Amor Fati - Our Love, Our Fates [COMPLETE]

Part 11 - Tangle

Rohini's Apartment, Bengaluru, Three weeks later

"Miles to go before I sleep ..." Rohini murmured, as she chewed the end of the pencil. She blinked her eyes furiously, trying to ward off sleep, willing herself to complete the task at hand, as she stared down at the sheets of technical drawings laid out in front of her.

Her mind revolted; the lines on the sheets appeared to be unstable as they twirled and whirled all around her, lulling her towards sleep.

"I can't" she shouted out aloud, the MLA's son was a pathetic dreamer, but immensely pushy, an acrid personality. Rohini wished she hadn't accepted this project. She had a meeting the next morning, and her stomach was already queasy, thinking of all the stupidities that she would have to keep up with, and the arguments that she would will herself to avoid.

"Oh God! I wish Santhanam was handling this idiot as well ..." Rohini moaned. She moved away from her drawing board and paced around, massaging the kinks on her neck.

"And such a lousy spot too" she let her thoughts wander, knowing well that she was being unfair. She walked over to the dresser and picked up her phone.

There was a missed call from Poorvi, and Rohini's face broke into a goofy smile. She had found a friend in Poorvi and had already visited them a couple of times. The baby was adorable and had  drooled all over Rohini, whenever he had a chance to. 

"It's the naming ceremony this Friday ..." Poorvi was ecstatic over the phone as she updated Rohini about the ongoing preparations. Both Roshan and her parents were coming over for a few days, and so were a few other relatives from other parts of the country.

Rohini felt happy

"Poorvi, please do let me know how could I help? Do you want any body to stay over at my place ... that could be arranged, you know"

"I only want you to come over Rohini. It would mean a lot to us" Poorvi replied. "As for arrangements, everything has been done. So there are no worries on that front."

Rohini thought for a momemt

"It's a working day Poorvi and there are two meetings, both of which have been finalised some time back. These clients are busy people and won't be happy with last minute changes. I am so sorry, I sound so horrid ... actually, I am being immensely horrid. How about I come over in the evening?"

Poorvi's sigh reached her through the handset; Rohini felt mortified.

"Ok, I know how things are with you Rohini. But we will wait for you in the evening. Our parents would be so happy to meet you finally. We have been trying to say all good things about you."

"I promise I will be there" Rohini disconnected the phone and sat down on the couch. Her eyes misted over, she had lied to Poorvi. There was a meeting on Friday for sure, but that could have have been easily shifted to the next week.

"But how can I? Will anybody understand?" she let some silent teardrops find their way down her cheeks.

...

Following Friday Evening, Poorvi and Roshan's Apartment

Poorvi rushed to allow Nikhil in, as the doorbell chimed. Nikhil engulfed her in a bear hug as he entered and grinned. Poorvi introduced him to her parents; Roshan's parents already knew him from earlier, and he hugged them lovingly.

"The bear hug .." Roshan whispered to Poorvi as he went to meet his friend.

"Where's Atharva?" Nikhil asked, as he patted Roshan's back affectionately.

"He is sleeping inside. Why don't you go in? I will come in a moment ..." Poorvi replied, urging him towards the bedroom, with a partially closed door.

Nikhil opened the door and stepped inside, only to find Rohini on the reclining chair, with a sleeping Atharva clasped on her chest. The room was shrouded in semi darkness and he wondered if he should disturb them.

He looked around. Neither Roshan nor Poorvi could be seen, though he could hear them from the hallway. He inhaled deeply and pulled the door shut behind him. Settling down on the edge of the bed, he looked at the woman and the child, both asleep, as waves of tranquility washed over him, drenching him in emotions.

Realising it was kind of improper, he got up after a few minutes and walked out of the room.

...

A While Later, Dinner time

"Why is Nikhil looking so upset and lost?" Roshan asked Poorvi, as he passed the food around the table. Nikhil was seated at the far end of the table, wedged between Poorvi and Roshan's parents and he had a frown on his face. Rohini placed the salad bowl on the dining table and looked at Nikhil, who was now definitely brooding.

"He is upset because he couldn't whisk our Rohini away for a dance ... He likes her, I think" Roshan guffawed, as he settled down for dinner.

Rohini looked at Roshan, and then at Poorvi, as her mouth dropped open.

"Oh we know ... Madhukar Uncle sent the photo" Poorvi teased her as she flitted back to the kitchen.

Rohini glanced at Nikhil to find his eyes on her, his gaze impenetrable, yet blazing with an intensity that Rohini found herself submerged in.

Desire and need, in all it's myriad hue and glory!!!

The conflict of emotions reflected in his eyes made Rohini stutter and pause. She frowned in turn and then turned away. By then, Nikhil had returned his gaze to his plate of food.

"I have to go, I really have to ... There is something I remembered" Rohini mumbled to Poorvi, as she moved her away from the dining area.

"We are just teasing Rohini ..." Poorvi started, her hands resting on Rohini's shoulder.

'I know, I know" Rohini shook her head vehemently. "But I need to go ... please Poorvi ... I can't be here"

She bolted out of the door and was gone, failing to notice a surprised Nikhil now standing behind Poorvi. 

"What happened?" he asked.

"I have no idea. I was just teasing her about the dance" Poorvi responded, still startled.

"The dance?" It was now Nikhil's turn to stare at Poorvi. 

...

Rohini's Apartment, Some Moments Later

"No, no, no ... this can't be" she chanted as she paced around. She threw her dupatta away, as she settled down on her bed, and pulled her knees to her chest, hugging them tightly.

She reached for the bed-light and switched it off.

Tears refused to flow as her heart agitated. she couldn't do this she knew. Not again !

...

Nikhil parked his car beneath her apartment building, and looked at his watch. It was way past midnight, definitely not a proper time to visit. However, he knew that something was bothering Rohini and he wanted to reach out to her.

Getting out of the car, he pondered for a while. He knew he was definitely not the correct person to understand somebody and help, especially on the relationship front; his own life was messed up anyway. And he had his own set of baggage.

But he also knew that he could not let Rohini be. That look of distress in her eyes was enough to make him feel like leaving the dining table, and follow her. But he had persiste, knowing that it would not be a correct thing to do, especially with the elders around.

"Was it something I did? Or said?" Nikhil wondered as he turned around and slid behind the car wheels. He had never been to Rohini's place, neither had she invited him. He decided that he would request Poorvi to reach out to Rohini instead.

As he drove away, Nikhil scowled. He was making the same mistakes again.

"No, no, no ... not again. I never learn" he whispered to himself, as he pressed on the accelerator.

End of Part 11