Part 25

Nikhil's Bungalow, Ullal, Afternoon

Rohini settled down in the comfortable arm chair in her room and dialled her Dad's number.

"How are you, sweetheart?" Madhukar Nayak's voice boomed from the other end.

"Relaxed, but a tad tired. Roshan is here as well with his family. Had a jolly good time with the kid" Rohini smiled.

"I sense a but though ..." he intervened.

Rohini was silent for a moment.

"I told him Dad, I told him ..." her words floated away, as she stared at the sea, at a distance.

"And you did a good thing. I am sure Rohini you shared because he is worthy of it. Though he is a bit messed up, I agree" he was sombre and thoughtful now.

She sighed

"But Dad, I don't want any sympathy. I don't want him to feel bad about what happened to me, and bend extra backwards. I am just saying ..."

"Rohini, listen to me carefully" Madhukar Nayak's voice was now firm. "I understand what you are trying to say. Listen to this old man now. Life is much more than what we understand it to be.

We love you, we want you to be happy. But that doesn't mean that we encourage you or push you to make wrong choices. We are all here for you.

If you are feeling okay after sharing your past with Nikhil, then it's alright. Maybe it's meant to be. You don't have to nitpick about why you are not feeling otherwise.

If you feel good being around him, then soak in that feeling. Let that feeling guide you. It doesn't have to mean anything for now. At least."

Rohini nodded in affirmation and soon disconnected the call. She sat there for a while, lost in her thoughts. But she knew one thing - that she felt different, almost a bit liberated now that she had opened upto him; and it scared the hell out of her.

Why now? Why him? Why? Why? Why? The questions threw up all possible answers, some of which she purposely avoided considering.

...

A while later

Rohini woke up to find that she had dozed off in the armchair, her phone still clutched in her hand. She flicked open the Gallery and zoomed on a single photo. It was a click of all the seashells on his open palm - some of them glittering, some still sandy ... Rohini could see her fingers steadying his hand from beneath, for the click.

She smiled. She remembered him laughing wildly as she took the photo, promising her that he would clean the shells up and make her take another photo, for comparison.

This is how life is, Rohini thought as she wandered to the balcony of her room. We lose sight of the beauty and happiness that life offers, while bogged down in the quagmire of hopelessness and vexation.

Of course, life was not easy, Rohini knew. It would never be.

But, was it worth taking chances, again and again? she thought.

Somebody called out for her. She looked down. It was Nikhil

"Come on Rohini, save me please from this little demon ..."

Atharva chortled, as he tried to reach for Nikhil's moustache to pull, but his small hand banged against Nikhil's chest instead. He was in his Mother's arms, jumping up and down, while Roshan lounged in a chair nearby, taping the incident.

Nikhil moved away from the spot, only to be followed by Poorvi, with the baby in her arms.

"C'mon Rohini" Nikhil called her again as he false scampered around.

"You gotta come down and block me. You are in my team. Two against three. The kid loves you. I have little nail imprints on my cheeks and neck already ..."

Nikhil bent down a little, allowing Atharva access to his face, before he could start wailing.

"Why don't you go and pull your Dad's beard instead?" Nikhil grumbled, hiding his smile.

An alarmed Roshan shouted at Nikhi

"Why are you this useless? Diverting him to me always? He terrorises me at home alright, if that helps you at all.

What will you do when you have your own kids? Run away?"

In the blink of a heartbeat, Nikhil looked up at Rohini, who was still grinning up there in the balcony. Their eyes met and time froze.

There was something in his eyes that she could not read; the intensity of his gaze blinding her, wiping the grin away.

A sharp tug at his hair pulled Nikhil away from the moment, but not before a slow smile crept up to his lips. And he nodded towards Rohini.

Nikhil moved away.

Rohini found herself hurrying down the stairs to the garden to join the others. She was missing out on the fun after all.

...

At Night, Bengaluru

Madhukar Nayak sat in the darkness, nursing his drink. He seldom drank, but tonight, he guessed he needed one.

A cricket match was on; the light from the TV illuminated his room.

The radium on his watch indicated that it way past 10 p.m. Rohini had called an hour before to tell that they had all left for Bengaluru, and that she would call him once she reached home.

Her voice was light, unguarded, a lilt of happiness nestling therein. Madhukar Nayak wondered if this was really happening; if Nikhil was indeed the guy who could help Rohini find happiness. If Nikhil was indeed the guy who could love Rohini for who she was; for her goodness of soul; for her kindness and not let her past come in between.

A past of which she was the victim

The guy who could help Rohini discover love ...

In the dark room, Madhukar Nayak sat unmoving, clinking the ice cubes in his glass. He wondered if the Fates of these two broken souls would bring them together and help them heal.

"Please God, let her stay happy always. let them be happy" he prayed in silence.

...

Early Morning, Monday, Bengaluru

It was nearly half past five in the morning when Nikhil's car pulled up in front of Rohini's apartment building. They were both way beyond tired, and Nikhil yawned as they waved Roshan's car away.

Rohini turned in her seat as she unbuckled to thank Nikhil, only to find him staring at her.

"I think ... I can manage ..." she stammered.

Nikhil reached forward and touched her cheek; his finger gentle and warm.

"Care to offer some coffee? I am dead beat"

He noticed the hesitation and smiled, now amused

"Of course, I promise to behave"

And before Rohini could utter another word, Nikhil had alighted and opened the rear door of the car, to take out Rohini's bag.

"Really Nikhil, I can carry my own bag" she protested

"Of course you can, I know that" he guided her towards the elevator.

Once inside her apartment, Nikhil placed the duffel bag on the floor by the wooden armoire, and bent down to take his shoes off. Rohini splashed some water on her face and hurried to the kitchen, yawning on the way.

"Need some really strong coffee" she whispered to herself, as she put the water to boil.

...

She found Nikhil standing in front of the book shelf, browsing through her collection, when she brought the coffee in.

He turned around as the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee hit his nostrils and his eyes widened in surprise as Rohini placed the tray carefully on the table.

"You are magic" he said as he took in the plate of almond cookies, the neatly poached eggs and buttered toasts that she had raffled up in no time.

He walked over to her and pulled her into a light embrace, taking Rohini by surprise. Dipping his head to slightly rest on her shoulder for only a moment, his hands held her gently.

"Thank you" he murmured.

And then he moved away.

"C'mon what are you waiting for? let's dig in" he smiled at Rohini.

Rohini sat down beside him, and reached for some more butter.

End of Part 25

Note : Special Thanks to @LovelyDreamer07 for the beautiful poster that she created for this update. Couldn't thank her enough for all the beautiful posters. Still I will try. Thanks Anby :))

*Hugs* X Infinity

Thanks to all the readers as well, the silent and the oh-not-so silent types. And the definitely-not silent types. :D