She nodded far too many times because she couldn’t get the words out. He laughed and captured her mouth.
Two days later, they met at Home Affairs and made their way to the marriage registration office. They hadn’t planned their outfits, but they both showed up looking like a couple about to say their vows in front of guests at a posh wedding venue. Neel was wearing a tailored navy suit with a crisp white shirt and a deep burgundy tie. He’d paired them with brown loafers. Kaavi was in an exquisite burgundy sari. The fabric was chiffon and draped effortlessly, catching the light with a subtle shimmer that made her skin glow. She’d braided her hair in a single plait and had threaded a single cream rose, which she’d bought on the way there, into the top of her plait at the nape of her neck.
‘I still don’t understand why we have to keep our marriage a secret,’ he said as Kaavi filled in the application form.
She put down the pen and turned to him. ‘It’s better this way for now. It won’t be forever,’ she said.
Neel didn’t argue. He also didn’t back out. He simply nodded and an hour later they were married. They never expected their wait or ‘ceremony’ to be over so quickly because they’d heardonly horror stories about long delays at Home Affairs. Neel joked that it signalled their marriage would be smooth sailing. She now knew that it was also a sign that the marriage would be over quickly. But, for a short time, they did have that marital bliss people always speak about.
She remembered a Sunday morning when Neel tried to make breakfast. He burned the egg and sausages but blamed the stove, even threatening to call the manufacturer. He was so serious that he had Kaavi laughing until her stomach hurt. And then he had her on her back and it was perfect because they just completed each other. But a couple of hours later, their weekly argument started. He had to go to his parents’ house for lunch and she refused to go with him. After all, his family didn’t know she existed. They’d argue. He would go to lunch. She would sit around waiting for him. She’d apologise when he returned. He’d say he understood –until one day he stopped understanding. And she couldn’t explain it to him because she didn’t understand either. She just knew she wanted their marriage to remain a secret; there was no reasoning behind it. But there was a reason. She just didn’t want to confront it.
Now, sitting on Sen’s couch, she wondered if they would have still been together if there hadn’t been any secrecy. She shook off the thought. She didn’t want to explore it. She and Neel Naran were long over and there was no point in mulling over it.
Neel looked in his hotel room mirror. If he was going to stay in Rally for a month, he would have to upgrade to a suite to have adequate space to work. He still couldn’t figure out what had come over him when he told Kaavi he’d be staying in Rally for a month. He had no game plan. Kaavi had walked out on him and didn’t look back. She’d moved on and was even living with aman. But when he saw her this morning, he just couldn’t – didn’t want to – leave.
He sat on the bed, hit the speed dial on his phone and waited for it to ring.
‘Neel, I was just about to call you to let you know I’ve confirmed your flight for tomorrow.’
He ran his hands through his hair.
‘About that …’ he mumbled.
‘Must I change it to an earlier flight? I know you prefer travelling early in the morning.’
‘I’ve decided to stay in Rally for a month,’ he heard himself utter slowly.
There were a few seconds of silence before Sarika spoke.
‘Do I have to fly out there to work with you?’
‘That’s not necessary. I can switch all my meetings to video conferences. With technology, it’ll be like I’m there in my office,’ he replied.
‘Are there any files I need to email to you? What else do you need?’
He knew Sarika. She was trying to be professional by not reacting the way she usually would have. Sarika was his executive assistant. They’d met in college when she started dating his best friend Ryan. The trio went on to achieve their MBAs and Ryan married Sarika. But Sarika soon realised that she didn’t want to be in the world of mergers and takeovers. Despite being the smartest of the three, she didn’t want to make decisions in the business world. When Neel joked that she could be his executive assistant, she took it seriously. She didn’t need to work because Ryan had a successful telecommunications company, but Sarika didn’t want to ‘sit around doing nothing’.
‘Say what’s on your mind,’ he said.
‘What could possibly be on my mind?’
He pressed the speaker button, placed his cellphone on the bedand began to pace.
‘You’re not going to ask why I’m staying here for a month?’
‘Why would I? You’re the boss and I take orders from you. I can’t question your decisions,’ she replied flatly.
Neel burst out laughing.
‘You take orders from me? That would be the day. You’re more like my boss. Just say what you want to, Sari.’
She was silent for a few seconds.
‘Neel, why are you doing this to yourself? I’m assuming the divorce papers haven’t been signed? What do you hope to achieve by prolonging this trip?’
Neel sat on the bed again.
‘I don’t know, Sari.’
