FF LEARNING TO BREATH..updated pg 25 - Page 7

Originally posted by: payal7

Vinnie

Another amazing chapter.Love the internal battle between wanting help but hating that parts of past have to be revealed to do so.

Also love the way he is unwittingly falling for her and pulling back when he realises what is happening

Cannot wait for the nex installment

Thank you

Originally posted by: JulieD

Great job Vinnie. I enjoyed it. I felt as though as I was reading a Mills & Boons romance novel. Keep going girl!!!

Chapter 8.

"Oh hold on, he just walked in" Rattu said into the receiver handing him the phone. He should have known she would call.

"Hey" he said trying to sound casual.

"What happened I came in and you were gone, is every thing alright?"

"Uh yeah I just realized it was time to relive Rattu, so I came in.

"You could have at lest had dinner" She said, he could literally see the annoyed look on her face whenever he did something she was not pleased with.

'Uhh I was not hungry!"He said.

"Um listen Rattu is getting ready to leave, I need to talk to him ok...I'll see you in the morning ok!' He said a little too curtly , hanging up the phone before she could answer.

Twenty minutes after Vickram sat down with a cup of coffee. He kept putting off this being with himself, his first excuse was Rattu which look less than three minutes to relieve. Then he decided to call Bhushan and arrange for extra security for Sugni and the diner. His brother was surprised by his request, and after Vickram told him the jist of the problem he agreed to make sure that the inconspicuous guards would be here in a few days.

"I also want you to find out everything there is about a Jwala Singh.? and I need to have a meeting with Dravid! When I get there...also I would need a room in a hotel.?

"A hotel? Why, Vickram you can come home...there is no one there ..."

"Never I am never setting foot back in that house," he said cutting his brother off.

"Vickram"

"Bhushan...look it will be 3-4 days max, and my only reason for doing so is because I want to talk to Dravid myself concerning this, as soon as that meeting is done ...I'll leave.

"It's been 11 months Vickram, the business needs you, we need you, Mom is worried...you know she won't be able to take another shock...please for her come back."

In all the time he left, his brother never pressured him to return...all of a sudden he was begging him.

"From what I have been reading, the business is doing fine, i know you can run the place blind folded, you don't need me. As for mom, she will be happier if she did not have to see my face every day and be reminded of what I did!' he said

"Vickram STOP!' Bhushan said loudly, "It was an accident, that could have happened to any one... it was not your fault...no one blames you ...Mother is missing her baby boy ... come back please..."

"I blame me! Bhushan I can't right now... I am needed here...give mother my love ok...I'll see you soon. Bye." He said making it clear the conversation was over...

So here he was sitting alone with his thoughts...reflecting on his life..he spent ten months for all intents and purposes existing in this life as a zombie, every day praying for it to end. His heart was dead; all he was waiting for was his body to follow. And then he walked into a little diner, with sunshine signs and smiles, big beautiful brown eyes, tinkling laughter, and a warmth that sneaked its way into his soul. All of a sudden his dead heart started beating again. A feeling that took him by surprise...it filled him with a fear but some where deep deep down inside he was glad that at least he could feel again, he breath again.

Vickram closed his eyes as he tool a deep breath, deliberately reaching into the recesses of his memory and pulling out the name and the face of the person who was responsible for turning his life upside down, for wrecking havoc on his once peaceful and uncomplicated existence. A beauty that could put the most popular model to shame, but as cold and heartless as they come. Reva ...just the thought of her name alone was enough to set his blood boiling.

He never in his life imagined a woman could be that heartless, selfish, self absorbed and nasty. Married to her for over ten years, his heart became immune, or so he thought to feelings such as love and compassion. He vowed that never again would he go through this, once was more than enough for him...

Now that vow, that resolve was some how being shaken by Sugni, he could feel his world tilting and he was afraid he was about to fall again and there was nothing to hold on to...except maybe memories of the past.

Yes! Yes they would serve as his saving grace. But even as he clung on to memories of the past, the sounds of that tinkling laughter kept interrupting it, his head was filled with bubbly lectures on the philosophy of life , that only Sugni could come up with, her smile, her grace, her selflessness towards others, her passion about her diner. Observing her from the outside, her warmth her goodness, her simplicity was open for all to see.

He was not a gambling man but he was willing to bet his life's earnings that Sugni did not have a conceited bone in her body. She was like an open book. Exactly what you saw was what she was. The memories he was clinging to were wobbling. They were shaking him loose.

Sugni was a breath of fresh air. ..And right now he was stifling in this room full of old dusty memories and feelings. He realized he wanted to breath again but he was afraid...afraid not only of trusting someone again, but of trusting himself, he was afraid not only of opening himself to that type of pain again. His life was already tainted by his past, his soul was already damaged did he want bring her into his world. She deserved all the happiness in the world, to be with some one as carefree and happy just like she was. Definitely some one better than him.

That thought left an unpleasant sensation in his stomach. It's been almost a year, and Vickram decided something had to give; he could not do this any more. He could not carry this weight of self imposed guilt around any more. He did not want to. He wanted to leave these dark clouds behind and step into the sunshine...but could he be that selfish...for once in his life could he be.? Did he have a right to be. What exactly did fate want for him?

"Hi!" Looking over his shoulder, it seems he got his answer. He looked at Sugni who was starting at him with that hundred watt smile of hers, then down to her hand on his shoulder. Was this the answer to his questions and inner turmoil.? He had been betrayed by fate so much that he did not trust this 'sign'

"Hey." He whispered sounding shell shocked, he felt shell shocked.

"You know I was knocking this door for almost five minutes, and you did not hear me? I thought something happened, then i remembered I had the key,and what do i find you in here staring off into space..day dreaming?" She asked all the while moving about placing a bag on the table sitting on the chair opposite him.

"No..what are you doing here?" he asked

"Well i could' not let all these foods go to waist so I decided to bring you dinner."

"I told you I was not hungry!"

"Yet! You will be later on, besides I did not feel like having diner alone!" She said , smiling. Removing the food out of the bag she began to serve it. The mouth watering sent of fish and chips hit him and he realized he was hungry after all

"Smells good! He said

"I told you, nothing puts you in a better mood than piping hot fish and Chips!" she laughed as she placed a laden plate in front of him. He smiled obviously that fact he said he was not hungry was going ignored.

Not sure how to proceed now, he decided to take the safe route and told her about the phone call he made, minus a few details of course. "So...I made arrangement to beef up the security here, they should be here a in few days, then I'll see about leaving to go see that lawyer i was telling you about."

"Oh..., I'll have to find a place for them to stay, maybe Mr. Snow's bed and breakfast or may be..." she began thinking.

"there is no need for that! Everything will be taken care off trust me!" he said "you just carry on normally as you do and leave the rest to them OK? Its just until I am back..." Sugni was staring at the table, a look of contemplation on her face.'

"What?" he asked

"I don't know, I mean this all feels I don't know...having a guard is one thing but all the other stuff...a bit to much don't you think."

"Why are you doing this?" She asked.

"I told you I would not leave you alone after what happened."

"I know bu.." He cut her off

"Look we can't just sit by and wait for Jwala to try something again, so we have to start looking for a way out of this."

"I know! You're right I guess" She sighed.

"Thank you!" She said looking at him gratefully.

"Sugni don't there is no need to thank me, Ok, any one in my position would have done the same."

"No they would not; they would run from this mess!" She said. "You know Vickram, I don't know what it is you are running from, and what has you so sad, but you are a good person. In fact ...i asked my mom, to help you find lots of happiness soon...and peace that you deserve." He noticed that they were holding hands again...when did that happen?

"I am getting what I deserve, Sugni, for me in this life, happiness is noting but a dream that somehow turned into a nightmare." He said

"That is not true!" she said almost angrily, causing them to make eye contact. What he saw in her eyes again sent that funny feeling through him, it scared him. Again he was glad he was getting away from here for a while. He needed to clear his head.

"I-I mean...wait you'll see my mom will answer my prayer, she always dose!' She smiled but it too was filled with awkwardness.

"It's getting late, I think I should leave now" She said.

"I'll walk...

"No...no i ..Its ok I can manage...I'll be fine...b-bye" She left in a hurry. Leaving Vickram wondering what exactly did fate want from him!

hey vinnie its beautifully written.

i loved tge way vikram is slowly and hopelessly falling in love with sugni.I am curious to know about his past what he was doing before he came here.

Originally posted by: ash_arti

hey vinnie its beautifully written.

i loved tge way vikram is slowly and hopelessly falling in love with sugni.I am curious to know about his past what he was doing before he came here.

Originally posted by: Sunny1516

Vinnie, thanks , very interseting.

Originally posted by: octopie

Lovely chapter Vinnie ! I too want to know about his past ^-^

I love how you were juxtaposing his inner thoughts/emotions/feelings about his past and self against the things that Sugni is representing and her personality and how he feels with her around. It's like he is the room of his past yet also in some limbo, and slowly is being drawn through a doorway into a brighter room which is Sugni's world and personality.

I also love your metaphors and figurations of speech and analogies (i don't know what to call them ^-^) ... they're fantastic and helps reader to understand even more about the character's feelings and scenes ^-^

Waiting for the next part ^-^