"Rashmi, can you kindly serve the breakfast on the table once I come back after taking a bath. I have to reach office, for the meeting, by 11 AM," Sanjeev shouted from the bathroom. Rashmi was getting her son ready for school. She left everything and started serving breakfast on the table.

Rashmi and Sanjeev had been madly in love for four years, and after a lot of struggle with Rashmi's parents, both of them got married five years ago. Things changed a lot between them in these five years of marriage. Rashmi was always the kind of person who wanted to take care of everyone and used to think twice before speaking anything wrong. On the other hand, Sanjeev was very outspoken. He never used to give a second thought on how the other person would feel.

Rashmi was knowledgeable and was doing well in her job, but she had to leave it to take care of their 2-year-old kid.

Even though they had a four-year-long relationship before marriage, Sanjeev did not know much about her. Once they got married, a mountain of expectations fell on her shoulders. The expectation of waking up early, to cook food before leaving for office, come back early from office, cook dinner, and have the house look neat and tidy. Although she tried to manage everything with a smile on her face, she always felt bad that her husband never appreciated the same.

Rashmi was in a job where she had to interact with various people daily. She was an average looking girl, with a lot of aspirations for herself. When it was her work, she was very confident in front of people, but something happened to her at home. She was not the same Rashmi, as she was in office. Sanjeev also started taking her as someone who could not speak for herself. Even after spending six years together, he could not understand the fact that she is like that at home because she does not want to hurt his or her in-laws' feelings.

There were people in her office who wanted to speak only with Rashmi. She was empathetic and was always there to resolve the problems of the people coming to her. At times, she used to get compliments both from men and women about her beautiful smile and expressive eyes. Everything was okay in her relationship with Sanjeev till the time she was working. Once she left the job, everything changed. Starting from the financial crunch to the fights between the two of them, she was being blamed for everything. She never had to think before spending on herself earlier, but once she left her job she was questioned even on the undergarments she bought. Things worsened when her husband started commenting something or the other on her looks.

After a few years, she also started hating herself. She also started feeling; how bad she looks, how fat she has become. She started hating to look at the mirror. She felt that her routine is like that only. Wake up, make breakfast, get the kid ready for school, clean the house, prepare lunch, wash clothes, cook dinner, and then, at times, satisfy her husband's sexual needs. Though, she had no interest left in having sex with her husband as well.

When she got irritated to the core from herself and her surroundings, she thought of joining a gym. She decided that when she drops her son to school, after that, she will go to the gym for an hour. After a week of joining the gym, she felt as if that was the only time she had for herself. She started loving that one hour. She felt free, unlike at home, where she started feeling suffocated.

One day when she was moving out of the gym, a car stopped near her, and the person inside the car asked her if she wanted a lift. The person was in her gym. She denied taking a lift from him with a reason that her husband was coming to pick her up at her son's school, which was nearby. In her heart, she wanted not to give any wrong indication and inform him that she has a husband and a kid.

For the next couple of days, every time she went to the gym, that guy used to wave at her, and she used to smile back. After a few days, she received a friend request from that person on her Facebook. After giving a lot of thought towards it, she accepted the request. His name was Amit. He was tall, fair, and more towards the good looking side. Amit messaged her saying, "Hi." "Hi, what's up?" Rashmi messaged back. Amit replied, "All good. How are you?" "How did you find my name in the gym?" she questioned. "I asked the trainer with whom you do the workout," Amit answered.

Rashmi wanted to ask why, but she kept that question to herself. Nobody messaged each other after that. The next day when they met in the gym, Amit waved a hi as usual, and Rashmi waved back. Most of the girls get an intuition that a person is trying to hit on them. Rashmi had the same intuition for Amit, but knowing how bad she looks, she ignored that intuition of hers.

For the next few days, both of them chatted about their lives. Amit told her that he is married and has a kid who is one year old. Knowing that Amit is married and has a kid as well, Rashmi felt a bit relieved. Until one day, when Amit asked if she would like to spend a day with him. Rashmi ignored the request in a fun way, but Amit became very adamant about that. He messaged, "I know you are taking our talks casually, but I really like you. I love it when you smile. I love your beautiful eyes. I look forward to meeting you and looking at you in the gym every day. I don't know where do I want to take this to, but I want you to give me a day of yours. I want to spend a day out with you."

Looking at the message, Rashmi's heart started pumping heavily. She read the message again and again. She ran towards the kitchen to get herself a glass of water. She had never felt the same in recent years. She calmed herself down and replied, "Amit, thank you for the compliment about my smile and my eyes. I don't know if I spoke with you in a way that has made you take things in the wrong direction, but I never wanted to give you a wrong hint. I am married and have a kid. I love my husband, and that is the reason that after a struggle of 5 years, I got married to him. I am sorry if I hurt you for something unknown, but I really can't do it. Bye, and Take care."

With that message, Rashmi blocked Amit's profile.

But, that message of Amit's changed Rashmi's life. She gained her confidence back. She started taking care of herself. She started loving herself again. Things between Rashmi and Sanjeev changed. Their relationship started moving in a positive direction, just as it was five years back when she was madly in love with him.

Sometimes, what is needed is a word of appreciation and assurance. Amit became a factor in Rashmi's life who gave her the confidence that she still looked lovely; she still had that pleasing smile and beautiful eyes!

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