Trust & Rust
She went home that night a much relaxed person after meeting Sharanbir, no he did not get her
to open up or confide or anything, but he proved to be a great distraction, the food brought back memories of home. He was wicked and funny to her
He said he was going to drop her off at a coffee shop and not at home and that their liaison was going to continue for the near future
He asked her for her cell phone number, and called her immediately to make sure she wasnt messing with him.
Dessert was an array of ice creams and cakes.
She did not run into Ashvin for days after that.
3 to be exact.
She was agonizing about Jayadev's lashing out until the kiss
After the kiss she was ridden with guilt over the kiss
She had spoken her mind the morning after to Ashvin and told him intimacy had no value in this relationship, and met Sharanbir for lunch
That evening onwards she hadnt seen Ashvin
She spent her days reading in a coffee shop
She picked a new one everyday
she didnt want to be home and get ambushed by Mrs Narang
She was afraid she was too candid about her opinion when Mr narang asked for it
Maybe it was impolite but... maybe it wasnt.
But every time she saw Mandira in the kitchen her opinion was crystallized some more
She was given fashion advice, she was asked to "protect her already gorgeous skin"
"not to study to much" "not eat eggs when it was so hot and muggy outside"
She had wondered about Organic Chem career prospects and and had worried about what she would do if it took a few more years to graduate.
Rao Anna texted her the 4th night to let her know the good news that he had heard from Aanu that "Trisha shud not have made such a big sacrifice. The restaurant is not more important than her"
She had broken down and cried and argued with Rao Anna "How is THIS good news"
"It is because he is thinking about what you did. The next step will be him doing something about what you presented to him"
"He may never do that Anna"
"Then you can come back as he wants you to" Rao Anna said sadly
"For what use, the restaurant will go bankrupt and this opportunity will be lost"
"Dont you have desires and emotions like young girls have?" "to go places with your husband? to have kids?" Rao Anna called her and pleaded
"When we make sales and I am able to return the money I can start my life" she promised
"You are naive and foolish. You have no understanding of business. Sixty lakhs? returning sixty lakhs in a small town like Ullal. Your father has not made that in his entire lifetime"
"From all this studying for 10 years your brain has been numbed my child. You plunged into this without asking anyone. Now two people who are very dear to me,
Prakash Anna and you are hurting so badly. Already he has lost a wife, and son has ran away... now you go and do this"
"I did it for him"
"But he is not even wanting such a big gift. A gift for him would be you coming to Ullal with your husband
and child. Pictures of grand babies on the restaurant wall like Sudama Opticals"
She whimpered
"Why is he in a hurry for that?"
"then why are you crying? You should not be crying if you are happy with your choice. That boy Jayadev is innocent and
foolish like you, things were so simple a month ago. We both would joke over how you will manage Prakash Anna's retirement with all the studying you two do"
"He is not talking to me. He hates me now"
"He is a country boy, you were the best thing in his life. These days boys are so cunning and evil. He respects your father every time he touched the feet"
she leaned on the headboard and sobbed
"Sixty lakhs Trishu... sixty lakhs.. when will Prakash earn so much profit and return and when will you come home? Will his family not want him to be married until then? To a girl he truly wants?"
"Anna"
"Sixty lakhs in profits means, he has to do 4 or 5 crores in sales, sales minus cost of goods is profit. You are thinking all sales is profit." Anna almost just realized that himself his voice shook in fear
"I want him to still do it" she was adamant
"Doing the right thing is not always the correct path"
"Nobody else was willing to give us a loan"
"What does that tell you? In this day and age everybody wants fast food and glitzy location and Prakash does not have the means to do that"
"This franchise will"
"At what cost my dear?"
They were silent for a long time
"It is better for all of us Prakash does not look at the binder. Though it breaks my heart, its OK if he returns it and you come back home. I will go talk with Jayadeva" he wept softly, "Trust me child"
"Anna... what a mess that will al be.. for what purpose?"
"A young person's life lesson my child, that purpose... thats the only purpose"
The next morning she sat in the balcony sipping her coffee the maid was cleaning her room
The sun hit her eyes, she turned the lever on the awning/shade to lower it down,
it snapped and the whole canvas sheet slid out of the rod, the rod beginning to hang precariously from the 10th floor.
She sprinted inside looking for Ashvin...
"Ashwin"
"ASHWINNN" she hollered
Mandira stepped out of the kitchen with her coffee curiously
"whatt?" Ashvin stepped out of his room buttoning his sleeve
"Umm.. the shade got unhooked" she panicked
"Trisha I have a meeting at 9 I am already late"
"PLEASEEE, please come look at it, that inside thing... that long pipe, its coming out and the shade slid out"
"I am going to ask the door man to do it"
"Ashwinnn" she demanded
"Fineee where is it" he shook his head
He pulled the awning back up and latched the pipe to the rivet, and spun it tight, "OK here is what you do Trisha"
he explained methodically, he made her do the band aid fix a couple times
"Not this way, the other way... Trishaaa" he scolded
"The other way for you is this way for me Ashwinn"
"really?"
"I mean say clockwise or counterclockwise no?" she offered
"Trisha I am not about to write a manual"
"Ash."
Cutting her off he waved his hand "Dont pull on this" "Dont turn it anti clockwise" "Dont try to retract the awning too far back" he instructed
"Dont go near it until its fixed" he finished
"What if the sun hits my eyes?" she demanded
"Turn the other way" he argued
"I cant see whats happening down below on the street"
"what do you want to look at ?"
"Just people" she said softly
"Come get me when you want to extend or retract" he said in a softer tone
"Thanks" she nodded
He was about to say something but noticed his Mom at the doorway of her room, he exchanged a meaningful glance at his so called wife
"You might have rust on your hand" she stopped him from touching his shirt sleeve
He turned "Thanks" and left her to wash his hand
Mandira did not like what she just sawđ
Edited by Nisha0604 - 8 years ago
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