Amor Fati - Our Love, Our Fates [COMPLETE]

Part 28 - Fortuity

Part 28

Madhukar Nayak's House, Saturday morning

"And now the List is complete" Dipti said as she handed over a sheet of paper to her father. "But Dad, isn't is late to invite people for tomorrow?" she asked.

Madhukar Nayak simply nodded

"It's just 15-20 people, Dipti. At this age, I wouldn't even have thought of having people come over for my Birthday Dinner, but you kids ..."

He looked accusingly at Rohini and Dipti who grinned at him in return.

"Why don't we add Roshan, Poorvi and the other fella to the List as well? The bungalow fella ... I kinda like them" Madhukar Nayak added, after a while.

"Nikhil?" Rohini's eyes shot up to him for a second and then returned to the task at hand. She was finalising the menu for tomorrow.

"What will he do here?"

Madhukar Nayak looked at Dipti and winked

"Good you remembered his name. I  kind of forgot. Didn't he take you out the other weekend? It would be nice to return the gesture."

"Ro ..." Dipti yelled. "He took you out? And you didn't tell me? Grrrrr ..."

Rohini looked at her friend and smiled

"Chillax Dips. It was nothing to talk about. It was just a brunch"

Dipti leant forward and took the list of invitees from her Father's hands

"I am definitely making some changes. And adding some more names. Brunch, my foot!"

...

Next evening

Rohini struggled to pin her saree pleats as she dressed quickly. This was one of her favourites, her Mom's saree - a beautiful handloom blue block printed Murshidabad silk saree, the last gift from her Mother, before the accident that took her life away. Rohini treasured the saree, like it was an heirloom; nobody would ever understand the emotional and sentimental value behind the treasuring.

She was excited about meeting Nikhil; in fact she was looking forward to it. They had not met since the brunch, though they had spoken a couple of times over phone.

From his voice, his words Rohini realised that he was upto something. And pretty excited about whatever it was. His positivity made her smile and feel warm. Who would have thought that this was the same person they had met at the beginning of the project?

She had spoken to Nikhil last evening, and mentioned how her Father was keen that they all attend. He had agreed to come over, only if Roshan and Poorvi joined him. He would otherwise be lost in the sea of relatives.

As she applied kohl, Rohini thought about the impromptu hug last weekend which even had taken Nikhil by surprise. She herself had been surprised at the ease with which she had moved into his arms. was not an extrovert at all. She usually took time to warm up to relationships, though she was pretty friendly and helpful. 

Yet somehow, Rohini smiled at the realisation, the hug felt perfect. Their being together felt perfect. Nikhil had somehow managed to worm his way through into her life, as a friend. And needless to say, she found herself enjoying his company more with every passing day.

She knew that Nikhil preferred to be in the sidelines, in his own world; a caring and helpful person, part gregarious when in his elements, and at other times, just his own brooding self. Rohini often wondered if she should try and talk to him about Barkha once again.