#maddyism

since the time meera married ajay, meera knew how he was. always busy. always away with his job.

the anniversary reminder that meera had kept on her phone buzzed, meera stared at it for sometime before closing the phone. tired and restless, meera stretched and fixed her saree as she stoodup. ajay didnt call or anything the whole day meera was at work, yeah he called once and they had some talk for a WHOLE minute and then hes back at work. meera didnt question it because meera is already used to it by now. meera's been used to how he's always away and busy.

meera started to pack her stuff from the table, looking at the clock, 6:30 pm. meera sighed putting her phone in the bag and walking towards the elevator of the office she worked in. she waved bye to one of her colleague that saw her leaving.

ajay and meera's marriage was an arranged one, meera had met ajay through one of her relatives at a dinner party. he was a very quiet and observant person, and also handsome. utterly handsome. the first time meera had a real conversation with him was the time his family came to meera's house to set up ajay and meera's marriage.

ajay asked about her job and what she planned for the future. he also asked if she was comfortable enough to say yes for the marriage, meera told him that yes, she was comfortable and she said yes for the marriage.

the first year of their marriage was difficult because they both were trying and learning to be together and live together under the same rooft. meera cooked. ajay cleaned when he had the time. they've always shared the duties of the house equally because both worked a job that needed them but ajay worked a job that always needed him.

the drive home was easy, an old bollywood song "ek din aap" was playing in the car. the weather was windy today. meera had the windows of the cars opened, she stopped at a red light, looking outside the car — she spotted some couple sitting there on a bench by the garden, they were feeding eachother ice cream. meera smiled at that, imagining it was her and ajay being free like this, feeding eachother ice cream or anything in particular.

the red light changed to green and meera drove away, she was still smiling but the smile shattered when she got the reality check. ajay often forgot anniversaries or came home late, six years into the marriage and yet, it was always the same. it never changed. she sighed.

meera entered the elevator of the building as it made a bing! sound. she had lost count of the times she'd eaten dinner alone. she had stopped looking at the window every now and then when a car passed by hoping it was ajay, she had lost count of the times she had waited and he hadn't shown up. meera was not indifferent, she had just learned the shape of loving ajay and that shape had alot of empty spaces in the house.

the elevator opened to the floor they lived in, she stepped outside and opened her bag for the keys. she took them out and put them in the keyhole, twisting it and opening the apartment door. she frowned when she smelled something burning, something aggressively burnt. meera stood in the doorway for sometime, processing. did she leave the stove on today morning? did she forgot to turn off the stove? no. she remembers she turned off the stove and cleaned the dishes she had used. then what was this?

then she stepped forward and saw that the kitchen lights were on. she froze again. wth? who could be in their kitchen at this hour? did someone broke into their house but even if they did, why would they go into the kitchen?

meera put her bag on the couch, slowly, without making any noise, she grabbed the vase from the coffee table and moved forward towards the kitchen, whoever was it is gonna be hit in the head with this vase.

but the sight shocked meera, ajay. ajay sanyal. meera's husband. stood by the stove with his back towards her, still in his work shirt — sleeves rolled up to the elbows, showing his forearm. his collar was open and he was sweating a little from the head.

meera lowered the vase and moved forward, not saying anything yet. just watching. as if she cannot believe her sight. she stopped at a distance from him, she saw his face, he was frowning at the pan on the stove burning, he was looking at the stove with the concentration that he had when he was in the middle of some briefings.

meera saw flowers — lillies and white roses, two bouquets on the dining table. meera's chest become warm at that sight, she put the vase down on the floor and thats when she heard him spoke.

"hm? hm? tumko chahiye yeh? no. this is not for you, this is for your mother. go away."

meera crossed her arms across her chest, watching him silently.

laddo — meera's orange tabby cat that had decided four years ago that meera and ajay were completely his regardless of what anyone say. meera took laddu in after he constantly visited their apartment from the kitchen window to steal fish or any food they give him. laddo sat on the kitchen counter at a distance from the stove, looking up at ajay with demanding eyes.

ajay pointed the spatula at laddo, "no. no. maine bola nah this is for your mother, go away now. tumko maine khana diya hai udhar, in your bowl, woh khao jao."

laddo blinked slowly and meowed towards meera, "whats wrong now? tumne toh pagal kar diya hai mu—" ajay turned around and spotted meera. the spatula fell from his hand on the ground.

meera tilted her head, saying hello. "hello sanyal shahab." ajay looked at meera with the expression she had never seen on him, meera was controlling her laugh. ajay said nothing. five seconds passed and then he spoke, "tum aaj jaldi ghar aagyi."

meera nodded, "i live here." she said, looking at his attire. the sweating. the shirt. the collar. "i know that." ajay said, looking at her.

meera looked at the stove, the pan and the spatula on the floor. meera saw what the pan contained, it was some jeera rice and beside it was some type of curry in a pot. meera stepped forward, "kya bana rahe the aap?" she asked, looking up at him.

ajay sighed, bending down to pick up the spatula from the floor. "try kar raha tha jeera rice aur curry pakora banane ki, just the way you like it." meera nodded, looking at the jeera rice which was slightly burned and then the curry. the curry looked nice.

"where did you learn this from?" meera asked, turning around to look up at him. "well... cookbook." ajay said, embarrased. meera nodded, "cookbook... mmh." ajay embarrassingly spoke again "there cookbooks." meera chuckled before stepping forward towards the curry pot.

ajay immediately stopped her from stirring the pot, "meera, just baith jao." meera frowned, but she didnt oppoed. "okay." she said, sitting down on the dining table.

ajay served the food, he grabbed a plate, putting some rice and curry on top and putting it infront of meera. he pushed the two bouquets towards meera and looked away immediately. as if shy.

meera looked at the plate and then the bouquets, she smiled. "two bouquets?" she asked, looking up at him. "i know you like lillies and white roses, so i brought both of them." ajay said, taking a seat on the chair across from meera. meera's chest again become all warm. the smile remained. "these are beautiful." ajay nodded, "it has to be beautiful for my gorgeous wife." meera chuckled at that, "youre turning red." she teased. ajay shrugged off, acting nonchalant, "no– what. khana khakar batao kaisa bana hai." he said, changing the topic.

meera looked at plate and picked up the spoon, mixing the curry pakora with the jeera rice and taking a bite. well, the jeera rice was a little burnt and the curry lack spices but it didnt mattered because ajay made it. however he did, he made it.

"you remembered our anniversary?" meera asked, putting the spoon down. "i wanted to make it up for all the times ive missed this day and im– im genuinely sorry for all the times youve ate the dinner alone on our anniversary." ajay said, sounding guilty as he immediately looked down.

meera smiled, standing up and crossing the room towards him. ajay looked up, thier gaze meeting. "ajay," meera said, cupping his face. ajay leaned into the touch immediately as if a man starved from it. "i know you're sorry and i know you're guilty but can you promise me something?" meera said, looking down at him.

ajay listened intently, waiting for her to continue. "take a dayoff? every year when our anniversary comes in the future, take a day off?" meera asked, caressing his cheeks. ajay didnt said anything for sometime, thinking. meera waited patiently, she always did.

"okay, i will. i promise." ajay said, smiling at her. meera sighed in relief, "thank you." she said, as she caressed his cheek and then removed her hands from his face. she turned to walk to the other side of the table but ajay grabbed her and pulled her down on his lap. "kaha jaa rahi ho, jaan?" ajay asked, encircling his arms around her waist. meera gasped as her back hit his chest, she sighed in relief when she landed on his lap. "now, whats gotten into you, sanyal shahab?" meera said, leaning back into his touch.

"ab jab madam sahiba ne maaf kar hi diya hai, toh main anniversary nah manao kya?" ajay said, his ears were red which means he was still shy. meera turned to face him, "maafi ki raah dekh rahe the?" meera asked, smiling. "ji. madam sahiba jo bolengi wahi karunga." he smiled like a lovestruck teenager.

meera sat on his lap as they eat dinner together, the burnt rice tasted better when ajay was feeding her. ajay asked meera about her day and meera yapped mindlessly about everything that happened today and he listened to every bit meera said. his undivided attention full on her as he feed her.

...

later, meera was sitting on the couch, laddo puring in her lap. meera was tired from all the work she did today, ajay was sitting beside her, working on his laptop. meera lowered her head, leaning her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes. "tired?" ajay asked softly, his voice warm. meera nodded, "very tired." he closed the laptop and picked laddo up from her lap, "sorry baby." he said to laddo and put him down on the couch before picking meera in his arms and walking towards the bedroom.

he slowly put her down on the bed, adjusting the pillow and pulling a blanket over her body. he slipped beside her, tucking her in his side and caressing her hair. meera instinctively hugged him, she buried herself in his chest. "next time, I'll book a restaurant." ajay said, caressing her hair. "you dont have too." meera murmured sleepily. "i want too." he said, kissing her forehead. "happy anniversary my love." meera smiled mindlessly, half asleep already. "happy anniversary sanyal shahab." she murmured again, falling asleep completely then.

authors note. ehensmjaauyqkwk idk what to say, i genuinely love love love maddy. i can rambled on him for hours. and sorry if there are any mistakes, im not very fluent in english. this is just a piece of something that i feel ajay would do so yeah <3