Chapter 40

Chapter 39

 "She came to us. At first everything seemed fine, but then..."

Rajeev closed the door to the flat and looked at his agitated neighbor, waiting, needing for him to continue. It had been twenty minutes since his arrival, made all the more agonizing due to the fact that he had been delayed getting  to Naomi, by the arrival of the furniture just as they were about to leave the flat.

"Perhaps it's just best that I take you to her."

Rajeev nodded; leaving his neighbor to lead the way to where Naomi was.

Now, as he followed Haresh, past the elevator to the other end of the building, a million thoughts ran through Rajeev's mind as he tried to comprehend what would have made Naomi leave the flat so suddenly, disregarding the last scheduled delivery. Had she taken ill or worse yet, had she been hurt somehow, requiring her to seek aid from the neighbors? Why wouldn't she have called? That he couldn't come up with any explanation only increased his trepidation as he hurried to her.

 She sat there looking lost.  Rajeev saw that she had a plaster bandage on one hand; the same hand that held a crumbled wad of tissue that she must have been using to wipe her tears at some point. Now they just slowly fell unchecked. He approached her silently, crouching in front of her and cupping her face gently.

"Sweetheart, what is it?"

Naomi blinked and met his gaze. Her eyelashes, spikey from her tears, framed her green eyes which, widened as if she had she had just realized that it was him who had spoken. Her eyes welled with even more tears that became the steady stream now soaking his hands.  Tremulously she found her voice. "I was so scared, Rajeev."

His eyes narrowed. "Why, what has happened to frighten you?"

Her response was to throw her arms around his neck and lean her head on his shoulder, driving his hands to her waist. He thought back to the disarray he had discovered in the flat, and wondered if there was any connection to what was wrong with her.

"Did something happen?" Her chin tapped repeatedly on his shoulder as she began to cry softly.  Unconsciously his hold on her tightened. "Has someone..."

Another tap. "Yes..."

His heart began hammering wildly in his chest at her reply. The thought that someone could have caused her current condition triggered a seething anger in him; he could barely think straight. He stood up, pulling her to her feet. His fingers bit where he held her. "Who, Naomi...tell me now."

 "You did this Rajeev... this is entirely all your fault."

 He released her abruptly, once again taking in her state, stunned that she could believe him to be the cause of her distress. He shook his head adamantly.  "Nay Sweetheart, that's not possible."

 

Naomi had placed the drinking glass on the table when she decided to remove her tracksuit jacket. The doorbell rang before she could hang it up in one of the closets so she left it draped over the dining chair, as she backtracked to the door. Opening it, she smiled at the visitor, now back from her errands.

"I was just checking on how you were doing with your deliveries."

"Naomi smiled. "Two down; one more to go, so I would say everything has been going well." She looked at her watch. "Rajeev should be here in I guess in about just over an hour, and I'm hoping that the last delivery to be done so we can spend some time together..."

Aasha watched her knowingly. "I take it you are looking forward to his return?"

She couldn't have prevented her blush, even if it was possible. "Well... we do have a conversation that we have to finish."

"I see.  I guess then that will supersede the invitation for tea, I was about to extend."

Naomi smiled at the other woman's raised eyebrow; she really liked this neighbor of Rajeev's.  "No, I think it will be good that he gets to know  his neighbors. Perhaps after lunch, I can bring over dessert and we can have it with that cup of tea."

Naomi was laughing even as she closed the door. She definitely liked Aasha, and wondered what her husband was like to put up with such a character. Seconds later that laughter would stop when on her way to the kitchen that wretched glass slipped out of her hands

"Aasha, can you wait I need some help." 

Carefully, Abhi had removed the duct tape from the latch, and closed the door, making sure the lock engaged. He would definitely hear her when she returned.  However, if she was still the same Naomi, he would have a few minutes to spare due to her social nature. He took the opportunity to look around, immediately realizing how much of herself she had put into the choices made here. Did she plan on moving in with him? As he went from room to room seeing her touches everywhere, just the possibility that she would even consider living with Rajeev rankled.   What the hell did this man have over him?  Coming to the mess in the hallway, it looked as if this was the mishap that had made her leave the flat. He opened another door to what had to be the master bedroom, now furnished - finally something he could fully appreciate.  He smirked, thinking of the things he would do to her in Rajeev's own bed; it gave new meaning to poetic justice. He just needed to be patient now. 

 

Now that's a woman ready to be a mum', Naomi thought looking at her bandaged hand. Aasha had everything under the sun to tend to any bump, bruise, or scrape or cut.   Promising again that she would definitely bring Rajeev over later, Naomi bid the couple goodbye and headed back down the hall back to the flat to await the final furniture delivery, but more importantly the man she loved. 

 

"Who's the anxious one now Sweetheart? He had chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm making good time I should be there in about an hour or less. Naomi...can you hear me?"

Abhi disconnected the call he had inadvertently made on Naomi's phone when he had searched it after finding it on the table.  She had yet to return, and at this rate this will turn into a wasted effort now that he knew Rajeev was nearer than he had expected. Where the f**k was she? He started pacing, disbelieving what had looked so promising was turning to pot rapidly. Back and forth he paced, his patience wearing thin with each circuit. Cursing he took the phone and aimed for the closest wall and headed back to the master bedroom. 

 

"Oh don't worry about it, that's what neighbors are for, Naomi."

"Well Rajeev has certainly lucked out having the two of you, and I will make sure he knows it."

Naomi smiled at the man who had spoken. Definitely the calmer of the two, Haresh, Aasha's husband seemed the type to speak only when necessary, so she was surprised that he had.  "Oh no, it's Rajeev's place. I'm just helping him out as he selects furniture for it." She looked around the room where she was. "I feel I should have sent him to you two; your place is wonderful, and the fact that it hasn't taken you weeks, really speaks to how prepared you guys were. Honestly I thought we would never reach this point as particular Rajeev has been."

Haresh looked ready to speak more, when his wife beat him to it. "Naomi, why don't I show you the rest of the flat and you can let me know what you think." 

Naomi checked the time, still no delivery and no Rajeev either, but she was having a wonderful time with Aasha and Haresh.

"Like I said, you guys have done a really wonderful job here. I really love all of the furniture selections. And the nursery looks like a wonderland."

Aasha beamed "Thank you so much Naomi, that nursery has been so much fun to do..."

"I'm sorry, Naomi I have to ask. Your Rajeev has had to furnish his entire flat?"

Looking at Haresh's perplexed expression, Naomi nodded. "Yes."

"Why?"

"I guess because he needed furniture, "she laughingly responded. "As great as picnics in an empty lounge are, even that would wear thin after a while." She looked over to Aasha to see her reaction to her husband's strange question, but she added to the peculiarity of the conversation by asking her own question. "And he insisted that you help him with the entire process?"

Naomi nodded.

She winked at her husband. "That's your answer Haresh."

"Um do you guys know something I don't?"

Haresh cleared his throat. "Well while we do appreciate your compliments on our furniture selection, I have to tell you that the appeal of these units were that they were sold completely furnished. It was particularly good for us since to go through the process of selecting furniture would have been too taxing for Aasha in her condition."

His wife agreed. "He's absolutely right. I've only done the nursery and that has been enough. But I would especially think that the furnished option would be even more appealing to a single man."

"Definitely." Haresh agreed. "I expect he would have also incurred some penalty for adjusting his sales agreement as well.  Plus the additional living expenses he would have by not moving in right away." 

Naomi sat down in the closest chair. "No he's actually, well actually both of us are staying as guests of friends of ours. I mean he was staying in a hotel initially, but then my best friend's husband invited him to stay as well."

"Well it sounds to me that he is loath to leave for some reason, what do you think Haresh?" 

 

 

And now he was here. He had released her suddenly and had shaken his head in denial after she had told him he was the reason for everything.  "Nay Sweetheart, that's not possible. I would never make you cry...not when..."

"Sweetheart you don't look happy, and you've just said that you were scared..."

"I was scared: scared that you didn't love me, or if you were, you wouldn't tell, me, but I was so wrong." She wrapped her arms around his chest. "I've been so busy waiting for the words, that I couldn't see that you had been showing me this whole time.  You don't even have to tell me now, it's okay I don't need the words."

She stepped away from him suddenly and addressed his neighbor's wife. "Aasha may I use your washroom...it's this way right?"

Rajeev watched her leave the room and turned shaking his head. His relief that she was ok was profound, but she really had to get over her silly tendency to try and dictate his role in their relationship. Finally he looked to the couple whose home he and Naomi had made a lot more entertaining.

"My Naomi is a little excitable, thank you for taking care of her..."

"Actually I think we are mostly to blame by pressing her on why you had to shop for the furniture." Aasha answered. "And I did try to tell Haresh that her crying didn't mean that something was wrong, but before I knew it he had gone to fetch you. He just can't stand a woman's tears." She looked from her husband to Rajeev. "It seems though that neither can you."

Rajeev sighed. "Defintely not hers."

"Rajeev, you are going to ignore her and tell her you love her right?"

"Aasha you are going too far, that's none of our business!"

"Well the way I figure, the sooner he does, the quicker she will be living here, and I really like her."

Rajeev smiled, but before he could consider answering, Naomi returned.  

 

Abhi was still in the stairwell when the couple walked past. If anything they seemed even closer than before. Their happiness rubbed salt in the face of his failure and it took everything in him not to go and confront this man for daring to come close to her. He punched the wall in frustration. Next time, he would to make sure that there would be no chance of Naomi escaping him. 

 

He looked at her and smiled, certain that she wasn't even aware what she had said.

As she headed towards the kitchen she realized he had cleared everything up. "I'm sorry everything was such a mess." She turned back and came to him. "So will it be lunch or conversation Rajeev?"

 He closed the space between them and pulled her into his arms. "Neither," he said his lips descending to hers.

Definitely the right call, Naomi thought. Right now both food and conversation paled in comparison to his kiss.  For a second Daadi's advice flashed in her head, but when he deepened their kiss all she could think of was that she had her Rajeev back, and that he loved her.

[NOCOPY]

crtkelly2016-05-25 01:55:05