Coffee, Saridon & One Invisible Problem
Arjun finally reached home.
He opened the door, stepped inside, removed his shoes, and tried to behave normal. Calm. Composed. Married-man-with-responsibilities mode activated.
Behind him, floating happily like an unpaid electricity bill — Ananya followed.
His wife looked up from the dining table.
“You’re back?”
“Hmm,” he nodded. “Can you please give me one cup of hot and strong coffee?”
“Sure… two minutes,” she replied, walking toward the kitchen.
Ananya stood beside him, looking around the house like a tourist.
“Nice house da… clean also. Your wife maintains well. Good selection.”
“Shhh,” he whispered.
She ignored him.
As his wife was about to enter the kitchen, Ananya suddenly said loudly,
“Coffee With Saridon tablet?”
Without thinking, Arjun instantly replied,
“I don’t want!”
His wife stopped mid-step.
She slowly turned around.
“You don’t want… coffee?”
He froze.
“No… I mean… I want coffee…”
She raised one eyebrow. “Then?”
He panicked. “Nothing! Just coffee. No tablet. Nothing extra.”
“Tablet?” she asked, confused. “Why will I put tablet in coffee?”
“Exactly!” he said too loudly. “Why will you put tablet in coffee? Who does that?”
She blinked.
“Okay…” she said slowly. “As you wish.”
And she walked into the kitchen.
The moment she disappeared, Ananya burst into uncontrollable laughter.
Not soft. Not ghostly.
Full volume.
Clutching her stomach.
“Ha ha ha! With Saridon tablet! Your face! Oh my God!”
Arjun held his head.
“Uff… seriously sorry, dear!” he shouted toward the kitchen. “It was not for you! Can you please bring a hot coffee? I need it.”
From inside, his wife replied, “Okay…”
Ananya continued laughing.
“You saw your face? ‘I don’t want!’ like a scared child!”
He turned toward her, irritation visible now.
“You will mess my life. You are making me look like a fool in front of others. What kind of friend are you?”
She stopped laughing.
The smile slowly faded.
“I was just joking,” she said softly.
“This is not joke. This is my life,” he whispered angrily. “You cannot interfere like this. Already I am talking to empty air. If someone notices, what will they think?”
She looked at him for a few seconds.
The same girl who once filled silence with nonstop words…
Now quiet.
“Okay,” she said gently. “I shall keep quiet.”
For the first time since she appeared as a ghost, she stepped back.
Not playfully.
Not dramatically.
Just… quietly.
His wife returned with the coffee.
“Here.”
He took it carefully.
“Thank you.”
She sat beside him. “Are you okay? You look stressed.”
“I’m fine,” he said quickly.
Ananya stood near the window, watching.
He blew on the coffee and took a sip.
Silence filled the room.
She did not comment.
Did not tease.
Did not add anything.
And strangely—
That silence felt heavier than all her nonsense combined.
Arjun glanced toward the window.
She stood there, looking smaller somehow.
Invisible.
Quiet.
And for the first time,
he almost missed her noise.
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