A SILENCE BETWEEN US

Part I: Unrequited Echoes

“I am still waiting for your answer, Nikhil,” Abhinita said, leaning forward across the small table. Her voice carried a persistent sharpness, honed by weeks of asking the same question.

“And my answer remains unchanged, Abhinita,” Nikhil replied softly, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“No.”

“Then what is stopping you?”

Nikhil swallowed his frustration. He had walked down this conversational dead end countless times. He valued Abhinita, but her relentless pressure was eroding whatever warmth remained between them.

“Look, Abhinita,” he said, striving for a calm tone. “I acknowledge that you are my closest friend. In truth, you’re the only real friend I have right now. But I do not view you the way you view me. I do not want to marry you.”

“But I want to marry you, Nikhil! Why can’t you see how good we could be together?”

“Because I don’t feel that way about you!” His composure cracked, his voice rising sharply enough to draw glances from nearby tables. “How many times must I repeat it? I am not going to marry you.”

A heavy silence settled over them. It was a routine they performed almost daily—an exhausting cycle of demand and refusal. Compounding Nikhil’s distress was the growing pressure from his parents, who constantly urged him to settle down. Yet, the very idea of marriage felt like a cage he was not ready to enter.

Part II: Arranged Shadows

Yielding at last to his parents' relentless coaxing, Nikhil agreed to an arranged marriage with Somnita, a quiet, gentle woman holding a Master’s degree in Environmental Science.

To Abhinita, news of the wedding was a devastating blow. Deep inside, a bitter jealousy took root—so intense it bordered on violent fantasy—yet she masked it behind a smooth, calm exterior whenever she was near him.

They continued working at the same office, and a week after the wedding, Abhinita invited Nikhil to lunch at a quiet restaurant nearby. As they sat down, she observed him closely. He looked visibly exhausted, staring blankly into his cup, his mind miles away.

“Hey, Nikhil,” Abhinita murmured, reaching across the table. “What’s wrong? You seem completely lost. Is something going on?”

Nikhil took a slow, heavy breath. “I never wanted to get married in the first place, Abhinita. My father… he pushed me into this.” He paused, scanning the restaurant as if looking for an escape, before turning his troubled eyes back to her. “It’s been over two months since the wedding, and we barely speak or look at each other. I feel entirely uncomfortable around her. We are completely incompatible.”

Hearing the words uncomfortable and incompatible brought a surge of secret satisfaction to Abhinita. Her heart lightened.

“Don’t lose hope, Nikhil,” she said smoothly, placing her hand gently over his. “You’re both still new to this. Just give the marriage a fair trial. If it ultimately fails, you can always seek an alternative way out.”

Nikhil gave a brief, hesitant nod. After finishing their meal, they returned to work. While Nikhil resolved to try and bridge the distance between himself and his new wife, Abhinita quietly celebrated, hoping the rift in his home would only widen until he finally turned to her.

Part III: The Shifting Tide

A month later, Abhinita noticed a distinct change in Nikhil’s demeanor as he stepped into the office breakroom.

“You seem unusually happy today,” she remarked, testing the waters.

“I am,” Nikhil admitted, a faint smile touching his lips.

“Can I ask why?”

“I was completely mistaken about Somnita,” he said, his tone warm and earnest. “At first, I thought she was distant and conservative—not my type at all. But over these past two months, she has quietly taken such thoughtful care of my family. She doesn't care for grand gestures or status; she is simple, loving, and deeply genuine. I took your advice and gave our relationship a real chance, and it actually worked. Thank you, Abhinita.”

Abhinita forced a warm smile onto her face, though a knot of regret and resentment tightened in her chest. She inwardly cursed herself for ever encouraging him to give his wife a chance.

Over the following weeks, Nikhil transformed. He eagerly returned home each evening, spending his time getting to know Somnita. During a quiet candlelit dinner at home one evening, Somnita looked across the table at him and smiled softly.

“You know, Nikhil… I wasn't happy when our parents arranged this either,” she confessed gently. “When we first married, I felt so distant from you. But when you began showing genuine care and patience, it changed everything. I realized I wanted to give us a chance too.”

“And now that you have?” Nikhil asked, leaning forward with a smile. “How do you feel?”

Somnita met his gaze, her eyes bright. “What do you think?”

“I think…” Nikhil laughed softly, “…I think we’re going to be just fine.”

At that very moment, across town, Abhinita sat alone in her apartment, dialing Nikhil’s phone repeatedly. On the other end, Nikhil saw her name illuminate his screen, silenced the ringer, and ultimately switched off the device to focus entirely on his wife.

Enraged by the silence, Abhinita hurled her phone against the wall, shattering the screen into pieces.

Part IV: The Misunderstanding

A few weeks later, while driving through the city, Nikhil caught sight of Somnita walking alongside a man he didn't recognize. Surprised, he decided to follow them at a distance.

She accompanied the man into an apartment complex in Bishalnagar. Finding the building's main entrance slightly ajar, Nikhil slipped inside and navigated the hallway until he reached the open apartment door. The space inside was small and quiet.

Just as he turned to leave, thinking he might have made a mistake, the sharp sound of ceramic shattering echoed from the back of the apartment.

Nikhil hurried down the corridor. He glanced past the small kitchen and stepped into the adjoining room, stopping dead in his tracks. Somnita stood there with the man, both turning toward him in surprise.

“Somnita?” Nikhil gasped.

“Nikhil!” she stammered, her face draining of color.

“What are you doing here? Who is this man?”

Somnita froze, struggling to find the words. Before she could explain, the man stepped forward, placing himself between them.

Part V: Broken Trust

“Please, just listen to me for a moment—” the man began.

Nikhil’s blood ran cold, quickly replaced by a surge of burning anger. The fragile love and trust he had spent months building felt instantly demolished.

“I don’t want to hear a word from you!” Nikhil shouted, his voice trembling. He turned to Somnita. “Why did you hide this from me? Why would you do this? I actually opened my heart to you. I was falling in love with you! And you turned out to be a liar.”

“Nikhil, please, it’s not what you think—” Somnita pleaded, tears welling in her eyes.

“Stop!” he snapped, backing away. “I want a divorce. Leave my house today. I cannot stand to look at you anymore. Just go.”

Somnita began to weep, desperately trying to explain the context of the situation, but Nikhil refused to hear her. Overwhelmed by his hostility and refusal to listen, she gathered her things in silence and left the house.

Part VI: Desperate Moves

A week passed. Nikhil remained absent from work, shutting himself off from the world. When he finally returned to the office, Abhinita immediately cornered him.

“What happened, Nikhil? You missed an entire week. You never miss work, even when you’re sick! And you didn't answer any of my calls.”

Nikhil offered no response. He brushed past her silently and sat at his desk, his expression hollow.

That evening at 6:30 PM, the doorbell rang at Nikhil’s apartment. He opened it to find Abhinita standing in the hallway, holding a thermos.

“Can I come in?” she asked softly.

“Sure.”

“I brought some coffee. Mind if we sit?”

He poured two cups and sat down opposite her. After taking a slow sip, Abhinita broke the silence. “Nikhil, please tell me what’s going on. Where is Somnita? Why do you look so broken?”

Unable to keep the weight inside any longer, Nikhil recounted the entire incident at the apartment. As he spoke, a secret thrill washed over Abhinita. Somnita is gone, she thought. He is finally free.

“That’s terrible…” Abhinita feigned horror, covering her mouth.

Nikhil stared into his hands, whispering to himself, “Why would she do that to me? I truly loved her.”

Abhinita took a deep breath, sensing her moment. “Can I say something to you, Nikhil?”

“What?”

“I am still here waiting for your answer.”

Nikhil looked at her, his expression turning from grief to utter disbelief. “Are you serious right now? In a moment like this, this is what you bring up?”

“Nikhil, I—”

“Stop it, Abhinita!” he snapped, standing up. “I have told you a thousand times: I do not have feelings for you. Relationships cannot be forced. If you ever bring this up again, our friendship is entirely over.”

Part VII: A Tragic Ending

Over the next few days, Abhinita bombarded Nikhil with calls and messages, but he ignored every single one, consumed by the lingering memories of his shattered marriage.

One evening, an audio message arrived from Abhinita. Nikhil almost deleted it, but her frantic voice on the preview made him pause and press play.

“Nikhil, please don’t delete this. I love you so much. I’ve been crazy about you for years. You rejected me over and over, but I couldn't stop. When you told me you were unhappy with Somnita, I prayed every day that you two would split up. And when it happened, I thought my chance had finally come… but you still only care about her.

I can’t bear watching you love someone else. I can’t live like this anymore. By the time you finish listening to this, I won’t be here. I really loved you. Goodbye.”

Nikhil sat frozen on the edge of his bed, the phone slipping from his fingers. The two days of silence from her suddenly made horrifying sense. Abhinita had taken her own life.

Part VIII: The Hidden Explanation

Two weeks passed in a blur of grief and confusion. Miles away at her family's house in Chabhill, Somnita remained heartbroken. She longed to speak with Nikhil, to clear the misunderstanding that had torn them apart, but she lacked the courage to confront his anger face-to-face.

Unable to endure the silence any longer, she traveled back to Nikhil’s house while he was away at work. With the help of the house maid, who recognized her and understood her distress, Somnita gained entry to his room.

She took a sealed letter—one she had written on the very day he threw her out—and slipped it carefully into the pages of his personal journal, hoping that one day he would find the truth.

Part IX: The Unsent Letter

Two years later.

It was a cold Friday night, around 10:30 PM. Nikhil stood by his bedroom window, watching the rain pour over the dark city streets. A sudden gust of wind blew the window panes open, scattering the papers from his desk across the floor.

As Nikhil knelt to gather the scattered documents, a plain white envelope caught his eye. It had slipped out from deep within an old journal.

Puzzled, he opened it and began to read:

Dear Nikhil,

What you saw that day was not what you believed it to be. Manav was a childhood acquaintance of mine. Years ago, he had feelings for me and proposed, but I turned him down because I felt nothing for him. When we ran into each other after eight years, he invited me to see his new apartment. I hesitated, but agreed out of politeness as an old friend.

While we were having tea, a cup accidentally slipped and shattered on the floor. As I bent down to clean up the pieces, he suddenly grabbed my arm and proposed to me again, demanding a physical relationship. I was horrified and tried to pull away—and that was the exact moment you walked through the door.

When Manav spoke, you chose to believe a stranger’s lies over your wife’s innocence. You never gave me a single moment to explain.

I loved you, Nikhil. I never betrayed you. You taught me how to trust and how to build a life together after we started as strangers. I saw in you not just a husband, but a good human being and a true friend.

It takes a moment to break trust, but a lifetime to rebuild it. Yet despite the pain you caused me, my heart forgives you. I am still waiting for you.

Your love,

Somnita

A wave of overwhelming guilt crashed over Nikhil as he finished the letter. Tears blurred his vision. He had let his pride and anger destroy the best thing in his life, placing his trust in a stranger while abandoning the woman who truly loved him.

Part X: Rebuilding

The following morning, sunlight poured over the balcony of Somnita’s home in Chabhill. As she walked to the window to open the blinds, the doorbell rang.

She opened the door to find Nikhil standing on the threshold, holding a bundle of deep red roses. His eyes were red and filled with remorse.

“Can I come in?” he asked softly.

Somnita stood frozen for a moment before stepping aside. “Sure.”

They sat together on the sofa, a heavy silence hanging between them until Nikhil finally spoke, his voice trembling.

“Somnita, I am so deeply sorry. I should never have doubted you. I listened to a stranger instead of trusting the person who held my heart. You were willing to forgive me, while I let my anger drive you away. I was wrong, and I have lived in darkness every day since you left.”

He knelt before her, holding out the roses. “Please, give me a second chance. I want to grow old with you—with complete trust, honesty, and friendship. Please come home.”

Tears streamed down Somnita’s cheeks. She reached out and pulled him into an embrace.

“I forgave you long ago, Nikhil,” she whispered. “I was just waiting for you to come find me.”

“I’m sorry it took me two years,” he murmured, holding her tightly. “I promise you, from this day on, there will never be space for doubt between us again.”

“Promise,” she smiled through her tears.

In the years that followed, Nikhil and Somnita rebuilt their life on a foundation of unshakeable trust and deep affection. Their home, once filled with silence and regret, grew warm and lively once more—blessed soon after by the laughter of their newborn baby boy.