“Can you be my wife?” Just for today?” whispered the female security guard of the building, her eyes filled with worry as her relatives suddenly arrived… And finally…
Security guard Arun was stunned, his eyes narrowing, as if he couldn’t believe his ears. He stood near the reception desk in the lobby on the ground floor of the Gurugram office building, his hands still chafing from the mild cold monsoon that had hit at the end of the year. In front of him, Mira – an office worker who was used to only greeting each other – was looking at him with unusually curious eyes.
Mira was a kind and calm colleague. In the company, people only knew her as dedicated to her work, a punctuality, and rarely involved in parties or gossip. But today, she entered with a tense face, always looking in the mirror in the parking lot.
“My relatives suddenly visited from the countryside, they didn’t know that I was divorced…” – said Meera in a tearful voice. “I don’t want them to be disappointed. Today, can you help me?”
Arun held his head and let out a long sigh. Security work had nothing to do with the employees’ family affairs. But those eyes – both worried and desperate – stopped him from refusing.
“Yes… Okay. But what should I do?” – Arun asked, half surprised, half worried.
Mira sighed, her face a little relaxed. She explained: All she had to do was accompany him to visit his relatives, introduce her husband, and then sit down for lunch. There was no need to show anything special, just pretend to be familiar and close.
Arun had a little story to tell about this story… It was funny. He was single, a security guard for more than three years, his salary was not high, but it was enough to meet the needs. He never thought that one day he would play the role of “fake wife” of a smart and handsome office worker like Meera.
The bus stopped and several men and women got off. Mira suddenly grabbed his arm. Her hands were cold. “Please, help me. ”
At that moment, Arroyo nodded. And the story of the “fake husband” began…
A small dhaba at the end of the street was chosen as the meeting place. A table for six people, neatly decorated dishes, the aroma of fish curry, dal tadka next to it, hot roti and ginger with the smell of tea. Meera’s relatives sat down, everyone was chatting.
“Wow, is this Meera’s husband?” What a gentleman he looks like!” – said the aunt looking at Arun with a smile.
Arun nodded quickly and gave a fake smile. His heart was beating like a drum. He was just now used to acting in front of so many eyes.
Meera quickly interrupted: “Yes, I am Arun, my husband. He works as a security guard in this building, his job is not that big, but he is firm and respectful. ”
Arun was a little shocked to hear Meera’s voice. The way he introduced himself was simple and natural, but the warmth was strange.
The uncle in front of her sipped his wine and nodded: “Yes, it is enough for a couple to love each other. Any job is important.”
The atmosphere gradually became comfortable, but Arun was still tense. He had to remember names, roles, and not speak loudly.
The meal continued, the relatives asked: “Have you thought about this?”, “When are you going to have a baby?” … These questions seemed simple, but for Meera, they were like stabbing a needle in the wound
Seeing Meera looking a little confused, Arun replied: “Yes, we are thinking about it, but work is busy, so we need to wait a little.” ”
The people around the table nodded in response, and then the conversation turned to the crops and the countryside. Meera looked at Arun, her eyes full of gratitude and a little strange – as if she hadn’t expected him to be so good.
The cousin suddenly joked: “Meera is so lucky to have such a kind husband.” “Why haven’t we seen any wedding photos yet?”
The entire table was silent for a few seconds. Arun stiffened. Maya smiled: “Ahh We registered a little at the registrar, there wasn’t much noise, so there are only a few photos. ”
Arun trembled a little at that smile – strange but hiding a deep secret. The relatives nodded and continued eating while raising their glasses.
But in Arun’s heart, that gimmicky story slowly … It became more real than he had imagined. Every question, every answer, every look – all of it made him feel like he was a member of that family.
At the end of the meal, when everyone was full, the uncle patted Arun on the shoulder: “You are a good person. Be good to Meera. ”
Arun just shook his head, not daring to look directly at Meera. He was afraid that he might not be able to distinguish between the fake and the real.
That evening, Meera’s relatives returned to their hometown by bus and gave them some instructions. When the bus left, Meera and Arun sighed, as if they had just left behind a long drama.
They stood silently in front of the door of the building. The wind was blowing gently, with dry leaves fluttering. The two remained silent, until Mira tilted her head slightly:
“Thank you. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know how to deal with this…”
Arun smiled awkwardly: “Nothing. It’s just me… The other one pretended. But when he finished speaking, there was suddenly a strange emptiness in his heart. Why did he miss that “role” so much?
Mira was silent for a moment. Suddenly his voice trembled:
“It’s been more than two years since I got divorced. My relatives still think that my marriage is happy. I’m afraid that they will be sad, that they will be disappointed. Right now, I’m being selfish, dragging you into this.”
Arun looked at her. For the first time, he saw those eyes that were so weak, so weak, that even a gust of wind could break them. He said calmly:
“It’s not selfish. Everyone has things that are hard to say. I understand.”
In that moment, a strange sympathy arose between them. No more security guards, no more “fake husband – fake wife”, but two people looking for each other in solitude.
That afternoon, as Meera was packing her bags to leave, Arun shouted:
“Hey… If you need someone in the future… If you play this role again, call me.”
These words were half humorous and half serious, but both of them had their hearts beating fast. Mira turned around and smiled slightly – a smile that was no longer artificial, but gentle and warm:
“Who knows… Maybe it’s not just a role.”
Watching her body disappear outside the gate, a small ray of hope appeared in his heart that enveloped his quiet life.
The story of the “fake wife for a day” seemed like an opportunity, but in the end, it opened a new door for both of them – one where they could no longer show off, but embark on a real journey.