CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

Jwala:

I didn't speak and decided to listen to her past. Maybe I was possessive towards Agni.

"Jwala, before telling you her past, let me explain the reason behind asking you to stay away from me. Vedika told you to sleep in another room because it had a reason. When you tried to give me a sponge bath, your touch on my body created feelings in me. Because of controlling, sutures bled. I should stay away from you for six months and should be in bed for three months. So, Vedika was tensed and asked you to sleep in another room. When Vedika gave a sponge bath, I didn't feel anything as she is just a nurse. But you are my wife; sometimes I feel unknown sensation in me. That's why Vedika didn't allow you to give a sponge bath to me."

I didn't speak anything but this time due to blushing. Smile occupied my face knowing the problem which I didn't expect at all. Shut, I thought Vedika is asking me to stay away from him due to jealous. But, if I knew it affects his health, I would have been sojourned away from him by myself.

"I will sleep on the couch but not in other room. What if you need something at midnight?" I asked.

"So sweet. This sweetness is making me lose my control," Agni said.

"Sleep beside me; I know you will never harm me in any way," he said.

I smiled and pulled a couch near to him with much difficulty and finally set it beside his bed. I switched off lights and covered him with a blanket. I laid on the couch beside his bed.

"My dear sweet wife, I never betray you forever. I love you truly. You no need to be insecure about me. However, I like to tease you by making you feel possessive. It's too good to see dominating Jwala in you and your unbearable anger which had power even to make this Agni shut his mouth."

I smiled.

"Tomorrow I will ask Vedika to show you how to give a sponge bath to me without hurting me. No one will interfere between you and your husband."

"Thank you for understanding."

"Vedika is very good at studies but very innocent. When she is in twelfth standard, someone abducted her. As she is an orphan, no one tried to find her.

After ten years, I met her but in a devastated state," he said having few teardrops in his eyes.

"What happened?"

"I met her in a hotel where I went for a conference. I recognised her and enquired about her. I came to know that she is a call girl. I was shocked seeing her behaviour and listening to her seductive talks."

"One day, I booked her only to know the truth. She came to my room and stopped seeing me. She burst into tears. Those b*st*rds raped her harshly and sold her to a prostitute house. She was tortured and starved until she agreed to become a call girl. Do you know why she decided to live a lifeless life?"

"Why?"

"Because she was pregnant at that time. She didn't want to kill the child though she knew it's the child of one of those b*st*rds. She killed herself to make her child live. I helped her to come out of that prostitution. She completed her study and became a nurse. Her child is studying in a hostel."

"Two years ago, She proposed me. But as I can't feel for her, we decided to be good friends. Our friendship will continue forever though you like it or not. I am not going to leave her for you or you for her. Because I know you are important in my life and at the same time as a friend, I should protect her. I became the father of her child on school documents to save the child from the cruelty of this society.

Jwala, I never had any physical relationship or any other relationship than friendship with her. She is my friend forever. I am not such a cheap fellow to sleep with a friend and mask it under the name of friendship. Trust me."

I smiled and cupped his face.

"I trust you Agni, and I am proud of you. You are right; you are not the one whom I know and think you are" I said and kissed his forehead.

I slept on the couch and Agni on the bed. He held my hand and drifted into sleep. Vedika's words echoed in my mind. I am not going to hurt my Agni. But, I can't bear someone snatching him from me. What if she had an intention of making me away from my husband?

In the morning I woke up and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

"Good morning Jwala," Vedika said.

"Morning," I replied recklessly.

"Why are you getting strained? I will prepare the breakfast" she said.

"I can do it. Look Vedika, as I didn't want to hurt Agni, I am still staying here with you. But seriously I hate the people who interfere in between my husband and me. You are a nurse, do the work which a nurse a do. Let me do the remaining works. Don't lose your respect by trying to do everything by yourself. Hope you understand" I said rudely.

"Fine but I think someone should stay with Agni. So, I thought to prepare breakfast. As a wife, you can stay with him," she said.

"Ok fine, I am leaving. Prepare vegetable salad for Agni and roti for me.

I went to Agni and gave a sponge bath carefully as I learned it by watching videos on YouTube. I made him sleep on the bed again. Vedika brought breakfast for us.

"I will feed him. You can leave" I said.

"But, Jwala..." I cut off her words before she complete.

"I will feed him. Can't you hear? Vedika, you are just a nurse hired by my husband. But, I am his wife. So, better try to follow what I say than trying to teach me what I should do. Now you can leave" I said.

Vedika left giving me a stupid smile. I went to Agni to feed him.

"I don't want. I already told you not to hurt Vedika. Why are you behaving like this?" He shouted at me.

"Eat first."

I fed him slowly. He looked at me.

"Sweetheart, no one is going to snatch me from you. Don't be too possessive."

Tears rolled down my eyes.

"Hey Jwala, I didn't say anything to you. Why are you crying?"

"I am scared of losing you Agni. I feel insecure when Vedika is around you."

"I understand. I didn't want you to get hurt. I will ask Vedika to see a flat nearby to us. Let's shift there. I didn't want you to become dull worrying about all this" he said caressing my hairs.

"Thank you, I love you," I said.

I went to the kitchen to keep the plates and returned to the room. I found Vedika talking to Agni.

"Vedika, see a flat in this apartment or nearby for Jwala and me. Jwala is very uncomfortable here. I think she wants to spend some time with me alone" Agni said to Vedika.

"Alone with you or without me? I can understand Agni; she is feeling possessive. Possessiveness caused due to love. So sweet" Vedika said with a smile.

"I am sorry on behalf of my wife. I know you can understand. But still, I want to say this to you. Jwala is sweet and innocent. I am her world now. So, she was scared of losing me. It's not that she didn't trust me. I know she trusts me. After all, her fear and insecurity were created by me."

"Idiot, actually I am not angry with her, but I want to kill you. I can never understand what kind of love is yours. Why did you fake as if you have affairs before her dumbo? That's your fault and see; now she is not trusting you at all."

Faked affairs?? Is it true that he had no affairs? Then why did he act before me?

"A lie is stronger than truth, Vedika. She trusted every lie said by me. But, now she is not ready to see my true nature. But as she loves me, soon she will understand that I am not a bad person as everyone thinks. Till now, I felt everyone should get scared of me and think I am a ruthless person. But for the first time, I feel that my wife should know what I am and understand my nature hidden under the mask of a rude man."

"I too hope the same. But, Agni I am sure she loves you a lot. Never hurt her even for fun. If necessary, cut your friendship too with me. But don't make her shed tears. You are fortunate to have such a wife. She is not beyond money as the girls in your circle. You had already given her pain and a child with revenge. At least now give her your love."

"Vedika, that child is my love, not revenge. Don't say that. I didn't understand how to make her stay with me. So, I made her pregnant, so that I can marry her. I love her and child too."

"Don't forget Agni that you tortured her a lot and that's how she became pregnant. If that child is a symbol of your love, you shouldn't torture her."

"I know it's my mistake to torture her, but now I love her," he said.

"I trust your words. Agni, frankly I would never allow her to marry a person like you if she is my sister, . But as you are my best friend, I wish she should never leave you. Because she is the only hope in your life", Vedika said.

"Agni, even I did something wrong in her case. I scolded her a lot when she called to know your whereabouts. I questioned her love and trust in you. She bore every word for you. If she didn't love you truly, I am sure there is no need for her to bore the words said by a stranger."

"Did you scold her? How can you Vedika? You know what all I did with her and how can you scold her?"

"Seeing you unconscious and all alone on a hospital bed, I lost control of my temper. I am sorry Agni."

"I think you should be sorry to Jwala. Vedika, don't think otherwise. But, I didn't like anyone saying a word to my wife. Even I didn't say a word to her till now after marriage."

"I understand Agni."

"I thought Jwala would come out of her possessiveness after knowing your past."

"Did you reveal my past to her? She is a girl raised up in this society saying to get away from people like me. So, surely Jwala will think to make you stay away from me as I can seduce you."

"Stop it Vedika; she is not that type of girl who thinks wrongly about another girl. It's just her insecurity regarding my character, but not yours" Agni said to Vedika.

Listening to their conversation, I understood that their bonding is strong and Agni loves me a lot. Maybe I am misunderstanding Agni.