Chapter 9

Confession time: I got absolutely disenchanted with this story and writing in general, and seriously contemplated giving up entirely, but I am trying not to fall into the trap of leaving things unfinished. So here I am after so long with another chapter. Can't say that I am entirely happy with the chapter, but needed to post to get myself going again. Apologies to all who have been waiting so long for this next update.

Chapter #7

The short bathrobe barely on her shoulders, Naomi wasn't about to make any excuses for her appearance today. Whoever was at her door would just have to accept the sub-human state she was in. It had been an awful morning, preceded by an even worst night and she was completely exhausted. Something- well  to be exact, the rich ice cream she had indulged in to satisfy her insatiable craving for sweet  yesterday- had not agreed with either Lalita or Tanvi, and both she and Rajeev had had a time of it soothing the babies of their upsets last night. It had continued to a lesser extent, into the morning, but despite her overtired state, Naomi had insisted that her husband carry on with his routine today.  It was a short day for him at any rate, so she assured him that she would hold the fort until he got back. It had proven rough going though, and it was just her luck, that now with the girls resting, and she having finally found the time to shower and put on fresh PJs that someone  would start ringing the door-bell, just as she was about to lie down and catch a quick power-nap. She wasn't expecting anyone, nor was it time for Rajeev to be returning either, so she was at a complete loss as to who her visitor could be.  She reached the door and was about to look out the peephole when her mobile began ringing back in her bedroom. Torn between answering the phone before the ringing disturbed the babies, and opening the door, Naomi quickly peered to see who was outside the flat, and frowned. Instantly recognizing her visitor, Naomi hurried to unlatch the lock in order to greet her visitor.

"Rachna?"

Her friend turned around, her mobile still at her ear, a clear look of relief coming to her face. She disconnected her call, and immediately the faint ringing in the background ceased.  With her free hand, she wiped at her damp cheek.

"I'm sorry, I had to leave... and I couldn't go home in this condition" Rachna began before she paused and took a good look at her friend's attire. "But it looks like I've disturbed you, so..."

Naomi immediately reached for Rachna to stop her leaving. A fool could discern how upset the young woman was. Consequently, all thought of resting at once fled the new mother as she led her distraught friend into her home, guiding her into the lounge and to sit on the sofa.  "Make yourself comfortable, Ra...I will just be back with some chai for the two of us, thik hai?"

Rachna nodded, thankful for her welcome, but then indicated that she needed to visit the washroom first.

"Of course," Naomi answered, hoping that this would give her the opportunity she needed to contact KT and find out exactly what was going on.

"Have you ever felt that your life is a lie: that, things - important things- are being withheld from you for some reason?"

Naomi drank deeply of her chai, buying time in which to find the right answer to provide Rachna. Her very brief telephone conversation with Kabir suggested the slight chance that Rachna had recalled something about the pair's history, but could not justify the reaction the young designer had expressed on receiving confirmation of their past association.  Finally bringing the cup down from her lips, Naomi swallowed and responded with a nod to her friend.

"Yes," she answered, having come to the conclusion that unlike her personal experience, that Rachna would benefit from someone being upfront with her. "Yes, Rachna, I understand exactly what you mean, and I also know exactly how bereft you are feeling right now.

********

Finding herself in the washroom for a second time, distractedly Rachna dabbed the wet cloth over the ice-cream staining her new outfit. Reeling over the details she had just been given by Naom: apparently just the very beginning of the tale the young mother had inexplicably decided was appropriate to tell her today, Rachna paused in her task. Frankly the potential of the dress being permanently marked was secondary to what had just been disclosed to her - that she and Naomi too had known each other prior to her accident. And it seemed that this was the very least of it.

"You and Daadi hadn't left my baby-shower, no more than ten minutes when your accident occurred. That day, I was absolutely terrified that I would lose the person responsible for me finding my own happiness... my very best friend ..."

Naomi had just switched the offer of a refill of the tea to the frosty dessert, and made good on her promise just minutes before she made that pronouncement. Now ruing her error in not understanding how shocked Rachna would be, Naomi rapped on the bathroom door and extended the comfortable PJs around the door when it opened slightly. She hadn't given it a second thought and began talking immediately after she had placed the heaping bowl in front of Rachna and watched her partake of the yummy treat- a practice that they had often followed after that first night they had met  in the student accommodations in the UK. It had just felt so normal to be doing this with her friend. Now assuring Rachna that they would get her pretty dress laundered immediately, Naomi made sure that her guest was okay and asked to come out soon so that they could continue the conversation that there was no going back from now.

Admitting to herself that she had delayed her return to get a grasp on her emotions, ten minutes later, Rachna came up quietly behind the at odds couple. Quickly surmising that the discord had come from her former coach's assumption that his wife had recklessly partaken of the sweet that had upset their little girls' digestive systems the night before, Rachna immediately stepped up in defense of her friend against the unfair lecture she was receiving. If, as Naomi had suggested, she had been instrumental in bringing the pair together, there was no way she could allow her mishap to be the reasoning for their present discord.

"Naomi, I think I've eliminated the worst of the staining. I hope I didn't ruin the area rug when I dropped my bowl..."

Rajeev's head came up to discover Rachna standing behind his wife, dressed in the all too familiar Hello Kitty lounge-set  holding an item of clothing.  On hearing her words, he quickly looked towards the lounge, noting for the first time the two coffee mugs and immediately realizing his grave error, he looked back down at his wife, still holding the partially empty bowl, and who now refused to even look at him. Placing a finger under her chin, he raised Naomi's head, praying he would find irritation if not absolute anger in her eyes: anything but the tears he suspected he had caused with his unwarranted chastisement. He hadn't even given her the chance to explain, so upset he was at the thought that she had given in again to the tempting treat that had proven a disastrous combination to her breastfeeding their daughters.

"Sweetheart..."

Naomi closed her eyes in the vain attempt to hold her tears in check.

"You're home too early. Ra and I were about to have an important conversation...and we need the time alone," she stated tearfully.

She opened her eyes to watch her husband shake his head, refusing to let her dismiss him.

"Please...we can talk about this later. Rachna needs me now." She smiled sadly. "I will call you when we are done...please Rajeev."

After a minute, he stepped away from her, knowing that he would get nowhere with Naomi for the moment. He nodded, regret showing on his face. "When are the girls due to be fed next? I will make sure I'm back by then so you can finally go to bed, thik hai?"

"That's not necessary, I have the bottles ready, and I'm sure Ra will help me if needed. I will call you, okay?"

 

After Rajeev's hesitant departure, together, Naomi and Rachna quickly cleaned up the aftereffects of the previous mishap, and then resettled on the spacious sectional sofa.

"Naomi, I'm sure Rajeev didn't mean..."

"Just consider it a lesson he had to learn, but don't worry about it...not when I'm sure you really want to discuss what I threw at you unexpectedly." Naomi responded before getting up and excusing herself for a minute.

Rachna couldn't deny it, and yet she couldn't help but feel so remorseful for Naomi's situation. Could her empathy be due to the long-standing friendship that she had been advised of or just the camaraderie that the pair had recently developed? Honestly she really didn't know.

"Why don't I just begin, Rachna, and then you can tell me if any of it sounds familiar to you, okay," Naomi said on her return, her arms full.

********

It had always been Rachna's intention to have a second collection well underway, if not completed by the time she stopped work pending the birth of their second child. Not only that, but by mutual agreement,  in the months prior to her delivery, together, they had made the decision to relocate the bulk of KT Creations' activities to the downtown office space they had procured, so that their current studio space  at home could be turned over to accommodate Banara's Beauty's steadily increasing business. Aside from the extra space it would provide  the additional staff Rachna had expected to take on to help her with ever-growing responsibilities, the renovations of an alcove into an area for their children, would offer  Rachna the best of both worlds once she returned to full time designing after their son was born. The newly configured workspace was a working mother's dream allowing Rachna the ability to pursue her professional aspirations while also caring for their young children. There would always be, Rachna had promised wryly, a space for her husband in her newly designated workspace - something that Kabir fully intended to take advantage off. However in sacrificing his area, Kabir was keeping the promise he had made to his wife in offering his complete support as she strived to balance motherhood and career.

Now as he perused the space, he believed that there was no better time than the present to make the necessary moves to bring their changes finally to fruition.  Very soon, he thought, it would be time for him to reveal all to Rachna, and finally bring his wife home where she belonged. Therefore it only made sense to commence the move from of Rachna's existing workspace to the studio.

Turning, Kabir was surprised by his visitor who had covertly entered the studio space. He smiled in greeting at the bouquet carrying hockey coach.

"Truly, you shouldn't have, Rajeev."

"Trust me, Kabir it would be preferable if these were for you, Kabir. At least I could be assured of what sort of reception I will get on receipt of them."

On closer inspection, Kabir recognized the arrangement as being made up of Naomi's favorites, and he frowned in commiseration for whatever trouble the new father found himself in.

"If it is any consolation, I'm sure that it is only her hormones that are making the situation seem worse than it actually is my friend."

Rajeev shook his head to concur with Kabir assessment, and then moved on to the news he knew would be of interest to the designer. " And I imagine that the fact that you are home now and evidently unconcerned, means that it's no surprise where your own wife is so early this afternoon?"

Kabir confirmed this assumption with a nod. "Haan, despite the fact that she left the office distressed, I was assured to learn that she had gone home to Pari. I knew she would be in good hands. But I suspect more is afoot as you are here...something that has necessitated a heartfelt apology?"

"I'm afraid so, so count yourself fortunate that you have my company until I am summoned home..."

"Your timing couldn't be any better, actually. Come we will put the flowers in some water, and you can assist me in a most pressing task."

*******

This time around, Rachna seemed to have taken the news well. Armed with evidences of her story, Naomi had detailed their initial meeting and subsequent time spent first in university in the UK and then Naomi's stint at SVC.  From her point of view, Naomi told of her return to Banaras, and her chance meeting with Rajeev Agarwal, who had returned as hockey coach. Carefully ignoring any reference to Kabir other than as Rachna's boss, she clarified her modelling career culminating in how Rachna had designed her exquisite lehenga for her shaadi.  In silence, Rachna had listened, taking in all the information without hesitation or skepticism of the tale.

Finally, Naomi came to the end of the story. The remainder: as to Rachna's marriage and children -were not within her remit to relate, and thus left unsaid. Only should she make a direct query, would Naomi even entertain broaching the subject; so she concluded her version, leaving the photographic evidences of their past in from of Rachna for her to make as she would. And then she waited for her response.

"Naomi, if it's not too personal a question..."

Naomi grinned at the young woman across from her. "I don't think there has ever been anything as too personal between the two of us Ra. Please ask away."

"Were the twins: Tanvi and Lalita...were they premature perchance?"

Naomi flushed, but did not hesitate in her response. "Nahi Rachna, they were not. Seven months after Rajeev and mine's marriage was exactly full term for our girls, well give or take a few days." Naomi paused and then continued, "However I would like to confess that neither our intimacy nor my pregnancy were anticipated or planned; quite the contrary to tell the truth." She then waited for some indication that would reveal the reason behind this surprising line of questioning.

"And...well, how did you, I mean how could you make that choice, the decision to..."

It was more than she had even asked of her at the time, when everything happened, but despite the strangeness, Naomi figured that Rachna had a motive for asking.

"Because I loved him, and had finally realized that he loved me too, Rachna. Because in that moment I could not think of anything wrong in being with him...because I could not, not be with him; not express the love I felt for him. Because, at that moment, not being with him would have been the biggest regret of my life. Before him, I truly believed there was something wrong with me, because I had never experienced anything... never wanted anyone in that way:  but with Rajeev it just felt right...no even that doesn't justify it. It was an expression of love in its purest form, and it was perfect."

For the longest while after that, Rachna kept her own counsel, keeping her thoughts to herself. Finally she spoke.

"I had the biggest crush on Rajeev when I first started SVC," she began, returning Naomi's smile in this obvious shared knowledge. "And then there was Vihaan. I remember feeling love for Vihaan, but never, never in the way that you have just described. How is Vihaan, by the way?"

"He's an absolute idiot Rachna, but that is entirely another story. However, I definitely love my devar, warts and all; I wouldn't change him for the world. But may I ask why you..."

"Maybe I just wanted to remind you, in hopes that you will forgive your husband for today, Naomi."

For some reason Naomi doubted this to be the truth, but her response was cut short by the mewling cries that came over the baby monitor. She invited Rachna to assist her with the twins. Hopefully this would be their last bottle fed for the day, now that she had allowed sufficient time for any trace of the irritating substance to work its way out of her system. But for now, barring her absent husband, Naomi couldn't think of anyone she would want at her side tending to her daughters. She could only hope that in some small measure, their time together would lead her friend back to where she belonged.

The beautiful baby in her arms, Rachna fed the earnest infant, feeling even closer to the child, her sister and most of all to their mother. She had never expected to learn what she had today, but it made the most perfect sense, and explained why she  would share such an affinity with Naomi. She prayed that her memories would come back to her, not only so that these stories would become more than that; so that she could share the emotions that came along with them. Looking at her friend she felt that her questioning had softened her stance towards her husband, who had most definitely had hurt her feelings terribly, and she wondered at such a love: one that surpassed physical longings and became the connection of two souls. Naomi and Rajeev were so fortunate to have found such...unlike her.

Rachna had told the truth when she had explained to Naomi that in the past, she had never felt such longing for a man: that is not until today. ..today when she found herself unwittingly in Kabir Tripathi's arms. Then and only then did she experience anything remotely like Naomi had described, probably more if she was truthful. It frightened her like nothing else ever had particularly on learning that she was suffering such intense desire for a married man.

Intuition told her that Kabir was an honorable man, but by god what did this say about her. And how did this stain on her character speak to her past with the designer?

[NOCOPY]