Chapter Eighty-Nine: The Slap
The morning of the second day, Jay came home.
She walked through the door at 9 AM, looking exhausted, eyes red-rimmed.
Akshi spotted her first. "JAY! You're back!"
Shreya ran over. "Are you okay? Where have you been? We were so worried—"
"I'm fine." Jay's voice was flat. "I just needed space."
Keiran appeared, Rex in hand. "MUMMY!" He launched himself at her.
She caught him, held him tight. "Hi, baby."
"I missed you."
"I missed you too. So much."
"Don't go away again."
"I'll try, baby."
---
Keifer came down the stairs.
He stopped when he saw her.
"Jay."
She looked up. "Keifer."
The tension in the room was instant.
Shreya grabbed Akshi's arm. "Maybe we should—"
"Yeah. Let's go."
They herded Keiran out, Rex and Ganesha following.
The living room emptied.
Just the two of them.
---
"I'm glad you're back," Keifer said quietly.
"Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Don't act like everything's fine. It's not fine."
"I know it's not fine. I just—I was worried. We all were."
"I needed space. You knew that."
"For two days? Without any word?"
Jay's jaw tightened. "I needed what I needed."
"You could have texted. Just one text. Let us know you were alive."
"I was alive."
"WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT!"
---
His voice rose.
Hers did too.
"You want to talk about what you didn't know? You don't know anything! You don't know how I feel! You don't know what it's like to carry everything while you just—exist!"
"Exist? I work. I provide. I take care of this family."
"You take care of us financially. But emotionally? You're never there!"
"That's not fair."
"LIFE ISN'T FAIR!"
---
He stepped closer. "Jay, calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down."
"I'm not your enemy."
"Then stop acting like one!"
"I'm NOT!"
"YOU LEFT YOUR CUP IN THE SINK! AGAIN! THIS MORNING! BEFORE I EVEN WALKED IN!"
He blinked. "That's what this is about? A cup?"
"IT'S NEVER JUST A CUP! IT'S EVERY DAY! IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING! AND I'M TIRED! I'M SO TIRED!"
He reached for her arm. "Jay—"
"DON'T TOUCH ME!"
---
He didn't let go.
He grabbed her wrist. Gently. But he grabbed it.
"Listen to me—"
She snapped.
Her hand moved before she could think.
Slap.
The sound echoed through the room.
He staggered back. Hand to his cheek. Stunned.
She stared at her own hand. At him. At what she'd done.
"I—" Her voice broke.
He just looked at her.
No anger. Just... hurt.
---
She ran.
Up the stairs.
Into their room.
Door slamming.
Lock clicking.
---
Keifer stood in the living room.
Hand still on his cheek.
Shreya appeared in the hallway. "What happened? We heard—" She saw his face. "Oh god."
"She slapped me."
"What?"
"She slapped me and ran."
Shreya's hand flew to her mouth.
Akshi appeared behind her. "I'll go talk to her."
"She locked the door."
"I'll sit outside then. She needs to know someone's there."
---
Akshi sat outside Jay's door.
"Jay? It's me. I'm not going to ask you to open up. I'm just... here. If you need anything."
Silence.
Then, muffled crying.
Akshi's eyes filled with tears. "I'm here, sister. I'm here."
---
Downstairs, Mithun and Chethan found Keifer on the couch.
Staring at nothing.
"What happened, bro?" Chethan asked softly.
"I don't know. One minute we were fighting, the next—" He touched his cheek. "I've never seen her like that."
"She's hurting," Mithun said quietly. "That doesn't make it right. But she's hurting."
"I know. I just don't know how to help her."
"Sometimes you can't. Sometimes you just wait."
---
Shreya sat with Akshi outside the door.
Hours passed.
Jay didn't come out.
Didn't answer.
Just cried.
---
Keiran found Keifer in the living room.
"Pappa? Where's Mamma?"
"She's in her room, buddy. She needs some time."
"Is she still sad?"
"Yeah. She's still sad."
Keiran climbed onto his lap. "Rex says we should wait."
Keifer hugged him tight. "Rex is right."
Rex nodded.
Ganesha nodded too.
---
The mansion was quiet that night.
No laughter. No chaos.
Just waiting.
---
End of Chapter Eighty-Nine