Popcorn

37. Heart wants to

Pune

Neither a delicious chocolate pastry nor two big packets of potato chips, and surprisingly even a bucket of strawberry ice-cream could satisfy Aditi's hunger or mood. It was two in the night, after a tiring two hours journey and arranging things, she laid wide awake on her bed twisting and turning.

Groaning, Aditi sat up. Unknowingly at times, her eyes welled up with tears. She wanted to scream loud in the dark releasing the unknown anguish. She couldn't figure what was wrong with her. Switching on the night lamp, she drank a glass of water on the side table to soothe her nerves.

Her eyes flickered between her fingers and her phone lying on the bedside table. Finally, giving up she lifted her phone and opened her chat box. After contemplating for fifteen minutes, she pressed the send button.

Did you reach safely?

She quickly moved her hands to place the phone on the table but her phone immediately pinged with a message. Shutting her eyes tightly, she let out a loud huff. Opening her chat box, she looked at the message received from Rakshan.

Yes, I reached Bangalore at eight.

This is the message you were typing for past 15 minutes?

Aditi growled and asked herself why was she doing this.

Its too late. Why are you awake still?

I can ask you the same and I was waiting for your message.

Aditi wished to strangle herself but she was exhausted for the day and wondered why he was always straight to the point. She had the urge to pull her hair out for her stupidity and for his wits. Her brain instantly clicked with a safe solution for both him and her.

Good night!

Aditi didn't wait for his reply. She flung into her covers and slept peacefully for the next seven hours. As she opened her eyes for another morning, her hands straight away reached for her phone.

Good night Aditi! Sleep well.

Her lips automatically twitched to a smile. She couldn't figure out why she felt she was going to have a good day.

******

One week later

"Thank you, Anitha!" Rachna thanked her assistant with a smile who bought her a cup of hot coffee. 

"My pleasure, Ma'am." Anitha gave her a full smile and exited the room, getting accustomed to  her ma'am's new behavioural pattern within a week's time. Rachna gently smiled at her assistant's retreating figure.

Every since she had joined the office back with a changed attitude, Rachna noticed how her employees were more friendly and happy to work with her. Though the prejudices still existed, there was a lovely bunch of co-workers who admired and appreciated her work. She was happy with it. She was contended with the work she did for her self satisfaction and not for making others proud or to impress others. She was proud of herself. The new Rachna was more positive which made her more productive, efficiently managing her work and home.

Taking a sip of the piping coffee, she opened her snapchat to see the snap sent to her by Harshan. She laughed at the snap. A sulking Harshan was surrounded by pile of files around him. The snap read 'this is what I get after a month's break' followed by a sweating emoticon. Rachna typed back a reply.