The empty pram

She hugged him at the airport. He had walked up to her smiling. For a second both of them waited in a clumsy silence and then she threw her arms around him and hugged him.

Reena woke up from her dream with a smile. She checked her mobile to get the time. It was already past eleven and there was still no sign of Yatharth. She got up and dialled his number thinking perhaps he had got down the plane by now. Yatharth picked up and said, 'I am getting into the cab, I will be home.'

Home! Reena looked around the empty house. Was this home, she wondered as she observed her own shadow in dim light. She dismissed such depressing thoughts. She had work to do, heat dinner in microwave, lay down the table and yes re do her hair.

While doing her hair she looked into the mirror. She was not very tall, but standing at 158cm, she looked quite short to the six footer frame of Yatharth. She wished she were taller and prettier. When keeping back the comb in the drawer her fingers rubbed against a shiny cylindrical metal. It was a lipstick case. Someone had made it for her. It was one remebrance that she had allowed herself to carry over from her college days. She opened the case and took the lipstick out. She looked back at her pout in the mirror and smiled with satisfaction.

Just then the bell rang. She hurried to the door. Yatharth stood there a little tired. He bent down to kiss her freshly painted lips. 'Oh, but I have smudged you, Reena squealed like a child. Suddenly the dimly lit house had transformed into warm and bright home.

They sat down for dinner. Reena kept twittering about who all had called while he was away, about her friends who had volunteered to stay with her if she felt frightened to be home alone at night, and that she had been good and had not skipped lunch too many times!

Yatharth smiled, he took his wife in his arms and took her to bed. You must sleep, you look tired he said. Had he noticed something, Reena's heart beat quickened. She had not yet told him about her secret, about their secret. But he was already tucking her in bed. Office time tomorrow honey, he said and switched off the light.

Next morning, Reena woke up with a start. She fixed Yatharth's breakfast and tiffin as usual. She was just a bit preoccupied. Yatharth was in a morning rush to notice it perhaps. Was it just ordinary or did it signify something Reena wondered later in the bathtub. She had seen an empty pram in her dream.