Sai was right to order a taxi. Virat did wait for her outside, but he was not able to intercede with her. He then tried calling her, but she did not pick up her phone. He followed her to the flat, but the landlord did not let him in. "Sorry, rules are rules. Males are not allowed in females rooms."
"But.."
"Kahi but wut nahi.. rules manjhe rules."
"Ok, can you at least call her here?"
"No!" The landlord, Sai's newest acquaintance Vishu kaka, gestured for Virat to follow his finger.
"No visitors after 7pm!"
"It's very urgent."
"Firstly rules are rules and Sai has expressly told she is not feeling too well and she has a ton of homework. She does not want to be disturbed. Not even for dinner. Chala nigha atta!"
Virat had no choice. Furious at the landlord and himself, he retracted home. With Sai not in Chavan Nivas, the place had become awfully quiet. No bakheda in the living room. 'Kand toh aaj maine kiya hai.' Baba, Kaku, and Omi kaka were too deep busy bodying, so thankfully, Virat could go straight to his room.
Pakhi was pacing in their corridor. "So you're back? Where's Sai?"
"Pakhi, please. Please let me be. I don't have the patience to deal with you."
"So she did not listen to you. Once again, she has misunderstood you. And you,"
He did not let her finish. "Aai, can you bring me something to eat. I am very hungry."
He left Pakhi to continue her pacing. He closed his room door to ensure she doesn't barge into his room like she usually does. And expecting Aai any minute, she wouldn't dare to.
Virat drowned in his easy chair to recollect the shithole he had created for himself.
"Virat, I know you have held yourself back because I am Samrat's wife. That is no longer true. He is leaving me. I am free. You and I can finally fulfill our promises to each other."
Virat was aghast. He couldn't believe what the woman was on. "What promises?! Pakhi, listen; what we had is all in the past. And that past is not that compelling. We met, we felt a strong attraction, and we thought that was love. I did not know anything about you. And seriously, now that I have gotten to know you, I don't think our relationship would have lasted much longer. You are just not my type."
"Virat, you are insulting me!"
"Sorry Pakhi if you feel that way. But, I have tried to say this to you politely. I HAVE MOVED ON. And so should you."
"I know you're saying this because you feel you are committed to Sai. Your marriage to her is a sham. You had said so yourself. And for her too this marriage means nothing. She does not love you. She will never love you like I do. Never!"
"What is between Sai and me is none of your business. What I am telling you has nothing to do with Sai. With or without her, now that I know you, you are just not who I want to spend my life with. Pakhi—your obsession with me has ruined even our friendship. If you had truly loved me you would have respected my feelings. You are my brother's wife, and for me you will always be just that."
"But I am going to leave him." Pakhi said without a moment of hesitation.
"Pakhi, you're going to make a big mistake, because it is going to make no difference in our conversation. If I have to choose between you and Samrat, I will choose him, always. I will never do anything that will hurt him, not again, never again am I going to anything that will distance us even more."
"Virat, please, I love you."
Virat found her desperation pity-worthy and annoying at the same time.
"No, Pakhi—you do not. You are stuck in a time warp. If you were truly in love with me you would have let me be. I have told you countless times that I am in love with Sai. She is the one who makes me happy. You are not even a good friend to me. In spite of knowing how much I love her, you leave no opportunity to bring her down."
"That's because she does not appreciate you. She does not deserve you. She is a selfish girl, who only thinks about herself. She does not love you, Virat."
"And do you know why? Because she thinks I am in love with you. She thinks my happiness is with you. Yes, this is why she keeps herself from loving me. And that is why I love her. And nothing is going to change that. I will love her whether or not she loves me in return. I will wait for her."
"You made similar promises to me too—what did you say. You will not let any other woman in your life."
"Yes, I made that promise. Then, I thought I was doing it because I was in love with you. But now I realize, I had done it for Samrat. I needed you to marry him; he was in love with you. If I had done it for you, I am sure I wouldn't have broken that promise. So please Pakhi. Samrat is the man who loves you. Try to understand him, try to understand his love. Give the both of you a chance at least."
'Sai will you not give our relationship one chance? Don't shut yourself from me. Oh god, how do I reach her? Help me, Bappa!'
Aai turned on the lights to see her son in pain. She had seen him like this many times before, and it was always after he had wronged Sai.
"Godu, is everything all right? Is Sai all right?" That was all he needed to break down.
"Aai I think I have lost her and this time for good."
"What do you mean? What have you done?" Shamefacedly, Virat told Aai of his and Pakhi's evening shenanigans.
"Virat! How many times? And then you tell me Sai does not understand your feelings. You keep giving her conflicting messages. She is but a little girl—yes much mature for her age, but she has a limit."
"Aai, please. Please call her Aai."
"No use. She is not answering my phone as well. And now I understand why. That poor girl had called me earlier today, but I could not talk to her. I was with your aji. After wrapping up making dinner I tried calling her, but she did not answer."
"Aai, please try again. I just want to hear her voice. I promise I will not talk to her."
Sai wiped her tears. She had homework to complete. There was a paper due the next day. She got to it, but before that, she blocked Virat Sirs' number. 'Virat Sir, I don't want to talk to you. In Mahableshwar, I had asked you to make a choice, and you have made it. What more is there to say? Why are you trying to justify your actions to me?' Then she moved her phone to silent to concentrate on her paper. Around ten, the phone buzzed again. It was Aai. Since this was the second time Aai called her, she answered her phone to avoid being disrespectful.
"Hello Aai, how are you?"
"How are you bala—I am really missing you so much."
"I am fine Aai. Had a busy day—Aai today I started a job—can you believe that, Sai Joshi, soon to be doctor, is now an accountant cum waiter. I never imagined waiting table would be so much fun. Get to meet and see people for who they really are. Away from home they drop their guard, let themselves go, no facades. And Aai I made Rs. 200 in tip. I was able to take a cab back to my flat." Sai forced a laugh, while her every word was piercing Virat.
Can anyone fool a mother? "Bala, are you ok? You know you can tell me anything, right?"
"Of course, Aai—why wouldn't I be all right? I am just a little busy right now; I have to finish my assignments for tomorrow. Aai, I will call you soon. Love you!"
"Aai—what have I done?"
"You have, with your own stupidity, perhaps lost your chance at true happiness."
