Yet Another Sunset #6 [New Thread Link On Page 1] - Page 69

She was smiling even as the soft drizzle began pouring.

Bua's annoyed frown was clear even in the dark. She was always desperate when her children ventured out late. Ridhima avoided her face as she closed the door as softly as she could for the night was in its latter stages. It was nearly 11 and she was tired after her long day of absolute recreation. What started off as a day that could barely scrape a few smiles off her face ended with a few dew drops of a memory, so obviously unexplainably beautiful.

Right after her embarrassing moment back at the mall, Armaan rewarded her teasing smiles and meaningful looks. As much as she wanted to punch his face then and there, she cradled more of her shyness because she had never ever come close of anything so much as an undergarment with an opposite gender. And then she snapped at Armaan in the car after he offered to give her a drive as Vivek and Aditi headed home, putting up a straight face. It was hard but he did stop the looks. She felt unusually satisfied with their conversation from JK.Rowling to why people do se* if it was painful. It was weird at the time because it wasn't what she would usually do if she was stuck in the traffic, with a man whom she barely knew for a month, with the Mumbai clouds threatening to burst down with heavy strength. But she liked it, she didn't deny that. She couldn't. Not after he sent her off with a genuine smile. She realized that deep down he too liked tonight. She cherished the moment.

"Armaan?" Bua asked, slightly surprised, as she heard the faint, distant whirs of a car.

"Mmm," Ridhima hummed in acknowledgement.

She invaded the Nest's airy kitchen without making an effort to get herself changed. She had already grabbed a snack back in the mall but she had the unavoidable thing for having chapattis with anything that Bua made at nights. And no matter how late she arrived, Bua kept her share ready or made it just then to give her the piping hot ones.

"Go get changed. I will make them for you till then," Bua said, as she took a small bowl of already kneaded atta. "Nah! I am too lazy," Ridhima responded, getting herself up onto the slabbed counter beside the stove. She popped up some nuts whilst she lazily sang songs in her head.

"So?" Bua meaningfully asked, placing a chapatti on Ridhima's plate.

Ridhima cocked up and gave an inquisitive questioning look. Bua put off the stove and sat herself on the tiny breakfast table that was barely a 4 seater. Ridhima followed.

"What now, Ridhi?" "What what now, Bua?"

"Don't you have any plans for the future Ridhima?"

Ridhima instantly understood where this conversation was heading. In fact, she wondered what took Bua so long. Right after Muskaan announced her marriage, she was prepared to fight the I-am-still-not-ready-to-marry conversation. "I do, Bua. I have a job that could steer a long career for me. Apart from that, I don't really have anything specific in mind."

"Ridhi, you know what I mean right?" Muski is settled. Haven't you thought about getting yourself a life? Quite frankly, I know you have right now after Aditi and everyone came in but still don't you need something for yourself?"

Ridhima stared down at her plate and ate slowly so she didn't have to face Bua too soon. She however raised her head to answer. "Bua, I am not prepared to marry. It's as simple as that. And I know it must suck to see from where you are standing. I really do understand that. But give me time. I will eventually find what I want more than just making a mark."

"Ridhi. You are stubborn. Why? I mean who said that you can make your so-called-mark only by completely denying yourself the need to be a complete woman." Bua said, flabbergasted. "Can't you find someone to date at least?"

Ridhima raised her eyebrows. "And then what, Bua?" She paused. "I am not going to be able to give any relationship my sincerity. I am not ready to have a man in my life. Not yet."

Ridhima walked out the room as she felt tears sting her eyes.

Bua sighed. There was no use convincing her of anything. She hoped to get something positive out of Ridhima, especially because that there was a new character in her story at the moment. But now, she knew that her daughter still needed to time to figure how exactly to wade her through. She honestly found it amusing that it took so long because she had heard stories of women who were divorced dating and sleeping with men the very night they divorce. It must not be so difficult to get into another relation just because someone ran a smear of blood on the sacred spot, she thought. But she clearly understood Ridhima' apprehension which was bad because she it didn't give her answer that she needed to put a permanent smile on her lil girl's face.

oo0oo

She had grown out of crying immensely and yet tears ran down her face as she bit her lip and rubbed the single diamond that graced the shiny platinum, so perfect being what it was. She had no clue if she felt consoled, hopeful or utterly disastrous doing so but she still rubbed it till her tears stopped flowing and her thumb turned pink.

It isn't your fault that you are messed up person, she said to herself.

Ridhima was a true believer in God and marriage was as special to her as to any traditional Indian girl. She didn't deny that she craved to satisfy her feminine instincts more than once. But she couldn't do that without feeling immense regret at betraying her own faith in marriage. She did want out of the cage of emotion that she built for herself but no one had made into her life to give her a better reason to come out that cage. Or maybe that someone did and she was just taking it for granted in fear. It was her deepest and darkest insides that talked. Only she had fallen asleep associating just one another man in all of her miseries. Armaan.

oo0oo

The chapter isn't planned so I apologize if it sounds lousy in its narration. I know I told you will get AR but I ended up writing this one. Next is definitely having AR. So now you know all about the different dimensions that keeps the story going. Armaan is the already torn one who is convicting himself of being the no user in the lives of everyone he cares about. Ridhima is the messed one with her needs clashing with her wants. A killer who is stubborn in ruining the both of their lives. WOW! I have a good amount of storytelling to do 🤔 . YAS is definitely staying around for sure. And to think I thought of completing it this June . Hope I manage to keep you guys around for that long. I love you anyways. MUAH <3