The Stigma Called Love

Chapter 82 - Too Late?

Aparna closed the main door and sat down on a chair nearby. She desperately needed to do something to take away this ill feeling but didn't know what. Suddenly her stomach growled terribly and she got up and went inside the kitchen.

She started to apply butter on her toast but the knife kept on slipping out of her fingers. As it slipped out again, she kept it down irritated.

What is wrong with you?

Breathing hard, she took a bite of the bread and purposely started to chew on it. But the more she tried to concentrate on the chewing the more her brain reminded her of him and the woman. Her eyes burned the moment she closed them. Finally, Aparna gave up the fight to eat and rinsed her mouth.

She didn't want food.

She didn't want sleep.

She didn't want peace.

She didn't want to smile.

All she wanted to do right now was to crawl in bed and feel his arms around her.

But most of all she wanted to feel him as her own.

Why should he, Aparna?

Because he loves me.

Do you love him?

No, her brain shouted on the top of its voice.

Then don't expect him to love you. Don't expect him to wait for you. He is gone; you have made him go away. Let it remain like that.

But......

There are no buts in this, her heart told her. You have hurt him enough, don't do it more.

As her inner conflict increased, she slowly slid to the bed. She wanted to cry but her tears refused to fall.

"I just hope you are not too late."

His words rang in her head and she buried her face in the bed.

Am I seriously too late?

***************

Nishant was in the middle of a call with Naina when Dhruv entered his office. Gesturing him to sit down, Nishant talked for a couple of more minutes and ended the call.

Just as she kept the phone down, Dhruv slipped some papers towards him.

Nishant looked at them and smiled.

"I thought you hadn't taken me seriously."

"I know when it's serious and when it's not. You forget that I have been your friend since you know when," Dhruv replied placing his fingers where he needed his signature.

Nishant smiled as he signed all the papers.

"Have we got the money?" he asked as he signed the last page.

"We will by tomorrow."

Dhruv flicked through all the pages and asked, "How are you going to fund this later?"

"From my account; I have already instructed the bank."

Saying this, he handed a cheque of two and a half lakhs to Dhruv, who looked at it with surprise.

"That's my share."

When Dhruv still didn't get it, Nishant came near him and said, "We are both her parents, so why should it only be her? Every month you will get a cheque of four and a half lakhs."

Dhruv kept on looking at him strangely not able to recognise his friend of so many years.

"You know sometimes I just don't get you. You are letting her go but still, you are doing all this."

Nishant just smiled understanding his point. He placed his hand on Dhruv's shoulder and said, "She is a part of me. They both are. I cannot drive her out of me neither can I stop myself from loving her."

Not understanding at all, Dhruv shook his head and left the room.

Nishant turned towards the window and looked outside. The glow of April sun was increasing as the day was passing. It had been more than 8 months she had left Delhi but it seemed like ages.

Even after 8 months, the loss continuously haunted him. Apart from his work, nothing made sense, and sometimes that also made no sense. Like now, one part of his brain was telling him to get ready for the meeting with Naina but the other half was persistently badgering him to think about how she would be surviving in Darjeeling.

He was still debating this when suddenly he heard his phone ring. Sighing, he walked to his desk and looked at the caller ID.

Naina!

Sending her a message, he picked up his laptop and started towards the conference room.

***************

Aparna roamed about in the room for some time picking up Prakriti's toys and books but her mind was on the same thing. She couldn't brush away the image of him with the woman from her mind. When the cleaning was done, she picked up the newspaper and started turning the pages. Her mind again started to waiver towards the same thoughts and she flipped the paper aside irritated.

She needs to get a job otherwise, she would go mad with these thoughts. Stretching herself, she picked her laptop and switched it on. Then she opened a job site and started to search. But this time instinctively, she selected the location as Delhi.

***************

Nishant stared ahead in space as Naina explained the entire project to his team. Pre-occupied with same disturbing thoughts, his forehead bunched automatically as the worries kept swirling in his mind; more so that he did not hear Naina calling him.

Shivang shook his hand a little and Nishant instantly adjusted his vision.

"What do I have to do to get you back here?" Naina asked smiling.

Nishant shook his head and said, "Sorry. I was thinking about something else."

Then, he got up and picked up his laptop knowing well there was no point of staying in the meeting when his mind was so jumbled up.

"Shivang, understand everything and mail me the MOM. Naina, I'll speak to you tomorrow once I have seen everything."

Saying this, he stepped out of the conference room and started to walk towards the lift. As he was stepping inside, his gaze shifted sideways and fell on the first cabin on the left.

Hers!

Since she has left, he had been handling her department. Time and again his father and brother had asked him to fill the position but he hadn't found anyone as good as her.

The cabin was empty since then.

Now as he looked at it, his tensions eased as an idea struck him. The moment he reached his own office, he fetched his phone and sent a message to Dhruv.

'Check if Sid is in town. If he is, then ask him if he is free at 6 today. If he is, then ask him to meet us at the club.'

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