"Can we talk ?" Akshara asked Arjun , who was busy typing on his laptop. It was a sunday noon ,and Akshara and Arjun were in their room doing their own works quietly. 

Akshara didn't want to talk, but then she was hurt by the way he had been behaving with her since a few days. 

Arjun nodded and placed his laptop away, fully focusing on her. Her timidness made her fumble, but then she inquired,  “ Are you upset ?"

“No. Why do you think that ?"

“ No.  You've been avoiding me since my return. Are you angry?"

“ Why would I be angry at you ?"

“You're questioning me , Arjun ?"

“ Aren't you doing the same,  Akshara?"

Glaring at him , she shook her head and stood up to walk away when he stopped her by pulling her back to her seat.

“ Sit,  we're not done yet."

“ I don't want to talk to you."  Shaking her head , she tried to free her wrist, but he was much stronger than her. 

“ Listen, Akshara,  I'm sorry"

Akshara glanced at their hands but nodded while trying to free her wrists. 

“ Akshara, look at me while I'm talking to you."

She glanced at him , eyes full of tears. 

“ Now,  why are you crying?"

She shook her head again , he didn't know she was this sensitive.  Perhaps she wasn't. She was just feeling all the emotions just because she felt he was her only family, and now she loved him, and his avoidance hurt her bad.

Gently wiping her tears away , he scooted close to her and whispered,  “ Please don't cry. I'm sorry . I was neither upset nor angry.  I felt overwhelmed when you said you already knew I'd come to pick you  from your home." He continued,  “ But then you never tried to contact me since you left. I felt ignored. I'm sorry."

Sobbing lightly, she nodded . He continued,
“ I'm sorry.  I was , I , didn't know what had gotten into me . I was ……."

She glanced towards him when he abruptly stopped. Arjun was trying to form sentences , he was messed up, and he couldn't think of anything.

They stayed in silence. The only sound that could be heard was of the sobs that left Akshara's mouth without her permission. 

“ Are you trying to say that you thought I wouldn't want to return ?" She inquired, seeing him puzzled.  “ No,no , what ? No."

Arjun's hold on her hand tightened, almost pulling her close to him,  he whispered,  “ I was just overwhelmed,  I didn't want you to be gone at your parents,  we're newly married Akshara,  we've not even talked to each other."

She blinked, trying to process whatever she was hearing. 

“ Look, Akshara,  I want us to work , work on this marriage. The thing is, we don't know each other, our likes , dislikes , anything.  So let's try to get to know each other . Can we please start again?"

Akshara was at a loss. She didn't understand, but then she was supposed to respond. She nodded, trying to pull her hands away from his hold.

His hold on her hands was tight but calm and oozed comfort. It didn't feel uncomfortable and offending like when someone tried to hold her hand or hug. She mulled over her thoughts, and Arjun stared at her, trying to grasp her thoughts but was unsuccessful. 

His phone went off, breaking the calm atmosphere,  startling both of them. Awkwardly shaking his head , Arjun stood up to answer his phone while Akshara stayed where she was and remained silent.

A while later , when he walked inside his room , he saw her still in the same position. 

Taking his previous seat near her , he asked
“ Can we both  go out , like to have dinner?"

“ It's just 4 in the evening."  “ Yeah,well we'll just wander around,  have dinner and return,  what'd you say?"

“ Okay?" She nodded. 

Leaving an exhausting sigh, Arjun said ,
“ Akshara , sometimes it's difficult to understand what you mean by nodding , so can you please talk to me ? Like I'm talking to you. "

“ I,  uh , I'm not good with words."  "That doesn't matter, just talk to me , it would be easier.  "

“I'll try.“ “ Yeah , and like I said , if you don't talk to me , how'll I ever understand you."

Forwarding his hand a handshake,  he said,  “ I'm Arjun Malhotra."

“ But I know your name."

“ Yes , but let's just start from the root. I'm Arjun Malhotra, and you're?"

“ Akshara" She whispered with a smile,  shaking her hand with his .

He replied jovial,  “ Hello, Mrs Akshara Arjun." She blushed and pulled her hand back when he grabbed it again , telling her , “ Let's have a cup of coffee and tea , and continue. Come , we'll have it in the garden."

He gently pulled her along with him to the kitchen. She silently followed him , her heart thudding and mind going frenzy by the way he was gently handling her. She allowed herself to bask in his warm gesture,  she love him enough to follow him anywhere. 

Mrs Laxmi Malhotra , who was returning to her room , she saw her son and Akshara talking in hush and making their way to the kitchen,  her son's smiling face brought a smile to her own face.

Arjun was happy , and that only mattered to her . She knew there would come a day when Arjun would come to know that his mother lied to him to make this marriage happen , but then, now it doesn't matter.  She'll make the mountains move before anything again could create chaos in Arjun's life. Akshara was a dumb woman who'd talk less and respond less , so it's never gonna be a problem .

Mrs Laxmi, like every mother, cared just about her son's life and nothing else. 

Seeing them disappear into the kitchen,  Mrs Lakshmi made her way to her bedroom.

To be continued…….