Dawn

Chapter 12 - Enigma

Khairiyat pucho

Kabhi toh kaifiyat pucho

Tumhare bin deewane ka kya haal hai

Enigma

[noun]

a mystery, paradox, conundrum

"Aah," Aryan cried out, cupping his cheek. Goddammit the pain was making his eyes tear up.

"Aru, are you ok beta?" Narmada asked, concerned.

Aryan nodded, wincing as he tried to eat his toast. Nope. Too hard, still.

Imlie looked up from her breakfast to see Aryan grimacing in pain. As he moved to grab a napkin, their eyes met and they both awkwardly glanced away.

Things had only gotten worse since their argument a few nights ago. They had stopped talking altogether.

Aryan was too tightly wound to trust himself around her, and Imlie was too confused and hurt at the change in his behavior. It seemed that neither knew how to break through the tension between them, nor had they tried.

Aryan felt a headache come on and he wasn't sure if it was because of the constant stress of the past weeks or if it was because of his damn tooth. He tried to take a sip of water, his face twisting when even the coolness of the drink failed to give him relief.

"Aru, just please go to the doctor! You haven't been able to eat in 3 days!" Narmada suggested, her face scrunching in pity.

"Ma, I'm busy, I'll get around to it next week."

Next week? Was he simply going to starve himself? Imlie worried, chewing the inside of her lip to stop herself from speaking up. It was obvious he didn't need her concern.

She considered that for a second before reaching for Didi, tapping her thigh under the table. Imlie nodded towards Aryan with her chin, pleading silently with Arpita to intervene.

Arpita shook her head, subtly pointing to Imlie and then towards her brother, causing Imlie to dramatically widen her eyes, jutting her bottom lip out in a pout. Arpita narrowed her eyes and Imlie blinked slowly, deliberately quivering her lips.

Arpita almost groaned, wishing these two would get over whatever argument they'd had. She could foresee a long life of being a human courier of messages between them otherwise.

"Aryan," Arpita called, turning to her brother if only to escape the intense puppy dog looks that Imlie was subjecting her to.

"I'm calling Prakash to clear your calendar and set up an appointment with Dr. Mehta immediately. You need to see a dentist, Aru. You can't walk around in pain for days without relief."

It was on the tip of Aryan's tongue to refuse but the throbbing vein in his head and the irritation in his jaw promised a painful future. He silently handed his phone over to Arpita who got busy, speaking with his PA and getting him set up for an urgent consultation with their dentist.

Giving up on breakfast, Aryan stood up and picked his car keys, ready to leave.

"Where are you going?" Narmada asked, surprised.