Link to Chapter 6: https://www.tellyupdates.com/riansh-it-ends-with-us-chapter-6/
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It Ends With Us – Chapter 7
Riddhima tossed and turned on the bed, wanting to ignore her constantly ringing phone. She’d been extremely absent-minded throughout her day at work and thought back to their argument innumerable times. She did not know why Vansh hadn’t understood her plight. As the thought unraveled in her mind again, she wondered about the number of times she’d relied on Vansh to clear their misunderstandings.
She sat up on the bed and rested against the headboard, sighing deeply. She stared at the wall to the opposite with the thoughts spiraling in her mind. This relationship – this marriage – was her destination. She couldn’t see a future beyond it – beyond him.
She inhaled a deep breath and looked for her phone under the pillow, her fingers stretching across the cotton bedspread. When she found it moments later, she tapped on the screen and contemplated her decision. Her fingers hovered over the screen, undecided. Her call-log was filled with his missed calls.
She’d blatantly ignored him throughout the day. After he’d called her to ask for a pair of socks and his wallet, she’d switched off her phone. She’d attended all her work calls from the landline in her cabin, not wanting to even see his name flashing on her screen. She knew the idea was severely stupid, but she’d wondered if the two of them needed a break from each other.
She pulled down the notification bar on the screen and stared at the string of messages. He’d texted her to ask about the groceries at home. She mumbled incoherently under her breath and looked at the time on her phone; it was close to midnight. She tapped on his number and waited as it rang, patiently waiting for him to attend her call.
Vansh (in an agitated voice): Hello?
Riddhima: Hi. So, the pair of socks that you were looking for are in the second drawer on your side of the cupboard. The wallet would be in the bottom drawer of the dresser and as for the groceries, the dairy products needed to be re-stocked, but the vegetable and pulses stock should do just as fine for you. If you’ve anything else to ask for, you can ask now so I don’t receive these unnecessary calls at office.
Vansh: If you didn’t have anything important to talk about, then you could’ve called in the morning. I was beginning to fall asleep.
Riddhima: I’m sorry I was concerned for you.
Vansh (smirking sarcastically): Right. You were concerned.
Riddhima fell into silence at that, almost wanting to run away. Despite her continued refusals, she knew switching off her phone had not been the correct decision. When the thought for an apology wavered inside her mind, she heard the rattling over the call and held the phone closer to her ear. She heard him curse under his breath and she frowned, not understanding what had happened.
Riddhima: Is everything…
Vansh (interrupting): If that’s all, we can talk tomorrow. I’ve had enough to do all day.
Riddhima (exhaling a harsh breath): Good night, Vansh.
However, he’d already disconnected the call and she held the phone before herself, staring at the blank screen. She knew she was wrong and she was readying herself to apologize, but he hadn’t been wholly correct either. She still couldn’t forget that he’d talked about their argument with Ishani, yet he’d no regrets over it.
She exhaled a deep breath and lied down against the pillow, the thoughts beginning to cloud her mind over and over again. She didn’t know if the two of them were being stubborn and were allowing their egos to slide in. Did two people in a marriage really need a break from each other?
She did not know, but as she began turning and tossing on the bed with several of their memories filling in her mind, she felt the dampness on her cheeks. She sniffed and berated herself for crying, but the tears rolled down and she began muffling her cries into the pillow.
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“Hello?”
Riddhima held the phone closer to herself as the voice leaked over the phone, the tensed nerves within her slowly relaxing. Her mother’s voice had always calmed her – and even at such a distance, she could almost hear the affection in her voice.
Riddhima: Hello, Ma. Kaisi ho?
Sharmishtha: I’m good. (her voice suddenly filling with happiness) You know I and Raima were just talking about you. Raima was asking if you’d be coming over anytime soon.
Riddhima: Not now, Ma. There are a lot of things going on, so maybe sometime next month. But why doesn’t Raima visit us? In fact, even you should come.
Sharmishtha: Nahi, Beta. Raima was suggesting that too, but her campus placements are going to begin very soon. And how can I leave her alone here?
Riddhima: Why? I was staying alone when I was her age. Plus, if she needs anything, she can always call Papa and ask.
Riddhima inhaled a sharp breath, almost pausing herself. Why was she talking of her father? He was just another acquaintance in her life who had barely committed five years of his living to them. She cleared her throat, trying to ignore the question casually, but she’d already hit one of her mother’s weak spots.
Sharmishtha (with a saddened tone): You know that wouldn’t work, Riddhima. I’ve stopped having expectations from your dad since a long time.
Riddhima: Right, I’m sorry. In fact, men should never be expected from. Perhaps, you should be gratified for the bare minimum they do.
Sharmishtha: Ab aisa bhi nahi hai. I’ve seen men being so different. In fact, Vansh himself would never fit into this category and you know that for the better.
Riddhima (quietly): I know.
She fell into silence, knowing perfectly well that Vansh would never fit into that puzzle. He’d given to this relationship more than she admitted, but she didn’t need someone else to tell her how gentle he had been. She respected him dearly.
Sharmishtha: Is everything okay between the two of you, Riddhima? You don’t sound very happy.
Riddhima: It’s the work-pressure, Ma. You won’t believe the number of times they send me to Ahmedabad. I really can’t wait for this project to end.
Sharmishtha: The two of you do talk when you’re away from each other, right?
Riddhima: Ha, Ma. Just the past few days have been very hectic and I haven’t been getting time, so Vansh has been really considerate and…
Sharmishtha (interrupting): Regardless of how important work may seem, Riddhima; don’t let it get between the two of you. Never allow anyone or anything to dictate how things would happen in your relationship. If there’s anything, just talk and get it out so that it doesn’t lead to a problem later. Okay?
Riddhima felt her throat drying as she tried to suffocate the cries within her. She’d looked up to her mother since she was a kid and she’d always known that her mother would help her despite. She inhaled a deep breath and smiled softly, wanting to tell her mother how much she’d helped her. However, she did not. Because their issues were supposed to remain between them, weren’t they?
Riddhima: Yes, Ma. You don’t worry and listen, I’ve to leave for office now. I’ll talk to you later?
Sharmishtha: Sure. Take care of yourself and Vansh too.
When Riddhima disconnected the call several seconds later, she knew she’d to bridge the increasing gap in their relationship. She recalled the number of times Vansh had tried to tend to her temper and sorted their matters. Perhaps, she could try at times too.
She was getting off the elevator when she unlocked her phone and tapped on his number to text him. His chat had been completely empty since the previous night and she mentally chided herself.
Riddhima (inhaling a deep breath): I miss you.
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When her phone rang several hours later, Riddhima picked it up from the desk and sighed heavily. She’d gotten extremely weary thinking of their fight the entire day whilst working and had continued wondering if the argument had started forming cracks in their marriage. However, as she looked down at the screen, she felt the comfort unravelling within her and a small smile lifted the corners of her lips.
Vansh: I miss you too.
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What do you guys think should (or will) happen next? Also, would you guys like to read a little more about their marital life? Or else this FF will be wrapped up within another chapter or two.
Hi there, this chapter took a little more thinking to get done, but I’m hoping to have another chapter up by this weekend if time and health permits. Anyhow, that’s it for this chapter. Thanks for reading and stay safe everyone!