To Love Again !!!

Chapter - 74

Abhay needed a breather. He was feeling suffocated breathing the tension in the room. The emotions rising like a tidal wave inside him were choking him. He felt strangulated. Asking Harpreet and Jassi to take care of Amrit, not that she needed any she was perfectly capable of handling her fort but because of her foot she couldn't be more mobile he had stepped out onto the terrace. He had thought it wouldn't matter. That seeing Kapil and Natasha again didn't matter but there was so much that had been unsaid and left hanging in between that even though he tried he couldn't clamp down on the memories. And they weren't nice either. It wasn't easy to pretend to be normal in such circumstances and though he was trying really hard he was sure he was probably failing miserably at it. And then the whispers. People were talking after all they didn't have anything to do. What had been the most surprising of all things that had taken place so far was the way Amrit had held herself. She had been calm and smiling but her tongue. She hated them and she didn't make any bones about letting them know of the fact though he knew she was exerting tremendous control on herself too and he couldn't fault with her. That made him smile. She had already warned them off, to heed or to not heed was their decision. He was amazed at how affronted she felt on his behalf. How angry. She was a loyal woman if anything. He was so lost in his thoughts he never heard the door open and close behind him but he did turn at the unexpected voice.

"Abhay," Kapil said quietly and at that Abhay turned to see Kapil walk towards him with his hands in his trouser pockets.

What did he want? Abhay wasn't sure so he straightened to his full height and squared his shoulders for whatever Kapil was here to say. He wasn't the least bit interested but he wasn't taught to be impolite so he waited and hoped he would be able to keep his calm which he was nowhere near feeling.

Kapil had seen Abhay say something in Harpreet's ears and then at the other man's nod left for the door to the terrace outside and he had excused himself then followed him. This was probably the only time he would be able to talk to Abhay and with that intention he had come here.

"Is there something you wanted?" Abhay asked keeping his tone polite.

Kapil smiled. Trust Abhay to respect perfect behavior codes. He had never seen Abhay lose it completely no matter how angry he was except for the time he had been in the hospital. Even then he had been justified in his anger. And he knew that his once best friend was not feeling completely normal as of now but he wouldn't let that overtake his reasoning. He hadn't changed in that respect at least.

"There is something I have wanted to say to you for a long time Abhay," he said despondently, "only first I could never find the heart and then the courage," he said as he looked at his friend.

Abhay had a completely bored look on his face but that didn't fool Kapil. He did know the man well. Or maybe he had. The pain he saw in Abhay's eyes as he struggled to keep his emotions at bay shamed him to the core. He was part responsible for it. What man could endure a divorce from the girl he had loved so much and then the news of her remarriage to his best friend flat in two months after it? In one stroke he had lost his love and his trusted friend. Kapil couldn't even imagine how much betrayed Abhay must have felt. And that was the biggest reason he hadn't been able to face him sooner. Abhay had been a lost case after Natasha had left him. The couple of times Kapil had visited him in the hospital he had realized how deep his wounds were and not just the physical ones the emotional ones. He had been bitter and angry, uncommunicative. He had refused to meet everyone and then those who had braved his temper he had refused to be civil with them. Not that Kapil could have blamed him. But then he had become selfish. He hadn't wanted to break Abhay's trust but he had been helpless. But the guilt had become too much to carry around anymore.

"I can't remember one single thing that you have to say to me or vice versa," Abhay said and started to walk away towards the door to go inside.

"Hear me out once," Kapil said almost pleading, "for old times' sake," he said.