya sniffled before lifting the phone back to her ear. Even after everything he had done for her tonight, she wasn't going to let him off so easily.
"Main keh rahi hoon ki main nafrat karti hoon tumse.", she repeated stubbornly, as though saying it twice would somehow make it believable.
[I'm saying that I hate you.]
"Iss nafrat ki wajah bhi bata dein ab." , he asked, his voice as gentle as ever.
[Then at least tell me the reason behind this hatred.]
"Sach mein pyaar karte toh mere saamne hote. Yun koson meel door se phone pe pyaar ka izhaar nahi karte.", she complained.
[If you truly loved me, you'd be here with me. You wouldn't be confessing your love over a phone from miles away.]
Her words tugged painfully at his heart. At the same time, he couldn't help smiling. She sounded so adorably upset that all he wanted to do was pull her into his arms.
"Apne balcony ke right side tak jaana.", he said softly.
[Go to the right side of your balcony.]
"Nahi jaaungi."
[I'm not going.]
"Please, jaan..."
[Please, my love.]
The sudden pleading in his voice melted her resolve almost instantly. She frowned to hide the smile threatening to appear before making her way toward the right edge of the balcony. The moment she looked over, her eyes widened in surprise.
One of Zaviyar's men stood waiting below, grinning sheepishly as he held up a bouquet of fresh roses.
"Sir ne khaas aapke liye bheja hai.", he said, offering the bouquet.
[Sir sent these especially for you.]
"Apne sir ko kehna ki mujhe inn phoolon ki koi zarurat nahi hai.", Safiya replied with as much attitude as she could muster, though her heart had already softened.
[Tell your sir I don't need these flowers.]
"Jaan, itna gussa kyun kar rahi ho?", Zaviyar asked carefully.
[My love, why are you so angry?]
"Achha, toh tum kehna chahte ho ki main gussail hoon?", Safiya shot back, leaving him momentarily speechless.
[Oh, so you're saying I'm hot-tempered?]
"Tum mujhe bipolar bulati ho.", he reminded her.
[You call me bipolar.]
"Kyuki tum bipolar ho.", she replied with a perfectly straight face.
[Because you are bipolar.]
"Aur jo tumhare mood har second change hote hain, uska kya, biwi?", he asked sweetly, already picturing her cheeks turning red with annoyance.
[And what about your moods changing every second, wife?]
"Toh usmein meri kya galti? Tumhare saath rehte rehte tumhari buri aadatein lag rahi hain mujhe.", she accused, pointing the blame squarely at him.
[How is that my fault? Living with you has made me pick up your bad habits.]
"Achha, toh ismein bhi meri galti hai?", he chuckled.
[So this is my fault too?]
"Aur nahi toh kya.", she muttered, absentmindedly fidgeting with her fingers.
[Of course it is.]
Within moments, their conversation slipped back into the familiar rhythm of playful bickering that neither of them ever seemed to tire of.
A comfortable silence settled between them before Zaviyar spoke again, his voice noticeably softer.
"I promise... the next time I confess my feelings to you, you'll be in my arms.", for a fleeting second, Safiya almost melted. Almost.
"Nah... I prefer to be in someone else's arms nowadays. You're not that diligent anymore.", the atmosphere shifted instantly.
"Who are you talking about?", His voice changed so quickly that she could almost picture the expression on his face. He knew she wasn't talking about a man, and if she was then someone would be dead. She could hear the dark edge of possessiveness she knew all too well.
"Well... I have a very good sleeping partner now. Someone I cuddle with every night...", she replied, struggling to suppress her laughter.
"WHAT?!" he roared, making her instinctively yank the phone away from her ear.
"Calm down. I'll show you who I'm talking about."
On the other end of the call, Zaviyar shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew she was teasing him. He knew it.
But he hated the thought anyway.
"Oh, you fucking will... because I need to kill that bastard." he muttered through gritted teeth, earning another fit of giggles from her.
The mere idea of another man being close to Safiya was enough to make Zaviyar instantly jealous, even though he knew she was teasing him.
"See? I've sent the photo."
A notification appeared on his phone.
He opened it. A fluffy, brinjal shaped body pillow, lay comfortably on her bed with a blanket wrapped around it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1l3rKg8UVs
( Author : The pillow in question ???? )
For a long moment, there was nothing but silence.
Then Zaviyar let out one long, exhausted sigh that sounded as though he had aged ten years in the last thirty seconds.
"So... you're cheating on me with a pillow?" he huffed dramatically.
Safiya smiled to herself, twirling a loose strand of hair around her index finger.
"What am I supposed to do when I don't have my husband to cuddle with?" she pouted softly.
There it was. The real reason behind all her teasing. She simply missed him.
"Just get back once. We can stay in bed as long as you desire and cuddle as much as you wsnt," Zaviyar replied without missing a beat. Safiya smiled to herself.
"My pillow comes with the qualities of being comfy, patting me nonstop and endless cuddles. Why should I choose you instead?" she teased.
A low chuckle escaped him.
"Because I come with muscles comfortable enough for you to use as a pillow, unlimited cuddles and endless kisses.", His husky voice sent a warmth rushing to her cheeks, forcing her to bite her lip to keep from smiling too widely.
"Now that's tempting," she admitted under her breath.
"Bonus, there are a few special features that are exclusively available to you," he added, leaving the rest unsaid. Safiya instantly caught the hidden meaning behind his words.
"I mean... as a heavy sleeper, I should test every pillow before deciding which one is the comfiest," she replied, clearing her throat as though she hadn't understood him at all.
A quiet laugh escaped Zaviyar.
"But I don't think I'll have any desire to let you sleep once I get my hands on you.", Her face burned crimson.
"Enjoy your days with that useless pillow. I'll be replacing it very soon.", there was a quiet certainty in his voice that made her heart skip a beat.
"You'll get me a new pillow?" she asked innocently.
"No, darling. You'll get a human version of that pillow.", She couldn't help pouting at his answer. She wanted a banana pillow next.
"You..." she began, only to be interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door.
"Safiya, beta, dekhna zara. Koi tumhara parcel leke aaya hai. Itni raat ho gayi hai, pata nahi kya delivery lekar aaya hai. Keh raha hai bas tumhe hi dega.", Rabiya called from outside the room, sounding both confused and exasperated.
[Safiya dear, could you come downstairs? Someone has brought a parcel for you. It's so late at night, I don't know what kind of delivery this is. He insists he'll only hand it to you.]
"Avi, wait a minute. I need to receive a parcel," Safiya said before slipping her phone into her pocket and hurrying downstairs.
The moment she opened the main door, she stopped in surprise.
"Shuvam...", Her eyebrows shot up at the unexpected visitor.
Shuvam glanced over his shoulder and Safiya instinctively followed his gaze.
Hidden behind a nearby tree stood Nizam, who gave her an awkward little wave before immediately trying to make himself less visible.
It seemed he still hadn't recovered from the fear that Safiya might one day take revenge for everything he'd done to her back at the office.
"Safiya ma'am, yeh aapke liye.", Shuvam said, handing her the neatly packed box.
[Safiya ma'am, this is for you.]
"Andar aao...", she began politely.
[Come inside...]
Before she could even finish the invitation, Shuvam had already hurried away into the darkness as though escaping a crime scene.
Safiya watched him disappear before shaking her head with an amused smile.
"These men are exactly like their boss.", Carrying the parcel, she walked back inside, only to find Rabiya looking at the box with visible curiosity.
"Kya hai?", Rabiya asked trying to take a peek.
[What is it?]
"Inn bachchon se bas Zomato aur Swiggy hi karwa lo. Ghar ka khana toh pachta hi nahi inse.", she grumbled.
[These youngsters only know how to order from Zomato and Swiggy. You all can't digest home-cooked food ]
"Ammi, aap na direct conclusion pe pahunch jaati ho kabhi kabhi.", Safiya replied, laughing softly as she placed the parcel on the table and began opening it.
[Mom, sometimes you jump to conclusions far too quickly.]
"Order ka firse silsila shuru ho gaya?", Wajahat asked teasingly.
[So, you've started ordering things again?]
Safiya immediately shot him an offended glare.
"Nahi kiya hai order maine. Avi ne bheja hai. Aur waise bhi, main order karne se bhi ek do cheezein kabhi order nahi karti. Bohot saarein ek saath karti hu. ", she replied, unable to hide the tiny smile that appeared the moment she mentioned her husband's name.
[I didn't order anything. Zaviyar sent it. Besides, i never order only one thing, it's always in a bulk.]
Safiya turned her attention back to the parcel resting on the table. She frowned in confusion as she noticed the neatly packed boxes inside. Judging by their shape, they looked like cakes. Had Zaviyar really sent her cake in the middle of the night?
Curiosity getting the better of her, she lifted the lid.
The moment she saw what was inside, her heart fluttered.
Two tiny bento cakes sat side by side, decorated so adorably that she couldn't stop herself from giggling.
The first was covered in white frosting with little red hearts and in delicate icing it read, Happy Anniversary, Love.
The second cake carried a much simpler message that made her laugh even harder.
I Want My Wife Back.
She looked up sheepishly, only to find both her parents staring at her with knowing smiles. Her cheeks instantly turned crimson.
Without saying another word, she clutched the cakes to her chest and practically sprinted upstairs, ignoring the amused laughter that followed her. Once inside her room, she carefully placed the box on the bed before noticing a small folded note tucked neatly on top.
She unfolded it.
"Check your new phone, love!", Her brows furrowed in confusion.
Unlocking her phone, she found a message from Zaviyar containing nothing but a website link. The moment she tapped it, a pastel pink webpage opened on her screen. It was ridiculously cute.
Right in the middle was a single question.
Would you return to me, love?
Beneath it were two buttons.
Yes.
No.
A mischievous grin spread across her face.
"Oh, really?", Without a second thought, she deliberately pressed No.
Instantly, a pop-up appeared.
The following option doesn't exist.
She bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to smile.
Blushing furiously, she closed the pop-up and confidently clicked No again.
Another message appeared.
Do you want a punishment, love?
Safiya's eyes widened before she burst into laughter.
"Oh, you're challenging me now?"
Determined to win, she closed the message one more time and clicked No for the third time.
A final pop-up appeared.
Click on No one more time and I'll kidnap you and bring you back.
And her being her. She clicked no again. And the website, it redirected her to a page that read, " I'll kidnap you tomorrow. "
Safiya stared at the screen for two whole seconds before dramatically snapping the laptop shut.
"Sadu...", she mumbled under her breath.
[Grumpy man...]
"Itne pyaar se sadu bulane ki wajah?",Safiya froze..Her eyes darted around the room in confusion before realization struck. He was still on the phone.
[What's the reason for calling me 'grumpy' so lovingly?]
"tum na poore paagal ho!", she shouted into the phone before throwing herself face-first onto the bed.
(You're completely crazy!)
"Tumhare saath shaadi hui hai. Paagal toh hona hi tha.", he replied shamelessly.
[I married you. Becoming crazy was inevitable.]
She groaned into the pillow, trying very hard not to smile.
"Tumhe kya lagta hai, mujhe kidnap karna aasan hai?", she challenged him.
[Do you think kidnapping me is that easy?]
"Woh tumhe jald hi pata chal jayega.", he answered, the confidence in his voice making her narrow her eyes.
[You'll find out soon enough.]
"Pata nahi kaisa pati mila hai. Captain Hook bhi hai aur Peter Pan bhi.", she muttered thoughtfully, tapping a finger against her chin.
[I don't know what kind of husband I've got. He's both Captain Hook and Peter Pan.]
"Dono kaun hain, woh toh main nahi jaanta. Par kal aap mere saath hongi, woh zaroor jaanta hoon.", She blinked.
[I don't know who those two are. But I do know that tomorrow you'll be with me.]
Only then did she realize she'd spoken her thoughts out loud.
"Keep dreaming..." she retorted with a huff.
"About you?" His voice softened into a smile. "Every damn time, Safiya."
Her heart betrayed her once again.
She bit her lower lip, wishing he were standing in front of her instead of being miles away. Somehow, those four simple words deserved a kiss far more than a reply.
"Sleep with that useless pillow one last time." His voice turned low with unmistakable possessiveness.
"I'm taking that pillow back to Azamgarh." she declared triumphantly. There was a brief pause.
"No way!" Zaviyar whined so dramatically that Safiya burst into uncontrollable laughter.
For the first time in days, the distance between them didn't feel nearly as painful.
It felt like they were only a heartbeat apart.
"You are not, sweetheart. Believe me, you'll be far too preoccupied with me to think about that stupid brinjal."
A reluctant smile tugged at Safiya's lips, but it disappeared almost as quickly as it had come.
"Jokes aside, Avi," she said quietly, her tone turning serious. Beneath the playful banter, there was one question that had been weighing on her heart all evening, and she needed an answer.
"Kal aa rahe ho na?", she asked hopefully.
[You're coming tomorrow, right?]
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line.
"Uh... kal shayad na aa sakun. Ek bahut important meeting hai." , the words quietly shattered the little hope she had been holding onto.
[Uh... I probably won't be able to come tomorrow. I have a very important meeting.]
"Mujhse bhi zyada important?"
[More important than me?]
Even she knew the question sounded childish the moment it left her mouth. She didn't care about the meeting. She simply wanted him to come to her parents' house.
A tiny, insecure part of her couldn't help wondering whether his responsibilities, his village and perhaps even his lingering resentment toward her father still mattered more than she ever would.
"Safiya..." he began..She didn't let him finish.
"It's okay. I get it. Bye.", Her voice was frighteningly calm, completely empty of emotion.
"Sweetheart..." His own voice softened immediately. "Don't be angry, please."
"I'm not angry, Zaviyar. You have work. I'm simply understanding your circumstances."
The moment she addressed him by his full name instead of Avi, his heart sank. He had only recently gotten used to hearing that nickname on her lips.
Now it was gone.
"Saf..."
"I have to go. Bye."
Before he could stop her, the call disconnected, leaving nothing but silence on the other end.
For the first time that night, Zaviyar found himself staring at his phone instead of smiling at it.
Safiya quietly walked back into her room and closed the balcony door behind her. Her gaze wandered across the room until it landed on a small velvet box resting atop her vanity. She stood still for a moment before walking over to it.
Opening the box, she looked at the ring she had secretly bought for him. It had been meant as her anniversary gift.
Without another thought, she gently closed the lid and slid the velvet box into the drawer..Not like he was coming tomorrow anyway.
She could always give it to him some other day. The ring she had planned to surprise him with suddenly felt meaningless when she believed he wasn't coming.
She lowered her eyes, blinking away the sting gathering behind them.
He said he loved her.
She believed he did.
But tonight, it didn't feel like enough.
Because when it came down to choosing, it seemed his village, his responsibilities and the weight of his hatred would always come before her.
Maybe she existed somewhere on his list of priorities.
It was just that... her place on that list felt so painfully small.