Chapter 14
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*~Part 17~*
Atul sighed entering his apartment. The day had been tiring, quite consuming infact. Without bothering to even switch on the lights he trudged back to his room and slumped on the bed. Closing his eyes he couldn't help but feel the familiar loneliness creep in.
The same lone sensation creep in. He turned to his side irritably and frowned. This wasn't fair, on him, on her. He knew she would be feeling the same. Oh yes she would never show, keeping her feelings to herself was one of the dire traits of Anjali Sharma. And so far only he, he mused had somewhere been able to break the icy walls she built around herself and penetrated deep within. Because he loved her. Atul opened his eyes and smiled. She loved him too. And that had been proved because that would have been the only reason she would have agreed to dine with him tonight. But fate had to interfere yet again and he had been so engrossed with Riddhima's case that he reached a good an hour an a half late for the dinner.
By then he had half expected her to have gone, but she had waited .Outside the restaurant .To give him her wry and smile and say a goodbye. He hadn't stopped her. No he couldn't. She was right in her place. She deserved his time, his attention. But if he couldn't fulfill her expectations he had no right to boss over her either. She had come down to meet him only to give him a chance, to give them a chance .To see if there was any chance to their failed marriage. But he had lost it once again.
Getting up suddenly Atul turned on the bedside lamp and picked up the receiver jabbing the familiar numbers, he knew too well to have forgotten.
"Hello"
He sighed hearing the usual silence greeting him.
"Anjali?"
"Yes Atul? Any particular reason to call up now?" he heard the snappy reply and glanced up to see the time ticking up to midnight.
"Yes…..I….I just wanted say sorry, for tonight."
Another long pause.
"Its alright Atul, I am used to it by now." He could almost feel her smile sardonically over the phone.
"Anjali trust me I was with Riddhima, you know her life is in danger and……"
"Yes I know Atul, I care for her as much as you do………." Came the prompt reply.
"You don't think I care do you?" came an added question.
"Ofcourse you do Anjali, you also wish for her well being. Afterall you always have considered her as your own blood despite having no family of you own, and Riddhima not even having a faintest clue about it. You should tell her though."
"Atul its not easy. I don't want to interfere in her life. I never wanted to. She might feel that I was taking away her rights as Dad's daughter. Afterall what am I Atul? A mere orphan whom Shanshank Gupta took pity on and supported? A victim of an attack in which my entire family was wiped out, a crying child whom Shanshank Gupta couldn't help but feel about and raise me as his own?"
"But Anjali he was hardly there, he supported you financially. You haven't snatched away his love for Riddhima, come on that's ridiculous!!"
"I know it is Atul, but Dad always would come to see me when he flew to India. He did want me to come to US and be a part of his and Riddhima's life. But I couldn't take more then that. I might make his own daughter feel I was encroaching on her space, her rights. I couldn't expect his own blood to understand or accept an orphan."
"But Riddhima isn't like this Anjali, she would have accepted you with all her heart."
"I know, perhaps that's the reason I never wanted to enter her life. Her love might scare me Atul, leave it…….thats the sole reason I had sworn to protect her, with or without FBI, CIA and whatever."
"I know Anjali, nothing could stop you could it?" Atul softly whispered.
The silence after their conversation made Atul realize they were back again, to square one.
"No it couldn't…" came a heavy reply.
"My short stint with FBI taught me quite a few things." She replied dryly.
Fiddling with the chord Atul ventured further.
"You shouldn't have left it Anjali, there was no need to……"
"I did, and that I do not regret." Came a sharp reply.
"But we could have sorted your differences with Frank..........."
"No, his methods of working conflict mine, we can never be compatible."
"Right." Atul sighed, going there was of no use at all.
"And I couldn't leave him Anjali."
"I know…" came a short reply.
"But that didn't mean we weren't compatible Anjali, you and me made the best team." Atul whispered.
"Making the best team at work doesn't necessarily mean we could make the best partners for life Atul." Came a softer reply.
"We could give us another chance Anjali."
"I don't know Atul……"
"We could Anjali, we can try it all over again……"
Hearing the pause Atul crossed his fingers.
"Goodnight Atul, leave it for now….perhaps another time." Came the response and a click following it confirmed the line was dead.
Placing the receiver back Atul felt his head hit the pillow. Anjali had never liked anyone boss over her and the rifts between her and Frank had torn their marriage apart. Atul had sworn loyalty to Frank and Anjali had defied him. They had met at a training camp and Atul knew it was love at first sight. Closing his eyes he smiled recollecting how he had jumped hearing her yes to his marriage proposal after courting her for almost two years. But their loyalty factors had driven them apart, and Atul knew he could not leave Frank as she demanded.
Perhaps she would understand, one day. She had love in her. Her wanting to stay out of Riddhima's life and yet wanting to know each detail of it, protect her like a fierce elder sibling pointed how compassionate Anjali could be.
Atul knew he loved the right lady for him, she loved him to. It was just a matter of another chance.
*************************************
Riddhima closed her eyes and collected herself before holding down the handle of the door and pushing it inside.
"Ahem." She cleared her throat drawing his attention to her.
He looked up. She stood there dressed in a lose silk blouse and fitted black trousers. Her hair falling silkily about her shoulders, her make-up attempting, and not quite succeeding, to hide the slight redness in her eyes, nor the paleness of her skin. She had been crying he knew.
"Riddhima?" he softly called her, loving the sound of her name escape his lips.
"Please come in, make your self comfortable." He added standing up and gesturing her the chair opposite him.
"Atul said you wanted me urgently. To sign some documents, as the date of the maturity of the bank vault is nearing."
The crispness in her voice brought him back to earth. He watched her approach the table wearily. He owed her an apology he knew.
What a fool I was to fight with her that night thought Armaan mentally kicking himself. A week of silence and distance and made him realize that he too had been at fault. It was but natural on her part of express her opinion. She loved him he knew. He should have been more gentle with her. But no he stormed out just after their reconciliation. But he had been outraged at her suggestion to quit his job if he was to marry her. Yet he should have been more tender considering her ordeal.
Riddhima felt her legs wobbly as she pulled out the chair and sat down. A week of silence. Oh how she had waited for him to call her, how many times had she stopped herself from calling him and just saying "I love you". That night everything went wrong. She shouldn't have just asked him to chose her or his job. It was downright outrageous. But she was so over come by emotions that…………oh well he was a man. A strong man. He would hate her for putting him through this.
She glanced at him looking lost in a file. He looked distractingly attractive today. His fair skin was just as healthily tanned, his grey eyes as sharply intelligent, and his dark hair, though looking as if it had been trimmed slightly. Dressed formally in a dark grey suit and snowy white shirt, with a silver-grey silk tie knotted neatly at his throat, he looked like a man who was firmly in control.
"Riddhima how are you?" the familiar husky drawl snapped her out of her thoughts.
"I am fine." She replied looking straight into his eyes.
"And you?"
"The same." Came even a shorter reply.
Riddhima twisted her fingers underneath the table. Why couldn't she just tell him straight she loved him? They could sit down and perhaps talk? She ached to feel his arms around her, hear his whispers in her ears, whispering I love you. Oh how she ached for him.
"Here are the papers, you need to sign here. within two weeks the bank should be ready." He added holding out the papers.
The slight brush of his fingers against hers as she took the papers from him made Riddhima wince. She would break down right here in front of him if she didn't control herself.
Armaan saw her fighting back her tears as she bent her head down to sign them. He hated seeing her looking so fragile, so vulnerable .So weak. He just wanted to take her in his arms and kiss away all the
doubts, all the wariness and make her feel the power of his love.
"Here you go" she whispered handing him the papers.
"Hmm," Armaan made it his business not to look at her as he filed the papers. She might not like him coming down on her. She might even hate him for it. He had wounded her., hurt her when she was the weakest, loneliness. Instead of strengthening their love he had torn them apart. How could he face her now?
Seeing him look away Riddhima felt her stomach curl. She had been selfish. She had undermined his love and concern for her by making him choose. By making him feel trapped. Being the man he was he wouldn't ever like feeling trapped between choosing a woman he loved to a job he did for his livelihood a job that was his passion. Would her father have done so? No he wouldn't have. She had insulted his love. Their love by doing this.
"So I'll get going. Atul must be waiting." She stood up abruptly.
"Yes…" Armaan stood up looking at her wearily as she turned to her heels and walked out, not glancing back. perhaps it was late now, did that mean their love had been lost? Forever?
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Well an update finally, ok the part was ready but i just cudnt make myself post it to be honest. Well lets not go there as um sure most of must just be tired listening to my endless wales.....
Coming to the part, ok i know i know......they havent yet patched up, will i'll justify by saying i cant stand my lead couple apart for long either.....so i'll patch them up soon. :).
Another issue, ok i noticed a lot many have voiced their opinion, over the quick patch-up in the last update not that its to critize me i know
...... trust me i dont diagree with u guys!! And i wud be surprised if u guys hadnt pointed it out....so i just want to clarify my stance as that was at i had thought!! Hehe....., i may be all wrong too...she forgave him so easily after not seeing
him for two months, i hav mentioned it there, Riddhima did
meet him as he came to her place daily for security reasons but did not relent despite his attempts to talk to her.And then finally when he came to demand and force an explanation, she gave and they reconciled. It was practical as i saw it......, it wud be silly to have her shouting at him and talking abt the same thing again and again.....i hate dragging on..... Atleast i see it that way....and pls folks this was just to clarify why i took it that way, merely expressing my pov as i really adore u guys and value each word u bestow me with!
And lastly, ok this the last, i knw um testing ur patience, i hav got in the AA track, needed to get on with that first, RM will be there next.....and ofcourse need to squeeze Ar too.... :). Love u all. Hope i din offend anyone ok!! It wasnt meant too...pls!!
And pls do leave ur views!! Love u all! will be sending pms tom morning!!Your reaction
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