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Ch. 7
Ever since their encounter in the conference room Milind and Prachi avoided each other like the plague for the next few days, speaking only when absolutely necessary. Baba and Sukriti sensed that something was amiss between the two, but were unsure how to approach either of them. Finally, Baba took the initiative and approached Prachi regarding the issue. It was just the two of them home that evening, as Milind had a late meeting, and Sukriti was out with her friends.
Walking up to her in the kitchen, Baba hesitated, unsure of where to begin. Prachi sensing his apprehension, asked, "kuch kaam tha Baba?"
"Yes, beta, I wanted to have a word with you…about Milind" He saw Prachi stiffen, but relax just as quickly, gesturing him to go on.
"Beta, kuch dino se main aur Sukriti dekh rahe hain…tumhare aur Milind ke beech…mera matlab hai, you two hardly speak to each other…and it's a tense, awkward sort of a silence….Tell me child, has something happened? Did he say anything to you?"
Prachi was touched at her father-in-laws concern. For a moment, she was transported back to a time where everything was right in her world, when her father was still alive, and able to sense Prachi's feelings without any words being exchanged. Gathering herself, Prachi answered, "Nothing of that sort, Baba…There's just been a lot of stress at work, that's all" It was as close to the truth as she could get.
Baba reached out a patted Prachi's head like he did when she was a child. He paused before speaking, "Beta…I know Milind is not an easy man to live with…believe me nearly 30 years with him have given me ample experience of how difficult he can be sometimes…but, child, he's not at all mean-spirited. Yes, he lets his temper get the better of him sometimes..." when Prachi raised her eyebrow, Baba chuckled and continued, "okay, most of the time…but dear, as time passes on you will get to see Milind for what he is…an honest man who is fiercely loyal to and protective of those that he loves and cares for…and child, you are now included in that category…I know both of you will have to make some compromises, but a marriage without compromises isn't really a marriage at all…not a successful one anyway…I hope you give time and patience to this beautiful bond to develop, and believe me, you will receive ten-fold of what you put in"
Prachi blindly nodded. A sudden dread gripped her heart. She felt like a fraud when she looked at her father-in-law, who did nothing but care for her like he cared for Sukriti, who wanted to fix her problems, and show her the right way if she ever gets lost. All he wanted was what was best for her and Milind. And yet here she was, lying through her teeth. Her whole existence had become a sham. How would she ever live with knowing that she betrayed the very people who loved her, whom she claimed to love? How could she?
Another thought assaulted her mind as she made dinner. Could this deception of a marriage ever amount to the real thing? Could her and Milind ever….? Prachi forced the thought out of her head as quickly as it had popped up, partially because she told herself to get a reality check…her marriage was a goddamn contract…but mostly because the thought of being Milind's wife in the truest sense, and the duties and rights associated with the titled made her heart flutter, and her pulse quicken.
Prachi thought over what her father-in-law said. If not husband and wife, the least they could do is become friends. But she knew Milind was an insufferable jerk, and would gladly go through Chinese water torture before striking up anything that remotely resembled camaraderie with her. She would just have to break the ice.
Milind returned home real late that night. The meeting had been over around dinner time, but he couldn't stand another awkward dinner with his family. He had driven around for a few hours, finally deciding to head back around midnight, when he was sure everyone would already be asleep. Especially Prachi.
Sharing the same room, the same bed with the person you could hardly stand was a real challenge, especially since Prachi looked so damn precious when she slept. He often stayed up late working, and when he retired to bed at night, he would find her fast asleep on her side of the bed. Her wavy tresses just asked for Milind to run his fingers through them, to see if they were indeed as silky as they looked; her skin, a light caramel looked deliciously lush, and in the serene manner in which she slept brought about a sense of calm within the ever anxious Milind. Sometimes, in those moments of serenity, he wondered what it would be like to really be married to Prachi, what it would be like to really love her. The rhythmic rise and fall of her chest made Milind want to lay his head down on her bosom, and let her heartbeats lull him into a deep slumber, a peaceful sleep that had evaded him for the past few weeks.
He had to physically shrug his thoughts away, as they traversed from being platonically innocuous to increasingly passionate. He mentally kicked himself for succumbing to his more primal feelings; he knew he didn't have a chance in hell with a woman like Prachi, and he wasn't about to let his emotions and hormones stand in the way of his success.
So he dragged himself into the house, surprised to find a dim light emanating from the dining room. He was even more shocked to find Prachi nodding off to sleep, at the dinner table, and two plates full of food. Some kind of strange warmth filled Milind as he took in the scene, instantly replaced by guilt. He had kept her waiting. She had missed dinner because of him. Not that he had known, but he couldn't help the feelings that hit him at the moment. He gently approached her, unsure of how to wake her up. Gently shaking her shoulder, he whispered in her ear. "Prachi…Prachi wake up." It took her a few moments, but when she finally opened her eyes, and looking at him with a mix of disorientation and vulnerability, his heart leapt at his throat. Goddamn, why did this woman do a number on his emotions like that?
With a silly grin plastered on her face, Prachi looked up at Milind. Royal blue was definitely his color. How could she find a man so devastatingly attractive and so terribly irritating at the same time? Realizing she was smiling like a moron, she stood up, suddenly unsure of what to do or say.
"I…uh…dozed off…I was just…um…dinner?" she asked a little pathetically. Milind looked at her for a few minutes, confused as hell. "Um…okay" he said, even though he'd already had his meal outside. They ate in silence, Prachi ravenous from waiting so long to eat, and Milind fiddling with his food, trying to give Prachi company, while asking himself the same question again and again: why was he having two dinners in one night?
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Okay guys, I know this story is moving at a snail's pace 🥱 but the next few updates should speed it up quite a bit...I'm looking to wrap this up in 15-20 parts, mostly because I'll just run out of things to write about😆 Soooo let me know what you think! :)
PS- Thank you soooooo much for all your kind words, I know i'm being horrible right now by not responding to them individually, but it's been a long day...you'll have to forgive me
