River & Desert

Part 33

"You're certain you don't yearn for one of your amazing inventions to accompany it?"

His silly grin made her heartstrings flutter. It was a stark contrast between the unsmiling Adhrit she met a year ago and the kind man sitting across from her. Only because she had experienced both heaven and hell with him, she could believe it.

His closeness and intense gaze made her smile reach her ears. His smiles, once rare and now more common, were contagious and magnetic. All the despair in her shattered soul vanished as she was showered with the solace she yearned for.

"No. This evening, I had everything I needed. Thank you."

An expression of surprise crossed Adhrit's face as he arched his eyebrow. "Don't thank me yet. I have another surprise for you."

Adhrit approached the sidetable and lifted the cloche, releasing the scent of the platter's contents to tantalize their senses. The nuanced smell made her brain itch. She knew the scent, but couldn't pinpoint what it was. She was stunned by the realization, and her eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"Is it- No, that's not possible."

"Awan Bangwi. Yes. Your favorite dessert, isn't it?"

A wide smile of reckless abandon took over as surprise gleamed in her eyes while she stared at him.

"My parents and I made a trip to Tripura prior to their passing. We gave Awan Bangwi a try, and I kept bothering my father to buy it for all three meals throughout our four-day stay in Tripura. Two weeks after we returned, they passed away. I think I love it because it somehow connects to the happiest times of my life."

As she shared her bittersweet memory with him, Adhrit noticed a melancholic undercurrent, despite the smile dancing on her anguished eyes. Placing the tray on the table, he presented the decadent dessert. Watching the curve of her lips widen and the sorrow of her eyes intensify made his heart skip a beat.

"May I?" he asked.

"No."

"No?"

Her reluctance surprised him. "I thought everyone loves if someone feeds them."

Mitali let out a wry chuckle. "Even I did. For the longest time. Either Aai or Baba always fed me. Despite their passing, Amma attempted to replace the emptiness they left and kept feeding me. The nosy neighbors were quick to jeer at me after that."

Her nibbling at her lower lip drew blood and the metallic tang of the blood disturbed her sated palate after the scrumptious feast. "'Won't Anurag feel sidelined if you fed only her?' 'it will spoil her rotten and how much more does she expect her Aunt to do for her?' 'Who will feed her after her marriage?' 'She will dance on your head if you continue to comply with her demands.' So many of them. Some forgotten. The haunting presence of some remains."

As she sniffled, Mitali's lips curved into a morose smile. "I refused to let someone feed me at that point. Half of the motivation came from those snide remarks, and the other half came from my fear of getting habituated to the bliss. It has been years now. On my birthdays and certain festivals, she attempts to feed me, but I never gave in. The amount of motivation fear can bring is ironic."

It pierced Adhrit's heart with thousands of daggers to hear the anecdote about relinquishing her innocence and her innocent desires of childhood. He picked the cone-shaped delicacy and turned towards her.

"It's okay to make an exception now. Nobody will mock you for wanting someone to feed you ever again. I have the right to spoil you, if that's what they think. You don't have to worry about making a habit out of it. Because, as long as I am around, you won't have to get rid of that habit."

The compassion and emotion in his words brought tears of happiness to her eyes. As soon as she locked her hazel eyes with his, her fear dissipated and was replaced by unbridled happiness, thanks to his loving gaze that put her insecurities to rest. "So, may I?"

She opened her mouth and allowed him to feed her the scrumptious dessert that she craved in the deepest recesses of her heart. It was more than the sweetness that she pined for; she also sought the warmth of love and the cheerful atmosphere. As unpredictable as Destiny was, it had fulfilled all her longings.

****

"Are you sure that you want to do this? If Mitali finds out we did this without her permission, she'll be furious!"

Before reaching the point of no return, Adhrit paused and closed his eyes to contemplate for the last time.

Adhrit let out the breath he was holding. Mitali revealed at the baby shower she missed her mother and shared the numerous plans her foster mother had made, causing him to be unable to contain his thoughts. He was plagued by a restless heart, compelled to grant her every wish, and thus stood at her doorstep.

"Yes. She pined for her mother at the baby shower. Mitali is unable to gather the courage to reveal the reality to her. We are the direct causes of her current state, and she has endured enough. If Aunty lashes out at us, which she will, we deserve it."

Anurag nodded in understanding. The words she spoke when she found out she was pregnant for the first time stuck with him and stopped him from celebrating. He would not be an uncle, that's what she had said, and he could not bring himself to show up and destroy the semblance of happiness and peace she enjoyed.

"I deserve it and more. Let's do this!"

Anurag entered through the door and called for his mother. Their heart thudded with both apprehension and anticipation at the sound of approaching footsteps. There was no way Pushpa would take the news in stride for the meeting to go well. He hoped and prayed it wouldn't impact her health.

"What hap- Oh! Mr. Sinha! Is Mitali here too?" she asked. Her eyes searched for her dear daughter frantically, but it was of no avail. Her expression changed from excitement to disappointment when she found no signs of Mitali.

Adhrit did not want to drag it out. It was preferable to administer one fatal strike instead of prolonging the process.

"I am sorry, Aunty. I am Mitali's employer, but not in the capacity you think. Mitali and I signed a surrogacy contract, and she is eight months pregnant now."

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The truth is out! 5 more chapters, including the epilogue, to go! Please VOTE and COMMENT!