The Boundaries of Love

● 06 ●

I blink and blink, I keep looking at him, he appears to be serious enough. He has fallen in love with me?! How's that even possible?! For God's sake, we met just five days ago. A thought suddenly crosses my mind, "You are joking right?" And that's when I hear a chuckle, and gradually that turns into a silent laughter.

"You should have seen your face." He laughs more while I can feel my face flushed. He takes his own time to calm down, and I am still reeling from the fact that I actually considered that he is in love with me. What was I thinking, seriously!

He stops, gathering his breath, "You know, I like you. But love no. Love takes time to nourish." He stops again; his eyes roam around my features. "Now the answer to your question, I liked you the moment I laid my eyes upon you."

Again I keep mum, I don't know why I can suddenly hear my own heartbeats. He continues, still looking at me. The index finger of his right hand lazily tracing around the rim of the glass of water in front of him. "And that's not at my house."

I gape, "Sorry?"

"I met . . . sorry, I should say I saw you before." He smiles to himself as if remembering something very pleasant. "I was with one of my business partners, sitting in a restaurant. You were there."

I look at him skeptically, "and you liked me?"

He shakes his head, "I didn't even notice you initially. You were there with a young boy." He smiles again, his eyes stuck on the glass he is holding, "When you were going out, your boy slammed into a waitress, making her tumble down and the food orders she was holding in her hand actually landed on a customer, who was sitting there with a girl." He chuckles, oh my God he was there?

It was the day I could never forget. He continues without looking at me, "I remember that man started yelling at the waitress, and you were there repeatedly saying, it was not her fault instead it was your nephew's fault. Finally, you had had enough and poured a glass of water on that man's head. And you left saying, 'when someone is trying to say something, just listen before reacting.' And then you turned towards the girl, 'I am sorry because of my nephew you had to hear so much.' You gave her your number, and asked her to call you." His warm eyes linger on me, "Sometime later when I had the chance to go to that restaurant again, I asked about that waitress, the manager said, she left this job for a better one, which that lady customer with a boy had arranged for her."

I frown, "I remember. But that's a very insignificant incident. I am amazed you still remember it. And moreover, I could have handled the situation gracefully whereas I just let my anger take control over me."

"Significance of insignificant." He says, "You could have just walked away from the situation, leaving the waitress to handle that man's wrath. And trust me, the manager of that restaurant wouldn't have done anything to help that girl. When that incident happened, you said sorry politely, then you tried to make the man understand then when you saw that man was not going to back down, you took the situation in your hands. I won't say that it was very sweet because it was not, pouring water on someone when angry was very childish, " I open my mouth to protest at the word childish,while nodding he continues, "but that incident showed me one quality of yours which I admire the most in anyone. You didn't leave. Trust me, Suman, it's a great quality. It showed you don't leave people at your own convenience!"

Is he even normal? Who thinks so meticulously of such a small incident?! "Then I met you at my home. Don't think I didn't notice the face you made when Mom introduced me as the CEO of Malhotra Corporation. I noticed how you got irritated when she asked about my friend's extravagant proposal." I blush severely. He noticed everything, "I myself, am a very private person Suman, I have always wanted someone in my life who would understand the need for privacy. That's why I asked Mom if it's okay to get married to you."