Page 89 of The Ex Factor

“Good night, Aarti.”

“Sorry you didn’t get to tuck me in,” she said with a mischievous glint.

“That’s alright. I think you can manage that, my sweet girl.”

I didn’t regret using the possessive, especially when she returned an unfazed smile and said, “Good night, Sujit. You’re the best thing that could have happened to me.”

AARTI

Yes, I said it, and I didn’t regret it. Sujit was the best thing that the universe could have thrown in my path after having devastated me with the Sameer situation. Life has a strange sense of humor, I had thought upon seeing him that first night.Of all the gin joints in all of the towns…

But apparently, life also has a semblance of kindness, for of all the people that could have walked into my life at that precarious time, he did. Ethically balanced, I had called him. The way he stood up for me, respected and protected me, I had never expected nor needed. And then, there was the thing unsaid between us. Just a touch, a nod, and he could reassure me. I could communicate an entire gamut of my feelings with just a squeeze of his arm, and he understood it all. I knew I had fallen hard for him, but how could I get rid of the baggage that came with this particular desire? How could either of us?

Quickly changing into my night cami and shorts, I wiped all trace of makeup and placed a call to Mom.

“Hello, Beta,” she answered on a single ring.

“Sorry, Ma, were you waiting for long?”

“Not long,” she replied, but her sleepy eyes said otherwise. “Just wanted to see how you were doing…tonight, I mean.”

“I’m alright. I had scheduled a meeting to get my mind off…it,” I lied to my mother with a straight face. Love makes us do stupid things, but shame makes us do worse. Which one was it that was compelling me to lie, I wondered.

“Good. Everything will be okay soon, and you can return. I miss you, you know. More than I thought I would,” she said.

“I miss you too, Ma. I am glad you have Jia, at least. Do you get to share things with her now?”

“Yes, it’s better, but she’s a new mom, and she’s going through her own stuff. I do get lonely.”

“Sorry I’ve been busy. Do you get to see your friends, though? It must be very awkward.”

“My friends have been surprisingly supportive. The Mathurs didn’t want to go to the wedding on our account, even though they were invited. I persuaded them to go. Their relationship with the Rehanis is their own.”

Mathur Aunty was Mom’s oldest and best friend. Her daughter Anju was my friend, although we weren’t as close as our mothers.

“I’m glad, Ma. It’s overblown, anyway. Mine wasn’t the first public breakup, and it won’t be the last.”

Mom smiled. “I’m glad to see you’re taking it so positively, Beta. I have been worried about you.”

“Don’t be. You know I am the happiest when I’m working.”

“Yes, but you used to get some downtime here. I’m worried you’re probably overworking yourself there.”

“I’m not, and I’m eating well, and I go out too. Don’t worry.”

“Beta, about that,” she said and looked around her, probably to make sure she was alone.

“Yes, Ma?”

She dropped her voice. “Aakash told me he talked to you.”

I nodded.

“About Sujit Rao,” she whispered as if it was taboo to even utter that name.

I sighed audibly.

“Satish doesn’t know, and he should never find out. For his sake and yours.”

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