Part 21
They loaded the car and started towards Rajasthan. Madhu was quite excited as she sang romantic songs on top of her voice. But RK though was happy to be meeting Dipali, he couldn't feel the excitement. Maybe that part of him died long back, he thought. Rk would just chuckle at Madhu every now and then. But after two hours or so, she was exhausted as she slouched back on the car seat.
"Rishabh we need to eat something.. " she said in a frail voice.
"why? Where has all your energy vanished..?" he asked teasingly.
"I don't know what's happening.. It's you who is driving.. Why am I getting tired..? " she wondered aloud.
"because madam.. You exhausted yourself with all your singing talents.." RK said with a frown.
"Stop scolding me and get me something to eat!" she exclaimed.
"I can see when we are going to reach.." RK said rolling his eyes as he pulled the car in front of a road side hotel.
They had ordered their meal and were now sitting on the cots. The breeze was blowing and though it was afternoon the sun had decided to be calmer. Madhu looked around with an appreciating smile. She was admiring the beautiful scenery while RK was admiring hers. The smile complimented her so much. He just couldn't get enough of it. Her peaceful face always seemed to fill him with peace.
"It's so beautiful na, Rishabh.. " she said looking around.
"yes it is.." RK replied still looking at her.
"we are never able to sit back and observe the beauty of nature in our city lives.. But now sitting here, even the simplest of the movements are feeling so beautiful.. " she said smiling a bit more as she closed her eyes feeling the breeze touch her skin.
RK felt his heart thump hard suddenly seeing her hair flowing with such a grace and her beautiful serene smile. He quickly turned away as he got scared. Scared of himself. What's happening to him? Why seeing Madhu, his heart seems to flutter?
Just then the waiter brought the food and RK couldn't be any more thankful. They started eating it. They were rather quite. Madhu was enjoying the silence of the country side. She was enjoying the green fields and the sun and the breeze. While RK was fighting his own turbulence. Each time he looked at Madhu and her locks waving in air, he felt something filling him. Specially now seeing her so thoughtfully enjoying the silence made him feel the depth in her personality. She could be happy and bubbly like a river but she could be reflective and deep like an ocean too. She was everything he felt had died in him.
Soon they were back on the road now. Madhu had decided it better to listen to songs rather than singing herself.
"So.. Any plans on meeting Dipali? Have you thought of something?" she asked suddenly.
"Can't think of much.. I am just quite nervous to meet her for now.. " RK said looking straight ahead.
"Don't worry we have time to prepare ourselves.." Madhu said with confidence.
RK nodded his head not knowing how to tell her that he was now facing another major confusion. He wasn't thinking about Dipali because he was thinking about her. Half the time he would get lost in her beauty and other half he would try to fight that urge.
The night took over and they had to make a stop now. After searching for a good while they finally found a good hotel to spend the night. As they were entering the hotel, RK stopped midway.
"What happened?" Madhu asked confused.
"Before creating a confusion.. Decide here only.. Will we book two rooms or one? "RK asked her.
"When we almost stay together at home.. Why do we need separate rooms now..?" she said confused.
"You sure? " he asked raising an eyebrow.
"of course Rishabh.. Besides it would be safer.." she shrugged and started walking ahead and RK followed her.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kundra.. " RK said to the manager as he was getting the room booked.
Madhu who was standing at a distance seeing the fishes in the aquarium, sharply turned to look at him. But he just stood at the counter talking to the manager about their stay and he seemed as if nothing amiss has been said. But Madhu was suddenly pushed into waves of thoughts. Mr and Mrs Kundra still rang in her ears. And as much as she hated to acknowledge it, she has felt good hearing that. As if it was the right thing.
RK walked to her and noticed she was lost looking at blank space. He snapped in front of her face. "What happened?" he asked confused.
"Nothing.. " she said now highly conscious of him.
RK looked at her with a confused face himself. They were walking behind the manager who was coming to showing them the way towards the room.
As the manager and RK turned towards the corridor, Madhu was about to walk straight ahead.
"Mrs Kundra.. " the manager quickly interrupted.
RK felt a smile creep on his lips and Madhu was suddenly jerked hearing him. She looked nervously at the manager trying to hold on to the facade and then at RK. RK smiled at her a little. He felt a strange satisfaction fill him hearing Madhu as Mrs Kundra.
Soon they were left alone in the room.
"Madhu freshen up quickly then we can go and have dinner.. I am very hungry.. " RK said as he walked into the washroom..
He came out after 5 minutes and found Madhu waiting impatiently for him.
"you want something..?" he asked confused seeing her looking at him expectantly.
"why did you.." she couldn't complete the sentence as she looked here and there. She didn't know what she wanted to hear.
RK's heart started to betray him yet again. He felt it thumping hard in his chest and Madhu' nervous look with trembling lips drove him crazier by the second.
"why did I what? " he asked as his voice deepened.
That voice of his caught Madhu 's attention and she now looked straight into his eyes trying to judge what he was feeling.
"Why did you tell our names as Mrs and Mr Kundra?" she asked in a soft voice looking into his eyes though the nervousness prevailed.
RK walked towards her as he got lost in those eyes. He just didn't know what he was upto. All he could feel in that moment was an urge to take those soft trembling lips in his. He was now standing just inches away from her. She was also locked with those eyes. Even though she felt his closeness but couldn't move away.
"Because I felt it was the only truth that existed in the world.. " he said in a husky voice and Madhu felt her heart beat against her chest as her breaths deepened. They both stared into each other's eyes. Her beautiful glistening eyes were driving him crazy.
" if you don't look away any longer, I might end up kissing you hard.. " he said still looking straight into her eyes.
Madhu quickly jerked out of the trance, she looked here and there for a few seconds and then walked to the washroom quickly not knowing what else to do.
As soon as she left, RK closed his eyes trying to get a control over his violent desires and feelings. He walked to the window and looked ahead. Madhu on the other hand looked into the mirror as a smile crept on her face unknowingly. She looked at her lips trying to imagine what it would have been like if RK had kissed her. Mrs Kundra.. She thought to herself as her smile deepened.
She came back after sometime still a little uncomfortable. Rk looked at her and smiled nervously. He just couldn't get that kiss-worthy image of her out of his mind. But he didn't want Madhu to be this uncomfortable with him. He almost felt guilty thinking that she got offended.
They were sitting in the restaurant of the hotel now. The waiter came to take their order.
"what would you like to have mam.. " he asked Madhu who was still staring at the menu.
"yes biwi.. Tell.. What would you like to eat?" RK asked teasingly now. He was kind of enjoying.
Madhu looked at him sharply as she glared at him but soon the glare turned to blush. Well that addressal always made butterflies of her stomach active.
"I don't know.. You order.. I am too confused.. "she said quickly.
"come on biwi.. Order fast then we have to sleep too right?" RK said with a strange naughtiness in his voice.
Madhu looked at him shocked and RK winked at her that made her jaw almost drop. What happened to him suddenly?
"looks like my wife is too tired to think straight.. " RK said looking at the waiter acting embarrassed.
He ordered the food and as soon as the waiter went away he burst into a laugh. Madhu still stared at him shocked.
" Come on Madhu.. Be a sport.. " he said while laughing.
"what is happening? Now you are laughing.." she asked angry and embarrassed.
"Sorry.. If it makes you feel any better then you can believe that I made him write that name because obviously if I am to take a single room for the two of us.. The manager would have felt suspicious.. May even have thought of you as someone else.. So I thought it better to just present ourselves as husband and wife.." RK said now seriously.
"some one else? " Madhu asked confused. "is he not already considering me as some one else as in Mrs Kundra.."
"What's wrong in being Mrs Kundra..? " RK said getting offended.
"Amm.. I don't know but still is it not another person.. I can't understand what do you mean.." Madhu said now trying to hide her embarrassment.
"some one else not as a person.. Like in the profession.. " RK said rolling his eyes.
"profession.." Madhu looked at him with a confused frown and then the realisation struck her.
"ohhh Kkk.. now I know.. " she said finally understanding as she turned red in embarrassment.
"Finally.." RK exclaimed as Madhu grinned cheekily.
RK looked at her for a few seconds as she seemed visibly relaxed. That offended him a little though. "So being Mrs Kundra was bad for you?" he asked frowning.
"no.. It's nothing like that.. " she said trying to cover herself up.
"But it seems so.." RK said with a frown.
"you are taking it wrong... I didn't feel bad for it.. Just that I was confused.. " she tried to explain.
"You are already pretending to be my wife at home then why confusion now?" he asked.
"Yeah we are doing it for a reason.. But I thought we didn't have to pretend here so I got confused.. " she said shrugging.
"Confused... You are almost offended in being Mrs Kundra.." he said angry.
"No.. You are misunderstanding.." Madhu tried to reason.
"no tell me... If I propose to you.. Won't you marry me?" RK asked now partly trying to know what she thinks of him.
"why will you.. We are on our way to meet Dipali.. Ting tong.. "she reminded him.
"That doesn't answer my question.. So you will reject me if I propose to you.." RK asked challenging.
"no..." Madhu said while thinking of what to say. "it depends."
"On what? " RK asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Whether you love me enough our not.." she said thinking to herself.
"Enough.. Well what's the measure for that..? " RK asked with a slight laugh as his heart slammed against his chest thinking Madhu can consider him for marriage.
"I don't know.." Madhu shrugged.
"How can you not know?" he exclaimed restless.
"Why do you bother? It's not like you are going to propose to me! " she exclaimed too getting annoyed as she felt the hurt piercing her thinking that RK can just pretend being with her.
"You don't decide that.." RK said in a cold tone.. "So you don't consider me worthy enough to marry.." RK said looking away acting hurt as Madhu shook her head helpless and baffled.
"No.. I can understand.. Who wants to marry a guy like me.. " RK said acting hurt.
"You know that's not true.." Madhu said annoyed.
"Then.. Tell me.. What's your measure for enough love? "RK asked getting back to point.
Madhu sighed hearing him and then started thinking to herself. "maybe the way you love Dipali.. That's quite enough.." Madhu said thoughtfully.
RK looked here and there. That definitely can't be a measure for the amount one can love Madhu. He wasn't even sure if he loves Dipali that much. And Madhu deserved a lot more. But then he questioned himself back. If that's true then, why so much anger on being separated from Dial, and why is he going to meet her now? Can he answer those to himself before answering Madhu.
On the other hand Madhu looked away as she tried to drown the tears that were threatening her eyes. She thought RK averted his gaze because he can never love her the way he loves Dipali and that hurt her in some way. RK can never love anyone the way he loves Dipali.
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Hey... Just returned from Delhi yesterday... And as soon as I recovered from my sleep fest.. I am here. Haha.. Thanks all of you lovelies for your wishes.. And sorry of this part seemed rushed..
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