3:30 am
Sukriti – Hub… (after few seconds) Hubbb…
Kartik – Hmmm… (a sleepy little voice)
Sukriti – I can’t sleep. (meek complaint)
Kartik – Argh… Baby! Not again! (groaned)
Sukriti – What do I do? I can’t sleep.
Kartik – Come here. I’ll help you sleep. (wrapped his arms around her, stroking her silky hairs lovingly, eyes still closed)
Sukriti hid her face in Kartik’s broad chest, hugged him tightly, and closed her eyes to try to sleep.
5 minutes later…
Sukriti – I can’t sleep. (whisper)
Kartik – What happened? What’s the time? (he looked at his phone with scrunched eyes to avoid the light coming from it)
God! It’s 3:45! What’s wrong with you?
Sukriti – I don’t know… I JUST can’t sleep. I have drunk water 10 times, have gone to the loo 20 times, and have tried 50 different positions but still can’t sleep.
Kartik laughed silently at her frustration.
Sukriti – Don’t laugh!
Kartik – I’m not…
Sukriti – I know you are. Just because I can’t see your face, don’t think I won’t know your reaction.
Kartik – Achha baba… I’ll not. (and he switched on the side lamp)
The room was filled with low green light. Kartik smiled at his wife who was looking even cuter with messy hairs and tired eyes. He took her hands in his, and asked,
okay, tell me. What’s wrong? You must have been thinking something, haven’t you?
Sukriti – Nooo…
Kartik kept staring dead in her eyes disapproving of her reply.
Sukriti – Okay… Maybe… But I’m not thinking anything intentionally. I just can’t get rid of this thought.
Kartik – Mmhmm… And what is that?
Sukriti – I have been thinking it for some days… Should I quit my job?
Kartik – What! Why? I mean… You loved doing it. Why do you wanna quit?
Sukriti – I don’t know… This work from home thing isn’t working for me. I can’t focus on one thing.
Job, writing, Diploma, baby, AND households. It’s just too much… and I feel like I’m not doing any of these properly. Getting me?
Kartik – Yeah… Okay, listen. If you are not liking it at all, it’s totally fine. I’m here only. I know you are working really hard. If you are feeling overwhelmed, just give yourself some time… You don’t NEED to do it all at one time.
Baby… You are the most important one among these. Don’t let them decide for you. The job is YOURS, the family is YOURS… YOUR hobbies, YOUR passion, YOUR dreams… It’s all about you darling. And if you are not happy, what’s the point of all of this?
Sukriti was smiling now… feeling lighter like a heavyweight has been removed from her head.
Kartik – There! Finally! This smile… This is the most important thing honey.
She smiled wider and hugged him.
He embraced her in his strong arms and closed his eyes as if she is the most precious thing in the world.
Kartik – Baby…
Sukriti – Mmhmm…
– Never put your happiness and yourself on the backseat. Life’s too short to not live happily… Do whatever you want to. Just give it all you have. And we will surely reach there.
Sukriti – I love you… ( that’s all she could say and she hugged him tighter)
Kartik – I love you too baby…
Now sleep! It’s already 5 am. I have to rush to the office in three hours.
Sukriti – Shit! Sorry hub… I didn’t let you sleep.
Kartik – It’s okay! What are husbands for anyway?
Both of them chuckled at this.
Kartik – For eating their brains in the middle of the night, and for carrying shopping bags, and for bringing groceries, and for paying bills and some thousands more “FOR” hehe
Sukriti – Hubb??? (she punched his shoulder softly)
Kartik – Okay, Okay… ( he kissed her forehead and said) I am FOR you baby… For anything and everything…
She smiled with satisfaction, closed her eyes, and slept peacefully…
Hey there! Lovely people. Did you enjoy the story? Please let me know in the comment section below. Suggestions are most welcomed. Thanks for visiting “gyanitree.com”. Keep rocking!
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