Two Yearning Hearts

31

Gaurav heard a soft knock on his cabin door. He looked up from his file just as the door opened, and Parvati stepped inside with her usual poise.

He braced himself, expecting her to walk in with an air of quiet superiority, perhaps to gloat over being right about Stone House. After all, she had stood firm against his suggestion to switch suppliers, and the recent scandal involving Stone House had validated her judgment.

But instead of the smug, triumphant expression he had been anticipating, Parvati’s face was calm and neutral. 

“Gaurav bhaiya,” she said, her tone was gentle, “I thought about what you said the other day. You were right... The delays are unacceptable. We can’t let that continue.”

Gaurav’s brows furrowed, caught off guard. She was acknowledging his point, but there was no trace of smugness in her words—no attempt to provoke him. Instead, her tone carried an unexpected humility. He stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.

“I still stand by my decision not to change suppliers,” she continued, her voice steady and free of any hint of pride. “But I’ll speak with them. I’ll make sure there are no more delays.”

Gaurav looked on, his surprise deepening. She wasn’t gloating. She wasn’t making him feel small, which he felt… strange. 

“I’ve scheduled a meeting with the supplier after lunch. Do you want to join?” She asked, her tone still even, without any hint of challenging him or seeking validation.

His thoughts momentarily scattered. He felt a strange mix of guilt and something else—admiration? Resentment? He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He had expected her to throw his own words back at him, to say "I told you so," or at least to carry herself with a sense of superiority. But she didn’t. 

“No, it’s fine,” he finally said, shaking his head, forcing himself out of his thoughts. “You can handle it.”

She gave a brief, respectful nod and turned to leave. As she stepped out of the cabin, Gaurav watched her go, his thoughts wondering. There was something about the way she carried herself—so effortlessly in control, so confident, yet never crossing the line into arrogance.

Gaurav couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt for his own pride, for how often his ego made him defensive and unwilling to admit when he was wrong. He had been secretly relieved about not working with Stone House who turned out to be a fraud, but instead of being open about his relief, he had kept it to himself, unable to bring himself to acknowledge Parvati’s wisdom.

It struck him then—he had a lot to learn, especially when it came to swallowing his pride.

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Two Weeks Later…

Parvati walked into the canteen of Agarwal Industries, the familiar, mouth-watering aroma of freshly cooked snacks filling the air. Normally, the scent would have made her stomach rumble with hunger, but today, something felt off. As she moved towards the counter, a wave of nausea suddenly hit her. The once appetizing smells now seemed to overwhelm her senses, and her stomach churned in protest.

Before she could make sense of what was happening, she felt a strong urge to vomit. Panicked, she quickly turned and made her way to the nearest washroom, her steps quickening with each passing second. She pushed the door open and rushed to one of the sinks, leaning over it as the nausea intensified. She gagged, feeling the urge to throw up, but somehow, the feeling passed.

She stood up straight. Why did I feel like that? She wondered. The unease in her stomach still lingered, but it wasn’t as bad now. Her mind raced to find an explanation.