Page 124 of The Rules of Playing with Fire

That was around 7 a.m. She hadn’t replied, and it was almost ten. I called her mother to see if I could work from their home again. She welcomed me, quickly adding that Sona wasn’t home. My hotel room was comfortable, but I needed an internet connection I could trust. Her father’s study was adequately quiet and peaceful, and there was the added benefit of getting under Sona’s skin. It was a win-win all around. I had betrayed her trust, but I was determined to earn it back. Gaining her parents’ confidence and love, despite her annoyance, seemed like a very good place to start.

“The study is all set up for you,” Mrs. Thomas said when I arrived. The previous day, she’d accompanied me to the study and made sure I was comfortable. Today, she expected me to feel at home. “Thomas will be here for lunch,” she said as she brought me a tray with a bottle of water and a glass. “And you will have lunch and dinner with us.”

She rushed off to answer her phone before I could respond. I was part of the family now. I smiled as I opened my laptop.

By now, two things had become clear to me. One, if we were still together, it would’ve been a piece of cake to charm Sona’s parents because they were good people. And two, Sona still cared for me deeply.

Her bluntness was heartfelt and honest. She didn’t try to hide her pain. Instead, she had called me out on it. But there were no tears of self-pity, no false bravado either. She was who she’d always been—strong and proud. My cruelty was not repaid in bitterness but with grace and kindness.

Perhaps, in my heart, I knew it. That’s why I hadn’t thought twice before showing up at her door unannounced. I trusted her completely. I trusted her to be kind and wise, to be gracious despite the pain I had put her through.

An hour later when I switched off the computer, I heard Sona’s father outside.

“Ah, Mihir,” he said when I walked into the living room where the couple sat chatting. “I hope the network didn’t give you much trouble today.”

“No, everything went smoothly.”

Mrs. Thomas smiled at me. “Come sit with us. Let’s talk about you.”

Maybe it was a bad decision to exit the study. I sat. Reluctantly. Sona’s parents sat across from me.

“I spoke to Rajvi’s mother this morning,” her mother began. “And they are very excited. They want to see a picture. Do you have anything you use for matrimonial purposes?”

Matrimonial purposes? “No, Mrs. Thomas, I don’t have a picture, and?—”

“That’s alright. We can ask Sona to take one when she’s back. She knows all kinds of ways to take good pictures. She’s all over that Insta-something-or-other.”

“Uh, actually, I’m not looking, Mrs. Thomas.” I had no idea how to get myself out of this particular quagmire. I wished Sona would get back soon.

“Don’t be nervous, my dear. This isn’t a forced marriage. It’s matchmaking like all those websites you youngsters use these days. You both meet and see if you like each other.”

It was time to confess the truth. Well, the partial truth at least. “Mrs. Thomas, I just got out of a relationship, and I still have feelings for her.”

She frowned. “But the relationship is over, isn’t it? She’s out of your life. Do you think she has feelings for you?”

I slumped. This was getting more difficult by the minute. “I think she does, but it doesn’t matter. As long as I’m in love with her, I can’t marry someone else.”

“Then why don’t you tell her how you feel?”

I looked at her and softly confessed, “I did.”

“And she rejected you?” Her concern was now inching toward nosy.

I cleared my throat. “It’s complicated.”

“I don’t understand you young people.” She shook her head. “I’ll ask Sona to talk sense into you.”

“No, please don’t involve her,” I blurted before I could stop myself.

“Why?”

“Because…” My voice faded since I had no good answer.

“Because Sona is the woman you love?” she said, and my head snapped up.

Sona’s father pulled one leg over the other and chuckled like my dad did when he was thoroughly pleased. “She’s got her finger on your pulse, son.”

Arms crossed across her chest, Mrs. Thomas flashed a conceited smile. “What, you think our generation has never been in love?” She tutted.

---