An eerie silence filled the house most of the day. Charu was a quick worker. Everyday her hubby Vikrant after returning from his morning walk bathed, dressed up, finished breakfast and used to leave for work. His discipline and good decision making got him a promotion. His brown mystical eyes, a curly mop, an air of authority and confidence charmed many. Result oriented strategies had made him a manager of a government bank. Charu loved to sleep for an hour once he left. It was no easy task to wake up at 5 am regularly to pray and then cook for the day. Vikrant was a fan of Charu’s cooking and happily his wife obliged. Two years had passed and their marriage was good. 

The lady of the house preferred self service hence there were no servants. This aided in keeping her in shape. That hour’s sleep helped to stay fresh and she felt a wave of energy. Family planning was still two years away and this alone time at home was pure exhilaration. Painting was her passion and hours passed peacefully. Long black flowing hair, petite and artistic slender hands had fetched her many compliments whenever she put her work for exhibition twice in a year. Money earned from this passionate hobby kept her financially independent. She wasn’t a loner but enjoyed the house only for herself while Vikrant was away. End of the day their togetherness made beautiful memories. 

The Ahuja’s were termed as a very loving couple by their neighbours. They enjoyed socialising whenever life demanded. It was a duplex apartment and catered to the needs of the couple as they pleased. Sometimes it became a make-shift exhibition hub when other options were pre-booked. Other times it acted as a place for rent whenever they flew abroad for a month once every two years. An unpaid leave was out of question as post covid19 working remotely was the in-thing and Vikrant saw to it that he utilised it to the fullest whenever he could squeeze a chance. 

The couple had fights which is normal in an ideal marriage. Discussions on color of walls, decor, addition of imported items and their placements in their home, exhibition dates, renovation schedules and prayer ceremonies all were usual things for them. There never was lack of communication during a fight. They both hated cold wars. Food was never given the cold shoulder. They ate at the same table with solutions by the end of the day. The study room acted as solace in such situations. It was an unusual setup. Enough lighting in the ceiling used to give it an ethereal glow. On such nights sea green colored lights calmed the tense milieu. 

Next morning mostly beauty sleep after a session of satisfied lovemaking made matters all the more intense for the next round of discussions whenever they were due. This cycle kept the flame of love, respect, togetherness and fun alive. Charu, from time to time also indulged in meditation and this pushed her to come up with ideas for her paintings. At times, she showed her work to Vikrant and his inputs and thoughts saw slight changes to her creations. She welcomed his suggestions sometimes and very rarely they came across as condescending. Vikrant enjoyed art and this was a good reason for Charu to love him even more. Their late 30’s were rocking this way. 

On the spur of the moment Vikrant’s wife carried home cooked food to his office and they ate together. This always made Vikran’ts day. Charu’s exhibited work was on a website. In person interaction was only limited to the day of the exhibition. The website was managed by Charu and this way she had a good idea of sales and the demands for her paintings. Very few paintings had no buyers. Those paintings adorned her home and Vikrant chose where to put them. This way in his own special way he supported his wife and boosted her morale without any trumpets. These gestures cemented their bond. 

The business was growing, Vikrant was doing good, and life was moving with hits and misses too. Amidst this bonhomie without any surveillance, something was making notes of their joys, disappointments, highs, lows, anxiety, sadness, me-time and blows. It was also jotting down the visitors who came for the exhibition. Friends and relatives of the get-togethers were marked as well. Their fights and moments of love were not theirs alone. It was a beautiful, warm and giving home indeed. Things moved but it was not the couple who did it nor the people who came and went. The third eye in the form of the Ahuja Villa was upto mischief and entertainment and thus far no one was able to feel it.