Another man pushes my hand away and thwarts my efforts to steady him.
“You should be careful.My father could have slipped and hurt himself.”The twenty-something man wearing a home-knitted grey and white striped sweater swears at me.
I step back, giving the duo space.Uncle ji straightens, adjusting his suspenders; the recognition dawns on us.
“You, the writer?”The older man frowns.“We meet again.”A smirk crosses his face.
My stomach clenches, and a wisp of dread rushes through my veins.Who is this man?Why does he keep bumping into me?I should confront him, but at present, I have more pressing matters on my hand.A question mark on my relationship with Aditya.
Chapter 23
Making up for a mistake
ADITYA
“I am an absolute coward.”
Sir Wilfred expresses his displeasure through a stiff upper lip and stone-glazed eyes.
“What other choice did I have?”
Umm.Perhaps not dart with my tail on fire and later ghost Jimmy out of shame.Two days have passed since the fiasco in Delhi.Once Jatin helped settle the panic, I packed my stuff from the apartment and took a bus to Almora.I should have waited at the railway station and met Jimmy to board the train.We should have travelled together, but Shalini's spectre hung over my head.I had to protect Jimmy and my new life.If Rahul or her father saw us together, God knows what fracas they would create.
A lot of grovelling is on the cards.I check the time on my watch.No escape now; Jimmy should be here soon.
I squeeze my eyes, gather my nerves, and allow the hum of nature to calm me as the breeze rustles through the forest.A soft scraping draws my attention to my furry friend foraging for lunch.The squirrel’s head bobs, eyes stare at me before the rodent scampers away.The animal is always alone like me.But you have Jimmy.I sigh and study Sir Wilfred.
I often debated whether love would lessen the fear inside me.Would finding my person allow me to touch the affection buried deep and rekindle my life?Or would the termites of my lies have hollowed my existence to a point where I have no hope of building anything new?
“Sir Wilfred is a lucky man.At least you tell him everything.”Jimmy's voice breaks my spiralling thoughts.I clench and unclench my sweating fists before turning to him.He stands at the park’s gate, hands tucked in his black jeans, shoulders hunched, shifting from one leg to another, eyes uncertain.
Oh, God, what have I done?I made this man doubt himself — doubt us.I rush to hug him.“Jimmy, I am so sorry.I panicked.Please forgive me.”
Too scared to face him, I snuggle my head in the nook of his neck, holding him tight, his maroon and black jacket clutched in my hands.His hands stay by his side, but I dig my fingers into his back to anchor myself, sniffing the comforting fragrance.
“I am not brave like you.I am so used to the dark spaces of my closet.The parade's colour, glitter, and boisterous bonhomie were overwhelming.I wanted to laugh.I wanted to cry.I wanted you, but the people clicking photographs scared me.Someone would post them on social media and cause more trouble.Shalini's family is not aware of my sexuality.”
