? Fourteen
Kripa wasn't sure if she wanted to go confront Angad peacefully, with a nice, quite smile on her face or raging with anger. She decided the first one was better since she had guests downstairs. Then again, this entire thing could wait. But she couldn't, she realized and twisted the ring on her finger. Maybe she was being foolish, she mused and sat down on her bed.
Frowning, she looked at the closed door of the bathroom and heard the water still running. He never took this long to shower in the middle of the day. There had to be something on his mind, she decided and angry again, got up to pace the room. He had gone out on errands, she decided, not on a lunch with a client. If he had she would shouldn't questioned. Some women were known to clung. Specially when a man was as sexy as Angad. Her face split in a grin. Oh, yeah he was sexy.
And he's all mine, she thought, rubbing a hand on her heart. All mine, and to keep.
Come back on track, Kripa, she told herself as the door opened and Angad waked out whistling, wearing a few lazy drops of water on his chest and shoulders and a towel swinging around his hips. And, man she had nearly forgotten that her husband had one heck of a body to compliment that one heck of a face. She wiped the dreamy look of her face when she caught him grinning at her in that I-know-all look.
Well, she wasn't going to give him an inch, she decided suddenly. He could come crawling after her when ever he wanted. She was going to be sweet and wifely and not even hint that she was suspecting him anymore. She smoothed a hand down her soft skirt and linked her hands at her back. Man, she wised could punch him to take that look of his face. Damn him, he was making her giddy just with that lusty look on his face. Sighing inwardly, heart and head spinning, she smiled. It almost passed as a shy smile. Well, good for her she had been on stage before.
"Angad. You missed lunch, honey." In a wifely manner she picked up his coat and smoothed it out. She just needed to keep her hands busy. It had been sometime since she had picked-up after Angad.
Noticing the calm, he was forced to panic just a little. He rather her yelling than this calm. "Ah, I had to run by the office and make-up a few meets. I'm trying to wrap thing up as Hope is getting better." Turning away from her, he tugged on his jeans and set the towel to dry on the rack. When he turned back to look at his wife, she was looking at him with cold eyes. He ambled to the mirror and combed his damp hair.
Kripa closed her eyes and took a breath. She trusted him, she realized. She knew he would never lie to her. She tossed the coat away and went to wrap her arms around his waist. Because he didn't turn around to hold her back she pressed her lips between his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Angad." When he didn't turn still, she rounded and stood in front of him. "If you rather I hold a grudge, I could do that just as easily. I'm sorry." She said again. "You smelled like a woman had been all over you, and I guess I was a little jealous." She pressed a finger at the center of his chest and frowned looking at the muscles there.
"I… I'm sorry."
"So you were with your girlfriend." Dramatically, she lifted her hands to her breasts and pressed. "My, God, I knew it." Still pretending to be so devastated, she wiped a fake tear from her lash. "I better go let Hope know we're separating. Come on, Angad!" Kripa threw her hands up. "What's wrong, honey? Is something bothering you at work? Why don't you tell me?" She combed his hair back. "Did you have a hard time with a client?"
He yanked her hard against him and crushed his mouth to hers. Exasperated, instantly aroused, feeling needy, she threw her arms up, made a muffled noise against his mouth as he shifted her and took the kiss deeper. After rolling her still open eyes, she closed them and threw her arms around Angad. His shoulders were still a little damp from the bath and his body was burning from heat and desire. She moaned and forced her face away from his. Her stomach was a tied in knots which were a mix of lust, longing, and love. She sucked her breath in and let it out as they stared at each other. "What," she asked at last, "was that for?"
He cupped her face, slid it down her neck and cupped her shoulders to bring her closer. "I love you."
"Oh. Oh. Well." He said it so quietly, with such gentleness and so much passion at the same time, she felt baffled. She didn't know what she wanted to do or say. She lifted herself on her toes and kissed his mouth, long, slow, sweet. "What's the matter, love?"
"Nothing. You go down, I'll be along in a minute." He kissed her forehead. "I love you, Kripa. Please trust me."
"I do. Love you and trust you. I'm sorry I was nasty a few minutes ago." She kissed him one final time and then left the room. "Downstairs in in five minutes."
"Yeah." He walked into the bathroom and splashed his face with cold water. And stared at himself into the mirror.
"So where did Angad and Kripa go?" Tia asked.
"I think Angad's in trouble." He grinned at her. "It'll be fun to see." He lifted Hope into his lap again. "So, how often does Kripa bash Angad's head?" He asked.
Hope giggled at the word "bash." "Never. They never bash each other. Except Dad made Mum cry. Like really cry the other day and them Mum left the house for a week. Now they are fine." Hope said fiddling with Adi's fingers. "Dad even kissed Mum when she came back. Like for the first time ever."
Adi looked at Tia. Concern in both their eyes. Before either one of them could ask Hope anything, Kripa was walking back. Her mouth a little swollen from Angad's. "Is she still infected?"
"No." Adi let Hope leave him to go to her mother. "She's fine. Those nasty dots will be gone too in a few days. She's fit and fine. She can even go the beach."
"Yeah!" Hope sat down in her mother's lap. "I have a date on Saturday, Mum."
"What? What?" That came from a shocked Angad, who fumbled with the buttons of his shirt.
Hope giggled. "With Adi Mamu. He's said we can go to the movies and then have dinner. And you're not invited Daddy. I'm mad at you!" She gave him a look that was so much like the Kripa had given him earlier he nearly, very nearly trembled. Hope turned to Adi and Tia.
"What movie are we watching? Transformers just came out. Can we go watch it? Can Tia Bua come with us?"
"If she wants." Adi said giving Hope a grin.
"How about Mum? We can leave Dad at home to brood."
"But it's our date," Adi remained her and kissed her soundly. "I guess we could get married and leave Angad behind to brood."
"I don't brood." Angad said in his defense. He shot Hope a hot look. "Who told you I brood?" When Hope stabbed her finger at her mother, he growled at her. "Hope do you know what brood even means?"
"It doesn't sound like a smart thing," she told him. "Daddy, I'm mad at you. And, I don't want to talk with you. I like Adi Mamu better. He even brought me chocolate. And, Tia Bua and Adi Mamu kissed me. You haven't even done that!"
"Oh, yeah?" He hauled her daughter into his arms and gave her quickly, sloppy, wet kisses all over her face. "Do you want more kisses?" He asked when Hope began to giggle and started to push his face away. "Of course you do!" Energized, he kissed her all over again until Hope had both her hands slapped on his mouth and was laughing so hard Tia was sure the girl would break a few ribs. "More?" He mumbled against her tiny hands.
"No." She rested her head on his shoulder, her tiny arms around his neck. "I'm still mad at you."
"Yeah, right. You and your mother," he mumbled and looked at Tia. Held out another arm for her. Adi watched Tia slip into it and Angad kiss her hair even as Hope continued to mumble to him. He kept the conversation going and kept Tia against him, comforting without speaking.
"Tea time." Kripa announced when she came back outside.
"I have to go. I have an appointment with a lawyer at three." She gave Angad's shoulder and light squeeze. "I'll tell you later." She looked at Adi. "I'm going to need a ride."
"Of course."
"Oh, Angad. Natasha is coming back."
Excitement lit his face. "Oh, wow! When?"
"Nine days." She reached over and kissed both Angad and Hope, then Kripa. "I'll see you, later."
Adi leaned over and kissed Hope. "We have a date Saturday, beautiful. You better be ready." And, as sorry as he felt, he knew it would be time to pry about Angad and Kripa. "Leave the brooding man at home." He winked and earned a punch from Angad.
Hope giggled. "I love you." She reached over and kissed Adi. "Bye."
"Bye." He said his byes to Kripa and then walked away.
There was a awkward silence in the room with Hope began to fall asleep on Angad's shoulder. Kripa frowned at him and reached over and kissed his mouth. "Are you mad at me?" She poked out her lower lip like Hope did sometimes in front of him.
He cupped his hand behind her neck and brought her closer. "I'm in love with you, honey." With one arm around Hope he drew his wife to his other side and kissed her head. "I'll help you cook as soon as we put Hope down. And, we'll decide how we want to spend our anniversary."
?
After dinner, while Kripa sat in bed reading, Angad was downstairs frantically finding his cell phone. After a long debate over the stove, they had decided to leave the anniversary on Angad. He claimed he had a huge surprise. Well, she'd humor him she thought and grinned as she looked away from the words of her book and towards the fire glowing in the fireplace of her bedroom. It had been long since Angad had lit fire in the room. Kripa put the book away and went to kneel down in front of the fire. Hope was sleeping in her own room. Kripa had asked if she really wanted to and Hope had said that she wanted to. Her daughter, Kripa realized with a pang of pain, was growing up.
She stared into the fire. She remembered the time she hadn't wanted children. Then she remembered meeting Angad and the night they had made love. Made Hope. With a soft smile curving her lips, Kripa touched her stomach. She wanted, she realized with a twist in her heart, to feel another child in there. She wanted to sit at night and rub oil over her large belly. She wanted to lay on the bed in the hospital and watch the baby grow. She wanted to lay in bed at home while Angad made love to her and her baby. Their baby. She wanted, so badly, to watch delight cross Angad's face every time he spread his hands over her stomach and felt their child move. To pressed his lips there. She closed her eyes. He hadn't nagged her about her favorite perfume or her favorite movie lately. Maybe she was being too strict.
Getting up and walked to the closet and changed from the simple cotton pajamas and an over sized shirt into a black silk gown with the neck line made of lace, the straps thread thin. And nothing else. She dabbed perfume, just a hint of it over her wrists and the sides of her neck. She tied her hair back. As she did, she could remember they way he had let then down last time, the only time, they had been together.
She found candles stocked away in the small storage and brought them back and lit them around the room. Turning around once she had lit them, she turned off the monitor at her bedside where Hope's breathing came evenly. She would sleep throughout the night. Her medicines would allow her that peace finally. She pressed her hand to her racing heart and went to fix the slightly rumpled bed and turned it down.
There was no point in making him wait. Making herself wait for the love they were both craving for. Because she wanted the fire to warm the room while the window was open, she added a few more logs and warmed her hands.
Leaving the door slightly open she went back and walked to the window the open the curtains so the moonlight could light the areas of the room that were still unlit.
The ringing phone had her groaning and mumbling and cursing the person on the other side. It was ten-thirty. Who could it be? When the phone kept ringing, she finally decided to pick it up and give the damn person a piece of her mind for disturbing such a special moment. Such an important one. Oh, how Hope would be thrilled, Kripa thought moving to the phone, if Kripa and Angad could give her a little brother or another sister. She'd not stop jumping in joy.
In dreamland, she sat at the edge of her bed and picked up the still ringing phone. Someone was going to die.
"Hello."
"Hi." The voice sounded so familiar. "Kripa? This is Pooja. Angad left his phone at my place this morning. I just found it in my room and I was sure he was going crazy about it. He could never live without his phone. I'm sorry I disturbed so late at night. I hope you weren't sleeping. I was just…" Kripa put the phone down, her eyes full of shock, and fury, and pain. She glanced at the setting of her room and ran a hand down the silk of her dress. The door was still open when she began peeling it off her body herself. Leaving the dress pooled at the side of her bed, she went and changed into the cotton again. What had she been thinking? It was only her dreams where Angad would love her so much. Once her hair were down again, the pins she'd used to coil them spread on the floor, she looked at herself in the mirror. Things didn't change so quickly. They weren't going to now.
Angad stormed into the room. "Have you seen my phone, I can't find it?"
"Pooja found it in her bedroom." Kripa managed out of her dry throat. "She just called." Determined not to weep she went to the bed and picked up a pillow and the quilt she had turned down for herself and Angad.
"Kripa, I can explain."
She stopped at the door. The candles glowing against her hair, her back. "I wouldn't have been angry if you would have just told me you went to see her, Angad. I'm hurt that you lied to me and then said you loved me. That I should trust you. I don't know if I could ever trust you again. Good night." She closed the door and her back quietly and walked away.
Angad took the time to glance around the room and cursed himself. He knew he should have told her to begin with. He should have let her know that he had gone to see Pooja. Still curing himself, he blew around the candles out. He picked up the black silk that she had left on the floor and shook his head. Tossing it on the bed he went to find her.
She wasn't in Hope's room, she was sleeping on the sofa in the living room, nor was she in any of the other bedroom. Finally he opened the door of her art room and found her sleeping on the small sofa across the room. He crossed to her and knelt down beside the sofa.
"Kripa, I'm sorry." He brushed her hair off her cheeks and felt the skin there wet. Feeling guilty, he closed his eyes. Then he turned her face and found her sleeping. Swamped with guilt, he kissed her wet cheeks and then her forehead. Then lowered his to hers. "I would never cheat you, Kripa." He only wished she was still awake.
?
Kripa had quietly slipped out of her house while Angad and been busy giving Hope a bath. She didn't want to be with him at home with him. She didn't know what she wanted. Slowly, she backed the car out of the drive way and decided she could go and see her parents. It would give them time to be away from Angad. Plus, she hadn't been back to see them for a very long time. They'd been nice to her when she had been on the verge of leave Angad alone. But they had been there that time and helped her through it. She couldn't remember a time where she had slid into bed to sleep with her father before. That night she knew he had lain away beside her and stroked her hair, patted her head like he would a child's, and let her know she would be safe beside him.
Amit Kapoor had been the first man in her life, the first love of her life. And, she still loved him today like she loved no one else. After her father, Adi had been special, followed, very briefly she had allowed Wane to be in the list. He wasn't there, she thought as she changed lanes carefully. And, after her bother and father she had given the love, the trust, to Angad. He had broken that trust. He might not have meant to, and she understood that, but he had nevertheless.
At the red light, Kripa closed her eyes briefly. She had been so hurt when Pooja had told her that Angad had left his phone in her bedroom. If Pooja had called a few minutes later, maybe Angad would have been making love to her. What would have she done then? Pushed him away and yelled at him? Oh, God. She couldn't have. She knew she was tremendously hurt. Kripa stepped out of her car and walked to her parents doors, shoulders sagging. Maybe she should have let him explain, she thought a second time. He should have told her in the morning, she decided stiffly.
The door opened and she received the pleasure to see Amit's face light up as he drew her into the house and gave her a long, bone crushing hug.
"Kripa! It's so good to see you!" He kissed the top of her head before he began firing her with questions. "How's Hope? Are her chicken-pox better? Is Angad still bothering you? Did you have breakfast?"
"Dad!" Chuckling, she pulled away and kissed him firmly on the mouth. "Hope is fine and no longer infected. Angad is still bothering me. And, yes I did have breakfast."
Amit chuckled and swung his arm around her shoulder. "I was in the middle of mine. Your Mum's in the kitchen."
"It's a new dynamic, knowing Mum is spending her time in the kitchen. I don't remember her cooking as a child."
"We missed out on a lot." He mumbled and kissed her head, as they turned into the kitchen.
"Kripa!" Jaya was enveloping her in a hug before Kripa could reply to what Amit had said. "It's so good to see you. Sit down and have breakfast." Not wanting to disappoint her mother, she sat down on the small squared table beside her father and frowned at the plate of food Jaya put in front of her. Jaya looked at Amit, with a cocked eyebrow. "How's Hope?" Jaya asked and sat down on the corner beside Amit.
"She's okay. She's not contagious anymore." She sipped her coffee and smiled at her mother. "How are you?"
"Good." So something was bugging her, Jaya concluded once Kripa simply smiled and looked down at her food again. Even as a child, she couldn't eat while she was upset. "And, Angad?"
"Okay. Busy. The same," Kripa added after a moment.
Jaya shook her head. "Kripa, honey, what's wrong?"
She shrunk back in her chair and frowned. "I feel so horrible. Last time I came to see you it was because I was in a fix. I forget about you and come back and I am still in trouble."
"Well, then you better get up and leave my house now, Kripa. I don't care about your problems." Annoyed with her daughter, she took Amit's empty plate and hers to the sink. She poured Amit another glass of juice before she sat again. "Why don't you cut the nonsense and tell me what's wrong?"
Amit huffed. "Don't mind your mother," he said and patted Kripa's hand. "She's lacking a heart at the moment. Tell us what's wrong honey. If it's Angad Khanna again, he's not going to live to see another full day."
Kripa sighed and shook her head. "Okay. He used to love someone before we got married and-"
"He cheated on his ex-girlfriend with you? I'm going to skin him alive." With shock and murder in his eyes, Amit began to push away when Kripa tugged on his arm.
"No, Dad. Just listen to me first, would you?" Annoyed with her father she gave him a brisk look. Either the man was completely aloof or over protective. "She got married behind his back. She was married for nearly a year when, ah… I got pregnant. And, now she is back and divorced. Her husband died about six months after she was divorced. She has two children and according to her, she should have given them, her and Angad, another chance. Yesterday, Angad told me he was gone to run some errands. Well, when I asked him what took him so long, he said he got hung-up with things at his office and what not. Well later on," while I was thinking about making love with him, she added to herself. "Later on, Pooja called and told me that Angad had left his phone in her bedroom."
Annoyed, angry with Angad, a little hurt, she pushed back and paced the kitchen for a few minutes. When she turned around, her parents were patiently watching her. "He even told me he loves me and that I should trust him just that morning. And, then he even kissed me!"
"More than necessary." Amit added with a grin.
Kripa narrowed her eyes. "I should have gone to Emma. In fact I'm going to do just that."
"Well," Amit grabbed her hand when she brushed by him and pulled her back to the chair. "If it makes you feel better, I was just about to start talking your mother into bed."
"Amit!" Flustered, Jaya pressed her hands to her mouth and tried not to laugh. "You were not, and for God's sake she is your daughter. Have some shame."
And, of course that was a lie, but it gave him the pleasure to watch Kripa's blush, then laugh.
"For God's sake, Dad! That was more than necessary." But she reached over and curled her fingers around her mother and father's hands. "I love you both. And, I'm happy for you. I'll go. And, then you can… get on with your thing." Kripa and Amit looked at Jaya when she giggled.
"Sorry, this is just awkward. Kripa, did you ever wonder why your father and I drifted apart?" She asked and sandwiched Kripa's hand in both of hers.
"Jaya, she doesn't need to know that." Amit said just a little irritated.
"Shut-up, Amit." Jaya watched Kripa's amused face. "It was a few years after Adi and Tia were born, we were so absorbed with the empire, in building it, that we were ignoring you and each other. We loved each other," she said and Kripa watched her take one hand away from hers and link it with her fathers. "That just never changed. And, it's important for you to know that."
"Jaya really…" He closed his mouth at the sharp look she sent him.
"To cut it short, I was cheating on him."
"Now, that's a lie. She wasn't." Angry, Amit took his hand away and stood up to pace like Kripa had only moment ago. "She just thought she was." He shoved his hands through his hair. "It's not fair to say that. It makes her sound heartless. She's anything but."
Amused, Kripa looked at her mother. "Go on."
"Kripa, for God's sake." Flustered he went to sit down again and took Jaya's hand. "It's not important."
"Yes, it is." Jaya looked back at Kripa. "We were so engrossed with our own lives. And, I met this interesting man and got carried away."
"You were never physical," Amit said helplessly. "You just had a few dinners with him. Maybe kissed him," he said a little fired up. "But that's beyond the point."
"Amit, if you don't shut-up, I'll hit your head with a skillet. No I never slept with him and I don't remember if I ever kissed him. The point is it happened because neither Amit nor I were paying attention to each other. That's what you are doing with Angad. And he with you."
"He's not cheating me." She frowned and just hoped she was right.
"Then, what's her name-"
"Pooja."
"Pooja, might tempt him." Jaya said.
"I'm going." Amit pushed back and annoyed, left the kitchen.
Jaya shook her head and at the same time, squeezed Kripa's fingers. "When was the last time you let Angad get close to you, Kripa?"
"He's close to me," she said helplessly.
"Fine, we'll be straight." She leaned back and crossed her arms. "When was the last time Angad and you made love?"
Not was uncomfortable as she thought she would be, Kripa frowned. "When Hope happened. A lifetime ago. In fact I was just lighting candles last night when Pooja called."
"Oh, honey." Understand what that might have felt like, she squeezed her hand. "You need to talk to him."
"That's the problem. He won't talk to me. We avoided each other at breakfast."
"You'll figure it out. Now, I want you to come over, with Angad and Hope for your anniversary. I wanted to give you a small dinner."
"Oh, Mum." Rising Kripa went to embrace her mother. "I love you."
"I love you, too. Go see your Dad, I'll be right out."
Amit was sitting outside on the steps with a cigarette in his mouth. Kripa smiled and went to sit down beside him. "Hi, Dad."
"Hi." He crushed the cigarette out, tossed it away. "Are you guys done?"
"Yes." She turned his face to hers and kissed him on his cheeks. "Daddy, I love you. It doesn't matter what you did, or what you didn't do I never stopped loving you."
"I love you, too." He wrapped his arms around her daughter. "And, I want you to understand that your mother made a big deal out of the issue."
"I'm sure." She said and clung for just another moment. "I'm sure she did."
Much after Kripa was gone, Amit sat outside thinking about what Jaya had told Kripa. He had been angry for sometime, but then he had weighed the possibilities and had figured it had been his fault that Jaya had faltered.
"What are you thinking, Amit." Sighing, she sat down beside him and found his hand to link fingers.
"I was thinking about what you told Kripa. And, how much of it was true." He looked at her and thought how beautiful she was. And, wondered why he had been such a fool for so long.
"All of it was true. Get up and lets walk." She was quite for sometime before she spoke again. "I did cheat on your, Amit. It doesn't matter what you think."
He shook his head. "I think it was a trial period," he said and raised her hand to his lips. "I love you, Jaya. Every time I say it, I realize how many more time I should have told you." He left her hand only to take her face into his hands. "Every time I tell you, or kiss you, or love you I realize how many more times I should have done that."
"I don't get it," she turned her face and kissed his palm.
"I don't want you to think you cheated on me. You didn't do that. You weren't happy with me, emotionally and physically."
"So that gave me the write to go out and search it with someone else?" She shot back, angry with herself more than him. With him for being unreasonable.
"You didn't go out to search it with someone else." Calmly, he took her shoulders again. "You said you still loved me."
"I always loved you, Amit. Always. But it doesn't change the mistake I made. You never went out and had yourself an affair because I wasn't being fair."
"Okay." Eyes narrowed he looked at her. "I have an idea, I'll go find a sexy woman and have myself an affair. It would be perfect. Then we'll both we equal."
"Don't be ridiculous, Amit." Disgusted, she frowned at him.
"I will be until you will be." He caught her in a hard, brief kiss. "Now don't think about that."
"I normally don't." She wound her arms around him and tipped her head back, offering. "Why don't you try that again?"
Amit chuckled and lowered his mouth to hers again. "I'd be more than glad to do that." Jaya sighed and kissed him back, pouring all he had into the kiss.
?
Adi wasn't sure if he was being foolish or if he simply needed to see Tia. He had his little date with Hope and he had called her to make sure she was ready. Oddly, she had asked if he could bring Tia with her. While at first he had been utterly shocked, now he was simply excited. Maybe he was taking advantage, he mused as he simply sat staring at her house from his car. And, maybe he was only making her happy.
He could only wonder what she was doing in there right then. What if she didn't want to go with him? Sighing he rested his head against the seat. How was a man so madly in love supposed to deal with the fact that the woman he loved could never be his? That he would just have to find someone else because she wouldn't accept him as her lover, her husband in her life.
It was so painful, it tore him apart to think about it. He had never been jealous of Jay for having Tia. After all he had fallen in love with her months after she had been married to Jay. And, he'd even thought them a very cute couple in the beginning, when he had been fooling around with other women. At that point in his life he had thought it would be all fun and games. He was never supposed to fall in love, Adi mused as he watched her silhouette from her the closed curtains on her bedroom windows. He wondered what it must look like now that she didn't share it with Jay and just lived by herself. He wondered how she felt to come in everyday alone and know that Jay would never be there.
Probably the way he walked into his empty, five bedroom house and forced himself to admit that she would never be there with him to share with him. But, he could only imagine how much deeper her pain must be. She had lived with this man for nearly a decade and then he had walked away. Had lived with him, loved him, told him her feeling on a daily basis. He had shared very little of that with her. She talked to him, but she didn't tell him everything.
Quite brooding, Adi ordered himself. How do you think you'll help her if you begin going into depression. Oh, but he couldn't help but brood.
He got out of his car and slammed the door shut. Well, they'll just deal it with, wouldn't they? And, then he loved her truly. And, if there was more happiness in her life, he was sure God would pick him to give it her. Maybe that's why Jay had met with that accident.
He cursed himself for being in sensitive and rang the bell.
Tia frowned and wondered who it could be at six-thirty on a Saturday evening. Bushing her hair off her face, went to open the door. She had been planning on a quite dinner, a nice glass of wine, and an old romantic movie. It would be easy and she was sure it would have taken her mind off of other things she didn't want to think about. Including the couple that was coming in tomorrow to see the house. She was going to see it fully furnished, taking a few things that were very important to her. And, then she was going to live in a small two bedroom apartment on Oxford Street and not have to want to weep every time she turned a corner and though of some intimate moment she had shared with Jay. She wouldn't have to sleep in the center on the bed and think about all the times the spoke of their baby. She wouldn't smile every time she thought of the times they made love, followed by a episode of weeping while she lay alone in bed in his robe, hoping his smell would never leave it.
She knew that one day all his cloths would be tattered and his scent would be gone from them long before.
Shaking her head, she took a deep breath and opened the door. Adi stood in front of her in a fitted black t-shirt and jeans. His hair, so much like her fathers, were falling on his forehead, curling over his ear, and over his neck.
"Adi?" She smiled at him. "What are you doing here? Come in."
"Thanks." He glanced the room and scents coming from the kitchen. He noticed the open bottle of wine sitting on the table, with a half empty with the same wine. "Did I disturb something?"
"What? Oh." She laughed. "I was indulging myself." She got another glass and poured him a glass and offered it. "Dinner?"
"No. I have a date, actually."
"Really?" Grinning she wiggled her eyebrows at him. "Whose the lucky lady?"
"My seven year old niece Hope." When he watched her face fall he chuckled. "Yeah. And you should be happy, I'm still very available." When she laughed at him, Adi simply watched. It wasn't everyday that she laughed these days. "She wanted you to come with us."
She stopped laughed and frowned. "Do you know your are her second love after Angad? She adores you. I don't think she wants to share her man with anyone else." She corked the wine and drained her glass. "You'd make a lovely father some day."
"Maybe." He said and watched her and rocked on his heels. "So are you coming?"
"No, Adi. You can go with her. Tell her I was sorry." She plucked his empty glass from his fingers and smiled at him. "Enjoy yourself."
"But, Tia- Hope will be disappointed." He frowned like Hope always does and made her laugh. "And, then she'll make me come back and get you. Gas is very expensive."
She chuckled again and patted his cheek. "Give me two minutes." She turned around and almost absently said, "check the windows and put the glasses and wine away. Two minutes," she said again and closed the door.
A little amused, he went around and closed the windows of the house, the lights, and then put the wine in the fridge. Because she was taking more time than she said, he even washed the glasses. And, he called Hope and told her to be ready.
She came back dressed in a white silk tunic with jeans and a snug jacket. "Sorry. Half my cloths are sitting in the laundry."
"Lazy, Tia." She mumbled, and kissed the side of her head.
"Adi." At his soft tone and careless gesture, she looked at him.
He turned her and looked at her. "Tia, I'm proud of you and the way you've held yourself together. You house was never shining and it still isn't. I was so happy to see you enjoying a glass of wine instead of brooding at home alone. I'm so happy that you didn't refuse to go out."
"Well." Flustered, she reached up and kissed his cheek. "I have my depressant moments." She assured him. "And, if it hadn't been for that mean lecture, I would have still been crying."
"Yeah, of course." He ruffled her hair and made her frown. "Lets go or Hope will have our heads."
"Let's go." She grabbed her keys and phone. "You're paying for whatever we do."
"Done." & nbsp; & nbsp;
?
Kripa wave as Hope drove away with Tia and Adi. Well, she thought and linked her hands together, now she was all alone at home with Angad. At least she could talk to him now. Or, she could try because he just refused to speak to her. It wasn't even her fault, for Gods sake. He had lied to her. She had only demanded the truth. And, she had tried to speak with him so many times, given him the chance to explain. She deserved an explanation to why he lied to her. To why his cell phone was in Pooja's bedroom.
She didn't care. She just didn't care what if was doing there, she just wanted to know why he asked her to trust him right after she'd finished lying to her.
She went inside and locked the door behind her. She went back to the kitchen and went back to making her pasta dinner. She was sure that Angad was going to brood by himself and all she could really do is enjoy her dinner alone. Nothing could have been better than a pasta dinner. Then she could work on her AP lessons plans. She had given them a summer assignment for the first time since she had begun teaching, in the hopes of that she wouldn't be cramming right before the AP test in May. She was planning to take fieldtrips to the Getty Museum and Villa after the trip. Activities she hadn't done before. And, of course she was still thinking about doing her own art exhibit again.
She transferred the hot pasta from the pan to her plate and set the dish in the sink and heard it sizzle when the cold water hit over it. She found herself a glass and poured herself a glass of wine. She juggled the three things and went outside to eat. It had been too long since she had sat in the quite of her house and had dinner. Once there had been a time when she had been alone and done nothing but shared meals with herself. Then it had been Angad. Now Hope, and recently Hope and Angad again. And, between the two of them she hadn't been able to sit in the solitude on her home and eat.
Even as she stabbed the her fork into the her pasta the door bell was ringing. Swearing, and ready to murder the person on the door she stood up and walked over.
Her face drained, as did her passion for murder, when she saw Pooja standing in front of her. "Pooja." Good manners had her smiling and she actually cursed her mother for it now. If she could, she would lift her fist and punch that pretty nose of hers. "Hi, come in."
"Thanks. Sorry, I was around and I still have Angad's phone." Pooja gave the house an approving glance and called it classic if it had to be described in one word. It didn't look like a child lived in it. In fact it was too quite. "Is Angad in?"
"Yes. Why don't you sit down, I'll call him. Would you like something? Coffee?"
"Sure." She smiled at Kripa.
"Okay. I'll get Angad and the coffee. Two minutes." The minute she was out of hearing distance Kripa began cursing and swearing at Pooja. The lady had no right to come here at seven at night to see Angad. She could have waited to give him damn phone back. Angry, ready to kill Angad, she shoved open his office doors and scowled at him.
"Kripa. Hi." He stood up. "I heard a door bell. Who was it?"
"Pooja, she's waiting for you downstairs. I told her you'd be down in two minutes." She beamed at him. "I'll bring out the coffee right away."
"Kripa." He reached for her and she slapped his hands away.
"Shut-up and don't you dare touch me! Now go downstairs."
"Yes." He watched her stride out and closed his eyes. He went down stairs and found Pooja sitting on the sofa, looking around. "Pooja? What are you doing here?"
She stood and grinned at him. God, he was still so handsome. Even in a pair of sweats and a fitted t-shirt. "I have your phone." She reached out and kissed both his cheeks. He returned the kiss as Kripa carted the coffee in. She gave him a killer look and smiled at Pooja.
"How do you like your coffee Pooja?" She asked as she knelt down beside Angad's feet to make the coffee.
"Black, one spoon of sugar." She smiled at Kripa then looked at Angad. "Where's your daughter?" Kripa's hand tightened on the spoon. She forced herself to relax.
"She's out with her uncle. You shouldn't have bothered coming. I would have stopped by, Pooja. I'm sure you had things to do."
Pooja waived her hand as she took her coffee, without acknowledging Kripa. "I was free enough. My kids are with Karan."
"How is he?" Angad asked.
Kripa narrowed her eyes. "Karan is your brother?" Kripa asked as she handed Angad his coffee. "Karan…" What was his last name? "Seth. Karan Seth. He's teaching art Oxford right?"
Amused, Pooja looked at her. "Yeah. He took over after Professor Thompson's place once he retired about four years ago."
"He was my four year senior, teachers assistant when I was taking first year art." Kripa sighed and shook her head. "I haven't seen him in more than ten years." Angad narrowed his eyes as his wife spoke of Karan with such affection. "How is he?" Kripa continued, unaware of the flame in Angad's eyes.
"He's good. Very much a bachelor and very cocky about his position at Oxford."
Kripa sighed. "I hope he either gets fired or retires early. I wanted that place. Let him know how much I hate him."
Pooja chuckled. "I will." Then she set her cup down and rose. "I should go. He's probably pulling his hair out by now." Casually, she brushed her cheeks with Kripa and then kissed Angad.
Amused by the look Angad gave Kripa, she turned to Pooja. "Say hello to him for me. I'll come by and see him sometime. Is he giving summer classes?"
"Oh, yeah. He's addicted."
Kripa chuckled at the way Pooja rolled her eyes. Whatever Pooja was, Kripa saw the look in her eyes and knew she loved her brother. "That's nice. Maybe I'll take the one session for fun."
"Sure. Bye." She smiled a final time and waved. When Kripa turned with a smile, Angad was frowning at her.
"Who is Karan?" He began following her as she went back to her dinner.
"Pooja's brother. We were friends." She didn't bother to add he was almost like a brother. That he had saved her from Wane when no one else could have. "You should know him." She picked up her plate and placed it in the microwave. "I mean you did go out with Pooja. You claim you loved her."
"Kripa." He grabbed her arm and spun her around. Pushed her against the microwave. "Don't play this game with me."
"I'm not playing a game with you," she returned hotly. "You're playing games with my life, Angad. Now leave me." But he pushed her back against the microwave again. "Angad," her tone was low and definite. "Leave me."
"No. You have to listen to me." He tightened his hand against her wrists. The microwave beeped behind her. "I went to Pooja's house because their family lawyer has retired and she wanted to talk to be about the will her husband had left behind. I wasn't there to catch-up for old times sake. I'm not cheating on you if you're thinking that."
"I'm not saying that you are. I won't say it never crossed my mind, however. But I trusted you and told myself it was the last thing I needed to worry about. I still don't think you're cheating on me. You didn't trust me. You never have. Not for the things that happened in your professional life, and never for the things in your personal life. I told you I wanted the right as your wife Angad. I'm not getting it emotionally yet. And, I won't take it physically first."
He loosened his grip on her wrists and laid his forehead on hers. "I'm sorry."
"I don't need your apology, Angad. Didn't I tell you that before? It always ends up to you saying sorry." She took her wrists away because his grip was loose enough. "And, until you can't trust me with yourself, I don't want you to touch me. And, Mum wants us over for dinner on Wednesday. I already said yes." She left her dinner and her husband in the kitchen. ;
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