CHAPTER 10
Two days after he walked back into the diner feeling much lighter about himself, he pondered over his mothers words a long time, asking him to take a chance and start living again. Now that he decided to take that chance he was suddenly nervous about facing her again.
In the three days he did not see her, Vickram was now restless meet her. He was wondering how he was going to tell her what he felt. How would she react? He had a feeling she felt the same, but what if he was wrong in that assessment? Shaking out the negativity, he looked around.
Everything was quite, there was a guy sitting close to the door, and he could tell by his posture that he had to be the replacement guard. Champa was sitting at the counter, in Sugni's usual space.
"Hey Champa!"
"Vickram you're back! How was it? did you meet the Lawyer?" She asked
"Yes, the trip was...better than I thought. Is Sugni in the back?" He asked anxious to see her now.
"No...she left early!" she said looking worried, it was just after lunch. It was unlike Sugni to take personal time out.
"What? Something happened?" He knew he should'nt have left her alone. If that man..., he was not going to think about it.
"No...nothing happened." Champa said watching his face with some alarm. "Calm down, she just seemed out of it since your boys hooked up the security system. So I suggested she go home and get some rest."
"What she was upset about it?"
"I don't know all I know she was not herself..I figure the stress of the situation finally got to her, so I asked her to go and she did, surprisingly with out a fight" Very unlike Sugni.
"Hey where you going?" she asked as he walked out the door.
"Home!" he replied. It was the truth, because some how this place had turned into a home for him.
The little house was quite when he walked up the small court yard, he tried the door, it was locked. Something moved in his preferential vision, and he realized one of the guards was standing discreetly to the side.Paying keen attention to him. Of course.
He knocked on the door. After the second time and hearing no movement from the inside, he was wondering if she was at home. He was about to ask the guard when the door opened.
He felt as though he had not seen her in years. She was indeed a beautiful sight to behold. Smiling he said , "hey! I was beginning to think you were not here!" he said, she moved aside allowing him to come inside.
"are you Ok?, Champa said you left early..what's wrong?" he asked turning to look at her but she was walking back towards her room.
That was weird, normally she was the one talking a mile a minute, it was he was the one talking since he came here. Taking a closer look he wondered if she was sick.
"I just wanted to come home" She said with out turning to watch him. "I'll be back ok" She said walking down the tiny corridor to her room.
Three hours later he was still waiting. He approached her room a few times to check on her, but then did not want to disturb her if she was resting. But the feeling that something was wrong was growing by the minute.
Sitting on the couch, turning on the television he had no interest in watching, but could not stand the too quite place, he decided that would wait a bit more. He heard her door open, as she came out, with out glancing his way she went into the kitchen.
A thought struck him then. Was it possible she was ignoring him?, was she mad at him? But why? He wondered.
She returned to the living room carrying two cups of smoking liquid that had to be coffee. Handing one to him she took a seat on the single chair, unlike her usual seat next to him. OK so she mad.
"Feeling better?" He asked fringing ignorance.
"Hmm hmm" She answered. After a few minutes of very awkward silence, Sugni reached her hand into her pocked and pulled out a piece of paper.
" This is for you" she said , handing him what he realized was a check. He read it, read the amount that astonished him, there was no way she could afford to spend all that money.
"What is this."
"I would have filled in your name but for that I need your full name" she said,
" I'll fill it in now", she said grabbing a pen.
"Sugni what is this?" he asked.
It's payment!" she said
"For what?" he asked ...this conversation was very confusing, What was going on here...why was she so different in the space of two days!.
"For the security system the new guards insisted they had to hook up , much against my wishes that they did not. They insisted it was something they were paid to do.!'
"Ohh" So this was the reason.
"They would not tell me how much it cost , so I made a guess, but if it's more please let me know"
"Your mad at me?"
"No ...why would I be mad?" she said, she was lying. In the same breath she continued. "How could you do something like that with out telling me?"
"I was just trying to help" He said...
"Help? I agreed for the guards for a short while ,I did not agree to this, you did not even ask me! What gives you the right to make that call?" That comment stung more than he would like to admit. But she did have a point what right did he have?
"I'm sorry!" He apologized. " I should have consulted you, but after the Jwala incident I did not want to risk something like that happening again, so I took the measures to stop it.'
"Why would you do that?" she asked
"What do you mean why? Because I care about you!"
She laughed, a very sarcastic laugh., clearly she did not believe him.
" I do!, I care about what happens to the diner... and I don't want to see you hurt"
"Really?, you care...well thanks, I guess you just didn't care enough to make one phone call to say you got their ok, or care enough to find out how was things around here or... or If I..." She cut herself of , blinking her eyes to prevent her tears form falling. He realised then that she was not mad because of the security system, at lest that was not the sole reason, she was mad because he did not call.
Maybe there was hope after all. He was suddenly feeling much better. Sugni got up to leave. He stopped her by grabbing hold of her hand.
"Wait!"
"Please let me go!" She said twisting her arm to get away.
"No! " he replied. "Please have a seat." Seeing he had no intention of releasing her hand she sat down next to him.
"I am sorry Sugni, believe me I had no intention of hurting your feelings. I wanted to call you, so many times...but I couldn't" He began. Closing his eyes he took a breath to boost his courage, and let it out slowly before he continued.
"Going back there was very emotional, and I had a lot of thoughts I was working through. So much I wanted to share with you ...but I couldn't bring my self to."
But this time she was staring at him, her anger ebbing away .
"Why?" she asked softly.
"Because I was confused, I was not sure what to do, and frankly I was scared?"
"Scared? Of what?"
"I was scared of falling again, I was scared of falling in love . Only thing is you can't really control it," He whispered.
"I don't understand? What?" She had a look on her face he dared think was hopeful.
" I-- I am in love with you, Sugni!"
Edited by Vinnie79 - 12 years ago