Love in Fortnights

What once began as love in inverted schedules had now quietly become love in fortnights.

Ayyira's company had revised its work-from-home policy. She now had to report to the Hyderabad office for ten days every month. Every month she packed a small suitcase, boarded the train, stayed in a hostel, worked for two weeks, and then returned to Rajahmundry, where Ram waited.

Sometimes, to balance the attendance requirement, she stayed four weeks continuously, covering two months at once.

They had spoken countless times about moving to Hyderabad permanently. But every conversation ended at the same place: rent, expenses, existing financial commitments. And the peaceful life they enjoyed in Rajahmundry.

So instead of forcing a decision, Ayyira chose to carry the burden herself. She travelled back and forth without complaint, convincing herself that it was only for a few days every month.

---

During one of those four-week stretches, Ram had to visit Hyderabad for office work over the weekend.

Although she knew he would only finish work by evening, Ayyira woke up unusually early that Saturday. She wore a new dress. She checked the mirror twice. She even smiled at herself for being this excited.

"I'm behaving like we're meeting after years," she thought.

But perhaps that's what distance does: it teaches your heart to celebrate the ordinary.

That evening Ram borrowed a friend's bike and reached her hostel. The moment Ayyira saw him waiting downstairs, she almost ran. The lift would have been faster.

But sometimes your heart stops listening to logic. She took the stairs. By the time she reached him, she was slightly out of breath. Without saying a word, she hugged him tightly. It felt exactly like the days before they got married.

Nothing dramatic, just home finding home.

They decided to visit Ayyira's favourite mandi restaurant. As Ram rode through Hyderabad traffic, Ayyira wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his back. At the next signal, Ram gently held one of her hands and kissed her fingers.

For a brief moment, both of them forgot there had ever been two weeks between this ride and the last one.

---

While waiting for their food, Ayyira suddenly became quiet. She absent-mindedly drew circles on her plate with her finger.

Ram noticed. "What's going on in that overthinking department?" he asked.

She smiled faintly.

"I've been thinking..."

"Hmm?"

"If we move to Hyderabad... how will we manage?"

Ram looked at her.

"My cousin stays in a simple 1BHK. They're paying sixteen thousand just for rent." She paused. "A decent 2BHK will easily cost twenty-five thousand." She sighed. "We already have commitments. What if we can't manage everything?"

Ram nodded.

"We'll figure it out."

"You always say that."

"Because it's usually true."

She wasn't convinced.

Ram laughed.

"I know that look."

He removed the analog watch from his wrist and placed it in front of her.

"What time is it?"

She glanced at her phone.

"9:30. First August."

"No cheating. Tell me using the watch."

Rolling her eyes, she looked at it.

"Fine... same answer."

"Good."

He smiled.

"Now turn the crown backwards. Any year you like."

Confused, she adjusted the watch.

"2021."

"What was your biggest worry then?"

She thought for a second.

"I had resigned without another offer in hand."

"I remember those sleepless nights."

"I kept wondering if I'd made the biggest mistake of my life."

"And?"

"I got the job before my last working day."

Ram smiled.

"Luck?"

She shook her head.

"No... maybe hard work."

"Exactly."

He nodded.

"Now move forward."

She adjusted it again.

"2023."

"What were you worried about then?"

She smiled.

"My marriage."

"What kind of husband I'd get."

Before she could continue, Ram proudly pointed at himself.

"And then..."

"I got the world's best husband."

She looked at him for two seconds.

"Hmm..."

"...Almost."

Ram placed his hand dramatically over his heart.

"'Almost'?"

She burst into laughter.

"I'm kidding."

---

                                 

Ram took the watch from her again and gently turned the crown.

"2030," he said, sliding the watch back towards her. "Now tell me... what are we doing this evening?"

This time Ayyira didn't even pause.

"We're coming to this same restaurant," she said with a smile growing on her face. "Our little girl is sitting beside us in one of those toddler chairs. She keeps stealing chicken from your plate while pretending she doesn't like spicy food. We order the same mandi, spend the whole evening laughing, and then drive back home."

      

Ram didn't interrupt. He simply watched her paint a future she had forgotten to worry about a few minutes ago.

He reached for the watch once more and turned the crown.

"2060."

"We're still coming here?" she asked, amused.

"We are," Ram said, pointing towards the large family seated at the next table. "Only this time, that table is ours. Our daughter has her own family now. Our grandchildren are running around, somebody is crying because they didn't get the bigger piece of chicken, and you're still insisting everyone order the same mandi."

Ayyira laughed.

"And what about you?"

"Oh, I'll be much wiser by then."

"Really?"

"I'll order curd rice."

She looked at him, puzzled.

"My stomach won't survive biryani till sixty."

The two of them burst into laughter.

---

Ram became quiet for a moment.

"You know what's funny?" he asked.

"What?"

"When you turned the watch to 2021, you already knew how that story ended."

Ayyira looked at the watch in her hand.

"But the girl living in 2021 didn't."

She nodded slowly.

"You were terrified you'd never find another job. Then life surprised you."

He gently turned the watch again.

"In 2023, you were worried about the man you were going to marry."

He pointed at himself with a grin.

"I'd say that problem worked out reasonably well."

"Reasonably?" Ayyira laughed. "Don't flatter yourself."

Ram smiled.

"My point is... every year we've looked at today already has an ending. That's why it feels easy."

He paused before continuing.

"But we're standing inside 2026 right now. Of course it feels uncertain. It always does when you're living it."

Ayyira didn't say anything.

She simply listened.

"So maybe," Ram continued, "ten years from now we'll laugh about the rent we're worried about today... just like we're laughing about your resignation in 2021."

He reached across the table and held her hand.

"We'll figure it out the same way we figured everything else out."

"Together?" she asked softly.

Ram smiled.

"Together."

Ayyira squeezed his hand.

"Thank you for walking into my life."

Just then the waiter arrived with the crispy chicken.

Ram looked at the plate and sighed dramatically.

"I think this fellow has waited long enough."

Ayyira wiped the corner of her eye and laughed.

"I agree."

"One more thing," Ram added as he picked up a piece of chicken. "In 2060, remind me to order curd rice. My stomach and biryani won't be on speaking terms by then."

They both laughed.

Somewhere between an old analog watch and a plate of mandi, tomorrow didn't seem nearly as frightening anymore.