Aria

Cherry blossom lining up both sides of the road makes spring time evident. Before, spring time would make Aria's heart flutter, but now it is just a season which would pass and come back again next year.

In spite of the spring being in full bloom, her mind was pondering upon how to commute back home. Her car was at the servicing center , she had no cash and she had already reached the limit of online transaction of her account, for an uber .

After a long tiring day at office , she didn't want to walk home. She decided to call her best friend to give her a ride home, but she realised he had already left the premises of the company.

So , it leaves only one person, the person she would have called , before, without a single thought , but now couldn't call even after thinking for a long time. So, she decided she would be much more comfortable bothering her best friend or even walking home, than calling him.

"Hey!".He replied after picking up phone on second ring ." Hi, Ryan . As you know, I have no access to my car and for some reason no access to uber too. So , would you please..". I started to state my request, but he interrupted, " No , Ari. I am meeting Sheena 's father, tonight . And according to Sheena , he hates people who are late. So , can't take risk ."

" Oh, Okay then I guess I'll walk home." I told him.

" No way, you are walking five kilometres. Why don't you ask your husband for a ride and stop the little strangers living in same house game you guys play?" he replied.

Ryan knew very well what was going on . But according to him, my lack of putting efforts was a major reason for the state of our marriage.

" He will be busy. It's busy hour for restaurants." I tried to convince both him and myself.

" No, he won't. And doesn't he have staff now?

Didn't you read the article in The Age? His restaurant was featured on the blooming business page. It was all over Twitter , yesterday." Ryan replied.

"No, I didn't." .I lied to him. I had read the article, although I didn't like it much due to the frequent mention of Nancy. I was happy for him.

" Whatever. Call him. He will come. He isn't half as bad as you make him out to be. Bye." And he cut the call.

Someone, please remind me, why do I consider that fish in cell Ryan my best friend.

While rethinking my life choices outside my company building, I feel my phone vibrating against my hand.

It was him. There was a time when my heart would start beating fast when Tim called, but now instead of flutter, there was dread. Dread of the new argument, our interaction would bring.

I took a deep breath, picked up the call and said, " Hello.'

" Aria, Rayn called me to pick you up. Where is your car?" He sounded irritated .

She forgot how meddlesome Rayn could be ,he was trying to fix something he couldn't.

" It's at the service center. You don't need to. Rayn is just being dramatic." She tried to end the conversation.

" No, now I am on my way. Anyway, I had to talk to you about something. Good thing I got this chance , otherwise you are too busy." He taunted her .

Like, she loved being busy. She also wanted to live a relaxed live, but not everyone has the privilege like him. And she hated it , she hated how he kept trying to make her feel guilty of her trying her hardest to provide a good life to her parents.

 But , she wasn't in the mood for an argument. So , she swallowed anger and gave a curt reply,"ok " and ended the call .

Ah! she should have just walked home .What he could have to say that wouldn't hurt her.

After some time, his car stopped in front of her , and from inside he signalled her to get in.

As soon as she got inside the car, he started speaking, " So, Rayn managing your calls and all. Must be close, you two." He tried to give a non-chalant vibe.

But even though all nine years of their marriage were tragic, they had taught her whenever this guy wanted to seem nonchalant, he is actually very much bothered.

He knew very well that Rayn and her are childhood friends and have been close forever. But he liked to forget this fact , when he wanted to paint her as the villain who liked to be close with other guys instead of him.

She also wanted to bring up Nancy, but she didn't. She wasn't in the mood for an argument yet.

She faked a smile and said, " Yes, we are ."

He smirked and started the car as she put on her seat belt.

The ride home was very much evidently uncomfortable. It was like , two people were having a hard time breathing in the presence of each other , which pretty much summed up their whole married life.

Aria tried to initiate a conversation, " Well, Congrats for getting mentioned in The Age. I could see only praise for, " Sylvia" in the article."

Sylvia was the name of Tim's restaurant. Years ago , she was the happiest person when he decided to name the restaurant Sylvia.But now it just reminds her of her biggest loss in her life.

He seemed flustered for a moment from sudden praise, but managed to answer, " Thanks. All credit goes to Nancy . She was adamant about participating in this competition, newspaper held, offering mention in the article as a prize. Thought, you don't read the newspapers. Aren't you too busy for it?"

Well, she was. But ,she kept getting messages from their common high school friends about it.

And yes , why not ,all the credits go to that witch, like always.

But she hated it , how it was a fact .

The fact that witch Nancy was there for him when she wasn't. This time she wanted to argue but she couldn't because she knew, she would have nothing to say.

He stopped the car in front of their house. She was about to get out of the car, when he said," Wait, I have something to say."

Aria felt frustrated. She was very tired as she had a long busy day at work. Right now, instead of listening to him, she wanted to take a shower, eat something good and then sleep.

 Although, she decided she wanted to just get over it, so she said," Yes, say it then."

He pondered over something first, then said," I really wish , I could phrase this better but as you know, I am not that good with words .So, here it goes.I think , I want out."

Her mind got what he meant, but her heart couldn't register it just yet, " Out? What do you mean by out and from what?" She blurted out, like a fool, who didn't get any context.

"Geez, I want divorce, Aria, divorce from you. You do realize, right. This marriage is holding me back from many things. It's stifling. " He spoke , with exasperation.

Spoken, just like the jerk he is. Holding back from what. Of course marrying that witch.

And it hasn't been hard just for him, she has suffered too. Only god knows, how much she has wished for divorce, through these nine years. How much she has wished to get out of this marriage.

But now, when the offer has been made, she doesn't know what to say. God! She doesn't even know how to feel .

How, they had got from, loving each other to hate each other's guts.

Where did they go wrong? Was it when they lost their child? Or was it when he lost his parents?

Should she have been supportive when he abandoned his career in basketball? Or it would be different, if he had been kinder to her when her brother was sick.

If she had attended all his family dinners, there could have been a chance of their marriage being just fine .

She doesn't know. What they could have, would have and should have done to save their marriage.

And what was the point of even thinking now. It was all in the past.The present is not about those possibilities, it's almost sure.

Almost sure that what he said just now was absolutely true. Their marriage was stifling.if this stifling relationship is ended, it's only going to bring good.

But ridiculously she felt sad even angry that he brought up divorce.

She wanted to yell at him why he didn't want to try harder to save their marriage. But she knew that now after all these years, if she would say it, she would be labelled hypocrite.

She stopped the storm of thoughts in her mind and said with a stern voice," Fine. Let's do it . Let's divorce. Do you have papers prepared? Give them to me, I will sign them right now. Don't wanna hold you back anymore."

He seemed surprised and at a loss of words ," Umm.I don't have papers yet."

Aria didn't want to fight anymore for the love which wasn't between them ever to begin with, maybe.

"Ok, so when you get them , bring them to me. I"'ll sign them any time you want. But , now if you'll excuse me, I had a tiring day at the office As you already know how busy I am, so I"'ll go." She stepped out of the car saying that