FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN

The Unravelling- Part 1

Dinner had been a tense affair. There was a sense of anticipation in the air making hair at the base of Manjari's hair rise. Even Amaira had been strangely quiet- like she knew something big was going to happen. After dinner, Manjari retired to the bedroom with Amaira, trying to get her to sleep. It took a lot of cajoling, three stories and a lot of petting before she finally dozed off and Manjari heaved a sigh of relief. Amaira was taking full advantage of the situation. Manjari was busy checking something on her phone when she heard the soft knock on her door. She instinctively knew who it was. She did not want to speak to him, so she ducked under her covers. Neel waited for a few minutes for Manjari to respond. When there was no response, he knocked again. But no luck this time too. He paced outside the bedroom door debating what to do next. What if she was deliberately not responding to him? she had made it clear on multiple occasions that she wanted nothing to do with him....Should he open the door to check whether she was asleep or not? And what if she was fast asleep? He cursed himself for not mentioning anything to her earlier but he could not wait one more day for his answers. The distance between them was killing him and he wanted answers and he wanted them now. Making up his mind, he opened the door gently. The room was in complete darkness. H switched on the lights and could make her out under the bed covers. He almost went back when he noticed something and smiled to himself. Socks. She never wore socks when sleeping. Like ever. She was faking it. He knew her too well. Quiet like a mouse, he went closer and pulled off the covers from her.

"What the hell?", she whispered screamed as she half sat up.

"I wish to talk to you."

"I do not," she said belligerently.

Neel pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew she would be difficult. He looked at her looking at him in defiance. "Look, either you come willingly, or I will carry you out of the room..."

"As if...", she scoffed. "I would like to see you try..."

Neel smirked at her. "If you wanted to be so badly in my arms, all you had to do was say it. I would have gladly obliged."

"I don't wish to be in your arms. I do not wish to be in the same room as you. Ever. Please leave."

"No. Not without getting my answers so that I can figure out what to say to the sweet kid sleeping next to you when she asks me why I don't visit her."

"Well, you could give her the truth...that you were, you are a cheating bastard and I hate you."

"Stop accusing me of things I have never done. I did not cheat on you. Ever"

"Right", Manjari responded with a roll of her eyes.

"Look, either we could have this conversation outside and let your daughter sleep in peace. Or I could sit here till you answer all my questions, and your daughter could join us if she wakes up."

If looks could kill, Neel knew he would have died there and then. With a jerk, Manjari threw off the bed covers and got out of the bed and left the room. Neel adjusted the bed covers over Amaira and followed right behind her. She was standing in the middle of the hallway when he caught up with her. "What do you want to know?", she said, disgust evident in her voice. Neel hesitated. He wanted answers but not like this. In the middle of the hallway with her ready to kill him.

"Can we have this conversation in the living room?", he politely requested. "It's slightly cold here and I want to be comfortable while having this conversation".

"Sure. Be comfortable because the answers are going to make you extremely uncomfortable", she retorted in a biting tone. They sat across each other- she was on the polo chair and he was on the couch. They had been like this for a while. Neel did not know where to begin and how to begin the conversation. Manjari had no intention to make the conversation easy for Neel. She chose to start in the space. Let him stew, she thought venomously.