He had told her about the two-hour delay in the flight because of the rains and her mother in law had already retired to her room.
But here she was sitting on the chair in the balcony and contemplating her decision
“So much has changed in just one day, last night at this hour she has seen him suddenly, all alone and today when he was leaving the city he was going as a family man…” she mused to herself.
“Perhaps they were decided by the gods residing over there long back and her denial to the marriage with him only delayed this meeting…” one more of an incoherent thought crossed her mind.
“but how long I had taken to deny him when he was making efforts after efforts to express his wish…” she reasoned herself.
“he is also a man and has already suffered a lot, I could not be crueler.”
“so you are pitying him?” her heart asked suddenly and she shivered with the thought.
“am I pitying him?”, she asked herself aloud.
“what is happening to me?” she left the seat annoyed on her thoughts.
To change the course of thoughts she walked in the small space and spotted a cab stopping in the lane…
“it was the same moment last night when a cab has arrived and he has arrived.” she smiled faintly and walked back to her room to have a talk with someone.
____________*_____________
“I wanted to extend my visa for a few months, is there any way Rakesh?” Kunj asked one of his friends.
“but you have already submitted the papers, don’t you?” he asked back.
“yes, I have but I was planning to live out of India for a few more months,” Kunj replied taking a look at the flight schedules of the night.
“i don’t think there is something we can do about it, even for renewal we’ll have to wait for a few weeks.” Rakesh expressed the condition.
“by the way, if you don’t feel bad… what is the need to stay in Dublin, you are needed here.” Rakesh asked concernedly.
“there are a few things I am needed to sort out… it is okay if there is nothing we can do,” he answered trying to sound genuine.
“alright …I have to make it on time to a meeting so I am..” he was cut midway.
“Oh yes, I forgot. it would be daytime there sorry…” Kunj apologized immediately.
“the hardest thing is when Shikha is in India to her father’s place… these time zones then kill.” Rakesh laughed as he cut the call.
There was nothing to complete the first ever wish made by Twinkle as her supposed bride and he felt useless all of a sudden.
He opened the phone and looked at the last moment photograph he has clicked before leaving to the airport.
~flashback~
“Hey, Say again my girl…” he requested the little girl kissing her little fingers lovingly but she kept mum giggling on the tickles his beard made on her soft skin.
“I didn’t do that…” Twinkle defended herself about this.
“Bebe did that… hey, say again.” he requested again without an ounce of care to her apology.
But as if sensing his longing she thought to irritate him or who knows she wanted him to stay with them and not return back, she just turned silent and turned back on her mother’s shoulders.
“i think it was momentarily, she doesn’t even understand what she said.” Twinkle said in a low voice trying to make her look to his side.
“maybe… so I think I should go back now,” he spoke still longing that one word.
And as she took steps back to close the doors he called her in a haste.
“Twinkle…”
And she had stopped instantly as if had been waiting for his call
“Yes..” this moment was a small moment for both of them but such a picturesque moment he wanted to capture for his life.
“can I have a picture of three of us… if you find it okay!” he added the last half defensively.
She stilled again and for a split second she went silent he thought he asked something really bad but as he started to take his steps back.
“Okay,” this okay came as a surprise.
And with no one securing a good posture, caring the least about their looks and even without saying a “cheese”, he had secured a moment for him to stare whenever he missed them.
~end of flashback~
“i’ll keep trying Twinkle, so for at least a few months we are able to stay somewhere else,” he whispered to the photograph.
__________________*__________________
She closed her eyes and patted her daughter to let the sleep take them to their land.
She noticed the uncomfortable night after he was gone, the time he was here there was a kind of relief in the airs of having someone responsible.
“she knew her mother in law wanted this marriage and if she thought correctly then it was important for her, and most importantly for her daughter… it was she who NEEDED him but why did he choose her.” this question arose again.
“Despite the fact she was already married once, despite the fact she once belonged to someone else how his love never died for her…” this question again hit her.
“he could have lived a happy life with Neha but why did he sacrifice everything…just for her.” her eyes opened due to the absence of sleep.
She walked to the mirror with a sudden thought and looked at her reflection.
“she was not the same girl he had met the first time, she has changed… she was a woman and a mother, not the free soul with somewhat a personality she could be proud before her prospected husband.” she thought to herself.
“where do I got trapped myself Babaji? I said Yes to him when I am still apprehensive about this decision.” she thumped on her bed frustrated.
She recalled the talk she had with her mother a few minutes back where she seemed happy with her decision, that lady wanted to do it for so long but had been hesitant about it.
“I think I should just stop thinking unnecessarily, he chose me now he will endure our complicated lives,” she told herself before pulling the sheets on her.
And just when she thought she was done with him a text pinged in the silent room
“would you mind a jobless husband for next few months?” it was him and though confused she smiled on the text
_________________*________________
Hey everyone, this time I expressed all the things going inside our heroine’s heart…
I hope all the confusions of the last part are clear now about why she gave a complicated answer to his proposal.
I hope you liked the part.
With love Morusya.