And then she said it!

PART 8

RELATIONSHIP REDEFINED?
"I tell you aunty. We should go for
counseling for him." Rahul declared
without averting his gaze from his
laptop. "He never listens to one
completely."
It was almost 10 pm when we were
done with dinner. Oh I forgot to tell
you, throughout the drive back home
from the hospital, I was at the
receiving end of mom's lectures
about my crisis management. And
Rahul was just adding fuel to already
blazed anger of mom. And it
continued after dinner aswell. Now
as Mom sat against the bedpost on
her bed with me lying in her lap,
Rahul sat beside us on the bed still
complaining to mom.
"Mom, Riddhima didn't tell me
properly." I defended myself.
"Shut up Armaan. You cut her call
before she could tell you the entire
scenario." Mom smacked my head.
Okay, I'll let you, my readers, know
what had actually happened. It seems
when mom and Riddhima went for
evening walk, mom was hit by a
motorcycle. Mom wasn't hurt except
for the light scratch on her elbow.
But that poor motorcyclist was so
scared that he called for an
ambulance immediately despite
Riddhima's and mom's protests. So
as per mom's insistence she asked
the ambulance driver to take her to
our hospital, Sanjeevani. And then
another wonderful idea stuck her.
She thought of getting her monthly
checkup done as she was to the
hospital. So she asked Riddhima to
call me up and ask me to get the
reports to the hospital. And well
when Riddhima called me to say the
same, you, my readers, know what I
had done.
"I wonder who offered you the post
of HR, when you can't even manage
yourself." Rahul muttered.
"The same person who offered you
the same position." I quipped.
"That's the reason I call him an
idiot." He retorted irritated. The
mere mention of Ankit was enough to
hamper his mood today.
"See Rahul, that's the reason I was
talking about resigning." I said trying
to cool him down. But the moment
those words escaped my mouth I
kicked myself for bringing that up. I
prayed he didn't remember our
conversation back then. But if he
did, it only meant my doom today. To
my sheer bad luck, I knew he had
recalled the same thing I had been
wondering about when I saw his face
brighten up with a wide grin. I
glared at him to make him shut his
mouth infront of mom, but that only
widened his grin.
"Aunty, you know something? Armaan
had already planned about his
livelihood after resigning from the
job." He started winking at me.
"Rahul, shut up." I sat straight on
the bed towering over Rahul. But
whom I had been kidding? Why
would he let go of such wonderful
chance of embarrassing me.
"Aree what planning? And Armaan,
why were you resigning to your
company? I asked Riddhima to join
that one since you always told me it
was a good company to work with."
Mom replied. She was worried about
different matter all together. But
Rahul got a kick start at mere
mention of Riddhima.
"Yeah aunty, you were almost there.
Since Riddhima is joining the
company, Armaan wanted to lay back
and laze around by resigning." He
added smirking at me. Mom looked
at us perplexed.
"Rahul, I am warning you." I
threatened him. "No mom. I am not
resigning. He is just playing around."
I turned to mom and tried to divert
her attention. But then she was Ananya Mallik and my mom. She wouldn't let go of it that easily. She looked at Rahul asking him to continue without paying any attention to my words.
That's it! I jumped over to Rahul to
shut his mouth before he would
utter the crap I had spoken,
unconsciously. "Don't you dare open
your mouth!" I muttered under my
breath. "Else I'll spill about Muski
and you." Whom am I threatening
about? Mom was the one who
pointed about that in the first place.
However I tried my luck.
"As if I care!" Rahul whispered back
and pushed me away settling beside
mom. I pleaded him for the last
time, but yeah he was Rahul. He was
all set to cash it. He turned to face
mom and I knew its better I shut my
mouth and listen to him.
"Aunty, in the evening when you
went for walking..." He started off as
if it was a suspense thriller. I tried
escaping from the room, but he also
caught my arm. I don't know; I
wasn't comfortable with mom
knowing it. I mean I was thinking to
talk to mom about Riddhima and me;
but this? I wasn't sure what mom
would make of it. "Then he replied
that Riddhima would have joined the
company by then and her salary
would be enough for them." I shut
my eyes as he said it. "And aunty, he
was also planning about talking to
Ankit about asking to get Riddhima
posted at Hyderabad branch." My
head shot up at that piece of
information. Where did this come
from?
"Saale, shut up!" I smacked his
shoulder. "No mom, I only blurted
about her salary being sufficient and
all. This Rahul cooked up the
remaining." I tried defending myself.
But mom's face was quite serious.
"Armaan?" she called out for me to
catch my attention as I was
immersed in hitting Rahul hard.
"Does that mean something?" She
asked when I turned to her.
"Mom, I was just thinking about
Ankit and then I just joked about
resigning when-" I rambled on.
"That's not what I am asking." She
cut me midsentence. I knew its
better I speak to her.
"I was thinking to talk to you about-"
I started trying to frame it properly.
"About?" Rahul butted in. "I am just
encouraging you!" He made peace
when I glared at him.
Encouragement, my foot!
"Well mom. Yeah-" I, myself, was
surprised that I was stammering,
running short of words. With two
pairs of eyes gazing at me eagerly, I
felt uneasy. "I think I am okay with
marrying Riddhima." I said.
"You think or are you sure?" Mom
probed further.
"Okay!" I took a deep breath. "Mom,
I am ready to marry Riddhima if she
agrees."
"Really?" Mom and Rahul said
simultaneously. I couldn't believe
they are doing this. Why can't they
believe me?
"Yeah mom." I assured them this
time with a smile accompanying my
words.
"Wow Armaan Mallik is blushing!"
Came Rahul's instant comment. I
didn't mind that for once. Because
something bigger than that caught
my attention. That was mom's smile.
Her face lit up at the very instant.
That was something I would cherish
forever. I hugged her glad that I was
the reason for that smile of hers.
"I'll be back." Rahul excused himself
to leave the room. I don't know what
bothers him but he always tries to
leave us when there was something
like this ' a bit personal. I tried to
make him understand that he was
our family too, but he keeps his
limits.
"No Rahul. Stay." Mom stopped him
from leaving. He looked at us unsure
but mom pulled him to the bed. He
smiled at me while I returned it.
"Armaan, why did you decide to go
for it?" Mom asked me.
I tried putting into words that
feeling which made me sure of
Riddhima. "I don't know exactly
mom. She resembles you in most of
the cases." I said shrugging my
shoulders. That's what I had been
searching in the girls I had been
with before. "I like her and yeah, I
trust your choice."
"Okay!" She smiled and so did Rahul.
"When are you going to talk to her?"
She asked.
"What?" I jumped at her words. "No
mom, I am not going to talk to her
about this." I replied firm with my
decision. God, I almost died framing
my sentences a few minutes before. I
am in no mood to make a fool of
myself infront of her. "You talk to
her."
"No Armaan, listen." She started and
by the stern voice of hers I knew it
was something important. "You have
to talk to Riddhima about this. She
wouldn't be comfortable with me."
She said. "Moreover there are few
things you need to know of her."
"About what mom?" I asked her
wondering what she was trying to
arrive at.
"About her." She smiled at me. "Talk
to her and it would be better if she
herself tells you." She caressed my
cheek. "If you still stand by your
decision after talking to her and if
she agrees to it, we'll go ahead." She
added.
That particular statement of hers
disturbed me slightly. What was
there to know about her? I mean I
already knew that she was an orphan
and all. But somehow it didn't
bother me. And why would I step
back after talking to her? But the
way mom put forward that sentence
didn't appeal to me. If there is
something major, then why couldn't
mom tell me about that?
"Armaan?" Rahul shook me slightly
breaking my chain of thoughts.
"Yeah." I looked at them. "Okay mom,
I'll talk to her." I agreed to it.
"When?" Rahul was way more
impatient than mom.
"In a couple of days." I answered
absent mindedly, my mind still
wandering around about what mom
had said before.
"Armaan? Did you forget that we
have to leave day after tomorrow?"
He reminded me. That completely
went off my mind.
"What? Why are you leaving so
early?" Mom asked surprised. Well,
we forgot to inform mom about that
conveniently.
"Ankit called us aunty. We have to
handle one more project. So we'll
have to leave early." He replied.
"Oh!" Mom sighed, not so pleased
with that, nor were we for the matter
of fact. She looked at me, her eyes
questioning.
"I'll talk to her tomorrow." I
answered her unasked question. She
smiled at me nodding. "Will she
agree?" I doubted. I wasn't sure of
what she felt towards me.
"Who has the heart to reject you
Armaan? You are a charmer." Mom
ruffled my hair lovingly. That I, really,
am!
"Back to earth, dude." Rahul kicked
my back, while I sat grinning. Mom
chuckled at us.
"Go to sleep mom, it's quite late." I
pointed out, when my eyes landed
on the wall clock. It was 11 pm.
Rahul and I got up from the bed to
leave.
"Armaan?" Mom stopped me. "No
matter what your decision might be
after talking to Riddhima, make sure
that you don't hurt her."
"I wouldn't mom. You can have my
word on that." I assured her and she
kissed my temple. "Good night."
"Good night aunty." Rahul kissed her
cheek and we left the room closing
the door behind us.
"Armaan, are you sure?" Rahul asked
hesitantly, as I was getting ready.
"About this?" It was about 4 pm. In
about 30 mins or so, Riddhima's class
would be over. So I planned to go to
college and talk to her on the way,
well, my readers, about, you know,
our marriage.
"I guess so." I replied equally
hesitant. Wasn't I supposed to be so
sure about this? Yesterday I was.
Belieive me, my readers, I was. But
then after that little talk with mom, I
don't know, somehow my resolve is
oscillating. I have this bad feeling
that something is on its way.
"Riddhima is good for you." Rahul
patted my back as I gelled my hair.
Ah, that was what I had been waiting
for. That, somehow, made me feel
better. That's one thing I absolutely
admire about him.
I smiled back at him. "You want to
come?" I offered.
"No." He said sitting on the bean
bag. "You guys carry on." I nodded at
him and left the room. "All the best,
dude." He shouted from inside the
room.
"Bye mom." I kissed her cheek before
grabbing the car keys.
"Armaan?" She called for me when I
was about to step out of the house.
But she just smiled at me when I
turned to her. That look on her face,
was different. It was as if she was
afraid of something. It, somehow,
scared me.
"Mom, you want me to know
something?" I asked, not able to keep
that in me.
She hesitated for a moment. "No"
She whispered kissing my forehead.
"Bye."
I forced a smile. Something is
definitely wrong. I could feel that.
But what? I had no idea of. Mom was
excited, not visibly- but yes excited,
about Riddhima getting married to
me. Then what happened all of a
sudden? She was behaving weird, in
some sense which I couldn't
understand, since she had been back
from the walk with Riddhima. Is that
something related to Riddhima?
Pushing that negative vibes aside, I
started the engine of the car, my
brain now focusing about how I had
to approach Riddhima. That was a
task itself.
As I waited for Riddhima infront of
her block in the college, I was
literally writing a script of what I had
to talk to her. I know that's a mere
waste. Because I know she somehow
freezes my senses when I am talking
to her. Eventually I'll end up with
something else.
Finally after some time, I spotted
Riddhima coming out of the block. I
searched for Muski around her as I
spotted her walking alone. But I
guess, Muski, as usual bunked her
class. Riddhima was stopped midway
by a couple of girls, I guess her
friends. They talked for a couple of
moments and she climbed the stairs
down which led her way towards me.
"Armaan?" She asked surprised with
my presence.
"Hey Riddhima" I greeted her,
walking towards her.
"What are you doing here?" She
enquired, her eyes wide open. I
couldn't stop my smile looking at her
expression.
"What does it appear like?" I asked
back, standing infront of her.
"Huh?" She looked around, probably
searching for someone, a big frown
adorning her face.
"Mom's not here." I answered it for
her. I knew she was searching for her
because its not likely that I come to
pick her up, is it? "I just came to
pick you." I added.
The already confused expression only
deepened. "Riddhima?" A girl called
for her. That girl looked at me when
she didn't get a response from
Riddhima, who was still looking at me
surprised.
"Hey!" I greeted the girl, breaking
Riddhima's trance aswell. The girl
spared me a shy smile. Girls! I rolled
my eyes.
"Your notes." She gave Riddhima a
book. She took it and smiled back at
her. But the girl didn't leave. I
probably understood what for she
had been waiting for. But Riddhima,
being a little dumb in these matters,
didn't get it. "So, you are Riddhima's
friend?" She asked Riddhima eagerly.
That's when Riddhima got her cue.
"Yes, I mean, no." Riddhima
stammered, amusing me. "He is my
friend's son." She stated blankly.
That look on that girls face was worth
a billion dollars. God, she stared at
me as if I was an alien. Who
wouldn't? When you probably
introduce someone almost same age
of yours as your friend's son? I
scratched my chin and turned
around not able to refrain my
laughter. When I turned back the
girl wasn't there. I burst into fits of
laughter looking at Riddhima.
She didn't get it. She just stared at
me confused. "God, Riddhima, don't
you think I am a little too old to be
your friend's son?" I asked her
guffawing while walking back to the
car.
She simply stared at me for a few
seconds when we sat in the car and
then she giggled when realization
dawned upon her. She just put her
fingers on her forehead and smiled.
That only increased my laughter. I
laughed, laughed and laughed all
the way, recalling the expression on
that girls face. I stopped the car and
rested my head against the steering
to catch my breath back.
"Armaan, where are we?" Riddhima's
question made me look at her. She
was looking around the surroundings
anxiously.
"Coffee lounge. Come." I replied
getting out of car.
"But why are we here?" She asked
again, following me as I walked
towards the lounge.
"Just to have a cup of coffee." I
answered sitting on the couch inside.
She looked at me strangely and
settled infront of me. I placed an
order for two coffees and looked at
her trying to start conversation. But
somehow I again remembered that
girl's expression and laughed again.
This time Riddhima joined me
smiling when she got why I was
laughing for.
"That girl would have been trying out
all the possibilities of me being your
friend's son." I added smiling, when
my laughter subsided. I brought our
cups of coffee.
"I know. That was so stupid of me. I
should have framed it properly." She
agreed, sipping her coffee. "Why did
you bring me here?" She asked again.
"You should have introduced me as
your friend. I guess I am one." I said
sitting straight.
"Yes, you are. But-" She hesitated.
"But?" I asked her, interested.
"If I told her you are my friend, then
she would always tease me and
spread around, you know, that you
are my boyfriend." She replied
looking away. "She just likes
gossiping." She added.
"Then how would you introduce me?"
I probed further.
She was not comfortable under my
gaze, I could sense that. "I- I don't
know." She replied playing with the
spoon. "There is not any concrete
relationship between us anyway."
She mumbled, which kind of
surprised me.
"I have an answer." I said softly.
"You do?" She looked up at me
surprised.
"Yes." I replied, looking straight into
her eyes. "Marry me?" I came straight
to the point.
But her reaction just left me
bewildered. The spoon dropped out
of her fingers instantly. I know it was
kind of abrupt but?! She went pale,
color draining off her face as if she
had seen a ghost. She just stared at
me horrified.
"Yes Riddhima, I was thinking about
this lately. I mean, only if you are
comfortable with that." I tried
explaining her, looking at that
mortified expression on her face. It
scared the hell out of me when her
eyes filled up the next moment.
"Take me home, please." She
pleaded, fighting back her tears. She
stood up and walked out of the
lounge.
"No Riddhima, listen-" I threw the
money for the bill on the table and
ran out.
"Please" A lone tear escaped her eye
and that shut my mouth. I let her sit
in the car and drove back home.
This had turned out to be so wrong.
I knew by the look in her eyes that it
was much more than a mere surprise
for her. I didn't mean to shock her
by bringing that up so suddenly, but
I didn't expect this reaction from
her. I thought maybe she would just
say she needed some time or so. But
this? It scared me, that look in her
eyes. I don't know what it meant,
but I, somehow, felt the pain in
them.
Pain, for what? Was I responsible for
that? That bothered me; a lot to be
precise. I recalled all our encounters,
there was absolutely nothing that
could mean she hated me or
despised me. Moreover, I thought
she trusted me. I am sure she did.
But then why she was crying?
Throughout the drive, tears rolled
down her cheeks though she shut
her eyes tightly. Her face was
contorted as if in great pain. But
why? The thought that I might be a
reason for that stung me bitterly. I
never meant to hurt her. I meant it
when I promised that to mom.
I was utterly confused for I knew
mom would never bring this up if
Riddhima would be hurt in any way.
But then she did? Then suddenly it
hit me. All that what mom had
talked in the previous night and that
look when I left home today's
evening, they meant something. But
what? That ignorance started
irritating me. If it was something
related to Riddhima's past, she could
talk to me. We could have sorted that
out. It was not as if everything is
forced. She had her right to say. I
mean, I just asked her if she would
marry me. It's not like I put a knife
on her throat and compelled her to
agree. But the way she had been
crying for the last 15 mins in the car
only meant the latter. It left me
rotten.
"Hey Arma-" Rahul's wide grin
disappeared the moment I stepped
in, while Riddhima followed me.
"What happened?" He looked at me.
I just stood pressing my forehead
and eyes. "Riddhima?" He asked her.
"Oh my God!" He gasped when she
looked up at him, her eyes red and
swollen. "Aunty" He shouted to call
mom downstairs.
"Rahul, shut the door." I told him
before turning to Riddhima.
"Riddhima, what happened?" I asked
her desperately. "Look Riddhima, it's
just a thought. We'll not force you
nor will we ask you to vacate the
house. Just tell me what happened."
I tried citing various reasons for her
breakdown. But hell, she wasn't even
ready to look at me.
"Rahul, why are you shouting? I was
just cleani-" Mom stopped
midsentence spotting us. She threw
the clothes she was holding aside
and ran downstairs to Riddhima.
"What happened Riddhima? Why are
you crying?" she moved to her.
"Armaan?" She looked at me, her eyes
questioning. She took Riddhima into
her arms when she didn't respond.
Riddhima just hugged her, burying
her face in her neck and cried more.
I went mad and ran my fingers in my
hair trying to calm myself. The last
thing I wanted now was losing my
cool. But Riddhima wasn't helping it.
What should I make out of it if a girl
cries terribly when all I asked her
was to marry me? I could feel my
worry slowly giving away to anger.
First because Riddhima wasn't
speaking anything and secondly
because I felt bad, somewhere deep
down, that I was the reason for her
sorrow or whatever. Above all maybe
it was the fear of rejection. To be
frank, I didn't face rejection much in
my life. I wasn't used to it in the
first place. And I don't think I was
ready for one, when there wasn't any
probable reason for that. I was above
her in every aspect!
"I want to go to my room." Riddhima
mumbled when she parted away from
mom. As she made her way towards
the staircase, I stopped her holding
her arm.
"No Riddhima!" I said, my voce a bit
harsh. "Okay fine!" I left her arm and
took a step back when she looked up
at me scared. One. Two. Three. Four.
I counted numbers in my mind. "Tell
me what's the matter, before
leaving." I asked, my voice
demanding. So were my heart and
mind, demanding for an answer.
"No Rahul." I shook his hand off my
arm when he tried stopping me. "I
just asked her to marry me and she
is crying as if I had misbehaved with
her." I shouted exasperated.
"Armaan" Mom raised her voice
glaring at me.
"Okay!" I took a deep breath and
turned to Riddhima who was
standing at the first step of the
stairs. "Riddhima just tell me the
reason. Why are you crying? You can
take time if you want." I tried, once
again, maintaining my voice soft.
"I don't want any time Armaan."
Riddhima spoke to me for the first
time, her voice emotionless. "That's
so wrong." She added looking down.
"You wouldn't want to marry me."
"Cut the crap Riddhima." I sighed
irritated. "I wouldn't have asked you
if I don't want to marry you."
"I'll leave upstairs." It was Rahul
once again and I lost my head at
that statement of his.
"Oh just shut up Rahul." I blasted at
him. "Stay where you are."
I turned to Riddhima after a
moment. "Fine Riddhima. Tell me
why I wouldn't want to marry you."
"Aunty knows that Armaan." She said
blankly staring at me. "Even she
wouldn't want that."
"How would I know if mom is aware
of that? Tell that to me." I sighed
trying to make sense out of our
conversation. Where the hell was it
leading? "And mom was the one who
asked me if I would like to marry
you. She was happy with that." I told
her, trying to stay calm as much as I
can. "Weren't you mom?" I asked
turning to mom.
I turned back to Riddhima when
mom nodded. But Riddhima just
stared at mom hurt, fresh tears again
filling her eyes. She then looked into
my eyes, her eyes pleading. If I
thought I was able to read her eyes,
then I had been wrong all along. I
couldn't comprehend what her eyes
were pleading for. "You deserve the
best Armaan, not me." She whispered
after a couple of moments.
I sighed relieved. May be it was just
her inferiority complex, that she had
been talking about. May be she was
worried about her being an orphan. I
knew how they would feel for I had
seen Rahul behaving the same
sometimes.
"Riddhima, if you are just backing
away because you are an orphan and
all. Leave it aside. I like you and I
want to marry you because I..." I
searched for words. What should I
say now? I don't even know why I
was trying this extent to make her
understand. Why couldn't I just
leave it aside if she didn't want to
get married to me? "...because you
are a very good person Riddhima." I
ended hoping that would make some
sense.
"Armaan I-" She sounded defeated.
"I was married." I just stared at her
aghast and then at mom. Rahul was
as surprised as me.
"Riddhima you-"
"Yes, Armaan. I was married." She
repeated once again. "That's the
reason when I told you that you
wouldn't want to marry me." She
smiled slightly amidst her tears. "It's
better we stay as strangers if you
don't want me as a friend now. You
asked me what I should introduce
you as. This is the truth of the
relationship between us, Armaan.
Nothing more can be possible." She
added as few more tears slipped out
of her eyes.
I felt as if my voice was lost
somewhere. I couldn't speak
anything but just stare at her
retreating figure as she ran upstairs
to her room.
"Armaan, I-" Mom tried to speak to
me, after a couple of moments.
"No mom. wait." I cut her midway.
"We'll talk about this tomorrow." I
told her. I couldn't think of anything
else except Riddhima's words. And
the fact that mom expected me to
marry her when she knew about this
hit me hard.
"Rahul, just leave me alone for
tonight." I added before going
upstairs to my room for I knew Rahul
would come to me to sort me out.
But I don't want that. I wanted to
stay alone.
So that's it for today! Please vote! Bye.
Good night. -Isha