The Boundaries of Love

● 32 ●

Only if they knew! Shravan curled his fist praying unto God that he will give him enough strength to restrain himself. For some reason, he thanked his so-called father Mr. Ramnath Malhotra. If it weren't for him, Shravan could never learn how to read people's lips. According to Ramnath Malhotra, if you know how to read the lips of others then it becomes easier for people like him who manage a multi-billionaire fortune. But Shravan never did imagine that this would help him to understand what Dr. Pattinson was saying to Suman.

When he explained Shravan's situation, Shravan could feel his heartbeat throbbing against his ribcage. What Mr. Pattinson was saying was true then Suman would never be happy with him. And how he wanted this was not the case. How could he, when she was the only one who stood by his side, accepted him as he was? He was always obsessed with Suman. The way she talked, the way she laughed, the way she held herself in any given situation, the way she loved him, the way she reacted when he touched her . . . goodness . . . what if she agreed to Mr. Pattinson, what if she decided this is it for her! What would he do?

They came back home that day, but there was something in the air that made them silent. Shravan could see how his psychologist's words affected Suman. "Sumo?" He whispered while turning in the bed to face her. She was looking at the ceiling with a forlorn expression.

"Hmm?"

"What did Mr. Pattinson say?" He knew what the Dr said, but he wanted to hear from Suman so that he could gauge what was going on in her mind.

Suman sighed, "Nothing much, just I should be there when you need me, and I said that's been my plan since I came here."

Half-truths are very dangerous, they are not lies but they carefully cloak some of the facts of it, making it soothing to the ears and heart. Shravan's fear doubled with Suman's half-truth. "That's it?"

"Yes." and she turned around from him.

That night Shravan couldn't wink an eye. He was sure Suman was going to leave him. And maybe that'd be the right thing to do but he couldn't let that happen. He needed her in his life. He would never be able to live alone after he knew how it felt to live with her, how it felt to hold her in his arms whenever he wanted.

The next couple of weeks went in a blur. With his business meetings and Suman's new job, things were not as smooth as it was. They barely had time for each other. But what terrified him was his need for Suman. Be it psychological or be it physical. That constant throbbing that begged him to claim her of his own was unbearable. Every single time he touched her and he would burst into flames of desire. Shravan's logical brain warned him that this was only because he feared that she would decide to leave him, but his emotional side was so strong that he could barely keep himself calm.

"What am I supposed to do?" Shravan leaned on the sofa in Mr. Pattinson's room, "I don't want to hurt her, but I can't . . ."

"Tell me what are you thinking."

"I don't know," he shook his head, "if I make her mine, maybe she wouldn't leave me? We are Indian, these things matter to us."

"Are you saying, in India, there aren't any divorce cases?"

"No that's not what I am saying . . ."

Mr. Pattinson smiled, "Because these things don't matter. What matters is mental stability. Which I am afraid, your's . . ." He shook his head.

"I," Shravan struggled to put words to his emotions. Even he was ashamed of his obsession with Suman. Yesterday when he was at his office, suddenly he blacked out for a moment in the middle of a meeting because all his thoughts were directed to Suman. That sudden urge to meet her right then had astounded him. He was feeling uneasy the whole day until he took her in his arms. Things accelerated from there and they ended up almost having s*x last night. They would have if Suman didn't ask him to stop because in his urgency he didn't notice his brutal force on her arms. The expression on her face said it all, and he unwrapped himself from her and ran out of the room. What was he doing, he wanted to wait till the marriage. He wanted to follow the traditions. But he couldn't control himself to. . .