Chapter 13: A New Understanding

The days passed slowly for Arundhati as she watched Shiv continue to immerse himself in his duties as the village head. She had hoped that his promise to try harder would bring change, but the gap between them felt as wide as ever. There were moments when he would sit next to her during dinner, or when their hands would brush by accident, and for a fleeting second, she could feel the warmth of what they could be. But those moments were rare, and the silence between them grew heavier with each passing day.

Shiv, too, felt the weight of the growing distance between them. He had been so focused on his responsibilities, trying to prove himself as a leader, that he hadn’t realized how much he was neglecting Arundhati. He had promised her that he would try harder, but with each passing day, he found himself retreating further into his work, unable to balance the demands of being a village head and being a husband.

But something had shifted in him. He couldn’t deny the truth any longer: he was not the man he had once been. The woman he had married—Arundhati—was not just a stranger who had come into his life out of duty. She was someone who had a quiet strength, someone who deserved his attention, his care. And he knew that if he didn’t change, he would lose her.

One evening, after another long day of meetings and discussions, Shiv returned home feeling more exhausted than usual. He had spent the entire day with the village council, dealing with issues that seemed endless. When he walked through the door, the house was eerily quiet. Arundhati was sitting by the window, looking out at the night sky, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

He paused for a moment, watching her. There was a softness in her, a gentleness that always made him feel at ease. But today, that same softness seemed guarded, as if she was holding back something important, something he hadn’t yet realized.

“Arundhati…” Shiv spoke softly, stepping into the room. His voice carried the weight of unspoken emotions. “Can we talk?”

Arundhati turned slowly, her eyes meeting his. She gave him a small, tentative smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She had been waiting for this moment, but now that it had arrived, she wasn’t sure how to begin.

“Of course,” she replied quietly, her voice a little shaky.

Shiv walked over to her and sat beside her, his gaze fixed on the ground for a moment before he spoke again. “I know I’ve been distant, and I know I’ve hurt you. I’ve been so consumed by my responsibilities that I didn’t see how much I was neglecting you.”

Arundhati’s heart tightened at his words. It wasn’t that she wanted to blame him—she understood the burden of his role. But she couldn’t deny that she had been feeling alone, isolated in their marriage, as if she were invisible to him.

“I understand your duties, Shiv,” she said softly. “I know that the village needs you. But I need you too. I don’t want to feel like I’m just a part of the background in your life.”

Shiv’s heart sank at her words. He had never intended to make her feel that way, but he had done just that. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. She wasn’t asking for much—just for him to see her, to acknowledge her presence, to share their lives together.

“I’m sorry, Arundhati,” he said, his voice thick with regret. “I haven’t been fair to you. I’ve been so caught up in everything else that I forgot about us.”

Arundhati turned toward him, her eyes softening. “It’s not just about the duties, Shiv. It’s about us, about building something real. I want us to be more than just two people living under the same roof. I want to feel like we’re a team, working together.”

Shiv looked at her for a long moment, as if taking in every word she said. And then, for the first time in days, he reached out and took her hand in his. “I want that too. I’ll try, Arundhati. I promise I’ll try to be present, to share in this with you.”

Arundhati smiled, a small but genuine smile. She had heard his promises before, but there was something different in his eyes now. She could see the sincerity, the regret, and the determination to make things right.

“I believe you,” she whispered, squeezing his hand.

They sat together in silence for a while, the weight of their conversation settling between them. It wasn’t an instant fix, and Arundhati knew that change would take time. But for the first time in a long while, she felt a sense of hope—hope that they could find their way back to each other, that they could build the life they both deserved.

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