The Ruined Rainbow

CHAPTER 91

Ayesha

Wednesday dawned with a soft glow, the anticipation of Sahil's trip to Pune permeating the air. Sahil moved purposefully, selecting his attire—a crisp white shirt, charcoal grey trousers, and a navy blue blazer that added a touch of sophistication. He expertly knotted his tie and juggled confirming meeting details with Jane, his efficient PA.

Seated at the breakfast table, I observed Sahil. Limping slightly, he approached the table, his mobile deftly sandwiched between his shoulder and ear. As he settled into the chair across from me, he deftly extracted the freshly toasted bread. He spread butter with a knife, his hands moving with a practised routine but stressfully.

"I'll do it," I mouthed, delicately taking the bread and knife from his hands.

"Thanks," he silently conveyed, expressing gratitude with a warm smile.

A minute later, he concluded the call and stretched his neck, a visible sign of discomfort from holding it in a twisted position. Moments later, he ended the call, stretching his neck—an involuntary pain motion from its twisted position.

"Why not use the loudspeaker?" I inquired, proffering the toast.

He leaned down to take a bite rather than accepting it from my hand.

"I don't know, just a practice, I guess," he mused, his mouth still partially occupied by the toast. Another bite followed. "Whenisyourflight?"

I chuckled, "Finish eating first."

With a swallow, he gasped lightly, "When is your flight?"

"At 9.30. I will be leaving in 20 minutes; when are you leaving?"

"Now," Sahil proclaimed, stuffing the remaining toast into his mouth.

"Jane has already sent the car down; it is waiting for me."

"What, really?" I exclaimed, surprised. 

"Yeah, I need to go. Jane will kill me," he said, rising.

In a move that added a happy beat to my heart, Sahil wielded a knife with finesse, scooping a lavish amount of butter. Skillfully applying it to freshly toasted bread, he presented it near my lips, a mischievous grin playing on his face.

And just like that, my heart melted.

Blushing happily, I took a bite.

"I still need to get used to this, you know?" I smiled radiantly at him, taking the toast from his hand. "Us having breakfast feels so long ago, yet like it was just yesterday."

"Take all the time you need," Sahil said, kissing my temple. "Who's in a hurry?"

*******

The aeroplane touched down on Delhi soil, and the mixture of nerves and excitement inside me felt like a turbulent storm. The cityscape outside the window was both familiar and inviting, its vastness reverberating the vastness of my mission - to weave back the unwoven threads of Sahil's life.

As I stepped into the bustling airport, my determination fought against the fluttering butterflies in my stomach. Sahil's parents, people I'd never met, were just miles away.

And then, the reality of my mission began to intensify.

Convincing Sahil's parents wasn't the daunting part—it was the unpredictable storm that brewed in Sahil's eyes every time the topic arose. The fear of triggering that distant and sad-blended emotion, an amalgamation of absolute longing and nameless moodiness, added an unexpected complexity to my mission.