“What is it, Ritu? You don’t like me?”
“That’s not even a question,” she chuckled, eyes still closed.
“You don’t like the other side of my behaviour? I can’t say I will change completely but I will try and remain as non-obnoxious for you as I can. Ihavebeen trying, and I think I have been successful… hmm?”
She opened her eyes, and the naughty hours they had spent were a thing of the past. She looked… conflicted, sad, confused. He touched her cheek, so soft, so smooth, inviting his knuckles to run over its curve.
“You have, single-handedly,” he said, “brought me back to life. You make me want to live again and again, start a life, have children, raise them, make something more than just a… what do you call it? Grand brand.” Nilay chuckled. “I am asking you now, do I do something even remotely similar for you?”
She stared into his eyes. Silent. Blinking. Her long lashes fluttering. And then, quietly, she leaned forward and took his lips with hers. Nilay inhaled, feeling sparks burst inside of him. He threaded his fingers through her hair and pushed her back, kissing her like he had not been able to kiss her since Patan. Like he was finally ready to lead them there again, from where there was no return. Not this time, and never again.
“Doctor,” he pulled back, breathing heavily to match her panting. Her eyes were squinty, hooded, staring up at him. He pushed the bangs back from her temple — “Am I cleared for the bedroom now?”
Her palm pasted on his chest, over his heart, and she pressed until he was straightening to his feet and she was following him, leading him towards his bedroom. He turned midway and twirled her in his arms, spinning her into the open doorway.
“Last chance, Doctor.”
She twined her arms around his neck and kissed him, shoving the door shut with her shoulder.
————————————————————
The chirping of birds and honks of stray cars broke into his sleep. Just like every day. Except, today wasn’t every day. He smiled in sleep, knowing he would open his eyes to the woman of his dreams, now the woman of his life.
He turned and reached out to pull her closer. This time, he wasn't letting her escape him. His arm hit empty mattress. Nilay squinted his eyes open.
“Ritu?” He called out. The cracks in the curtains let some light in, enough to make the clock readable. 6.15 am. He frowned and sat up.
“Ritu?” He called out towards the bathroom, then winced. He was screaming in his sleep voice at dawn. She was bound to flatten him with a lecture. He cleared his throat and lowered his volume — “Doctor?”
No answer.
Nilay pushed the duvet aside and stepped out onto the cool marble. The winter was intense this time, even for Mumbai. He limped to the bathroom, straightening out the kink in his knee. He knocked. “Ritu?”
The door gave way and opened to darkness. Panic set in. Nilay exited his room, seeing the hall just as they had left it last night. The small entryway light was on. Her shoes were missing. He ran back into his bedroom, pulling open the drawer that she had claimed in the last week here. Empty. There had to be a reason. Maybe she had gone to her flat to exchange the clothes.
At 6 in the morning?
He lunged for the mobile lying on his bedside and found a paper under it.
Nilay,
You made my short time here brighter than I could imagine. But our life goals are very different. I don’t want the same things as you do. What you feel for me is gratitude, spun into hero worship. Soon, it will die down. Life will move on.
I wish you the best, take care.
Ritu
20. Ruk Jaa Oo Dil Deewane
— NILAY —
Nilay stared into space. The letters and words on the paper blurred in front of his eyes. He wasn’t having another heart attack but it was definitely close.Different goals? Gratitude? Hero worship?
Before he could even start playing out the repercussions of this or think of what to do next, his phone pinged.
MAYA KUMAR
Come to T2 gate1
