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Part 20: Turning Point One
Riddhima and Kripa sat on the couch in the living room, mugs of hot chocolate in their hands. Riddhima recited the problems in her marital life while Kripa listened and made mental notes about important stuff. Of course Riddhima had once again convinced herself that there was nothing between Armaan and Kripa. She had promised herself that she would never doubt her best friend.
"Look Riddhima...you've done a lot of damage here, you do realize that right?" Kripa asked.
"I know Kripa...That's why I want to try and fix everything now and I also know that it will take time. And you and Angad have this perfect relationship...you're plenty romantic and more open minded than I am...that's why I'm asking you for help rather than Anjali. I found that her advice was only making things worse." Riddhima paused when she saw Kripa's mortified expression.
"You've been asking Anjali for advice on marriage??!!" Kripa blurted out, shocked.
"Yeah...why? What's wrong about that?"
"Riddhima! Anjali is the last person I would go to for help for issues in my relationships. As much as I love her, she is unnecessarily sceptical about everything! And come one...Anjali advising people on love? The woman who's been ignoring the pleas of true love? You know very well that Atul has been in love with her since high school and you also know that she is always a ***** to him..Yet he still loves her...he's still trying to get her to believe it and she just refuses to listen...why on earth would you ask her for help? What advice did she give you?"
"there was a lot that she said...keep him in control...make sure he doesn't boss me around...get him to keep his distance until I'm ready for that distance to be gone...don't share the bed with him..."
"Well...I'm glad you didn't listen to the last one..." Kripa said but then shut up mouth when she saw Riddhima's fallen expression.
"Please tell me you didn't..."
"I did. He slept on the couch."
Kripa ran her palm along her face in frustration. "For how long did he sleep on the couch?"
Riddhima hesitated for a second before speaking. "From the day we got married till...last night."
Kripa groaned loudly. "No man!! Come on Riddhima...are you serious?"
"It's not like you share the bed with Angad."
"We just did last night!" Kripa snapped. Kripa shut up right away when Riddhima's face fell. "Riddhima...let me ask you a very personal question...physically; how far is your relationship with Armaan?"
Riddhima looked away. "It can't get far if it hasn't started yet."
Kripa looked away to hide her disappointed expression. She was disappointed in her friend. Majorly disappointed.
"Kripa...can I ask you something?" Kripa nodded, cuing Riddhima to go on. "How far are you and Angad into it?" Riddhima asked hesitantly.
Kripa remembered the events of last night and wondered whether she could tell Riddhima.
"We're pretty much—"
Just then, Angad knocked on the bedroom door from the inside. Riddhima straightened up.
"Come in...You're safe!" Kripa called out.
Angad walked out into the living room dressed to go out. He smiled at Riddhima as he walked up to Kripa.
"Hey Riddhima. How are you?"
"I'm alright...how about you..."
"At my best...Kripa takes good care of me." He smiled at Riddhima.
Then he smiled at Kripa and she smiled back right before he bent down to kiss her. Riddhima looked away slightly embarrassed and slightly hurt because every time she saw Angad and Kripa, she remembered what was missing in her marriage.
Respecting Riddhima's presence in the room, Angad kept the kiss short and sweet. "I'm just going to step out for a bit. I'll see you in a couple of hours. I love you."
Riddhima's head snapped back in their direction but they didn't notice as they were in the middle of another short kiss. When he pulled away, her eyes were still closed as she said, "I love you too."
Angad smiled again, gave Kripa a peck on her lips and then her forehead and walked into the kitchen. Kripa looked at Riddhima's expression and took a sip of her hot chocolate. "What's wrong?"
Riddhima just shook her head. "Love?"
Kripa shrugged. "I fell in love with him sooner than I thought I would..."
Angad walked out of the kitchen and towards the door. He opened the door and turned around. "Kripa, I have my cell...I'll be with Rahul and Armaan at our usual pub on campus. And I think Atul is going to be there too... I should be back by 4. I'll call you if that changes."
Kripa was looking at him as he spoke and at the end she thanked him and nodded. After another exchange of I love you-s, Angad left and Kripa turned to Riddhima in time to catch her looking at her neck. Kripa knew what exactly Riddhima was looking at. The love bites.
Riddhima cleared her throat and looked at Kripa's face who was looking back with one eyebrow arched. Riddhima decided not to comment on the love bites.
"He told you where he's going and who he's going to be with without you even asking him...?"
Kripa shrugged. "He always does. Why would I ask him whe—" Kripa broke off suddenly and gasped. "You ask Armaan where he goes." She stated but Riddhima nodded as if it were a question.
"yeah...I ask him the basic who, what, where, when, and why...Anjali Said—"Riddhima was stopped short of words as Kripa slammed down her cup on the table and got up from the couch, one hand on her hip, the other on her forehead. She walked back and forth a few seconds.
"No wonder he's been distant from you Riddhima...he finds his space by staying away from you because you don't give him any. Riddhima! I can't believe you've been listening to Anjali all this time but you won't even consider what we have to say to you."
"I'm sorry...I don't know why but everything Anjali said made sense then..."
"Okay look Riddhima...you've invaded his space, shown him that you're insecure, you've been incredibly rude to him...been absolutely unfair to him, your relationship, and even to yourself. And honestly, I can't help you if you're not willing to help yourself and change because I'll tell you one thing for sure...and I say this because I'm your friend and I'll be honest with you...As much as you may not like hearing this, all this mess is your fault. 99.99% is your fault."
Riddhima looked at Kripa for a few seconds and then finally nodded. "I know. That's why I want to fix everything...I don't want my marriage to end...I want to have a happy life with him...Just like you and Angad. Will you help me Kripa?"
Kripa smiled at Riddhima. "Of course I will but you have to promise that you'll do and say everything I tell you."
"I promise...anything to fix this mess."
"Well then, it all has to start with you telling Armaan that he no longer needs to sleep on the couch."
Riddhima opened her mouth to argue but Kripa spoke quickly. "You promised! Whatever I say. And you are also going to stop bugging him for information when he goes out. Just say things like...'take care', 'have fun', 'have a good time', 'I'll see you later'...That will show him that you know that he is going out but he also knows that you heard him and aren't going to ask him any questions...that's trusting him Riddhima. Show him you trust him. Eventually, He'll start telling you on his own, just like Angad...but if he doesn't tell you the first few times, don't worry...he has to wrap his head around the idea that you're finally starting to give him space."
Riddhima sheepishly looked at Kripa. Kripa went on. "It's really easy Riddhima...just treat him how you want to be treated. If you want him to trust you, show him that you trust him. If you want him to love you, you have to show him that you love him. Eventually everything will work out."
Riddhima suddenly got teary eyed. "I wish I'd listened to you sooner..."
Kripa put her hands on her hips. "You know what?...So do I." She sighed and put a hand on Riddhima's shoulder. "Well no worries...tonight, ask him to sleep on the bed and if he refuses, tell him that you will sleep on the couch and him on the bed.
"How am I supposed to bring up the topic?" Riddhima was already nervous.
Kripa plopped down on the couch, pulling Riddhima with her. And then started the planning.
That evening when Riddhima got home, Armaan was already home. In the kitchen, cooking. Riddhima took a deep breath in and thought about what Kripa had said. She walked into the kitchen after setting her purse on the couch.
"Hey Armaan."
He looked at her, almost shocked at her tone. "Um...hey. Did you girls have fun?"
Riddhima shrugged. "We didn't do anything special...just sat and talked. Did you boys have fun?"
Armaan frowned slightly. How did Riddhima know about that? He hadn't told her...
Riddhima saw the look on his face and talked quickly. "Angad mentioned something about you guys hanging out at the pub."
"Oh...yeah...it was okay." He stood there like a statue, looking at her, wondering where the hell his wife had disappeared to.
She looked over his shoulder at the stove. "Whatcha got there?"
"I'm trying to poach eggs and I just failed miserably...twice."
Riddhima stifled a giggle and extended her hand. He handed her the wooden spoon and spatula he was hanging on to.
He watched from behind her as she expertly cracked an egg into the boiling water and then expertly cooked the egg.
"Now you try." She handed the spoon and spatula back to him.
This time Armaan struggled a little bit but got it by the end of it. He smiled proudly at the egg and then at her. "Thanks"
Then they stood there, looking at each other awkwardly. This was the longest conversation they'd had without arguing. She excused herself and rushed into the bedroom, and then ran into the washroom. She leaned against the door and calmed her frantic heartbeat down. She had never been so nervous in her life!
After a usual dinner, minus the arguments, Armaan and Riddhima busied themselves with some school work. Before bedtime, Armaan went into the washroom to take a shower after setting up his pillow and blanket on the couch.
Riddhima walked up to the couch once she heard the shower running and picked up the pillows and the blankets and brought them back to the bed.
When Armaan stepped out, Riddhima was reading on the bed, pretending to be reading anyway. He looked at the couch and then back at the bed, scratching his head in confusion. He was sure he'd set up his stuff on the couch.
He walked to the bed and picked up his pillow. Just then, Riddhima's voice stopped him.
"Armaan?"
He looked at her. "You don't need to sleep on the couch..." she smiled at him.
He frowned. He was really confused now. What the heck was going on?
"Um...no...It's okay...I'm used to it now...I'll sleep on the couch."
"Fine." Riddhima threw her blanket aside and stood up. "If you don't want to sleep on the same bed, that's fine..., I'll sleep on the couch from tonight and on. You sleep on the bed." She smiled again, picked up her pillow and he blanket, and turned to him. "Good night."
He watched with a fallen jaw as she set up her pillow, lay down on the couch and covered herself in blankets. Still in shock, he turned off the room lights and turned on the bedside lamp to finish off some readings.
He found that he couldn't focus, though. He kept thinking about the sudden change in Riddhima. What on earth was that about? He sat there for a couple of hours, rethinking about how their lives had changed from the moment they'd met till a couple of hours ago. In the past two hours he'd seen her sleeping on the couch, she'd been tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable. She was tossing and turning again.
He sighed and got up. He cautiously walked to her and just as cautiously tapped her shoulder a few times, trying to wake her up.
It didn't take much. In a few pats, she looked at him and sat up on the couch.
"Go and sleep on the bed, Riddhima. You won't get any sleep on the couch."
She looked at the bed then back at him. "Are you still going to sleep on the bed?"
"Um...I'll just sleep on the couch..."
"Never mind then...I'm going to sleep on the couch."
Armaan sighed and squatted in front of her. "What do you want me to do Riddhima?"
She looked him square in the eye, gathered all the courage she had. "I just want you to stop sleeping on the couch."
Armaan looked at her face, trying to figure out what she was up to. He finally gave up and just sighed. "Fine...I'll sleep on the bed...now come on..."
Riddhima smiled and got up. When she reached for her pillow and blanket, she saw Armaan reaching for it. He carried her stuff back to the bed while she just followed. She lay on her bed and covered herself with her blanket again while Armaan got onto his side of the bend.
"Armaan?" she called out to him when he reached over to turn off the lamp. He looked over his shoulder, a hand still on the switch of the lamp. "Thank you." She said seriously.
Armaan half smiled. "Good night Riddhima." And then he turned off the lamp.
In the morning, Armaan was all dressed and ready to leave for his 8am class...oh how he hated that class. That was the class in which Angad and Armaan slept, leaving their lecture recorders on. He took a glance at the bed where Riddhima slept peacefully and he thought back towards last night. What was with the sudden change in her? Was she genuinely being nice or was she just up to something again?
He closed the bedroom's door behind him as he left to go into the kitchen. After a filling breakfast, he picked up his bag and walked to the door when Riddhima called out to him. He froze. He knew what would follow. The questions.
"Yeah?" he said turning around, facing her.
She smiled at him, and he froze again. WHAT'S WITH ALL THE SMILES?
"You forgot your cell." Riddhima said handing him the phone. She was dying to ask him her usual questions but she did not dare utter a single one of them, remembering Kripa's orders.
Armaan was shocked to the core. He could have sworn on his life that he was expecting another who, what, where, when, why inquiry from her. "Um...thanks."
She nodded. "Have a nice day."
Another shock to Armaan. He frowned in confusion; looked at the phone, looked at her, at his phone, then back at her again. "Oh...you...thanks...I mean...you too"
And he left. Riddhima stood there. That's it? 'It will take time Riddhima' Kripa's words echoed in her mind. She sighed. Is this how Armaan had felt all these days?
At school, it was the first time that Armaan hadn't slept during this boring business lecture. He couldn't. He sat there, definitely not paying attention to the professor, but thinking about Riddhima. His mind couldn't help but compare the Riddhima of two days ago to the Riddhima he'd seen last night and this morning.
Somewhere in the distance, someone was calling out his name. It seemed as if that voice were getting closer and closer. And then he felt a sting of pain at the back of his neck.
"WAKE UP YOU IDIOT!"
It was Angad. Armaan rubbed his neck as he sat up in his chair. He looked around the classroom. There was no one but him and Angad. What the heck just happened?
"Finally...dude...I was about to call 911. What the hell happened to you?"
"Huh? What's going on?" Armaan said, disoriented.
"You really fell asleep buddy. You were passed out. Did you sleep last night?"
"Yeah...yeah...it's just...Riddhima..."
"Did you two fight again?" Angad frowned.
"No. No fights in the last 24 hours." Armaan said, frowning.
Angad raised his eyebrows. "Isn't that a good thing? Why do you look so tensed?"
"I'm tensed because we haven't fought...we always fight...but she's...she's being nice...her being nice is so surreal...it almost feels like the calm before a storm."
Angad couldn't help but chuckle at that but he shut up when Armaan glared at him. "Sorry...go on..."
"With what? There's nothing more...I'm just stumped about her being all nice out of nowhere...wait a minute...does this have anything to do with Riddhima visiting Kripa over the weekend?"
"How would I know dude? I was with you, remember? But you can ask Kripa today...we're having lunch and you join us."
"nah. I wouldn't want to spoil your date."
Angad shrugged. "Its no formal date...we just happened to have a common time for lunch today...so we're meeting up...I'm sure she'll let you know what's with the sudden change in Riddhima..."
Hey guys. That was the part. I just have something to say to all those people who PMed me asking for either More AR Parts or More AK Parts...I'm sorry but I cant do that. I'm already trying to find a balance so that I show both couples equally. I tried doing the One part for AR and one part for AK but apparently its not working...some readers dont like it that way...so I will just make each part about half AR and half AK. But I would like to request to you guys to be patient with me. Its the first time I'm writing a fic with 2 main couples so I still need to figure out the balance. For now, I hope you liked this part.
Love,
Katie
CID
41