Chapter 6
This post is dedicated to Gopi Ahem chemistry since we have them in a room just with each other and officially for some hours atleast Maaji/Mom is resting as well and has other important issues on mind.So, hope you guys enjoy.
As they entered the room,Ahem's heart was beating so wildly that he felt that it would burst.His mind was full of wild ideas and he just wanted to take Gopi in his arms.He looked at her and she was standing in the balcony gazing at the spectacular view that the location had to offer. She was looking so childlike,trying to capture the essence of the scenery all at once .But there was nothing childlike in his feelings for her right now.He felt that talking to her would make him calm down a bit so he went to the balcony and stood besides her and decided to strike a conversation.
Ahem: "You like the place?"
Gopi: "Yes,indeed.It is very pretty."
Ahem: "Which all hill stations have you been to in India?"
Gopi: "(Sad) I have never been outside my city Ahemji.My parents died when i was very young and Maama used to leave me with my naani when they used to go on family trips."
Something happened inside Ahem.He didn't know what?He felt something for her he had never felt before.Compassion. He felt so bad for her.He himself had a troubled childhood so he knew how it feels when you have to struggle through that age.He was aware that Gopi was not treated well by her Maami and was not allowed to study further and was made to do all the household chores.He himself remembered how his Mom stood up against everybody for his rights,since his father always followed his creative pursuits and failed to fulfill his responsibilities.She had to stand up against Baa,Dada,kaka and kaki so that they had some importance in the house and he and Kinjal could lead a life of dignity and respect.He remembered the humiliation he used to feel when friends used to ask him what his father did and he never had an answer. His mother understood him as she herself never found any support from her husband.She always taught him that "Work is God" and encouraged him to become like Chiraag Kaaka and even supersede him.So, along the way the pain,hurt,struggle and the humiliation all turned into an aggression which he used in furthering his career and attaining heights.After all these years,someone had taken him back to those days again when he too felt as helpless as Gopi did.He thanks God he atleast had his mother with him where she had nobody.He searched her eyes for any signs of hatred for her Maama,Maami or Rashi and found none.He thought that it is her innocence that makes everybody love her whereas his childhood struggles have made him shy away from any emotion except love for his mother.And for Anita.... (Sad) Sigh....
Gopi looked at Ahemji.A lot of emotions flushed across his face.She couldn't understand them but he seemed to have suddenly locked himself in a shell.She wanted him to retreat from the shell and be happy.She looked at him helplessly and wanted to touch him and assure him that all is well.She managed to ask him if he was upset by something she said.He replied in negative.She was about to burst into tears as this moment had spoilt the cheerful rapport they had been sharing for the last couple of days.Her eyes pleaded with him to be happy but he seemed in another trance altogether. She went to the bed and sat there,she got lost in her thoughts and fell asleep.
Ahem still stood in the balcony gazing at the sky and wondering why he had led Anita's thoughts spoil his moment with Gopi.Till half an hour ago,he was filled with a wild passion for Gopi and wanted to make love to her and drown in the passion he felt for her and the sudden thought of Anita made him go back to the past and get entangled in the memories he shared with her.He knew that Gopi is way better suited to his house,his family and especially his mom,but still the idealist in him couldn't let the desire of consummating his marriage based on love rather than convenience.He came into the room and looked at Gopi who was asleep.He put the blanket across her and sat on the sofa and gazed at her.
He felt that the problem lied within himself,he just couldn't sort himself out.On one hand,he melted the moment he saw Gopi everyday,her innocence,her caring nature he simply adored her.But on the other hand he wanted love to be the basis of their relationship as he had seen that relationships based on love last the longest.With this thought he laid down on the bed beside Gopi and caressed her face and slept promising to himself that he wouldn't get so emotionally disturbed by any thoughts of Anita in front of Gopi again and would try to give their relationship an honest attempt.
In deep slumbers of sleep,Ahem felt that his chest was burning with a sensation he could not fathom.He opened his eyes and found that Gopi's hand was resting on his chest.He found the hand was shivering.Was she crying?He looked closely and found that her entire body was shivering.He looked around and found that he had left the balcony door open.He got up and closed it and found that the temperatures had indeed dipped.He looked for another blanket but could not find one.he called to the reception and asked for another blanket.they said that they could provide one in a few hours since laundry is closed due to strike. Ahem went to bed and looked at Gopi.Fearing that she might fall ill, he pulled her towards himself and cuddled her against his body.She was in deep sleep as she opened her eyes,looked at him and closed them again.Her shivering stopped and he knew that the test of his will power and self control had begun. The comfort that he felt due to the body heat that her body provided was slowly transforming into something else. He tried to distract himself by thinking about all the chores that needed to be completed in office when he goes back,clients,shareholders,Rashi's antiques,allergies,paint's smell but nothing worked.He smiled to himself,pulled her even closer,hugged her and slept.
He was woken up by the doorbell ringing.He thought it was his Mom.He looked at Gopi sleeping peacefully and reluctantly left her and answered the door.The reception had sent somebody with the blanket.Cursing under his breath for spoiling his romantic bliss,he took the blanket,tipped the guy and draped it over Gopi and himself and called his Mom to ask about the plan.
Gopi was blushing in her dreams.She had imagined that she was shivering and Ahemji had pulled her closer to himself and slept. She was so shocked by the audacity of the dream that she couldn't believe it. In her dream she could feel Ahemji's heartbeat in full volume,his breath touched her face and she turned a shade of red.She imagined that he caressed her face and was playing with her hair. She opened her eyes and saw him speaking on the phone to Maaji.He smiled at her and it stole her heart.He gestured with his hands if she wanted to eat.She smiled and said no.He gestured that he had ordered tea and Mom was coming with Kaaki and Kinjal to discuss plans.When she kept smiling back at him since he looked so loving and so much at ease with her,he smiled and said,"please get ready before they come.Your hair is a mess. ".He whispered to himself," All thanks to me." So she couldn't hear.
Cricket
Udne Ki Aasha
Veer Hanuman
Anupamaa
