One Fateful Dawn

Chapter 22

Rudra Shekhawat

"Oh, so it was for her whom you got that extra tiffin for," Mom said as she came inside my cabin. 

"What are you doing here," I  asked her. 

"I came here for you to sign these documents but then Rakesh said you were having your lunch so I just peaked," she said and kept a file on my desk. 

"You peaked" I chuckled and signed the file. 

"What was she doing here," she asked as she sat in front of me. 

"She came to return this," I said as I motioned towards the necklace box. 

"What's this," she asked and opened the box and gasped, "No wonder, what were you thinking while giving it to her" she laughed. 

"Well I thought she might like it," I said. 

"She thought it was American diamond" she chuckled, "And you should know better Yogini would have never accepted such gift" 

"Why not," I asked. 

"Because, why would she, she is not your wife," she said making me startle. 

"You say this stuff so casually." 

"Come on Rudra, a woman would have only accepted such an expensive gift from a family member only, and you clearly can't be her brother so the only option left is that of a husband," she said, "And anyway if you do not want to make a move, then I will make a move," she said and started to leave. 

"What moves," I asked. 

"Setting her up with someone," she said, "She is quite eligible to get herself a husband you know and the only bachelor I can see in the near vicinity is the Goenka's son" 

"What" I glared at her. 

"Yeah Maya and Mr Rathod were talking about it at the party, you know to get Yogi married soon"

 "Yogini would never agree to it" I scoffed and started tying on my computer. 

"Why not," she asked, "Does she have a boyfriend, I don't think so, does she have a potential suitor, I don't think, so why not. And I have met Goenkas' son, Sahil Goenka good looking fellow and a great businessman, after all, she belongs from a business family, it would be a perfect match and beside Rathod has asked me to introduce them, do you think I should call Sahil here itself and then Yogi as well and they can meet here only and it won't be too awkward as well and besi-" 

"Mom" I almost yelled at her, "I trying to work here," I said clearing my throat and maintaining my cool. 

"Why are getting so worked up" she smirked at me, "Shouldn't you be helping me out for your friend," she said. Oh, she definitely knew. 

"You do not need to set her up with anyone," I said while looking at her calmly. 

"And why is that," she asked pushing buttons further with that silly smile on her face. 

"Because I will be marrying her" and there was a silence. Mom just stood there and then smiled. 

"Good thing," she said, "And you know what it's high time you tell her," she said and left as if I did not just confess to her something really important. 

I had not thought about this until now when I had finally said this out loud. I liked Yogini Anand, I really liked Yogini Anand. There was no doubt that she was beautiful, but there was something more to her than just her external features. For the first time, I saw her she was being chased by a bunch of people with guns. If it is taken out of context, it would be really funny and would make me wonder that what a girl possibly can do to make people run behind her with rifles. But she is a really courageous girl and is everything that I would want in my life partner. 

Now that I think about all the incidents, I have been drawn to Yogini from the beginning. And everyone around me, be it mom or Rana and for that matter, even Dhruv was quite under the impression that I liked Yogini already. And now that I have realised it I feel like a fool. I have never been drawn to anyone as I have to Yogini. I am quite fond of her. 

My train of thought was broken when I received a call. It was Rathod uncle. 

"I hope I am not disturbing you," he said as soon I picked up the phone. 

"Not at all Mr Rathod" 

"This is not an official call" he chuckled, "Actually Rudra I have been meaning to talk to you," he said and sighed, "We couldn't even talk at the party that night," he said. 

"Yes," I said. 

"Why don't you come over and we can talk about........ everything" he offered. 

"Yes, of course, I will be coming over today," I said and hung up. 

************

Soon it was 6 and I decided to leave for Mr Rathod's house. 

"Rudra sir" the bodyguard greeted me outside Uncle's house and opened the gate for me. I pulled over in his driveway and made my way inside the house. 

There was a lot of commotion in the house. There were people around the house and it seemed like they were trying to hang a large picture in the dining room with Rathod Uncle giving instructions on how to hang it. I was not able to see the picture as three people were standing in front of it with the held of a ladder. 

"No to a little right" Rathod uncle instructed, "No it is still crooked" 

"Sir, it is straight now" Sunil, his driver said. 

"Sunil you are blind, it is still crooked," he said and I went near him. 

"Sunil, just a little to the left," I said and I finally saw the picture. 

"Yeah now it is right" Rathod uncle finally sighed and everyone quickly went away. 

The picture was Rathod uncle and his wife and along with Yogini. She didn't look older than ten in the photo. She was wearing a beautiful grey coloured dress and was looking really cute with her small smile as she stood in between her parents. 

"I finally talked to Yogini" uncle said, making me look at him, "I know all the misunderstandings won't be cleared with one conversation but at least she decided to give me a chance" he looked at the photo with a sad smile. 

"You know this is the only photo we have of all three of us together where all of us are looking decent" he chuckled slightly, "Come," he said and guided me towards his study. 

"What did you want to talk about uncle," I asked. 

"Thank you, Kamala Ji," he said as the old house-help brought us our coffee. 

"Thank you," I said and the maid went out. 

"Actually I wanted to talk about Yogini with you," he said and I almost choked on my coffee. 

"What did you want to talk about her, " I asked as I wiped my face with a few tissues.

"Are you serious about her?" he asked taking me off guards, "Look I know I am not even under this authority to ask you this considering my relations with Yogi, but at the end of the day she is my daughter and I have to look out for her" he confessed. 

"I understand your concern, and considering what all I have had told you earlier, you know me, I would have never shared anything like that with you if I weren't serious," I said, "I really respect her and I that would never change. I do like her but I do not know what she feels towards me" I sighed. 

"So why haven't you told her yet," he asked me. 

"I don't know I kind of never got the chance to confess anything to her regarding this," I said, "I mean we have only known each other for about what, 4 months or something" 

"So," he asked, "If you like her then why don't you tell her, and just for your knowledge her masi is kind in a hurry to get her married, she thinks that Yogi is so much influenced by her that she might just decide to live like a spinster forever, like Maya," he said making me chuckle. 

Heyy there, short chapter, I know. Anyway last day of the year so happy new year guys. Hope you all have a great and productive year ahead and I will see you next time, till then be safe and sound.