Enough

10

Aakash froze in surprise when Abhi asked him about Purab.

"I think you should ask Bhabhi about that," he said slowly. He avoided Abhi's eyes, looking down at the stack of papers in his hands. They were meeting in one of the smaller sitting rooms in the house, which Aakash had turned into an office. Piles of documents occupied the marbled surface of an ornamental table, stacked all around Aakash's laptop and phone.

"But she wasn't there," Abhi insisted. He leaned forward, compelling Aakash to look at him. "I don't remember Pragya being there. How would she know?"

Aakash took a very long time to say anything. Abhi watched his face, wondering what made his cousin look so conflicted.

Clearly there was something Aakash didn't want to tell him. This hint of more secrets surrounding him frustrated Abhi. What could he have been up to in recent months that people couldn't just tell him about?

A restless tension churned in Abhi's veins, the echo of a foreboding chill that surged whenever he thought about the riddles of this life he had woken into. Too much about his current reality just didn't make sense.

He had always faced the world openly, khule aam (openly), without playing games. After losing his parents too early, all of his choices were driven by the conviction that life was too short not to be honest about who he was and what he wanted.

How had he wound up with these endless knots to untangle about his recent experiences? His life had become nearly unrecognisable. Losing just a few months of memories should not have made him feel like he was suddenly starring in someone else's story.

Aakash finally spoke, choosing his words carefully. "Bhai, the doctors said that one person should handle telling you emotionally-charged information. As you might guess, what happened between you and Purab was very emotional. It's better if Bhabhi tells you about it."

Abhi frowned. He did not remember Dr. Aman saying any such thing.

Why did all roads lead back to Pragya during his recovery process?

How could someone he had only met three months ago become the most important person in his life, displacing everyone else he knew?

Well, your wife is supposed to be the most important person in your life.

It was a logical thought. But it gave him no comfort, since he couldn't remember why he had chosen to get married in the first place.

"So you're saying Pragya knows why I fought with Purab, even though she wasn't there?" Abhi prompted Aakash. A sickening suspicion flared in his mind. "Does it involve her?"

The idea that he might have fought with Purab over Pragya made Abhi's gut sear with an ugly feeling. He couldn't imagine losing his best friend over a woman; he had been through too much with Purab, the brother of his heart, to let anyone come between them like that.

But somehow, it was even worse to think of Pragya having any personal history with Purab. It just felt wrong on every level. God, I hope that's not it.

Aakash quickly shook his head. Relief flooded Abhi's thoughts, driving back the tide of dread.

"You were angry with Purab because he decided he couldn't marry Aaliya. Bhabhi wasn't there, but she knows all about it. It's best if you discuss it with her."

Abhi sat back, stunned. Purab had broken his engagement to Aaliya?

Understanding slashed through his heart, a jagged grief abruptly making things click in his mind. The overwhelming sense of betrayal from his dream-memory now made sense.