Can we make it last?

seven

Plopping herself down on the mattress, she drew a long breath. Working for hours in the hospital is facile for her than being in this chaos whom they call functions of a wedding. What is absolutely out of her intellect is, why to even spend so much of time, energy and capital on such extravagant functions when they can simply make a walk to the court with two persons whom they can present as witnesses and register the bond. No need to carry even a pen of your own. Then why so extravaganza!!

Lying leisurely, Aarohi skimmed her eyes through the room when her vision got settled on a particular entity. She glanced at it for a few seconds and the walls of her mind wandered back to a former occurence that imparted an uneasy sigh out of her.

"Done right? Now leave." She had authoritatively mandated this morning as soon as Neil came out of her bathroom. They had enough of drama inside and now that they were alone, for time and again, she did not wanted that to reiterate.

"Is this how guests are treated in your homes?"

"If the resemblance is fairly this, then yes!"

"Watch out Chipkali! This is the Guest of Honour you're currently speaking to."

"Woah. Apne aap ko itni preference kaise de lete ho? "

"Well.. "

"Anyway. Neil. Just go now! " This time, she had enough of him. There was solemnity in her tone and the finality with which she recited, was the last call. She was in a dilemma of her own. This person in front of her eyes, was limiting her. He was gradually entering into her vicinity, into her shell which she had built long before to guard herself, to keep herself from getting heartbroken, from getting hurt because of attachments. And now, whilst he was so skillfully crossing the threshold, she did not wanted to hold. She had to abstain him from setting his foot into her territory and she will!

He could have irked her even more, just like he had wanted at that moment but when he looked into those brown orbs of hers, he could see how she was trying to hide her helplessness. Helplessness of what, he didn't knew and regardless of how much he wanted to ask her there and then and just sit there listening to all what she wanted to say, he failed to had the right. Atleast now!

So raising his hands in surrender, he gave her a last smile, a tight lipped one before he moved to head out of the door when something caught his eye that made him crack a smile.

Under some dim light, barely visible, was a small shelf belonging to a open cupboard that probably was owned by Aarohi as he looked after the belongings in the area. A small toy stethoscope with a chain of letters engraved on it, a mini pair of boxing gloves was placed over there and behind that, peeking from the darkness, was a coffee mug with Dr. Chipkali Goenka carved on it. The handwriting he couldn't have mistaken was his own. She'd retained the coffee mug that she claimed to dislike to the extents. Nevertheless, he opted to leave without a word even then. What was she doing?

"Exactly. What am I doing? Why would Aarohi Goenka want to keep and decorate such useless articles that too beside.. these?" She got up with the haste of light when realization dwaned upon her and she chucked the mug harshly from its former place.

"Why did I placed it here in the first place?" That got her bugged. Gnashing her teeth, she took the cup and moved to the bin to discard it. Before any second thought could surmount her mind, she tossed it inside the trashcan. The deserved place it got. Right?

......

"Abe tu soch kya raha tha Neil? Tu seedha Aarohi ke saath flirt kar raha tha? "

"I just thought to.. You know.. Just to pull her leg a little? " Splashing cold water on his face, he reasoned out. It was true, actually. He loved their banters, irking her just to get a reaction out of her, it gave him a different contentment.

"And she wouldn't have given a second thought before kicking you with the very same leg! "

"Bro! I really don't remember what had gotten into me at that time! "  He sighed out. This bathroom meeting with her was out of the common. Beyond their usual squabbles. They both were not in their zones. They were in some contrasting zone. The zone that was unknown to them.

"Ok. Let's rephrashe this. Those little banters were your thing right? Then where did this flirt and all element entered from? "

"That was not flirt. Will you stop calling it one? "

"Then what was it? "

"It.. It was.. Umm.. Healthy flirt? " Sounded more like of a question to himself as well. Whom was he reasoning out to exactly? He himself knew, he couldn't name what happened between them this morning.

"You've completely lost it! "

"Atleast I had it once. And I have it even now! Samjha? "

"Neil? " A mini heart attack he almost had that too because of the doctor of the hearts of his house, his cardiologist brother, Abhimanyu.

"Ye kya ho gaya hai tujhe Neil. Tu khud se kabse baate karne laga? " Muttering to himself, he opened the door only for a face off with his brother who was standing right behind the door.

"Bh-ai? Go-od morning.. Uh.." Wiping his hands and face in haste, Neil came in the room in jiffy.

"Good evening it is.. I guess. " Crossing his hands over his chest, Abhimanyu let his eyes observe the immiscible state of Neil. Something was definitely not right with him.

"Yeah same same. "

"Kisse baate kar raha tha? "

"Kon mai? Mai kisise baate kar raha tha? " In lieu of supplying him with an answer, he questioned back which even got Abhimanyu to think twice if he'd actually heard Neil talking to someone.

"Haa.. Abhi suna maine bathroom ke bahar se. Kuch toh bol raha tha tu. "

"Kya bhai aap bhi? Mai toh kisi se baat nahi kar raha tha. Aapne galat suna hoga... Mai toh.. Haa gaana gaa rha tha.. "

"Acha... Shayad maine hi galat suna hoga. Chal ab neeche aa ja khana kha le. " Mildly but convinced nevertheless, Abhimanyu thought to let go the topic for now.

"Haa aap chalo mai aata hu. " Nodding at Neil, Abhimanyu turned on his heels, to move out of the room.

"Pata nhi ye dono miya biwi ko bathroom ke aage kaan lagane sunne ki aadat kabse hai. Pehle Akshara bhabhi aur ab bhai! "
Neil mumbled to himself for another time and his stars chose to be on the opposite side this time as he saw Abhimanyu running back to him with a winning smile on his face.

"Tu phir kisi se baat kar raha tha. " This time, he was accused and not questioned.

"Nahi bhai mai abhi bhi gaana gaa raha tha. Haha! " Laughing cynically, Neil tried to dodge the accusation but Abhimanyu didn't seemed to buy his excuses for this time.

"Nahi maine suna abhi---"

"Chalo bhai khana thanda ho raha hai... Let's go! " Holding his hand, Neil pulled him along as they went out with Neil shaking his head in absolute wonder about how did he even started to talk to oneself and Abhimanyu in a uncertainty if he was having some hearing issues.

Both need to see a doctor.

_________

Guys suggest them some doctors' name they would want to "see" !! Haha.

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