The Red String Theory (Chapter 17 updated on page 59) - Page 12

As ever thank you for reading :)

Thank you for reading. Next update hopefully soon :)

Chapter 8: But then things changed.

Date: 8^th June 2014
Time: 2am
Place: The Honeymoon Suite, Marriott, Paris
Mood: apologetic

The lift pinged and the door opened;

"You know that is the first time since Sydney I've taken the lift." Nakusha spoke as she fumbled with the keys.

"You and me both. Why is it every time I meet you I add another thing to the list of things that scare me: the dark, tight spaces and now elevators."

"Don't blame me if you're such a scaredy cat."

They had reached the door now; Nakusha placed the key in the hole and turned it while adding;

"Home sweet home."

For a hotel that specialised in business meetings and conferences they had not left a romantic stone untouched. Below them, Naksuah found a trail of roses leading up to the bed, candles flickered in all directions, while red and pink dominated the colour scheme. Nakusha who had never been one for romance anyway couldn't help but screw her face, taking the card she'd been given with her keys, she slotted it into the space near the door so the lights switched on, she brushed past the roses quickly, clearly annoyed and blew out as many candles as she could, while Dutta watched her raising an eyebrow:

"What? They're a fire hazard, I don't intend on getting third degree burns on my first night here." Nakusha remarked rather defensively.

Dutta somewhat amused picked up the complementary champagne;

"Drink?"

Nakusha gave him a sour look;

"What? It's free," he said completely coolly;

"I'm still teetotal."

Dutta merely smiled his features softer.

"Ok." Nakusha began once she was satisfied her bed had not a single trace of any flower petals:

"I don't know about you but I'm starving. Room service?" She asked making her way over to the phone

"No thank you, I don't eat in the middle of the night."

"Who are you kidding?" Nakusha sneered;

"What?" Dutta questioned.

"You have a pot belly." Nakusha confirmed smirking.

"What?" Dutta looked a little offended as he inhaled sharply, sucking his gut in.

"Don't be embarrassed, I think it's kinda cute, especially since your wife seems to like it," She winked.

Dutta's face had changed, but Nakusha who had heard someone on the line ready to take her order hadn't noticed the visible change in expression, had she then perhaps she wouldn't have made her second mistake of the night.

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They munched their way though pizza while arguing what was the best they've ever had.

"Chicago." Nakusha announced.

"What? You need to try Italian. Trust me nothing can beat Pisa's pizza."

"I've never been Italy" Nakusha frowned.

"Really?" Dutta asked.

"I'd have thought Mr Obnoxious would have paraded you there."

Dutta instantly regretted what he said, it was too soon, and even he knew it. Didn't Nakusha literally just walk out of a six year relationship-on her wedding day? But Nakusha seemed completely unfazed as she continued munching;

"Ok, are you waiting for me to beg or what?"

"What are you on about, Ro-Nakusha?" Dutta had immediately stopped, recalling the very last time he had called her Rosie.

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"Don't use that name! You've lost all right to call me that." She had said her face hard and cruel.

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Even today two years later thinking about it, made Dutta shudder, however Nakusha who had been busy eating away, did not seem to have noticed-well either that or she was really good at hiding her feelings.

"Their pictures." Nakusha continued;

"Whose?"

"Blue Ivy Carter and North West." Nakusha mocked before she continued:

"Your kids pictures you idiot, who else?"

Dutta stopped eating. He didn't look up at her;

"I don't have any." He spoke as he took another bite.

"Pictures?"

"Children."

Nakusha's eyes grew in fascination.

"Seriously?"

Dutta merely nodded dismissing her shock.

"Kya? Are you telling me Mrs Patil didn't give you, your first born son?"

Nakusha knew Dutta was married, he wore a ring. But more than that, the last time they had met, their final meeting, it really was final in some sense as both she and Dutta were betrothed to others by then.

Nakusha who had laughed at her own comment, suddenly stopped when she noticed Dutta's expression. She had seen something flicker across his face. It was the same pain that she had seen when she had said those infamous last words to him two years ago:

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"I don't ever wish to meet you again."

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It still made her shudder; of course she hadn't meant it. If anything it was the last thing that she ever wanted to happen. But Dutta had truly stepped over the line that day. Perhaps Nakusha had done the same now, with her comment.

"Ok, at least tell me how Mrs Dutta Patil is doing, I'm surprised you've come on your own, she has summer holidays doesn't she?"

Dutta got up, placing his unfinished slice back in the box; he spoke without looking at her:

"I'm full, I'm going to bed."

"Wait Dutta," Naksuha called as she got off the bed, but Dutta had already placed his hand on the door knob. He paused and sighed, before he said in a low voice, his back still to Nakusha:

"She's not in my life anymore."

And with that he opened the door and slid through quickly not giving Nakusha a chance to react.

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Date: 20^th November 2011
Time: 7.30 p.m
Place: Dinner at Westberry Country House, Kent.
Mood: Wallflower

"The death toll has now reached five hundred and sixty-two," His father spoke matter of fact-ly,

"It's so sad isn't it; I remember the last time I was in Thai..." Nakusha began

"The BBC is saying that at least thirteen killed and nine hundred injured in Tahrir Square, it's..." his father continued not even having acknowledged Nakusha.

That was the third time that night Nakusha had been cut across by someone over at the dinner table.

The first time she had passed it off.

The second she had taken to sipping from her glass, as she realised that no-one had been listening to her anyway.

But this time, this time when his father bulldozed over her, it stung.

May be because it was clearly rude, may be because she felt as though she was already struggling to fit in. But mostly it was because Thailand would always be soft spot for her. She had been there all those years ago, during the Tsunami. She knew the dangers that lurked; she had witnessed the destruction and carnage. She knew what it felt like to be warned of an oncoming after-shock. She knew what it felt like to take care of the injured. She knew. Not his father, who had moved speedily through worldly affairs; from Thailand flooding, to Tahrir square protests to even USA and SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) yet each time as Nakusha spoke up she was cut off. It was though she wasn't even in the room.

It had all happened rather suddenly, now that she thought about it. It had been a few years since they were going strong, and in all that time he was yet to introduce her to his family. At first Nakusha didn't think much of it, not having a family of her own, she didn't really appreciate the importance. But then months, turned into a year, a year into two till finally she started to feel as though she was deliberately being kept in the dark.

She brought this up with him. But he didn't seem to pay attention. In fact now that she thought about, each time she tried to bring this topic up, he'd change the topic. Not necessarily because he was avoiding it, but mainly because although they talked, they never actually said anything. They saw each other, but never really looked at one another, and although they were dating, truth be told their lives could not be more separate.

It was true, they had been together for a while now, but the reality was they were still nothing more than strangers. This feat became all the more apparent three weeks ago when Nakusha reminded him for the umpteenth time that she didn't take sugar in her tea. (Dash of milk, no sugar-it wasn't really that hard but he always forgot.)

But then Friday night-two days ago-out of the blue he texted her at 10.30p.m, when she'd just gotten in from work (she stayed behind to fill in some paper work)

"Family dinner, Sunday. I'll pick you up 4.30."

It was though he had commanded her. He had been up in York for the past week or so; firm work. Yet in that time this was the first form of communication between them. Truthfully Nakusha hadn't even noticed. She was so busy with work that it hadn't struck her that it had already been a week since he left. That should have made her feel something. Maybe guilt, possibly some sense of sadness that they had not even missed each other, but she didn't. If anything she was apathetic.

But more than all of that, she didn't even get the chance to tell him that she couldn't attend, because she had already made other plans. That she and Leela were planning on driving to Cambridge's Centre for Stem Cell Research, where the recent synthetic windpipe transplant was being debated.

Of course the whole ordeal had attracted Nakusha's interest, although neurology would always be her area of expertise, Leela worked in Stem Cell Research and Nakusha felt privileged to be able to sit in on some of the work that was being conducted in Europe.

But of course he didn't even wait for Nakusha's response, (actually, Nakusha hadn't even told him of her alternate plans, she merely told Leela something had come up.) Of course Leela hadn't taken to that easily. In the end, Nakusha lied:

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"It's not his fault, I completely forgot L. We had this planned for ages. It's the only weekend his whole family will be together."

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Whether Leela had bought her excuse or not, wasn't a major concern for Nakusha because much too quickly Sunday had arrived and Nakusha couldn't help but wish that he still kept her in the dark about his family. Panic was setting in as she tried to remember names, but then it hit her; he never told her. She knew his parents lived in Kent, and that he had two sisters (one married) and a younger brother. But above and beyond that, she didn't know anything else.

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"Nakusha.."

"Huh?" Nakusha was pulled out of her thoughts as he called her:

"Coffee?" He gestured, as his sister (older or younger she couldn't tell truthfully they looked like twins) loomed over her head holding the pot.

"No thank you," She responded, smiling at his sister who had lost complete interest and walked off.

They were now sat in his parent's living room.

Floral.

That's the word. As Nakusha looked around that was the only word she could think of that would describe their home. From the sofa, to the curtains, from the tea cosy's to even the small rug everything was floral.

Truthfully it hurt Nakusha's eyes. She was feeling suffocated. May be it was the ambience; maybe it was the sickly smell of flowers, maybe it was the food, or the fact that she was still being ignored, but Nakusha was feeling suffocated. Nakusha was already feeling funny before she arrived. At first she thought it must have been the Tuna roll she had on the run at work on Friday, but it wasn't. She then logically assumed it was just nerves, nerves she hoped would have settled by now. But alas no.

Nakusha was about to be asked to be excused, to find the nearest bathroom, she didn't quite know what she would do in there but isn't the place where everyone escaped to when things go too much?

But instead just as she turned to ask him where the bathroom was she found someone had decided to speak to her directly.

It was his mother, she had already started speaking by the time Nakusha realised she had asked her something;

"...tells me you're an only child."

"Sorry?"

His mother looked at her, her face hard to read.

Nakusha now really wanted to exit the room. She was certain her cheeks had flushed somewhat.

"Mum's asking about your family." He said to her;

"I'm an only..."

"She's an only child mum..." He cut across her.

Answering for her while Nakusha just gaped at him:

"Her parents are dead." He finished.

"Well no." She spoke, a little too loudly.

"Pardon?" He asked,

"Your parents are de..." he began clarifying;

"My mother is dead; I don't know where my father is. For all I know he could be your neighbour."

She had meant it as a joke, she had figured if nothing else then maybe some humour could help ease the awkwardness, to break the ice so as to speak, but instead her sudden outburst had silenced the room.

Nakusha-ironically realised she now for the first time that night had everyone's undivided attention. She felt her cheeks redden deeply. She really needed to get out now; she quietly asked him where the bathroom was and left.

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If the living area was a floral eyesore then the bathroom was not much better. Full of potpourri and a number of various air fresheners the effect of which was an awful concoction of a sickly sweet smell. Nakusha found she felt queasier in here. Of course everything was sparkling clean. If anything Nakusha became anxious not to touch anything in case she tainted the cleanliness. She decided she had to do something. To put an end to any weird thoughts that may arise from the people outside, she decided the safest option was to flush the toilet and wash her hands. She was drying her hands when there was a knock on the door:

"It's me, you ok in there?" He asked her

"Yes, just coming out."

With a final satisfactory glance in the mirror she opened the door and stepped out.

"Mum's told me to give you a tour of the place, shall we?"

Nakusha merely nodded.

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"SO this is your room?" Nakusha teased, as she circled the room. Indeed it was a boy's room through and through;

"Yeah, mum's not changed it at all." He responded as he headed for his trophy cabinet

Nakusha followed him; he picked up a shield;

"1998, tennis championships," she read.

"Steady now Nadal." Nakusha laughed, placing the shield from his hand back on the shelf.

She moved along the row, there were plenty of trophies, certificates and other memento's to indicate-rather obnoxiously-how great of a sportsman, student and lawyer he was.

Nakusha was still looking when her eyes fell on something that made her laugh whole heartedly;

"And here I thought I was a hoarder, but your mum still kept your spelling bee cup?"

But Nakusha noticed she was alone in the room, he'd gone outside to tend to a phone call. It may have been the weekend, he may have been at his parents place for a family dinner, but he was still working. He was always working. At first it used to bother Nakusha, especially when they went out to eat and she would end up spending most of her time watching other people at the restaurants than talking to him, while he was busy tapping away on his phone: working. But eventually she got over it. If anything his constant working now became part of the routine.

Sighing Nakusha walked up towards his window, if nothing else it had to be said that his room definitely had the best view. Facing south, it oversaw the picturesque countryside perfectly.

"She fits the bill."

Naksuha had thought she heard something, moving closer to the window, she noticed it was open, there was someone sat below in the gardened terrace talking:

"Comes across as a geek though don't you think?"She heard a second voice.

Nakusha was about to turn away, for one she hated gossip but more than that, she realised it was his sisters, and if this dinner had brought anything to light then it was this: she didn't like them very much. They were pretentious and bluntly put: dumb. Like really dumb.

Yet just as Nakusha was about to turn around she stopped, she had heard her name:

"...weird name, Nakusha. I mean what does it even mean?"

Yes definitely they were talking about her.

"Yeah well it doesn't matter. Nor does her being a doctor. She's pretty that's all mum cares about." The first voice said

"She does have really pretty eyes, I've been trying to work out if they are real all night." The second voice amused

"And have you seen her skin? Although what is with the red cheeks, next you'll hear that she has a stupid nickname like ruby or rosie or summat." The first voice mocked

"Although I don't think so, Bhai would have mentioned it." The first voice reasoned.

"Well at least one thing is for sure, they'll certainly have beautiful babies. Clearly the trophy wife material." The second one finished.

In the distance Nakusha heard his mother call out to them,

"That's mum we better go back in, Nakusha's probably finished her tour of the house by now." There was some scrapping of chairs, which Nakusha assumed was them leaving.

Nakusha didn't have any time to register what she had overheard. All night she had assumed that they had not even acknowledged her. But as the conversation clearly indicated they had watched her closely. But before Nakusha could press on, he'd come back in and told her that mum was calling them down. They left together back towards the living room, were they had yet more to eat and discussed yet more politics. Nakusha was left lost in her own thought-not that anyone noticed or cared mind you.

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*I hope you enjoyed it, till next time folks ;) *

as ever thank you for reading :)

Chapter seven: Paint a pretty picture

Just one quick glance and all his senses firing in recognition. Must be some visceral reaction on his part...lub dub!

Oh haha this has happened to me too where I've gone to some expo and by the end up it I don't know how to retrace my steps LOL...so easy to do!

LMAO when does an elevator ever appear when you need it? Or function to a normal speed haha...

So their next meeting happens in an elevator...and how very amusing it is! I like that they're able to pick up right where they left off despite the time that's passed since the last meet.

You know personally, I get awkward with hugs...not a huggy family ours. I've only hugged my friends and trust me the first few times (as they are huggers) I was so like err uhhmm LOL ...but now I'm much more at ease, though I am still not one to initiate a hug...Anyway with them I liked that they just look at each other first...more said through their eyes than any gesture...and its like they're sort of just basking in the moment of being in one place together again...

When you feel alone even when amongst so many you should know then there is truly something lacking...and that she recognizes that in his presence should speak volumes...especially considering she does something she never does otherwise...a hug...and it was special...both of them feeling like that is where they need to be...it was a very sweet scene! I love their easy banter...freebies...I'd be there too if I'd known!

Ohh, Dutta's reaction to a faulty lift is easily expected after his encounter in Phuket and I'm glad you brought in that experiences like his don't leave you even if you move past it and live beyond it...it's still hovering in the back and bound to have left an impression and questions...

Now I'm intrigued, what's with the evading regarding a name...Rosie...hmm what's behind that?

Isn't it great that these two have absolutely no second thoughts about catching up and learning what they can about each other... and no qualms about pressing further especially when they sense there is more to it. They are discussing situations...explaining...listening...they have the makings for a great relationship in the future :P

I like how Nakusha gives Dutta a glimpse into a situation from another side. Of course, he was worried about himself...and rightly so, he didn't want to just say yes and his best option was to refuse and walk away but he probably never thought about it from Priya's perspective...and am glad she points it out...

Oh my...both getting hot trapped in an elevator and well things are starting to heat up for other reasons also ;)

Ahhh! So close yet so far! They would've kissed but where is the fun if they aren't interrupted? And of course who else is going to be the KMH? Poor Dutta...if there was a chance for him to test out a possibility of a relationship with her doesn't witnessing her being kissed by another man just throw a spanner in the middle...now all this has done is left them both confused...

Let's wait and see how events and paths turn for these two...they will meet again as we know...

Naila! Wonderful story you've got going. I don't have the right words to say how much I love it...but it's so very well written, flows smoothly, and leaves us hungry for more...it's a fantastic plot and is being carried out brilliantly :)

Will be back for Chapter 8 soon...
Take Care. Phir milenge chalte chalte...