Forget-Me-Not: Taste of Freedom

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

      The opulent atmosphere of the restaurant did nothing to lift her mood. The sights and sounds of happiness were too much to bear. Silence had settled at their table, the sort of silence that signaled the coming of a confession. Geet looked preoccupied... Dia wondered what was up with that. Had something happened with her? if that was so, Geet wasn't one to speak. The truth would have to be hammered and beaten out of her. Dia didn't feel up to the task. Her own spirits were falling... her gaze kept flickering to Varun's table, where he was still sitting with the model-like woman. She grunted, irritated with herself for glancing there yet again, and moved her eyes to her friend's face.

      "So," Dia said, breaking the silence. "What's going on with you?"

      Geet didn't answer immediately. She hesitated, and then said, "The usual."

      "And what's the usual for you?" she arched an eyebrow. "I hardly know what you do with your time. You're Gautam Kapoor's wife! Come on, there must be something you do."

      Geet smiled, but she looked so wistful that Dia couldn't help feeling a swift kick in her gut. It was a look she'd seen a few times, but clear enough to indicate what it meant. "I'm not happy," Geet said finally, slowly. Then she stopped... as if searching for words. "I... my life is hardly what I'd expected it to be."

      "Is he troubling you?" Dia demanded, suddenly going stern. "It's Gautam, isn't it? Does he yell at you? Insult you? Beat on you?"

      Geet laughed. "No, nothing that extreme. He just... he doesn't talk to me."

      Dia stared at her friend, waiting for an explanation. But Geet didn't go on, and an abrupt pause followed.

      Just then, the waiter brought their food, and Dia groaned. "Okay, I said I could try, but I sure as hell can't eat all that."

      "It's alright; we'll pack whatever we can't eat."

      Dia only grumbled as they were served. She was sure she scared the waiter with her bitter scowl; he moved about quickly, hurriedly, serving their plates and mumbling something about water under his breath. A few minutes later, they were left alone once again. Dia dug into her food, suddenly hungry, and cocked one eyebrow at Geet. It was a signal for her friend to continue.

        Geet sighed. "Gautam and I... well, we were close to each other when we got married. I mean, it was like any other arranged marriage. Getting to know each other, slowly falling in love... in the beginning, it was everything I'd always wanted. But... things have changed. He's not the same anymore. He doesn't talk to me, he doesn't share things with me, and when I try to initiate a conversation, he avoids it. It's like he doesn't want me to be there. It's like he doesn't care anymore."

      Dia stopped eating and regarded Geet with a frown. "How long has it been going on? This change of state?"

      "Well, it wasn't so noticeable until now. A couple of months ago, things were strained, but they were still fine... at least he appeared to have no problem, although he'd started to get really busy doing his work. But now... now he can't bear the sight of me." Her voice faltered, and Geet stopped talking. "He yelled at me this evening. Although it was my fault, the way he said it... it was so... so unlike anything he'd ever said before."

       Dia gulped, feeling like she was chewing paper instead of her food. She grabbed her glass and tipped it down, emptying more than half in a go. Then she slammed it on the table, wincing as Geet bit her lip. "Sorry."