CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Jwala:

Agni disconnected my call, and from three hours it's switched off. I don't know what happened. I don't have his office number. My phone rang, and I received the call.

"Hello, who is this?"

"This is your husband."

"Why did you disconnect my call? Are you mad? I got scared."

"Sorry baby, my mobile has no charging. It was switched off."

"Why didn't you call me from your office phone?"

"I went to meeting directly, sorry."

I disconnected the call. Agni started calling me many times making me happy. I ignored his calls. He sent a message to me.

"Sorry baby, I am busy with the meeting, and I thought to call you after meeting. Sorry for making you tensed. I love you; will come soon to convince my princess. Showering several kisses on your forehead, eyes, nose, cheeks, lips and......... Rest of the things you can add. Bye sweetheart, see you soon."

I smiled at his naughty message. Stupid. He came at evening earlier than every day. He appeared with a gift pack keeping in front of his face.

"This is a small marriage gift for my darling wife."

I didn't respond to him making it clear that I am angry with him.

"Oh, my wife is mad at me, how sweet?"

I looked other side avoiding him. He kept gift in my lap as I sat on the bed.

"I am sure your anger will go off as soon as you see this gift," he said and unwrapped it.

Wow, it's a beautiful teddy bear. Wait, why did he bring teddy to me? Does he know that I love playing with a Teddy Bear or is he trying to tease me saying I am a kid who plays with a Teddy Bear? I sat still without reacting.

"How is the gift?"

"I hate dolls. I am not a kid to play with Teddy."

"Playing with teddy doesn't mean you are a child, baby. By the way, how can I assume you as a kid when you are carrying another child? Though it's true, I won't say that" he said smiling.

"What???? I said I am not a kid" I threw teddy on him angrily.

He held me from back placing teddy on my head with another hand.

"This baby is cute now," he said, and I turned towards him.

I hit him on the chest taking my teddy back. He pulled me towards him to kiss me. But, I felt the smell of alcohol and pushed him away.

"Are you drunk?"

"Yes, a little bit. Usually, we give a party to the staff, after every successful deal. We celebrate it with drinks."

"I am allergic to this smell."

"But you were with me many times when I was drunk in the past."

"But now I am pregnant."

"So what?" He said coming towards me.

He pinned me to the wall and came close to my lips to kiss them. I pushed him away.

"No," I said closing his mouth.

"I am your husband."

"So what? Look Mr Agni; I tolerated your torture before marriage for the orphanage. But now I am your wife. I am not going to tolerate any bad or disrespectful behaviour from you. Better keep this in your mind."

He looked at me shockingly. Maybe this is the first time hearing me speaking like this.

"What if I kiss you forcefully?"

"I am not that weak to accept your force. Now get lost out of the room. You are not allowed to stay in our room tonight. One more thing, whenever you were drunk, better don't come to home as I will close doors for drunkards in our home."

"Enough," he said and punched the wall to scare me.

"Now if I leave I may go to any lodge and may do anything."

I closed my eyes to control tears forming in my eyes with his words.

"If you touch any woman other than me, you will be dead in my opinion at that moment itself. Don't forget I can do anything as still your property is in my name. Now go out, have dinner and sleep. Until tomorrow morning, don't enter our room" I said seriously though his words hurt me.

"I will go out from this room but won't stay in this house tonight. I won't return home unless you request and apologise to me for your words."

"It won't happen. I am never going to apologise to you for this"

"Let's see."

"Sure, now just leave," I said folding my hands.

He left room closing the door with a big sound. I fell on the bed crying. I decided to change him though it hurts a bit. I want him to be perfect in everything. He should quit his bad habits too. I know he drinks regularly, but these days he didn't drink as I am pregnant. But I don't want him to drink anytime.

After two hours, the maid brought dinner to me. I took the plate and having food.

"Madam, sir refused to have dinner," she said, and I shocked.

Didn't he leave?

"Where is he?"

"Sir is in the garden. He said he is going to stay there tonight. I gave food to him, but he refused to have. Madam, snow is falling heavily, but sir didn't agree to come inside."

I went to him immediately leaving food. I said not to stay in the room but not in this house. He looked at me but didn't respond.

"Come inside."

"Here it's comfortable," he said.

"Don't behave like a kid, come inside."

"No, say sorry or leave me here and go."

"I didn't say anything wrong. I won't say sorry. I am tired of saying sorry though I am not at fault."

"Then don't stand in the snow and suffer my child," he said touching my belly.

"See your mom is not sweet. She is making both of us stand in the snow" he said bending and talking to the child.

"Enough, come inside."

"I won't."

"Go to hell," I said and went back seriously to the room.