KRISH=ABHISHEK

The doorbell startles me. I open the door and find Abhishek standing with no balance. He was drunk, Abhishek was drunk to a level that he couldn't even stand straight, and it wasn't a normal thing for him to be drunk because he hates it and he has never crossed his limits since the time I have known him. I gently pull him inside and put my arm around him for his support, because he was hardly able to stand on his own. He was pretty heavy and we knock each other while walking.

"You mine", he asked me questionably

"Yes I am yours", I replied

"You are bea..uti..ful", he said breaking the syllables and caressing my face

"Abhi where had you been?", I question him

"Hush!",

"What happen, why are you like this drunk?"

"Hmm"

"How much did you drink"

"Dunno 1 Wh..is..ky then an another one", he started counting with his fingers

"Okay okay"

"Why did you speak to Mathew, he is not good"

"Abhi it is not like what you think you don't know about him"

"I know him completely"

"How"

"Because I'm not Abhishek, I am...." his voice trails off

"Finish your sentence"

"I am... I am Krish Malhotra"

"You are drunk and you are blabbering nonsense. Just go to sleep now"

"I am not lying I am bloody Krish Malhotra", he says and falls asleep.

I run my fingers through his messy hair. I keep looking at him for a while and then bought a wet cloth. I wipe his face and neck with the help of a wet cloth, hoping that cleaning him like this would help him to have a peaceful sleep. I stare at him, while my inner self was shouting various things at me. I put a stop to my thinking by concluding that he might have blabbered nonsense due to the effect of the alcohol playing in his system. That's when his phone went on and there was a message from Rachel I open and read it says

'See now it is the time to reveal the truth. If you hide your identity for some more days there are chances that your marriage life may turn darker. Be bold Krish and say everything to Megha and even Riya is suggesting the same. You know from the day one she is against this it is better that you tell your or mine is ready to say it anytime"

I can't believe all this while the person with me was Krish the person whom everyone thought was dead. I feel that I have been cheated. I place my hand on my belly and stare at it. I couldn't understand, what was happening around me. I read the text again and again but couldn't accept it. I walk to Krish Malhotra's room, the room which is filled with photo frames of him and me smiling. I take one of those photos hold them tighter and cry.

After a session of crying, I started to vigorously pull out all kinds of stuff from Krish's cupboard because I am sure that my husband would have hidden his medical reports there. After all, after marriage, he has been the one cleaning this room and never let me touch this particular cupboard. I am sure he might have hidden the documents about his identity here.

I, at last, found the papers hidden under a pile of clothes. My eyes started to produce tears as I read the sheets. The person I have been with still this very moment was Krish, the reports show that he survived an accident and had undergone plastic surgery because the burns had damaged his face. I felt like someone stabbed me right in my heart, a wave of betrayal flowed through my vessels. I sat on the floor, pulled my knees closer, and cried myself to sleep.

The continuous knocks on the door wake me up. I unlock the door and find dad standing and Krish behind dad. As soon as I see dad, I completely break down and Krish rushes forward to console me. As he places his hand on my shoulder, I push his hand away.

"Megha, listen I know the way I reacted towards you and getting drunk was wrong, but I'm sorry", he says

"That's all are your mistakes I guess your list is still incomplete", I replied

"What else did I do?"

"You cheated me, you lied to me by hidding your identity from all of us, Mr. Krish Malhotra"

"Dear what are you telling", dad asked confused

"Yes, dad this person who is my husband is not Abhishek Malhotra, he is Krish Malhotra whom we assumed was dead"

"You know that he is Krish", dad said with a hint of shock and surprise in his voice

"Dad you knew he isn't Abhishek", I asked and he nodded his head without looking into my eyes

"Wow, dad. You, Riya, and Rachel all of you knew about this and you guys didn't even bother to tell me about this"

"No, we...", dad started speaking

"Don't try to justify yourself, dad. YOU GUYS KEPT ME IN THE DARK NOT FOR A DAY OR TWO BUT FOR FREAKING SO MANY YEARS. YOU PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN CARE TO TELL ME THE TRUTH AFTER FALLING IN LOVE OR ATLEAST MARRIAGE", I yelled

"Megha, baby", Krish said with one hand on my cheek.

I slapped him hard across his face and stepped back.

"Don't you baby me, Krish, just tell me what the hell has been going on. How are you alive when we got a call that you were dead? Who is this Abhishek in real and why are you living with his identity? Give me answers to all the possible questions I have."

"Megha he is your husband so you can't slap him like that"

"No uncle whatever she did is right because I deserve this for making her feel cheated and hiding this truth for this long. I will give you all the answers. I didn't die in that accident, the reports were exchanged", Krish said

"Would you mind elaborating it and be much clearer?"