As agreed, today was Shee Bah's album release date.
Madrat was laying in bed with headphones on, a laptop on his lap, head making dance moves when Shee Bah came to meet him. The way his eyes were locked in, closing and opening in motion while his head danced was enough to tell that he really enjoyed what he was listening to.
Still enjoying the music in the headphones, he turned when he saw her.
"Wow, this is owesome!"
Madrat had never dedicated himself to give a deep ear to his wife's music ever since they got married, like he was doing it right now. He was so locked in, listening to her new album. When Shee Bah saw how he was feeling her music, she sat beside him and took the headphones off his ears.
"You've never given my music time. What's so special about it this time? Is it because am quiting?"
Her downcast gaze made him realize that she wasn't happy deep inside.
He always read her gesture. Madrat put the laptop aside and turned to her, held in both her palms and calmly, on humble eyes in her eyes he said:
"Look honey, I appreciate your talent. Deep inside you know that. The public out there loves your songs too. That's enough to tell you that your talent is worthwhile."
He sighed:
"However, all along I had always wanted a wife who is not into the limelight."
Shee Bah quirked corners of her mouth in wonder. She never knew this.
He read the gesture.
"Of course I've never told you this because I knew how much you love making music. It is the only thing that had ever made you be fully in your own skin _ happy. And all I have ever wished for you was to be free and happy."
This touched Shee Bah deeply. She frowned sorrowfully and responded:
"Who do you take me for? Whatever you've asked of me I've done! What makes you think that I was going to choose music instead of our love?"
She sighed disappointedly.
He released her hands, turned away and said in memories.
"Can you believe the first thing that caught my attention the first day to know you was your sweet sounding voice? Me and some of my team had branched on this bar for a drink after a long night, that's when I heard a sweet voice on stage that caught my attention. Intrigued, I was forced to stand up from the seat and come out of the corner where I was and take a look at the owner of the angelic voice."
He added:
"Immediately you got off the stage, I followed outside and approached you. And for those three minutes outside, I really enjoyed our conversation that, I felt like talking to you atleast one more time. That marked our next meeting. I couldn't wait to invited you to my place. It wasn't about giving me those back up voices on one of my singles, no! The main plot was to have a longer conversation with you somewhere safer."
He smiled:
"By the way, you didn't care much about my fame. All your attention was on music and the feeling it gives. You were different from most of the ladies who come close to me. I was so much intrigued by your character. And that's when I needed to know you more. As I was dropping you off that night, I remember asking you to come back so that you can put more of your voice in my singles."
Memories never fade away. Knowing the way of the story, Shee Bah chuckled as Madrat proceeded:
"Next thing I knew, when you return we forgot all about songs and had funny conversations filled with laughter almost the whole day. I knew I found a best friend in you because I've never had someone to make me feel so free with myself the way you had done. One week later, me and you put a ring on eachother's finger and became husband and wife until today.
All ears, Shee Bah listened to the memories of how their love story began, happily smiling on nearly tearing eyes.
Madrat asked her:
"I guess you're still okay with me not putting my ring on?"
She nodded, smiling with a free will.
Then he added smiling back:
"Thank you for understanding."
With this conversation, Shee Bah realized that it was high time to let go off everything concerning music and settle down as a fully married woman. And in good faith she asked Madrat:
"Could you please don't upload that album?"
Madrat looked at her wondering why change her mind so sudden. She said to him:
"I love you so much. I cherish my marriage as well. And for the growing baby in my womb, I have decided to focus on my home _ family in general and drop off everything else."
Madrat smiled. After all, this is exactly what he had always wanted _ to have an isolated woman who is far away from public eyes. And if Shee Bah had decided to, then it was a big win on his side.
He said:
"At least allow me to fulfill our agreement. When you listen to the album, it lights a fire that warms hearts. Lets just upload it on Internet for only the lucky ones who will find it."
"If you say so."
Shee Bah smiled her approval, even though for the case of family she had decided to give up on anything concerning her music talent. Madrat began to upload his wife's music album on the internet. What had started as a downcast moment of sadness turned out cleansed into closeness and understanding all over a sudden, after calling back the good memories.
The following day, life continued to move on its normal pace. Madrat wakes up on a warm breakfast before he goes to the house gym to make some runs. At the gym, Shee Bah is present to hand him a face towel to whip off the sweat. From the gym to the shower and she's around to hand him a body towel to dry dripping water off his body. She helps with drying him at times.
After dressing up nicely, she calls him to the kitchen to taste on her soup. He can't wait to describe the ingredients in such a delicious source with the best feeling and compliment.
"Wow, this is outstanding. Yummiest!"
And of course, he drives out in any one of his luxury cars to go and meet Angie behind his wife's back.
This is his usual routine.
One week later, unknowingly out of the blue, Shee Bah's music album hit. It starts to grow faster than a pandemic, hitting count downs on many chats in big cities.