Living In Oblivion

28

Divit observed Avanti closely as she served dinner to her mother. Namrata, her mother, was a quiet and observant lady. She would occasionally smile at Divit, but her gaze held a questioning tone, and he could sense her unease. However, his concern at the moment was overshadowed by Avanti's nervousness—her stumbling words, unsteady steps, and pale complexion. It seemed that confidence was never her strong suit, leaving him bewildered by the possibility of regret that might have haunted her.

Avanti avoided making eye contact with him, as if meeting his gaze would reduce her to ashes, and yet, she would still long for more. The feelings she experienced were unparalleled, surpassing any other emotion she had ever felt. Being aware that his eyes never left her even for a second made her feel exposed—stripped to the very core of her soul. With each passing second, the pretense of unawareness shattered, allowing him to unravel her layer by layer—from her skin to her heart and her heart to her soul—and she was forced to fight for her ground.

As Divit excused himself and headed to his room, Avanti released a breath she didn't realize she was holding and collapsed onto the chair beside her mother, gulping down a whole glass of water in one go.

Namrata was not born yesterday to not identify the blur, but aware of her daughter's tension, chose silence and continued chewing her food, occasionally talking about home.

As Avanti lay beside her after making the bed, Namrata turned to see her lost in oblivion.

"You never told me you are staying with a man," her voice was low, harmonizing with the dim light scattered across the pale walls of her room.

Avanti stilled at her place, closed her eyes, and then turned to look at her. "How does that matter, Maa?" She shifted closer to her, placing her head on her chest, listening to her heartbeats and seeking solace amidst the chaos.

"You know it does, Avanti," Namrata lightly patted her head. "You knew I would never support it."

"Vibhuti uncle suggested this place, and you know he would never do anything wrong as far as I am concerned."

"That's not the point, Avanti," Namrata chided her in a whisper. "The point is, you should have at least told me about it."

Avanti sighed. "I knew you would never agree to it."

Lightly slapping her on the head, Namrata asked, "Is he good?"

The question caught Avanti off guard, leaving her momentarily speechless. What was she supposed to say?

"Yes, Maa, he is fine," she let out an exaggerated sigh. "And he is also my boss. I'm feeling sleepy right now, so let's talk tomorrow. Good night!" Turning away, she drifted to sleep.

"Good night," Namrata whispered, blinking away the clouds of experience for the night.

The next day, Saturday morning arrived brighter than before, and the silent surroundings seemed more bustling than ever. There was another person joining them for breakfast.

"Good morning," Divit greeted Namrata as she sat chopping tomatoes and cucumbers for the Mughlai Parantha, and she smiled back at him.

Avanti froze for a moment upon hearing his voice, then blinked and resumed whisking the batter for the parantha.

"Morning," Divit mumbled, picking up the newspaper from the table, hoping that Avanti would spare him a glance.

As Namrata busied herself in the kitchen, Avanti and Divit exchanged glances, a spark of curiosity and anticipation flashing in their eyes. The unsaid words between them were palpable, hanging in the air like a delicate thread, waiting to be woven into a beautiful tapestry.