The Rebound (A Sandhir FF)

Chapter 32

Sanyukta stuffed corn flakes into her mouth as fast as she could. She mentally calculated the amount of time it would take for her to reach her workplace if she left now and if there was no traffic. She mentally cursed Vidushi for not waking her up on time. Just as she was draining the last bit of milk from her bowl and wondering why she had ever moved in with Vidushi after college, her phone rang, the screen flashing Vidushi's name.

"What?" Sanyukta barked as she picked up her car keys and rushed about finding her stuff.

"Whoa why are you so irritated?" Vidushi asked.

"Because I am running late and you didn't wake me up on time," she replied locking the front door. "Where the hell did you disappear so early in the morning?"

"I didn't disappear in the morning. If you didn't notice I didn't come back home last night."

"What do you mean? Where were you then?" Sanyukta asked stopping in her tracks.

"I crashed at Parth's place. We both were really exhausted after last night's shopping session and Parth's roommate is away, so that came in handy."

"Oh," Sanyukta merely said as she plugged in her earphones and prepared to navigate the pothole ridden roads of Mumbai. Vidushi spent most of her free time shopping these days. Sanyukta couldn't really blame her. After all getting married to the love of your life justified the massive amount of shopping Vidushi indulged in. Parth's mother was pretty much an invalid and Vidushi's parents were estranged. This meant that Vidushi and Parth themselves had to look into all aspects of the impending wedding.

Sanyukta still remembered the shock she had received when Parth had proposed to Vidushi two months ago, just a couple of days after they had finally bid their college days goodbye.

"You are skipping office today then?" Sanyukta asked, quickly coming to the point.

"Yes I am calling in sick. So make sure you play along with my story in case someone asks you. I mean everyone knows that you are my roommate."

"Can't you somehow make it Vidushi? I don't want to sit through that design meeting all alone and lunch hour would be terribly dull without you," Sanyukta whined.

"Don't be silly Sanyukta. We both know that you are better off without me boring you with my wedding talk all day," Vidushi joked. "Besides Parth promised to make it worth my while if I skipped office and spent the day with him," she confessed.

"Oh! You guys enjoy. I'll see you later then," Sanyukta said half heartedly.

"Bye Sanyu," Vidushi gushed as she hung up the phone.

Sanyu. The word was enough to trigger a barrage of memories.

"I need to go. For us, Sanyu."

Sanyukta took a deep breath and pressed the accelerator harder.

******

"Sanyukta get that report ready by tomorrow morning," Sanyukta's team lead said as he walked out of the meeting room.

Sanyukta held back her anger reluctantly. Sometimes she felt that she could have simply bypassed the four grueling years she had spent studying engineering. Her job required her to prepare memos, write up reports and document every silly thing that her team did. Needless to say none of these things remotely required any knowledge of engineering. She silently craved for the days she had spent in her college's mechanical lab.

Unlike her, Vidushi had no such qualms about her job. The desk job was leisurely and paid well. And she could spend hours discreetly texting Parth while she worked.

There were moments when she had wanted to quit her job or at least demand more challenging work. But she let those thoughts fly past her mind. What would she do without a job? She couldn't go to her parent's house or live off their money. Not after all that happened.

Sanyukta walked up to her miniscule desk and started mechanically typing up a report.

******

"You won't believe how expensive wedding trousseau is Sanyukta," Vidushi exclaimed as she bit into her pizza.

Sanyukta smiled weakly and tried concentrating on the magazine before her.

"But then you get married only once," Vidushi continued eagerly.

"Vidushi, Sanyukta looks tired. Our stories of jewellery and lehengas that didn't fit can wait," Parth said slowly.

"Lehengas that didn't fit? What do you mean Parth Kashyap?" Vidushi bellowed.

"Sweetheart I didn't mean anything," Parth said as he hastened to pour oil on troubled waters. "Here you can have my share of pizza too."

"Why so that you can call me fat?" Vidushi demanded angrily.

"Guys don't fight please," Sanyukta begged as she got up to throw her piece of half eaten pizza away. She didn't have much of an appetite and had almost decided to go to bed without having dinner. But Vidushi's last minute decision that the three of them should gather together for an impromptu pizza party had ruined her plan. She hadn't had the heart to refuse Vidushi.

An uncomfortable silence descended upon them as Vidushi and Parth quickly shut up, having sensed the sullen mood that dominated Sanyukta.

"Sanyukta, why don't you eat any longer?" Parth asked quietly.

"What do you mean by that? Of course I eat!" Sanyukta laughed.

"You do eat Sanyukta. But you eat just bits and pieces. A couple of bites here, a piece of bread there. If I didn't know you I'd think that you were on a diet," Vidushi whispered.

"You've grown so pale and thin," Parth finished with concern.

"Sanyukta you know that you can talk to us right? I know we are busy with the wedding and everything but we are here for you whenever you need us," Vidushi said giving Sanyukta's hand a squeeze.

"Thanks for the offer and everything. But I am absolutely fine. Now if you guys don't mind I'd like to go to bed now," Sanyukta said. Her face was unusually calm as she walked out of the room.

******

"Whoa! What is all this Sanyukta?" Vidushi asked in awe as she entered the kitchen.

"I woke up early and thought why not whip up a proper breakfast for a change. It can't be healthy to eat just bread and cornflakes every morning," Sanyukta said smiling.

"Are those pancakes?" Vidushi asked sniffing the air appreciatively.

"And there is salad and orange juice too," Sanyukta said. "Those are about the only things that I know to make," she added as an afterthought.

"I could always teach you more," Vidushi said as she gave her friend a side hug.

"Hmm," Sanyukta murmured as her mind unwillingly went back in time, reminiscing the days when Randhir had patiently tried teaching her the rudimentary skills needed to cook.

Vidushi took only a moment to comprehend her best friend's sudden melancholy.

"You needn't pretend to be alright in front of me Sanyukta," Vidushi said softly as she hugged Sanyukta.

Those words broke the last string of restraint within Sanyukta and she finally let the tears fall. Vidushi could only make out one word amidst Sanyukta's sobs.

Randhir.

******

AN: - As promised I have updated early this time! I can't thank you guys enough for all the votes and lovely comments this story has received. I am sure you guys have a lot of questions after reading this chapter. So, let the comments flow. Do vote and follow as well ☺