Air-borne – Part Two

He was fully immersed in his work when he got her call. He wanted to avoid the call. He would not have picked up the call if it was someone else’s. But it was from her. His wife. He picked it up. She had called to tell that she just reached airport and that her boarding to start in 30 mins. She sounded tired. He put the phone down and got back to work. Somehow, he could not concentrate. He had missed her. She was in Mumbai for the last three days.   He checked his watch. She would be home in about 3 hours from now. May be he would order dinner so they can have it together.

He gave up on his work, packed his stuff and left the office. People looked at him weirdly. He had never left office this early before. He wanted to be home when she came home. He ordered food and turned on the tv, waiting for her. After about 30 mins, he heard the doorbell. He got up to open it. She was there, looking exhausted. She came in and hugged him. His heart skipped a beat and was on his throat. That made his day, justified his act of leaving early from office on a hectic day. They ate, caught up on the last three days and went to bed.

The house that was empty for the last three days, felt like home again.

She went to sleep as soon as she hit the bed, her hand reaching out to him. He linked his fingers with hers. He had never figured out what he had done to have gotten her in his life. She is fun, social, and intelligent and has a way with people - all that he is not. And she had wound herself onto him for reasons that were beyond him. He is not even remotely romantic. He is not the type to bring the moon for her. He is practical, feet planted firmly on ground types. Somehow, she didn’t seem to want the moon. She seemed quite happy with him. As though to neutralize her excess energy and keep her firmly grounded.

And so he took her. Vowed to keep her happy. She liked her work and loved travelling. He has always felt that she was extra happy when she travelled. So, he let her. When she was happy, she painted the world in bright colours, colours he had not even imagined he would see. Though he missed her when she was gone, he lived with it, because it brought him a sense of deep accomplishment when she came back to him, tired but extremely happy and full of fun stories. He remembered what she told about flights and window seats. She had told that it was like being inside a bubble. He smiled and sighed. She would be aloof and lost sometimes but, she always came back to him. He knew that it is important for her that he be there. No questions asked. If that’s what made her happy, he would move heaven and earth to be there.

 He switched off the lights and settled down to sleep, hugging her close.