9 His Love

On the other end of the phone line, Vivian was beaming.

Although not many words were heard, the tone was comparatively the gentlest he heard. Her call relieved all burdens he felt. The whole day he couldn't concentrate on a thing.

When he saw her breaking down yesterday, he didn't know whether she was crying tears of joy or tears of agony.

He was uncertain as what response she expected from him. She was on medications for improving fertility.

She wanted a baby. Didn't she?

Nevertheless, he still had doubts as to why would she look into abortion clinics.

But still, He decided to trust her. He will just have a good talk with her.

Yes, he wanted a child anxiously! Not just a baby. It's their baby, he wanted, or rather needed.

'Baby 2 years altogether, I could not tie down your mom with me. Now you do it for me!'

What he heard on the phone wasn't just an invitation for a meal. It meant that she disclosed the pregnancy to her parents.

'Didn't that mean you are happy about the baby?'

Yes! He loved her.

He wanted to tell her, ' I like you, I have always liked you', wanted to kiss her, although he was aware that it would disgust her even more.

She was a stubborn, arrogant woman who acts like a queen. Yet it was exactly this queen that made him fall in love.....He fell in love with a strong woman and her flaming aura.

However, he was a Coward. A coward who can't even confess his love to his own "Wife" in fear that she would leave him.

'Now with the assurance of child I will audaciously and shamelessly pursue you' Vivian decided.

It was an arranged marriage for Ira but a loved one for him. She thought that they have met only twice, first the blind date and then directly on the day of engagement. She was wrong. They have met much earlier.

Howsoever the day she had forgotten was the day he was bewitched by her.

On that day,

At the signal, a car screeched due to sudden brakes. A woman just came in front of his car. Viv got down eager to check on her.

Hearing no cry for help, Vivian asked

"Are you hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

The woman sat up, opened her purse, removed a Band-Aid applied calmly but swiftly on her knees. It was only when he saw her scraped knees, bruised hands. She wore a knee-length formal suit.

When she was getting up he asked: "Do you need help?"

"No"

While she just took the shoes with the broken heel in her hands and ran...

Ran with both knees scraped... Didn't it hurt?

By the time he could react she was long gone.

Then, he saw her second-time same day across the glass at her office.

He was hired to design and renovate the office.

While looking around the place; he saw the woman who just had an accident standing proudly in front of 10 middle-aged men giving a presentation. Oddly, it looked like a teacher giving a lecture.

Looking at her constantly moving around. Vivian's eyes could not help falling on her knees. He was distressed.

One of Band-Aid was oozing blood. All gazes absolutely focused on her radiant face. No one noticed her broken knee.

He was Bewitched!

She was a strong woman.

It was a woman who wore pain as diamonds on her neck.

Proud and noble.

Like his mother... Tara

Vivian was only 5 when his father left home. His mother single-handedly bought him yet became a distinguished designer. He wanted a woman like his mother.

That woman came to him.

But he could not win her.

Now he would risk it all!