Facing the World

Chapter 31

Jigar's shop was busy with customers and his father was directing his workers on what to do. When I saw Sharon storm into Jigar's office, I followed her thinking she might just end up breaking up with him.

"You think me falling in love with you was all a joke?", As soon as Sharon saw Jigar, she started blurting out all her frustration on him. Jigar just stood there shocked, not sure what was going on. He slowly put down the file he was holding on his desk and walked towards Sharon.

"Sharon, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong Jigar? Well I'll tell you whats wrong? Firstly it so happens that I'm only now finding out about your close friend in this village from my family and not only that, people around here think you have something going on between each other. So all this time, whenever you'd return home, you would use work as an excuse but instead you'd come visit your other girlfriend Chinky".

Jigar looked over at me and shrugged his shoulders. He was rather confused to hear Chinky's name. I stood near the door enjoying Jigar get roasted for something he didn't even do. 

"Sharon, whose Chinky?", Jigar put his hands on Sharon's shoulders and she shook his hands off.

"Oh don't you pretend you don't know who Chinky is. She's the girl people think your in love with. Please say it's not true".

Jigar started laughing. "It's not true! I haven't heard of any Chinky. You're the only one I love, so stop making stories up and let me get back to work".

Sharon looked blank. She turned around and caught me smiling at Jigar. As soon as my eyes landed on her, I started to take a few steps backwards to escape her.

"So this was all your doing Simi? Dude! I almost ended our relationship there". She walked to me and looked angry.

"Sharon stop getting mad. Don't you realize that Jigar's family knows nothing about you and who knows his father might have already found a girl for him? And let me inform you, our family doesn't know anything as well. If they found out, your parents might agree, but Dadha and Dadhi Ji, they won't".

Sharon stood in front of me in deep thoughts now. She thought hard about the matter and then turned and went to Jigar.

"We need to tell everyone!"

"Tell everyone what?", Jigar who was now seated, looked up at Sharon clueless.

"Jigar! We need to let our families know about our relationship before they get us arranged with someone else. I won't let that happen. You know my family so well but I don't know much about yours. Does your dad even know I exist? You really don't seem to care about where this relationship is going do you Jigar?"

For the many years I have known Jigar, his always been a very calm, simple and cheerful person. However, today I saw a different Jigar. He was angry, furious that Sharon thought their relationship was a joke to him. He got up from his seat and looked really pissed. Before he could say anything, his father entered the office.

"Anything wrong here Jigar?", he asked Jigar as he looked around cluelessly at me and Sharon.

Sharon looked me me as she had no idea who this man was. 

"Simi putar, how have you been?", Jigar's father looked at me and I went to touch his feet for blessing. "I'm good uncle. How have you been?"

"I am doing good as well, Lucky I have Jigar here to look after me". He then realised there was a third person in the room. "Ahh and you putar must be Sharon". Uncle looked at Sharon and then at me smiling.

"My son here has been talking a lot about you. Every time I'd call him, he'll tell me he was out with you or he was having dinner or lunch with your family".