Part – 45

"I Want You. All Of You. Your Flaws. Your Mistakes. Your Imperfections. I Want You, And Only You."

(Karthik's POV)

"Hey! What are you doing?" I ask Mithra.

"Can't you see? Cooking!" she says as she pours some olive oil in the wok. What is she making?

"That I know. But why are you cooking? On weekends I only cook nah?" before Mithra learned cooking I used to cook for us everyday & sometimes we order or dine out but once she started cooking, she insisted on cooking on weekdays & I cook on weekends as she loves my cooking and one weekend of every month we go to our parents' place for family dinner so mostly my cooking burden is minimal.

"Rules have changed" she says as she adds the chopped onions & chilies into the wok.

"Since when?"

Why change the rules which we are successfully practicing for years now?

"From now on I will cook on weekends..."

What? Is she expecting me to cook on weekdays?

"Oh God please. I have lots of work to catch up with in office & I can't cook for 5 days in a week. I can manage cooking for only two days"

"No. I will be cooking all the seven days..."

What?

"Why?" I ask her

"You don't like my cooking?" she asks with a frown.

"Of course I do." she has become one find cook over the period. Thanks to Mrs. Kelly for teaching her so many nice dishes while she was in Australia.

"Then no question. It's me going to cook everyday... maybe on Sundays we will have dinner out."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I am fine?" I ask angrily. She is treating me like a baby and I don't like it at all! "Please, stop this, Mithra!"

"Stop what?" she asks with a frown.

"Showing all this concern crap" I say harshly.

She is treating me as if I am a fucking porcelain doll.

"You really suffocate me, Mithra" I blurt out & regret saying it the very next moment.

I know it would hurt Mithra. But it's true. She is always tagging behind me & monitoring my every single move. She is not letting me do any work. She wants me to be in complete rest which I hate. I have never been like this. I was always been active & worked hard. I love to take care of Mithra but not the other way round. It's so novel & unsettling.

"Wouldn't you do the same to me if I had suffered from health issues?" she asks me looking straight into my eyes. I guess she has a point. I was always over protective for her & it would have been tenfold more if she was in my place.

"I am going to office. Bye" I hurriedly say realizing that she locked me with a fair question & for which I don't have an answer.

"But it's not even a week since you got discharged from hospital. You need rest." she protests.

I sigh & rub my forehead. "Okay, I have some pending works. I will just finish it off & come back home in 2 hours" I tell to appease her. She nods. I quickly lean down and kiss her forehead; this ritual will never change even when I am hell mad at her. I love kissing her forehead before leaving out of home. It's like I am making a promise to her that I will be back home safe & also I kiss her forehead before going to sleep promising that I will wake up the next day to see her beautiful face.

~~0~~

(Mithra's POV)

I couldn't relax at home. It's been more than four hours since Karthik has left home. If he gets into work he forgets everything. He forgets himself. I worry for his health. I better go to his office & check on him & make sure he is not over doing things.

Not bothering to knock, I barge into his office room. Karthik is sitting at his desk & talking to someone on the phone. He looks up in surprised annoyance, but the irritation on his face disappears when he sees it's me.

"I will mail you the revised plan" he continues his phone conversation, though he doesn't take his eyes off me.

Without any hesitation, I walk around his desk, and he turns in his chair to face me, frowning. I am sure he will be thinking 'Why the hell is she here?'

I surprised him by crawling onto his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck, I cuddle him. Gingerly, he puts his arm around me and rubs my back as if he could sense my worry.

"Um... I will call you back shortly" he tells over the phone and quickly hangs up the call to pay full attention to me.

"Mithra, what's wrong?" he asks me softly. I shake my head. Tipping my chin up, he gazes into my eyes. I pull my head free from his hold, tuck it beneath his chin & curl up smaller on his lap.

"Mithra..." he cups my head & kisses my hair

"You said you will come home in 2 hours?" I ask him.

"Yeah, I know... but the work here is not yet done."

"Do you want any help?" I offer.

"No, baby"

Finally, he called me 'baby'. We are not in good talking terms since the night I asked him for divorce. He still hasn't forgiven me... but I wish, at least, he lets me talk about it & sort it out. Maybe I should try talking now.

"Why are you here?" he asks me. I remain silent listening to his heart beats.

"To check on me?" he asks irately.

"No, No... I just came to give you lunch & medicines." I am treading very carefully here. I don't want to fight with him. I don't want to upset him.

"I will go & let you work." I try to stand up from his lap but he tightens his grip around my waist so I resume my position & rest my head over his chest & gently caress it with my palm.

"You didn't get chest pain again, right?" I ask him worriedly.

"Stop worrying. Our lives will never be happy if we keep on worrying for each other" he says softly.

"Sorry, I can't help" I will myself not to cry.

"Karthik... can I ask you something?" I ask after a brief pause.

"Yes"

"Why are you distant with me?" I can't bear it. Please come back to me, baby. I want my sweet loving husband who always pampers me.

"I am still mad at you but that's all." he rubs my arms and plants a kiss on top of my head.

"I said I am sorry." I whisper softly.

"But how could you ask that Mithra?" there is a tinge of pain in his voice. "I never thought, not even in my dream, that 'Divorce' word would ever come out of your mouth but you very coolly asked me to divorce you forgetting everything we had been through? When the going gets tough you just wanna run away, right? Face the problems, Mithra. Never run away from it."

"Karthik, I didn't wanted to bind you to myself... well, not when I couldn't give any happiness to you... so I just gave you a choice to choose your happy life by divorcing me so that in future you won't accuse me of snatching your happiness"

"Whoa! What a trust you have on me? Bravo! You think I would accuse you?" he pulls me away a little & smirks at me showing his disgust.

Uh-oh! Worst choice of words! I messed it up again! Shit!

"Mithra, I think you should go home now" he is pushing me away.

"You come with me too" I insist.

"I guess we need some time & space"

"Karthik, please" I plead. He sighs & closes his eyes. I am really giving him a tough time.

"I am sorry for asking divorce to you again. I am really sorry. I mean it. It's so foolish of me to ask that but I couldn't see you all bothered & stressed out because of me. You deserve some peace & happiness which I can't give you"

Did I get it right this time?

"How many ever times I say that you are all what I want & what I need, you are not going to believe me. So let's better chuck this topic"

"You suffered because of me. If I could have made you at least 1% happy then you wouldn't be there in the hospital." I tell him. He frowns.

"That's your misconception. You are not responsible for what happened to me. In fact you saved me. Thanks for taking me to the hospital in time. I thought we wouldn't make it giving regards to your horrible driving." he says to lighten the mood.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence you have on my driving skills." I blush.

"Trust me, Mithra... when I said 'I love you' to you before I passed out in the car there was only one thought running in my mind that that shouldn't be the last thing I ever say to you." that's exactly the same I had in my mind too. I want him to say those three magical words to me till the last day I live in this world.

"Karthik..." Overwhelmed with emotion I start crying.

"Shhh... stop crying" he kisses my eyes. "Seeing you cry hurts me"

"I don't think I can ever be the wife you deserve but I will try my best to keep you happy." I promise.

"For crying out loud, your presence is enough to keep me happy, Mithra. You are my talisman that saved my life, okay?"

Really? Though I doubt that statement, I smile amidst my tears & hug him.

"Please forgive me, Karthik. Please. I will never hurt you ever again" I beg.

"Mithra, you know I can easily forgive you but that's not the point here. I need you to understand that I do get hurt... I am human too..." I lean up & kiss his neck to soothe him.

"See, Mithra, you are my biggest weakness. If I see you cry or if you plead me so cutely, I just succumb to you forgetting all my anger. That's the effect you have on me. You have wielded a powerful spell on me which only makes me fall for you, harder and harder" He tips down and takes my lower lip in his to nibble.

"I have lived all my life for you, Mithra & I will live the rest of my live for you only. Oh and you are the synonym of happiness to me, Mithra" he says earnestly and I have the grace to blush.

"Then why did you flirt with that good doctor?" I ask pouting. He laughs.

"Oh that. That's just for fun. I wanted some pleasant diversion as I was little worried and I also wanted to make you fume in jealousy"

"And you succeeded" I admit.

"Really? I thought my plan back fired because you took my flirting so lightly?"

"What? I took my husband flirting with another woman lightly? No! Never! I was just masking my jealousy."

"And I know why you acted as if you didn't care..."

"You know?" I ask.

"You felt so sorry for your mistake & that's why you begrudgingly let your husband have his moments & when you pleaded me through your beautiful eyes to stop, I couldn't pull the game further." He says caressing my cheek lovingly.

"Gladly you stopped flirting on time or else you would have been responsible for my combust." I joke with a hint of seriousness.

"Oh my wildcat, I love you" he kisses my lips soundly.

We both laugh together & it feels great to be back to normal.

"We will be fine, right?" I ask as I hug him.

"We are already fine" he says and pecks my nose. "But never ever utter the dirty D-word"

"You know why I asked for that?"

See, he told me not to use the word 'Divorce' so I am not using it in front of him.

"Yeah, I know! The world might think you are selfish but I don't... I know you think only about my happiness like how I do think about yours. But you have your own twisted ways to bring happiness to me."

"Right! I am so stupid."

"That you are!" he pinches my nose making me giggle. Then I feel his phone buzzing in his shirt pocket. I take it out for him & before I hand it to him I check the caller id & I frown. He never minds me checking his phone as he always says that I am his wife & I have all right to use his things & mainly he doesn't have anything to hide from me.

"Is Dr. Naira in your WhatsApp friend list?" I ask

"Yep!" he winks.

"She has scheduled tomorrow evening for your check up." I tell him as I read her message.

"Great! You're coming with me?"

"Of course I will come & tell me why you have saved her name as Naira dr.?"

"What's wrong in that?" he asks casually.

"Shouldn't the 'Dr.' be prefixed to her name? Here the 'dr.' is suffixed to her name? Is she your dear?"

"Of course she is" he grins at me. I glare at him.

"Karthik, I think we should to change your doctor" I say thoughtfully.

"Oh no! I will get a heart attack if you do that?" he says playfully but I slap his arm hardly.

"It's not something you joke about, Karthik" I am glad he didn't get a heart attack but it was just a minor problem.

"I am sorry." he smiles & kisses my lips softly.

Then without any preamble just like me someone barges into Karthik's cabin & I know it's none other than my Sautan Sanjeev.

"Dude! I heard you are back to office. Who asked you to resume work so soon? You should be resting at home." Sanjeev scolds. He is showing too much concern and authority than I have!

"Are you a baby to sit on his lap? Get up, you shameless creature." he chides me.

"Don't you know to knock the door?" I bark at him.

"Don't you know its office & not your home to romance" he retorts.

How dare he talk such nonsense? This is my Karthik's office & I am his wife so I have all right to do whatever I please to do.

Suddenly, Sanjeev yanks me off of Karthik's lap & makes me stand on my two feet.

"Mithra, you go home. I will come home shortly." Karthik tells me softly.

"See, he has chosen me to be with him." Sanjeev teases me.

"My foot! I was with him for the past one hour. Even now he wants to cut you off shortly & come to me quickly because only I can give him what he needs" I smirk. It's been so long since we had sex. It feels! We need to connect physically too.

"Even I can give him that in abundance" he smirks back. My eyes pop out of the sockets hearing that.

"What?" Both Karthik & I shriek in unison.

"I mean love. He needs love & affection, right?" he clears the air.

Uff! I sigh in relief & Karthik sags in his seat.

"I am going now but I expect to see you at home soon. Bye" I quickly peck Karthik's cheek & glaring at Sanjeev I make my way out.

~~0~~

(Karthik's POV)

"How are you, dude?" Sanjeev asks me.

"Good."

"You both seem to have worked out with your issues." Sanjeev says.

I nod with a smile. How long can I stay mad at my baby brat?

"I am glad to see her happy now. Last week by this time, she was in terrible state. I only know to pull her legs but never know to console her." He shakes his head as if trying to erase his horrible experience. "She kept on crying when you were unconscious. I was worried sick that something will happen to her."

"Yeah, I know. I am grateful that you were with her. She told me that you & my mom really helped her a lot. We will be always indebted to you, Sanjeev"

"Oh! Come on yaar. She is my baby sister... even she introduced me to the doctor as her brother. That felt so great to hear, you know." Sanjeev smiles contented. I smile at him too. I like the bond Sanjeev & Mithra share. They are so funny, silly, immature, and always fighting but when it comes to the time of need, they will race up to help each other.

"But what's wrong with your dad, Karthik? He kept on taunting that poor girl who was already so worried for you?" Sanjeev asks, casually.

What's he talking about? Mithra didn't say anything about my dad.

"What he told her?" I ask him with a frown.

"You don't know anything?" Sanjeev asks. I shake my head in no.

"He accused Mithra for your condition."

Oh! So that says why Mithra felt guiltier than should she actually feel. That's why she kept on repeating it was all her mistake. "He even asked her to leave you alone & go home with her parents saying Radha aunty and he will be there to look after you but we know our defiant girl..." He chuckles. "... She stood against your angry old man & fought for you & guess what? She won! She didn't leave your side even for a minute."

"He was mad at me for losing the deals & he assumed Mithra was the reason for all the mess. I don't get why my dad acted so insensitive. When someone is already hurt we should not prick on their wound, right?"

"Yeah right"

~~0~~

(Mithra's POV)

(A week later)

"Hey, Tara" I hug her & invite her into my house.

"Hey, Madz." she hugs me back. She called me an hour back & asked if we could meet. I agreed to meet her as I was free at home.

I am not feeling well so I took the day off. I didn't tell Karthik or else he would worry unnecessarily.

"Where is Sid?" I ask.

"School"

"Oh yeah. I forgot. It's been quite some time since I met my little boy"

"Come to my place this weekend with Karthik & spend some time with Sid." she invites.

"I will see!"

"So how are things going between you two?"

"What to tell, Tara?" I sigh.

"So still the water wasting problem is going?" she asks. I nod sadly.

"What gives?" she probes.

"I thought we had bounced back to normal & things will go smoothly between us but am I highly mistaken?"

"Last week when you came to my house you said you & Karthik sorted out things but what's happened now?"

"Yeah, I thought so... but then..." I narrate the events happened after Karthik came from work on the day I went to see him at work & we ironed out our issues.

"Mithra..." Karthik calls for me the moment he enters in to the house.

"I am in kitchen" I shout back. Within seconds he walks into the kitchen & turns me to face him.

"Why you got late?" I ask.

"Went to my parents' place"

"Oh!" I nod. "How are they?"

"Good!" he rubs the back of his neck. "My dad & I had a row"

"What? But why? Did he shout at you for losing the deals again? What's wrong with him? Can't he let his son live in peace?" I seethe.

"I confronted my dad"

"Why?" I look at him with narrowed eyes.

"For the false accusation he hurled on you" he shrugs.

"Who asked you to do that? What will he think of me now? He is already mad at me for not taking care of his son well & now he will think I am turning his son against him." I shout at him. "And it's not a false accusation. You agree or not, I am partly responsible for what happened to you. I gave you the pain." he shakes his head in denial.

"I told him keenly that I am not the only reason for your state but he was also a part of it. He really burdens you with so much work & I burden you with worry & those too pressure took a toll on your health."

"I guess you sounded rude with my dad" he says with a frown.

"So he was" I argue. "He was being so insensitive then & you are being insensitive now. Like father like son!" I scold him.

"Mithra!"

"You should have just let the issue go. You shouldn't have intervened between us. Now, there will be a rift between you two father & son & he will blame me for this as well" I tell him angrily & walk to my room.

"And that's what happened on that night. After the fight we didn't talk & we didn't play any fun games"

"Okay! That's one night but why 'hands off' for the whole week?" Tara asks curiously.

"Next day, my mood was getting better as we didn't start the day with a fight. We went to Karthik's check up & learned that he was doing good progress but then the exceptionally good looking Dr. Naira who has a good