His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 83

The house did not have enough space for the number of clothes and gifts that Gabriel’s parents and grandparents brought for the twins. Leila cried, and Alister held both of them with trembling hands. He had lost so much weight and I avoided talking to him much because it reminded me of the way my Grandpa first shrunk. They were happy great-grandparents though. Ralph spent every moment deciphering what the perfect name would be for the twins to call them since Grandpa seemed too boring. Flise stuck with me though, making me promise I wouldn’t leave them again, and then told me that if 1 didn’t plan on shifting to the city, the entire family would buy houses in the neighbourhood and end up shifting here for the

little ones

I had laughed it off, but I wasn’t entirely sure that she was joking,

Two weeks after that, I woke up to Gabriel in the garden again. He spent an awful amount of time there every morning and told me he was working, so I never disturbed him.

Today, however, curiosity got the best of me and I went to the garden, even if to just watch him work.

He wasn’t working.

He was… gardening.

I clear my throat to get his attention. What in the world are you doing?”

“Gardening, he replies with a grin like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Do you care to join?”

“No!” I responded and he sprayed a little bit of water on my face in reply, then laughing. I flinched behind, and then glared

at him.

“Gabriel what?”

“A little birdie told me that this garden used to be filled with flowers before Jim got cancer. He gets up from his place. walking towards me.

Warmth spreads over me as I smile. “Alice told you?”

“Mh-hm.” He nods standing in front of me with his hands crossed in front of his chest, his gaze laser focused at me.

was unbelievable how handsome he could look in his cotton punts that were folded so they don’t get soiled and the knitted vest he was wearing. I suddenly felt conscious of my baggy sweats and the messy bun situation I had going, but he still looked at

after I had

heart beat rapidly. “I

and tomatoes and even limes. There were a

that I didn’t know.” He looks disappointed. “And I’m out here working on the soil quality, putting

were you doing it yourself?” I asked, “The Gabriel (knew

not the Gabriel

“Like, for example, six weeks with you, and

Tue, Jun 4

Chapter 83

can’t really

don’t step back, he

back, he

He doesn’t kiss me.

He steps back

know,” I say in hopes he wouldn’t notice the red hue that creeps on my cheeks. “A small house. Four rooms. Five max. A wrap around porch. A garden where I grow flowers and vegetables,

corner of his lips turns upwards “And what about a husband who comes home to

here for six weeks. How much longer are you going to be here and not go to the office? It

going to be here when they crawl, or when they speak their first words.

I stay here for the rest

for the rest of

either of us want to move

on**

snaps

about.” I ignore the pain that rises in me by

on.” I hated the way his

don’t get a say in

rip those papers in a hundred pieces when I found them.” He stares at me with a firm and hard gaze. “And even if we