The Long Way Home

Part 2: Coffee

Thank you to everyone who left feedback on the last chapter, I really appreciate it. Sorry it took me so long to update but please do leave your thoughts/concerns/comments/joota chappal for this part as well.

Anuj stood in front of the coffee machine with his arms crossed at his chest.

"It's ready."

"Huh?" He turned to see Anupama peeking from behind his shoulder. "Your coffee," she pointed out.

"Oh, sorry." Anuj removed his cup and made way for her. He was unable to meet her eyes; he prayed she had not seen the kiss that transpired outside the restaurant. Anuj had begun to walk away from her when she finally built up the courage to talk to him. "Sir, can I... ask you a question?"

Anuj closed his eyes shut. Kanhaji. Aap aisa kyun kar rahe hai subha subha? Coffee tak nahi piya maine, he thought. He then turned around and tilted his head slightly. "Yes?"

"Was that you with whom I bumped into last Friday? At that um, La Cantina restaurant?" The coffee machine made a crackling noise as it started a fresh brew.

"It... was," he admitted. "Small world." Anuj smiled awkwardly, his eyes shifting here and there. Anupama gave a confused smile back. She never understood why he seemed so nervous around her; if anything, it should be the other way around.

"Can I um, say something else?" she asked.

"Please, you don't have to ask," he replied.

"I just wanted to apologize for last week. About the whole coffee thing, I felt like I was too... intense, and-"

"No, please," Anuj cut her off, waving his hand. "Let me apologize first... for everything. I should not have approached you like that. I am embarrassed that I made you so uncomfortable."

Anupama looked down at her cup. She had reached a point in her life where even the minutest breach of her personal walls was triggering to her. Any other woman would be thrilled to date someone like Anuj, but Anupama could not entertain the idea. In her world, there was no space for new people. She just had to make it clear that he was not the problem. "It's okay," she said, although hesitantly. She tilted her head as a thought occurred to her. "It's strange that you asked me out for coffee before even asking me my name."

Anuj felt wounded by her inquiry, but one thing was for certain: she definitely did not remember him. Anuj however had no need to ask for the name that his heart used to murmur over and over again like a prayer.

"I don't really know what I was thinking," he lied. "But please accept my apologies, that was very out of bounds."

Anupama wondered the same thing. What was he thinking? Why would someone like Anuj Kapadia be interested in her, especially without knowing anything about her?

"It's-it's okay sir," she said again.

"By the way, how is your friend? She seemed a bit out of it at the restaurant," Anuj asked. His inquiry sounded genuine, which pleasantly surprised Anupama. "She's fine. But she's been better." She looked at him. "How was your date? Did it go well?"

The words escaped her lips before her brains could process them. Baap re. Yeh kya pooch liya maine? she thought.

As mortified as Anupama was, Anuj was tenfold more.

At that moment, Anuj wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. He waited a few seconds but since it never happened, he had to give her an answer. "Yes," he said, and then immediately retracted his statement. "No, I mean, no."