Learning to Love

Chapter 28

Aman jolted away from Tamana, while she hastily threw the drape of her sari back over her torso.  Aman tried to rebutton his shirt and make himself look more presentable.  His heartbeat quickened as thoughts of finding Priya on the other side of the door flooded his mind.  The door flung open.  Standing there was a hotel employee with a coat in his hand, looking wide-eyed at the scene before him.  A sly grin spread across his face.  

“Today’s generation is something else.” He commented before handing Aman the coat he was holding and walking away, his grin still firmly in place.  

Aman let out a sigh of relief.  He was about to leave, when he saw Hiten.  Immediately, Aman turned to go back into the closet, hoping that Hiten wouldn’t see him but it was too late.  

“Aman!” Hiten called as he hurried over to the closet. “What are you…” Hiten paused as his eyes landed on a thoroughly disheveled Tamana inside the closet.  A disgusted expression flashed across his face.  Hiten turned and started to talk away.  Aman followed him, trying to keep up with his quickened pace.  

“Hiten! Stop! Would you wait a second?” Aman called after Hiten.  

Hiten stopped abruptly but didn’t turn to face Aman.

“It’s not what it looks like.” Aman said.

“Bhabhi sent me to find you,” Hiten said, ignoring Aman’s comment.  “She’s freaking out about something. Aditi is with her.”  Hiten finally turned around to face Aman.  “She needs you and you’re here in the coat closet with another woman.” The disgust was apparent in his voice.  

Aman entered the parlor area, where everyone was still gathered.  He saw Priya and Aditi sitting in a corner together.  Aditi was saying something to Priya, who looked very distraught.  

“Priya, are you okay?” Aman asked.

Priya looked up at him, still looking worried.  

“You left.” she said.

Aman remembered that he had promised to stay with her at all times tonight so Rakesh wouldn’t have another chance to harm her.  

“I’m sorry. I just needed some air. I won’t leave you again.” Aman apologized.  He relieved Aditi of her duties and told her she could go and join Hiten.  He took the seat beside Priya and took her hand in his.  

“It’s okay, Priya. I’m here now.” Aman tried to calm Priya down.  

Aman saw Tamana stealthily enter the room again.  She quickly took her place beside her husband, who hadn’t seem to have noticed his wife was even missing.  She looked at Aman and tried to hold his gaze, but he quickly looked away trying to focus his attention on Priya.  

The dinner was about to commence.  Aman took a seat between Hiten and Priya, silently hoping that Tamana and her husband wouldn’t be seated at the same table as them.  Rakesh sauntered over to their table.  He took one look at Aman and Priya and turned around and walked away.  Rakesh didn’t feel like dealing with Aman right at this moment. He looked around for someone he could switch seats with that would also make Aman uncomfortable, and he knew just the person, or people rather.  

The dinner portion of the evening finally came.  Most of the people were famished and were looking forward to to the five course meal that awaited them.  Aman couldn’t think about food right now.  All he could think about was how in the world Tamana and her husband ended up at his table.  To make matters worse, Tamana was seated right across from him.  Hiten handled most of the conversation because Aman couldn’t focus. He hoped that Priya and Tamana would refrain from talking to each other.