The Waves Whisper ✓

30 | the world falls apart

[This is a double update. Please read the previous chapter before you read this chapter.]

Roopali Agarwal's book ended, but there was just one chapter left to read-Apoorvananth Rathore.

The Rathore house was just like how it was described in the story-like a palace, enormous, shiny, and adorned with the most expensive furniture. Naomi felt that she had been there before, even though she had never visited Rajasthan in the first place. Kabir and she sat next to each other on the maroon velvet couch. They were told to wait for Gayatri Rathore, the wife of Apoorva's nephew. After five minutes, a woman who seemed to be in her late forties dressed in a green salwar arrived, along with a maid who Naomi assumed was Bhavna.

"Good morning, Mrs. Rathore. I'm Naomi Morris, and this here is Kabir."

"Burman." Kabir completed it.

"I hope you were informed about our visit."

"Yes. Bhavna told me. What's the documentary about again?" She raised her eyebrow, as if it was not believable.
"It is about the naval accidents of the past. We are talking to the families affected by such accidents. Yours is first." It was Kabir who said it. They had a perfect plan now-a foolproof lie. But both of them felt like they were committing a crime and were seconds away from getting caught.

"What if they call the cops on us?" Naomi asked him when he came up with the plan.

"Chill, it's not America. We've got bigger criminals in this country, living scot-free." He said.

"You're kidding me, right?" Gayatri was getting more annoyed as the time passed.

"No." Naomi hesitated and momentarily looked at Kabir. "No, Mrs. Rathore."

"Of all places, why would you come here?"

"Because... you're his family?" Kabir asked as if they were in the wrong house.

"Listen. We have nothing to tell you about him. He is like a closed chapter for us."

"But-" Naomi was interrupted by Gayatri.

"Not buts. You're just wasting my time."

"Mrs. Rathore, can you just at least give us a picture of him?" Naomi wanted at least that-a picture of him. To see what he looked like.

"Seriously?" She rolled her eyes. "Do you guys know about Google? It is right there, on the internet. Why did you guys come here for such silly things?"

"But there'd be no pictures of dead Naval officers from decades ago on Google." Naomi almost said.

"Is that all?" She asked.

Naomi knew they weren't getting anywhere with this conversation. But as a last try, she asked. "Mrs. Rathore, please. I know you don't know him at all. But if there's anything you can share about him, it'd be a great help. Or you can tell me the place where he's resting."

Gayatri's eyebrows rose. It wasn't out of annoyance. She was confused.

"Resti- what are you guys taking about? Are you both on acid?"

Naomi and Kabir stared at each other for a split second.

"He lives in Pondicherry, if that's what you're talking about."

Naomi could physically feel her heart dropping down to a hundred feet below her.

Lives. He lives in Pondicherry.

"He lives?" It was just a murmur that was hardly audible from Kabir.

She felt cold creeping up her finger tips, her feet, her face, and every inch of her body. Lie, cold lie. Everything was a lie.

"Can you, um... Can you please give us the address?" Kabir's voice was more rough and serious. Gayatri went inside and bought back a piece of paper with the address written on it.

"Don't bother me again." She said.

Outside, Naomi burst into tears. She could not believe the truth-unpleasant and ugly.

"Hey, hey. Don't cry." Kabir rubbed her shoulders gently.

She snaked her arms around his body as he stroked her hair. "At least he's not dead." He said to calm her.

"It was better than this. It was better than him abandoning her with a lie."

"It's hard seeing you cry." His soft voice ruffled her hair.

"I want to go. Ask him why he lied and why he abandoned his pregnant wife. I want answers, Kabir."

"Sure, we can go. I'll take you."