Loving You

Chapter 41 - Akshara - Cocktail Hour

2 Days Later, Los Angeles

"You okay?" Abhimanyu asked me just as he parked the rental car in front of the Hilton front entrance.

I gulped, beginning to get a bit nauseous. "Yes. It's just a lot you know."

"I know." He comforted, caressing my hand.

"Coming back to the same city I once walked away from. It's..."

"...not easy." He finished for me.

I nodded my head, the pain evident in the hesitancy, the confusion in my voice.

"You didn't have to do this. You didn't have to come." He offered.

"And hear you constantly frown, be frustrated and agitated over our video calls? I couldn't do that to myself." I joked, earning a warm hearted chuckle from Abhimanyu.

"Fair enough."

"And I couldn't escape an entire city for the rest of my life because of what happened with me. Los Angeles is a beautiful city and California is a beautiful state." I admired, trying to suppress my pain.

"You can call them you know. Find out how they're doing. If not your grandfather, at least try calling your brother, your grandmother, your great-grandmother?"

"I had thought about it. Many times. But I decided against it. Because I knew how hurt Bade Papa would be if he ever found our Kairav bhaiyaa, Badi Maa or Mimi ever talked to me. And I couldn't do that to him. Ever. Hurting him once was painful enough." I confessed, earnestly.

Absolute silence dawned in the car as we both sat there, soaking in the reality of my words. It was true. I had to stop myself many times from calling Kairav bhaiyaa and asking him how he, Bade Papa, the rest of the family was doing.

I glanced over at Abhimanyu who looked to be in deep thought, emotionless except for the slight furrowing of his brows.

"What're you thinking?" I asked, softly, bringing his out of his trance.

"Hmm? Nothing." Abhimanyu cleared his throat, "I was just thinking if we don't get out of this car now, we'll never make it to Meet-n-Greet Cocktail hour." He replied casually, masking the tension on his face with absolute perfection.

"Then what are we doing here?! Don't you know we'll get late!" I said, making light of the moment. I quickly exited the car just as Abhimanyu unloaded our luggage from the rear.

~*~

"Abhi, how do I look?" I asked, worriedly, walking out of the enclosed bathroom in a body hugging knee length strapless little black dress.

Abhimanyu looked up at me from his spot on the bed. "Akshara?! Why're you even asking a question like this? You know you always look amazing!"

I rolled my eyes. "Cute Abhi," I reply, scrunching my nose up. "But I'm not asking about every day. I'm talking about tonight, right now especially."

"That's what I'm saying! You look beautiful." He complimented, making me smile.

"So the dress is not too much?" Or too little? I asked silently, pulling the dress further down to my knees.

Abhimanyu stood up and walked over to me, pulling me forward. "No. It's perfect. You in it, even more so." He complimented, tucking a strand of lose curly hair behind my ear.

"Promise?" I asked, gazing into his eyes just as my blush deepened.

"Yes. I promise." He replied, brushing his lips against mine.