And the cup slipped - an OS on today's scene
Aham was tired. The entire day today was a total screw up -
right from the files, to the presentation to his site visits. Every damn thing.
He was tired - and he was angry. Damn angry.
He snatched his laptop bag from the car seat and walked into
home. He needed to show his employees what working for Modi industries meant,
he thought. For a few days, uncharacteristically he had gone a little bit soft
of them, and this is where it got him. A whole lot of screw ups.
Gritting his teeth, he was about to walk to the stairs when she came down. Looking like that!
She stopped as soon as she saw him - he noticed that she had
done something to her nails. His eyes travelled upwards on their own accord.
For a second, he didn't understand it - what had she done? For
starters, the pallu was down. Her hair, which she usually pinned up and kept
hidden under her pallu fell down in a silky wave over her shoulder.
There was a shy smile gracing her pretty face, and that
blush sealed her beauty.
She suddenly moved, getting conscious and pulled her pallu
over her head. Aham realized he had been staring and quickly looked away.
When she looked back at him, there was a question in her
glowing eyes - what did he think?
Beautiful!
But he didn't want to accept that or answer that, so he
walked away.
***
He was just undoing the first few buttons of his shirt when
he heard a knock on his door. Hoping it was Mani with his tea, he turned around
- only to find that it was his wife - with his tea - looking as beautiful as
ever.
Wife? As beautiful as ever? What the hell are you thinking? He mentally yelled at himself, but still couldn't manage to look away
She bent her head in uncertainty and started walking towards
him - very slowly. Deciding it was best to concentrate on what he had been
doing, he went back to his shirt.
He started rolling up his sleeves. He noticed that she was
walking slower than ever today. Usually that irritated him. But today he didn't
mind. He just kept rolling his sleeves. As long as he didn't have to look at
her!
She placed the tray down. There was a loud chattering as she
picked the cup up. He looked at the cup and then at her. She kept her eyes
lowered, while she sneaked looks up at him.
He thought it was quite cute - and endearing
She slowly extended the cup to him, and braved to look up at
him, her head still bent. Her eyes showing hope, nervousness and restlessness
in equal counts. There was a shy smile that graced her lips.
He silently reached for the tea, slower than he normally did.
As he took hold of the cup, Gopi's finger lightly graced his - very lightly.
He removed the cup from its saucer - his mind delving on the
hope he had seen in Gopi's eyes. She never gave up. Even after he had made it
so easy for her, she never did give up on her hope.
She kept doing something for him all the time - and at some
point, a person had to give in - he was afraid that he was going too close to
that point.
What? He couldn't - he didn't like her. He couldn't like her. That thought jerked
him, and the tea cup slipped from his hands and landed on the floor with a loud
crash.
He flinched as the hot tea embraced his hand. Gopi jumped
back, and looked at his hand in shock. He looked at her - there was pure
concern in her eyes. And there was something else - she knew he was going to yell
at her.
And after that - he didn't have the heart to.
Aham, you have hot tea
all over your hands, he told himself, looking down at his hand for good
measure.
When he looked up at her, there were hints of tears in her
eyes. He lowered his own for a second. He was quickly losing his grip.
Aham, get the damn
words out, for your own sanity.
Gritting his teeth, he said, "You'll never change! You'll
always remain the illiterate you are" She looked down and looked up at him
again, disbelief and a little amount of regret over her face.
What she was sorry now
because the cup fell down? He
managed to say what he had intended to, but his tone faltered, "With this make
up, and everything else - you'll not change" he scolded.
Her tears were getting more prominent now, and so was the
hurt his words had caused her. She
looked at him as if she was profusely apologizing.
And he softened some more.
Your hand, Aham!
Deciding it was best he leave this place, lest he do
something stupid, he turned. He waved
his hand for good measure and his eyes fell upon the spilled tea on the floor.
It was not green tea - and he hadn't even noticed that.
Clenching his jaw, and angrier with himself than he'd been
in his entire life, he stormed out of the room.
Edited by mridhu - 13 years ago
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