The restaurant was dimly lit, a peaceful ambiance away from the usual noisy environment which they usually exist in. The cool August breeze indicating the arrival of the shower from the clouds above. The smell of the roses that were kept in the roses was intoxicating and yet there were two people who were in a rush to complete this dinner and get back home.

"Eat slowly, Mridula! I know how much you dread being here and trust me mutual feelings, but I think other people around here wouldn't know about it. The cheap looks that they keep giving me, is EMBARRASSING",Sharan whisper yelled.

"Are we talking about embarrassing Mr. Sharan? Are we talking about it? Would you like me to remind you the amount of embarrassing moments I had to spend throughout our wedding and post wedding, Oh sorry that doesn't come into count right? My bad I forgot just like I forget how we are related",she spoke glaring at him while he sighed.

"Not again, Mridula! A thousand times we have had the same argument. Why can't we be civil to each other?",he asked.

"You do expect me to sit here listening to you and your family judging me and my lifestyle silently? You got it wrong, Mister. I am not one of those who would sit silent when people like you say things like this",she said and focused on eating again not caring about him.

"You know what- Forget it",he said and quickly completed his dinner. Just then, his phone started to ring and he looked at the phone for a moment it was a call from an important client and he had to take it.

"Excuse me",he said to no one in particular and moved from the table.

As soon as he left from there, Mridula continued to have her meal.

"Hello pretty lady, seems like your man left you alone. So sad, how stupid of him to leave such a beauty alone? Would you like to join me instead for the dinner",the man asked with a creepy big smile on his face.

"I'm pretty sure there's someone a lot stupider who would enjoy doing that instead",she said with a tight smile on her face.

Her gaze fell on the person who was there right in front of her.

"Life is too short to do things that you don't love,and I hope you got my answer mister",she said and the man just sprinted from there.

"I-",before he could say something she showed her hand signalling him to save it up for the next time.

"Waiter, bill please",he called out for the waiter.

The waiter placed the bill on the table and left from there, Mridula was still having her meal. As usual just like their every anniversary they come to some restaurant, have their meal together, of course a fight is included in the course of meal, they split their bill and leave from there just like strangers.

He put his share of money and left from there not before taking his phone which was placed on the table all this while.

Mridula just watched him leave, his retrieving figure made her more and more frustrated. She completed her meal and paid her side of the bill, collected her wallet and phone and moved out of the restaurant.

She got into her car, and just as she was about to start her phone buzzed and as expected it was her one and only dear younger sister, Aaradhana.

"Akkaa, Happy Anniversary! My shift just got over and I am waiting for you in our usual place. Amma asked me to tell you and bava (brother in law) to come home today. Is he still there? Or should I call him?",she chirped.

Aaradhana and Mridula might be sisters by blood but if you look at their personalities, you would be surprised that if they belonged to same family. Of course that's how siblings are, aren't they?

"Aaru, you know how it is right? Although it wouldn't be good telling a no to amma, sometimes it's better she knows how it is going rather than keeping unrealistic expectations",Mridula said with no emotion in her voice.

"Akka, leave bava! Will you come atleast and pick your baby sister? She is super tired after intern shift. Do you even know the struggles of intern doctors?",before Aaru could blabber more Mridula interrupted her.

"Aaru, my dramatic sister. You should have been an actor instead of doctor. Stop your drama! I'll be there if you end the call now",Mridula said earning a squeal from the other side.

She hanged up and put on her seat belt driving towards MS hospital where her sister was doing her internship.

In Hyderabad traffic it took her around, fourty five minutes to reach there. As soon as the car halted, Aaradhana excitedly ran to the car door and signalled her sister to open it.

Mridula opened her door and Aaradhana quickly got in, and as soon as she got in she hugged Mridula while Mridula slowly moved out of the hug. She was not the person who appreciated getting touched, she dreaded hugs and any type of skin contact with anyone.

"Akkaa, I missed you. You are glowing tonight. What's the matter hmm?",Aru asked.

"Aru, we just met a couple of days ago and glowing? Yeah I am glowing in anger and frustration of him. The thought of him makes me feel like breaking his bones and putting them in hot steam water and seeing him yell in pain",Mridula described as Aru looked at her with her mouth wide open.

Not gaining any response from the other side, Mridula looked at her sister and chuckled.

"Did you get scared, Miss. Doctor? Don't worry your sister is not a psychopath",she asked and giggled.

"Keep smiling akka, always just like this",she said and Mridula just patted her head.

"Anyways, drop me home! I am super tired",she said stretching her arms.

Mridula drove to her home, which she couldn't call as her own now that's what her parents, this society and everyone around her said. Now, her home was that where her husband lived. Pushing all those thoughts aside, the car halted near her parent's home. That's when she realised her sister was long asleep.

She looked really tired and Mridula wasn't having the heart to wake her up. Having no other option, she gently nudged her to wake up, which only ended up in her snuggling more holding her arm.

"Five minutes more, Amma! Wake up akka instead",she said making Mridula chuckle. It has been the same since their childhood, she would always wake up late and then make the entire house go upside down.

"Aaru, go home and sleep! Don't drool in my car",Mridula said in an attempt to wake her up.

Aaru quickly wake up and wiped her mouth but noticed that she wasn't drooling and her sister just made her a fool.

"Akkkaaaaa, that was so bad of you! Anyways, since we're home and I had my peaceful power nap. I am all ears to listen what happened, tell me",she said crossing her arms around her chest.

"The usual which happens since last five years, Aaru. Nothing new, I just let it be. Also before I forget to tell you, tell amma I have a lecture early in the morning tomorrow and he got a call from his head so we couldn't make it today. Although she wouldn't be expecting us, but just tell her,alright? Don't just go in and sleep like a little panda which you already are, but eat something and then go to sleep. Now, bye",she says and puts on her black goggles.

"Bossy much sista! Listen I talked to bava before you came. I just casually called him to wish him and he really did get a call from someone important, he wouldn't come home today, so don't wait for him although you might not need this info I am sure aunty would need it. He said he would probably return after three days. There's some important mission and I happened to be his last call before he removed the sim so yeah",she said and Mridula was surprised at the newly gathered information about him.

This wasn't new to her, sometimes she is jealous that her sister is close to her namesake husband as much close as she is with her but seems like there is no way to escape from this thing.

Mridula nodded and bid bye to her sister, assuring her she would visit home soon. Driving back home,she had a weird feeling in her heart which she wanted to let it out. She controlled her emotions bottling them up inside her heart clenching her fist on the steering wheel, she took a deep breathe and drove back. With the usual traffic,she reached home at eleven in the night, she got out of the car, took her bag and locked the car.

She moved inside the home to find only one light was switched on and that was in the living room.

"Is this the time that you come home?",a voice came....

Here is the first chapter!

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~ Your Author
Sakshi Devi