Part 5
Rishabh spent the next five minutes making calls. First he called Gupta, whose cell was unavailable. Then he called Prerna. "Mr Bajaj, I am in basu house. Really busy right now, call me later." She said and cut the phone. Rishabh called up Tushar and informed him that he was staying overnight at the farm house. and then he remembered about dinner.
He went to Niharika's room. The door was closed.
He knocked.
"Yes Rishabh?"
"Dinner is ready. Would you like some?"
"Oh thanks..sure. I'll be there in 5 minutes."
Rishabh's phone rang. International call. "I have to take this call, one of my managers from abroad..give me 15 minutes." Rishabh said and went to his room.
He finished the call and hurried down the stairs to the ground floor hall..and the view surprised him..the room was lit in scented candles..the dining table was properly set..two chairs..two plates..napkins..the wonderful spicy aroma of food was filling the air..Niharika was busy arranging the cutlery on the table...when she came here she was wearing a jeans and casual shirt..now she was wearing a peach colored chiffon saree..that made her look just more demure and innocent..delicate and worth protecting..
Rishabh shook his head. "You are a married man. You are not supposed to think these thoughts." he told himself.
Niharika looked up..Rishabh slowly came near her. She tried to look into his eyes..to see if he was angry or cool about the whole thing..but his gaze was so intense, she lowered her eyelids.
"Beautiful.." he whispered.
She looked up in surprise. He shrugged his shoulders and looked around ,appreciating the ambience.
"ohh.." she smiled.
"Well I had nothing better to do! and found the candle box in kitchen."
"Accha? So basically u did it for timepass. I thought u did it for me. But why would you do such sweet thing for me!" Rishabh retorted and then he himself could not believe what he had just said.
"Aisi baat nahi hai Rishabh.." Niharika was hurt by his sarcastic tone.
He noticed the pain in her voice. "Let's have dinner." He said. They finished the dinner quietly.
Rishabh got up after dinner, and went straight to his room. Niharika somehow stopped the tears that were about to gather in her eyes, and cleaned up the dining area. She was finicky about cleanliness.
Rishabh realised he forgot his cell in the hall, and came there to take it. Niharika had almost finished tidying up the kitchen and dining area. He felt he should have helped her. He saw the tears rolling down on her cheeks- damn it he hated to see her cry.
"Are you ok...are u crying?" He asked worriedly. She sensed the concern and affection in his voice, and that made her feel better. She wiped her face with the napkin. "No..I am fine. Thanks Rishabh."
"would u like some coffee?"
"Yeah..wait I'll make it.."
"no..u sit n relax..i'll make it."
Niharika smiled. Rishabh had no basic knowledge of cooking before. His wife must have taught him.
Niharika and Rishabh sat in the porch. There were two comfy soft chairs. Perfect!
"Nice coffee. Who taught you..your wife?"
Rishabh smiled. "No I learnt it myself."
Niharika looked at him..he sounded like a proud 10 yr old!
She searched his face..trying to understand his REAL feelings about her..but he was having that icy cold expression.
Finally she said- "You really hate me, don't you?" Her voice was wavering, trembling..
He looked at her in surprise.
"I know Rishabh...and it's ok..you have full right to hate me." She was determined not to cry..but she was on the verge of tears.
"I don't hate you." He said coldly.
"Aur waise bhi, ab kya karogi yeh jaankar ke main tumhare liye kya mehsoos karta hu..kya farq padta hai!"
"Aap theek keh rahe ho Rishabh. Lekin aaj hum itne saalon baat yun achanak mile hain..kyun na hum hamare rishte ki ek nayi shuruat karein..ek doosre ke dost bankar?"
Rishabh almost spilled his coffee on the floor upon hearing the word 'dost'. He looked at her-"Please don't use the word 'dost'."
Niharika was hurt. "So I am not good enough to even be your friend."
"Nahi.. aisi baat nahi hain. Alrite. We can be friends." Rishabh knew his defenses were falling one by one..She still had that hold over him..one round of tears , one sentence in sad voice, one look of sadness on her pretty face..and he was STILL getting all worked up like before.
She smiled. "Before we start our friendship, I want you to know my side of the story."
He took the empty cup from her, and kept both the cups aside. Being the cleanliness freak that she was, she picked up the cups and went inside.
He sat there alone, wondering what she meant by 'my side of the story'. What they once shared was their lovestory..there was nothing that one of them knew and the other didn't...
Prerna came home late at night. She had spent the whole day at Basu house dealing with Prem, and she was very happy. She retired to bed, when her phone rang.
"Guptaji, is waqt?"
"Prerna, Bajaj kahan hai?"
"Mr Bajaj.." Prerna looked around and realised that he was not in their bedroom.
"Apne study mein honge."
"Jara baat karwana"
Prerna got up reluctantly. She was so sleepy, and now this Gupta had to talk to Mr Bajaj at this hour...and he had called on her phone- so irritating...kya problem hai in logon ko.
Prerna went to the study, he was not there. Tushar was sitting there reading some book.
"Mr Bajaj kahan hai tushar? Gupta uncle wants to talk to him."
Tushar took the phone and said "Uncle, Dad ka phone aaya tha. Yeah he is fine- yeah staying in the farm house only. nahi riot to band ho gayi hai, lekin raasta block hai. Kal subah dad aa jayenge."
Prerna got worried now. She went to her room and called his number. It was not getting connected. She tried once again before sleeping, and surprisingly it got connected.
Rishabh was shocked to see Prerna's call.
"Haan Prerna..kya hua? sab theek to hai?"
"haan lekin aap kaise hain? Yeh riot.."
"Nothing serious Prerna. I am fine.."
"Oh good. To aap kal subah aa rahe hai?"
"Haan..wahan pe sab kaise hai? aur tum theek ho na?"
"Haan. Aaj maine prem ki party mein-" Prerna started telling him excitedly about how much fun she had with prem, panchin, mohini and veena in Basu house.
Rishabh heard Niharika's footsteps.
"Prerna..I am unable to hear you..network nahi mil rahi hai.." He disconnected the call.
Nihrika heard him saying this.
"Wait I'll get my cell.My network is full."
"Even my phone is getting full network."
"lekin abhi to aap ne kaha ke network nahi aa raha.."
Rishabh shrugged his shoulders. "I know I lied..lekin BOHOT bore ho raha tha us se baat karne mein." He switched is cell off and kept it aside.
There is something majorly wrong in his marriage...Niharika was almost certain now.
Rishabh looked at Niharika..she was lost in thoughts..for a while he just stared..she is just so pretty..
She looked at him. He quickly shifted his gaze to the road outside. Then he again looked at her and said- "Tum kuch keh rahi thi..."
"Kya?"
"You said I don't know your side of the story."
"Rishabh..we separated because of our immaturity and miscommunication. We were so young..and you know how it all went terribly wrong..I am not sure how much you remember but-"
"There. You again underestimate me. Why do you think I don't remember? Kya mera dil patthar ka bana hai? Mujhe dard ka ehsaas nahi hota? Maine tumse pyaar kiya tha- lekin tumne kabhi mujhe samazna jaruri nahi samza- damn it."
Rishah got up from his chair- his voice rising in irritation. Niharika got up too..her defenses were weaker than ever.."Rishabh.." she said with tears in her eyes..and her hand touched his arm..
Their eyes locked..
Prerna tried his number again-"the number you are trying to call, is switched off'" "shaayad battery down hai" she thought to herself. While pulling the blanket up, she wondered if she really heard a woman's voice just after mr bajaj said 'network nahi mil rahi hai'. But that's not possible-Mr Bajaj is alone in the farm house, that's what Tushar and Gupta said. She told herself that she must have been stressed out too much and just needed some rest.
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