Chapter 4
Hearing thunder and lightening, Ragav pauses from sipping his coffee, closes his eyes and sighs deeply, thinking, "so the forecast was accurate. A night of thunder and lightening awaits." Glancing across the dining area, his gaze rests on Kalpi who is clearing the dinner dishes.
Startled by the thunder and lightening, Kalpi tries to control her panic, telling herself, "you are not alone, everyone is here."
Noticing the slight tremor when she lifts the dinner plates, Ragav calls out, "are you okay?" Meeting his gaze, her panic flees as the sound of his voice surrounds her with a sense of safety, Kalpi gives a weak smile and says, "I am fine." Ragav nods, dismissing her immediately as he fights his own internal battles.
Filled with dread, Ragav thinks, "I can't do this again... I just can't..." The memories of several nights ago, fresh. Turning to Priya, who had joined them for dinner, Ragav says, "Heavy downpour has been forecasted, spend the night", as he silently lauds himself for thinking ahead and inviting her over for dinner.
Taken aback by the suggestion, Priya stares at Ragav silently, her mind working on overdrive, stealing a goance towards Kalpi, thinking,"what the hell are you up to... ours is a fake engagement."
Kalpi stops fractionally by the entrance of the dining room, her back towards them, frozen as her heart stops beating for a second or two, "steady Kalpi, steady... don't you dare turn... don't you dare stop walking," she tells herself.
Refusing to allow her mind free reign, Kalpi forces herself to keep her mind blank as she washes the dinner dishes. The chore helping her divert her attention. Ragav walks into the kitchen, placing two coffee cups next to the kitchen sink and says without looking at her, "Priya is staying the night."
Nodding as she continues with her chores, not wanting to meet his gaze, "okay. I shall prepare the guest room."
Turning around, his back leaning on the counter next to the sink, Ragav looks straight ahead, staring at the kitchen wall, still unable to meet her gaze saying softly, "no need to prepare the guest room." Kalpi stops rinsing the plate in her hand, staring at the plate, she blinks several times to calm her aching heart, says in a small voice, "okay", then forces herself to continue washing the dirty dishes
Priya, who is standing quietly by the kitchen door, watching their interaction, both looking away as they speak to one another, scared to meet each other's gaze. Priya frowns when she hears Ragav's last statement as she watches with stride out of the kitchen... thinking with a snort, "more like run out of the kitchen."
Priya follows Ragav, whispering furiously, "I am not..." Ragav turns around quickly, interrupts her, whispering back, as he darts a glance towards the kitchen entrance, "I will sleep in the study."
Minutes pass into hours as Kalpi absent mindedly cleans the kitchen counters over and over again... her focus on the reality that forced its way for her to face... to accept... Ragav and Priya. Climbing up the stairs with a heavy heart, Kalpi stops at the landing, turns towards Ragav's bedroom. She stands there, at the edge of the top most stair, staring at the closed door, a tear escapes. She turns towards her room and quickly heads in.
Nursing a drink, the tick-tock of the wall clock his only companion as he stares out of his study window guiltily, his mind replaying the tiny gasp of air Kalpi took... the only reaction she had given to voice her distress over what he had said in the kitchen.
The thunder wakes Kalpi. She instinctively races towards Ragav's room. Stopping just as she is about to open his bedroom door, realizing in time that he was not alone. Darting her gaze fearfully around as she hears the loud bangs, panicked, tears swell up. Racing back to her room, she huddles under her duvet, shivering with fear as tears fall, crying out for the first time since the night her mother died, "I am all alone mummy... I am scared... please come back... I am alone... I have no one... please come back mummy..."
Hearing the thunder Ragav instinctively turns around and strides towards the door. Stopping midstride, he tells himself, "no I will not go... I can't go..." He stares at the wall clock watching the big hand move... tick... tock... tick... tock..." Seconds later he rushes out.
Seeing her ducked under the duvet, saying repeatedly, softly, "I am all alone mummy... I am all alone mummy..." Ragav's heart breaks to tiny pieces. Berating himself for making her feel like this he climbs onto the bed, whispering soothing, "I am so sorry... I am so sorry..." as he rocks her... calming her.
Teary eyed, Kalpi turns around to face Ragav. Raw emotions emanate from her eyes, a mirror to her feelings, she says softly, "I am going to lose you." Leaning forward, kissing her on her forehead, he hugs her tightly, wispering, "never... you'll never be alone"
Edited by angelpureness - 8 years ago
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