When she is away…

He came back home from office and pressed the doorbell. There is no response from inside. He pressed it again. This time for longer duration and with little bit of anger too. Why is it taking her so long for just opening the door? And then something struck him. Oh yeah, he smiles. How I can forget that she is not at home, he said to himself. She had gone out for her passport work which was pending for long since their marriage and would be waiting at her mother’s place at night which is on the way while returning from passport office.

He opened the door with latch key. And just when he was closing the door he saw a sticky note (post it) pasted on the rear of main door. It read, Good evening hubby, I hope it wasn’t a tiring day. He smiled again and murmured yeah the day was good but it won’t be the same with second half of the day as you are not at home. And as he said that he started thinking how dependent he has become on her that even in small things he badly needs her. He badly missed the smiling face of her opening the door of his house every day, greeting him daily. That thought for a moment interrupted his smile. But after all he wasn’t that selfish. Boss how can I ask her to come back home once she is done with the work. After all she did ask me for the first time after marriage that can I stay back at my house since it’s as it is on the way.

But I remember her catching my expressions of not to let her go even for a day. I know she sensed it for sure. She also sensed that in my voice too when I said, not looking at her, that yeah you can certainly stay back. In fact you don’t even need to ask me for that.

And he suddenly realized that he is still standing at door with sticky note in hand and like a statue without even removing his shoes, in deep thought. He removed his shoes and moved to keep it in shoe rack and guess what? Another sticky note which wrote, Hmmm…thinking about me hubby. I know even I am missing you. He was amused by the understanding they shared even while being miles away from each other.

He then simply placed himself on sofa and took remote in hand to switch on the TV. And surprise! Surprise! One more sticky note on the back side of remote which read, I knew you will switch on TV even before changing your clothes. Now this is too much he thought. Is she spying on me or what? And he went on to change his clothes.

Come on man how can she direct me to do whatever she wants to while being far away from me? That’s not fair, he thought. And today with she is not around I am going to live on my own terms just like I used to do when I was bachelor, he decided firmly and opened the fridge to drink some water. And as expected one more sticky note! It read, please make tea for you. Don’t be lazy! And with determination he said I am lazy and today is the day for me to be lazy.

As he ruled out the plan of making tea he decided to raid his own house to search all the remaining sticky notes. And found few others too. One on dining table which read, the food is available in fridge. Please heat it in oven before eating with P.S. as call me if you fail to operate ovenJ. On microwave oven the sticky note read, hey the food is little spicy! Sorry, but if you don’t like it don’t be hungry. At least have fruits. At fruit basket another sticky note read; don’t drink water immediately after eating fruits. It’s not good for health. It was becoming like a treasure hunt! And he finally got the last note on his wardrobe which read; wear that blue shirt with white lining on it for office. It looks good on you! He thought come on give me a break! At least when you are not here let me decide what I should be wearing.

Collecting all the sticky notes victoriously he came out in the hall and started watching TV. It must have passed 3-4 hours watching TV, eating food after heating it in oven with lot of fight on understanding from user manual on how to heat food since he was not ready to give up on P.S. part, eating fruits even though the food wasn’t all that spicy and finally drinking water at last after some time.

It must be around 11PM when door bell rang. With puzzled face he opened the door and the expressions changed to baffled, confused, almost hanged just like due to infection of virus to amused, surprised, and happy! She was standing at the door, smiling as usual and with that special spark in her eyes! I knew I served her purpose with all my different looks since opening of the door to enable her to make fun of me with her return! But I didn’t care! It’s nothing in front of her return. She finally said now can I get in if you can give me some space?

She explained to him how she saw the restlessness in his eyes if she had to stay back at her mom’s place and was unable to sleep. So she simply packed her bag and came to him.

Being a die-heart fan of tea the next thing she did was she asked him do you want to have a cup of tea. I am making some for myself.

Just while entering into the kitchen she asked, did you make tea for yourself after returning from office? He knew that this was a trap and hence was prepared for it. Now I can’t say I didn’t as it will make me lazy and she will tease me a lot on that, he thought. And as it is how she will come to know? So he said with some pride that yes I did make tea for myself.

Here she came laughing like crazy from kitchen saying, no my dear hubby you didn’t! He asked how can you say so? She said now with mischievous spark in her eyes, because the sticky note on tea powder box is still here. He literally jumped from his place to read the content which said How come sun has risen from west today? I don’t believe you are actually making tea for yourself!