Chapter 36
"Wow didi this is really good. Did you always cook this well or has the bland food at the school mess destroyed my taste buds totally?" Manav gushed, picking up a third parantha. Madhu glared in mock anger, but then just grinned. Cooking breakfast this Sunday morning felt like the most normal thing she had done in a long time.
"Your sister always cooks well, Manav" Rishabh smirked as he picked up another parantha as well and spoke honestly, wondering why he had never done that before all the other times when Madhu used to cook"...but today you've outdone yourself Madhu. I think I will have to fire Patil kaka for feeding me bad food all these years."
Madhu felt herself inexplicably blush a little at Rishabh's compliment. It felt weird to have him say something so openly nice about her. Now why would he do that and why was it affecting her like this? She quickly masked her awkwardness and retorted as she finally joined Manav and Rishabh on the dining table with a fresh batch of paranthas.
"What? Patil kaka is amazing and he cooks so well and takes care of you like a son. You're so ungrateful, Rishabhji."
"Didi I am going to finish the breakfast in front of the TV. The India-Australia test match is starting." Manav said as he stood up, to which Madhu simply nodded.
"You coming, Rishabh bhaiya?"
"You go. I have a few things to do. I will join you in half an hour." RK answered Manav who nodded excitedly and left the table.
After a couple of minutes, both Madhu and Rishabh spoke up at the same time.
"Madhu"
"Rishabhji"
"You first" said Rishabh said.
"I was wondering, how's the pain in your injuries? Should you not get checked out by another doctor?"
"It's okay. It's getting better. I will go next week and get the stitches removed. The cast is on another two weeks. But it's all ok, don't worry."
"If you don't mind, can I ask, how did you get so hurt?"
"Just an accident, I told you. I was trying to get home too quickly." Rishabh lied again, but he didn't want to go into the mess with the money and the situation with Sultan again. Nothing would come of it now and it was only going to hurt Madhu.
"I am sorry Rishabhji" Madhu said after a minute of silence.
"For what Madhu? It's not your fault."
"I mean I shouldn't have left before you came back that day, without informing you."
Rishabh shook his head "Madhu, didn't we decide last night that we are going to try and move ahead from the past? Forget about it. You're safe. You're here. That's all I want."
Madhu nodded, guilt still tugging at her as somewhere she felt she was responsible for Rishabh's accident. Watching him struggling to eat the paratha with one hand had reminded her of how much pain he had endured.
"Madhu? Are we good?" Rishabh asked, seeing her lost in thought.
"Yes Rishabhji" she replied, recovering.
"Why do you call me Rishabhji?"
"What?"
"I mean why Rishabh jiii. Should I also call you Madhuji?"
"Umm no."
"Then call me Rishabh. We are friends right? Equals. We are the same. If you call me Rishabh ji I am going to call you Madhu ji." He said with a smile and was relieved when a smile broke out on Madhu's face too.
He didn't like seeing her anxious and guilty. That's why he had decided not to tell her too much about the troubles he had gone through to find her and rescue her. He would tell her whatever she needed to know, of course - he didn't want to hide the truth from her, but he also didn't want to make her feel guilty or pained over what was essentially over and couldn't be changed.
"Okay, Rishabhji..I mean Rishabh"
"Good"
Rishabh smiled and nodded as he stood up from the breakfast table. After the previous night's conversation, Rishabh had woken up feeling lighter than he had in months. Yes, he didn't tell her how he really felt, but he no longer felt deeply anguished and they had basically agreed to be friends. This meant he now had a chance of really get to know her as well as let her get to know him. He knew she liked him and cared for him at least a little bit. Maybe, this friendship would give her a chance to see him in a new light and consider him when he finally confessed his feelings. Maybe, this friendship was just what they needed as a foundation to have a shot at a permanent relationship. And most importantly, if it never worked out and she would never want him in the future, at least he would have her friendship. Hell of a lot better than the emptiness a life entirely without her would be.
Rishabh emerged from his room after finishing his calls an hour later. He glanced at Madhu sitting in her room with an economics textbook and involuntarily smiled. He had sent the books over to her two days back. Manav was in the living room, glued to the television. An aura of peace and serenity hung over the house and Rishabh felt unreasonably happy. If there was such a thing as a perfect life, this right now was definitely at least a trailer of it. Smiling, he decided not to disturb Madhu and slipped next to Manav on the couch.
Madhu walked into the living room several hours later and saw Manav and Rishabh enjoying the match together, sharing a bowl of popcorn. Everyone had over-eaten at breakfast and therefore no one was hungry for lunch. Manav and Rishabh had been cheering and shouting in joy every now and then for hours. Madhu saw the easy, protective camaraderie shared between the two and felt a tug at her heart. She had always worried about Manav, but seeing her with Rishabh right now she felt certain that nobody could protect him and care for him more than that man, not even Madhu herself. He was almost like the father figure Manav had never had in his life and Madhu had come to understand that Manav had not just liked and trusted Rishabh upon meeting him, he actually instinctively respected him.
Seeing Madhu walk in, Rishabh looked up and smiled at her and for a second Madhu felt weak at her knees. She had never seen Rishabh smile so much and so easily before without an apparent reason and since this morning he had been doing exactly that. It was as if she'd met a whole new side of the man, someone totally far away from the angry, broken, hurt man she had first met several months ago. This Rishabh looked bright, happy and had a smile so alluring Madhu felt her breath get caught in her throat. Rishabh gestured Madhu to join them. She walked towards them and sat on the couch, but not too close, suddenly aware of the physical proximity.
At one level, it seemed insane. They had been together and physically intimate for over three months. In fact, she had abandoned all her physical and emotional inhibitions with him and done things she couldn't have ever imagined doing. But that was a different moment. It was about a different Rishabh and a different Madhu that night, wasn't it? She truly believed it was the last time she'd ever see him and the intensity of that anticipated loss had led her to want to covet what she had. For once, she wanted to feel alive. For once, she wanted to know what physical pleasure was actually like and what it meant to give yourself willingly to someone you truly cared for. She wanted to have that one night to create a physical memory strong enough to overpower all forced physical abuse that had preceded and was likely to follow after that night. She wanted to have one night where she was a woman and a lover, not a wh**e.
But now, suddenly, the darkness around her was gone and as the traces of her old true self began to return to her, she felt an incredible shyness. She looked at Rishabh, who was glancing at her and Manav every now and then while still watching the TV, and she felt an odd sort of attraction for him. His smile made him look all the more attractive. Yes, she had started to be physically attracted to him at some point a few weeks back. But in the changed context, the old attraction didn't seem meaningful and this new nervousness made her extremely self-conscious. Suddenly she worried what their new equation was going to be like. He said they were friends, but did he still expect to sleep with her? Some sort of a "friends with benefits" arrangement? No, that sounded cheap and Rishabh wouldn't want to cheapen their friendship. She wouldn't be comfortable with it and she trusted Rishabh to not force her or hurt her ever in her life.
"Catch it!" Manav screamed at the television. His arm accidentally hit the popcorn bowl sending a few pieces flying around.
Madhu wasn't paying attention until she felt Rishabh's hand brush her shoulder over the couch. Startled, she looked up and saw that Rishabh had casually extended his arm behind her. Then, to her inexplicable disappointment, he pulled it back and Madhu realized he was just picking up a piece of corn that had fallen behind her. Feeling strange and unnerved at this new awareness, Madhu shook her head and stood up, wanting to get some clear perspective. Rishabh and she were friends and could never be anything more than that.
"Madhu" Rishabh spoke out as soon as Madhu took a couple of steps away.
"Wait. I need to talk to you." He said as he stood himself and walked outside the house towards the lawn at the back, gesturing Madhu to follow and leaving Manav engrossed in the TV.
*****************
"I spoke to Tony earlier today." Rishabh said after a few minutes of silent walking around in the lawn. "He would not come after you any more. He has destroyed any pictures he had of you and would not trouble you or Manav in the future."
Rishabh had been relieved to have that conversation with him earlier in the day when he was reassured that Karan hadn't told him about Rishabh taking Madhu earlier than promised. He just told Tony he had picked up Mitasha himself this morning and was relieved when he didn't go back on his word and confirmed their earlier agreement about leaving her alone for good. He half-expected him to ask for more money but Tony said nothing. After that, he had spoken to his lawyer at length who had confirmed to him that the courts had accepted the fast track plea of his divorce and the final paperwork reflecting his divorces status would be released on Monday morning. The lawyer had also told him there had been no indications of any more threats from Dipali or anyone else. Sikander was still out of country and Dipali had moved in with Shenoy in Bangalore. Everything seemed to be settling for good.
Madhu silently looked at Rishabh for a few seconds before her eyes became moist with gratitude.
"Thank you Rishabh ji. I mean, thank you Rishabh." She corrected as she saw him frown.
"Madhu, I told you..."
"No Rishabh. You have to let me thank you from getting out of that hell. You have no idea the horror..."she said, choking on her words. Rishabh wiped the lone tear that spilled out on her cheek and gently held one of her shoulder.
"...Tony must have asked for a lot of money. I don't know if I will be ever able to fully pay you back but I promise I will work and..."Madhu continued, but Rishabh cut her off.
"Are you crazy, Madhu? Didn't I tell you last night there were no debts here? And besides, what does money even mean? I have plenty of money...all I have done is work hard and make money...and yet, what did money buy me?" Rishabh turned and walked a couple of steps away and continued to talk while looking in the distance. "I am the poorest man in the world. All my money did was take away the illusion of a family that I had. They didn't want me, they just wanted my money. The woman I worshiped all my life as my mother...all those relationships, everything just came down to worthless notes and coins. They just trapped me for money, ignoring every emotion, every shred of humanity in the world. In her greed, my ex-wife put the lives of 35000 Kundra Industries employees in jeopardy without even flinching, forcing me into a situation where I couldn't save them or you without giving into her demands and giving up everything my father had built. I may have a high net worth, but in reality I am a worthless man. This world is sick and heartless, Madhu, trying to reduce every relationship and every human life to a number. The only reason anyone has pretended to love me, other than my dead parents, has been my money. You think I have any affection for that money?" Madhu stared at Rishabh as he choked on the truths he had never openly voiced before. Her tears were now flowing freely as she felt a huge knot twisting her insides hearing the raw pain in Rishabh's voice. She had known a lot of Rishabh's past already from Patil, but hearing him talk about it still hit her hard. Besides, his words hit too close to home for her own comfort, resonating with her own feelings of being reduced to a number. Not just Tony or Mukund who had sold her for a profit, her own father had beaten her all her life for money. Deep within her, Madhu felt a strong urge to hold Rishabh in her arms and convince him that he was anything but worthless. Automatically, her hand went to his shoulder and he turned around to face her.
"Trust me," he continued, "if any of my money actually went to save a rare pure and beautiful soul like you, that's the best use it could have even been put to." Melting with Rishabh's words as well as the moisture in his eyes, Madhu pulled him into an embrace.
"You are not worthless, Rishabh. You are a great man." Madhu murmured as she tightened her grip and rubbed her arm along his back.
She pulled away after a while and wiped the tears off Rishabh's eyes.
"I am not going to demean what you've done for me just by saying thank you in words. But you have to know you are much more than your bank balance. You are my guardian angel. You have saved my life, and Manav's. If I stayed in that hell any longer, if those men continued to..."Rishabh cut her off hearing the shudder in her voice.
"You don't belong there, Madhu. You never did. In fact, no woman should. I know I am one of those men who..."
"No Rishabh"
"No Madhu, it is the truth. I was so lost in my anger over being betrayed, I don't know I was thinking or doing. Somehow, that night I found out that my wife had been sleeping with my brother since the first day of our marriage, I ran into Tony while I was too drunk. He showed me your picture and before I knew it, I was channeling all my anger on you, trying desperately to find one moment of peace. I know what I did does not deserve forgiveness. I was just...but in all that I didn't even stop to think what I was doing to you. All I knew is somewhere you seemed to understand. All I knew is being with you was the only escape I found from that mad haze. I am so so sorry Madhu. I really am no different than Tony I guess."
"Don't say that. You're not Tony. Your apologetic tears right now are proof that you're not as heartless as men like him. And as for me, if you didn't buy me, someone else would have, and trust me I know it would have been a lot worse than with you. What you did was wrong, but it wasn't the worst thing that's been done to me. And you saved me..."
"No, you saved me, Madhu. You brought me back to life. I..."
"Enough already. Didn't you say we have to put the past behind us?" Madhu put an end to the conversation. She walked a few steps and sat on the swing in the lawn, not yet ready to go back inside the house. A couple of minutes later, Rishabh joined her and sat next to her but neither said another word, letting the silence settle protectively around them.
Edited by teekay - 10 years ago
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
