Hey guys, I'm back with another short for our Adorable Adilie, do check it out and let me know if it's good or not!
Imlie pretended to be asleep. It drained her out a lot these days, but what choice did she have? She was always torn between trying to bask in the warm of his fingers caress her cheeks and swatting off his hands and telling him to leave her alone. But just like yesterday, and the day before that, all she can do was to stay still. To her, it was as if even her breathing would disturb that undescribed moment that passes between them every night. And so, she waits… her eyes closed. She hears those footsteps again, never faltering in their phase growing closer by the minute. She waits… her eyes closed and holding her breath.
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Every night, Adi woke up from his bed with a start and his face glistening with sweat. Today was no different, the remnants of that dream, no, his memories of that rainy day sprang into his consciousness and deprived his sleep. He took a look at the clock nearby, it was 1pm, exactly on point, just like the last several weeks. He slowly sat up on the bed and glanced on his wife, sleeping with not a care on the world, oblivious to her husband’s inner turmoil. Then again, no one knew of his inner demons, only one. And she is sleeping on the other side of the hallway. He knows only she can cure him of the restlessness, of his guilt and desperation. He made up his mind, despite objections from his other self to take a peek at the girl who he needed to see badly. It was important to make sure he saw her safe. He pulled Malini’s hands away from him and set them down on the bed. He stood up taking care to not wake her up and then trudged slowly towards Imlie’s bed as if his legs were on auto pilot. He could never break himself away from doing it. Lamp lights dimly illuminated the silhouette swathed in a blanket, just a head peeking out facing the other side. She seemed fast asleep to him. With great care, he sat down near the edge of the cot and glanced at her. Her face was serene, not marred by her own blood, tinged red on the skin. Adi felt peaceful, knowing that she is safe. He could never stand to lose her; irrespective of the quagmire of feelings he always experienced near her and being with her. He shook his head as if to dispel something and moved a little closer, wanting to trail his fingers along her face. He slowly bent down and cupped her cheeks gazing longingly, for some reason wishing she were awake to see him and react, but thankful to god at the same time she isn’t. He knew he doesn’t have the strength to answer her questioning eyes and words. Not now.
Tears kept springing from his eyes. He was so close to losing her that fateful day. And till now, every minute he thanks god in an attempt to express all the gratefulness he had in the depths of his soul. Just to see her breathing now, it calmed him and his existence like no other. He pecked a kiss on Imlie’s forehead, silently crying into the night. He started talking, just like he always did, to her as if it is some ritual of sort to express all that he has been wanting to say out loud but never mustered enough to do it for real.
“ I know you are probably listening, back then and now. I don’t know why Fate has entwined our lives together and gave me your responsibility. I don’t know if I’ll be able to mend this relation between us. But I’ll make sure I carry out all the duties I have towards you and I’ll never leave you and go. I wanted you to leave my life, but not like that and now I realize I never wanted you to leave at all; just that I become someone else, your existence slapping that undeniable truth right onto my face. I can never forgive myself for all that I did to you Imlie, all I could do now is just take care of you moving forward. And I swear on my life that I will do it until death does us apart.”
Adi caressed her face again and rested his forehead on tops of hers, slowly kissing her like it was the last time he would ever do such a thing. He got up and walked back to his room, unaware that all this time, from the very start, Imlie had heard what he had said and done. The only thing he understood was a sense of tranquility after completing his ritual or habit of sorts.
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Imlie opened her eyes once she felt Adi retreat from her room. It was always on the tips of her lips to just give a sign that she listened to him all this while. Against her better judgment though, she always stayed silent. It comforted her, his hands on her face and his tear-stained kisses. She could only enjoy this away from everyone’s gazes and wanted it to last longer. She thought to herself that Aditya did not worry about her any longer as she is safe now, in Delhi, in his care. She slowly closed her eyes back again, wiling herself to sleep and wondering how long this is going to last.
But it is that unrealized habit that will become the basis for something far more wonderful in the future, no??
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