Chances At Dreams

Chapter Eleven

Ever since my meeting with Mayank, I constantly wondered if I should speak to Rithvik or not. It wasn't that this was the first time I was thinking about telling Rithvik its just that I never had the courage to before it was put into words by someone else.

And so when I met Nina at our usual place I told her that I'd met Mayank. To which she obviously responded, "Oh, so you thought my idea of eloping is good, you just wanted to do it with a guy."

At that I just hit her with my hand on her head.

"What? I was just pointing out all the possibilities!"

"You and your imaginations Ninu!"

"You wish you had them, Aahana."

I just made a face at her. Then she said,"Seriously, though why did you meet him and how did it all go down?"

So for the next half and hour I described her everything how I texted, when we meet and everything after that.

"Its funny Ninu, at fifteen I had thought that he was the most perfect guy who had come into my life, not perfect, literally, but perfect for me. I had even thought about how wonderful our wedding would be and how beautiful our house would look. But now all of it seem as childish aspirations of the past and I'm glad that is the case, or I'd never have with Rithvik what I have today."

"Oh, I know Aahana! I've seen how happy you've been the past few months. You the gloomy child of darkness, is finally happy!"

"Yes but being happy gets me scared, makes me wonder how long will it last.Which reminds me, I need to tell Rithvik about my carrer plans."

"Aahana, are you seriously thinking about it? Then don't. Just concentrate on your marriage right now, let all the pieces fall into their place and then you can do whatever you want to. Don't ruin this for your sake."

But how would all the pieces fall into their place if one important piece was missing from my life?

I just nooded at her and she further continued speaking,"I know, Aahana, what being an independent woman means to you, but wait for it. It may eventually come to you."

I gave her an agreeing nod and talked for a little while after which I left for home.

***
At home, I was greeted by Supriya di and Kaushik bhai who'd arrived together as Kaushik bhaiya directly came to Mumbai from London at Supriya di's place and from there to Bangalore. They arrived a week earlier and their spouses would come on the wedding day.

I was so glad to see them though. Although they were my older cousins, I'd always thought of them as siblings since I'd lived with them for a really good time. Supriya di is seven years elder to me and Kaushik bhaiya is nine years elder to me. And so when I arrived the two of them took up to it to look after me in their own ways.

Supriya di was the one who'd take care of me. On days I wouldn't feel like eating, she'd feed me. Times I'd just cry on my pillow and wouldn't fall asleep, she'd be next to me. She'd take up my studies and she was the one I came running to when I had my first period.

On the other hand, Kaushik bhaiya would try to cheer me up by being a pain in the ass. He'd tease me constantly, and call me names at which I'd always get annoyed and yell at him, forgetting that he was much older than me. I didn't like it then but now I understand that he had done it simply because he wanted me to react to something. He'd fight with his father when need be, that is when he thought that he isn't providing for me. He didn't live in this house for very long after I moved in as he went to London to do his masters in engineering and settled there. But our relationship never strained.