Page 74 of Strictly Solo
Naina’s mouth opened to respond, to brush off the concern.
“No, really, Deby,” she finally managed, pasting on a small smile. “It’s just… I guess I’m a bit tired from the trip, that’s all.”
Deborah didn’t buy it.
“Alright, let me guess. Considering how much your family wants to get you settled down, at this event, there must have been a handsome man involved? You liked him, didn’t you? And now, back here in Mumbai, you’re missing him.”
Caught off guard, Naina’s cheeks flushed pink, and she burst out, “That’s not true! I don’t like him, nor am I missing him… Please, Deby!”
Deborah chuckled, lifting a brow knowingly. “Oh, so there was a guy, huh? Hmm. I need details, Naina.” She crossed her arms, leaning against the table. “What has he done to my friend, to turn her this gloomy?”
Naina, stuck, fidgeted, searching for the words to divert the subject. “It’s… complicated.”
Deborah smiled sympathetically.
“Most worthwhile things are. Maybe not now, but when you’re ready, I’m here. I’m not going to stop pushing you for this, Naina. You deserve happiness.”
Naina managed a weak smile, deeply moved by her support.
“Thanks, Deby. But now, let me just focus on work. I’ve got a long list of emails waiting.”
“Alright, alright. Go ahead. But don’t think I’m letting you off that easy. Take your time and tell me all about this mysterious man when you’re ready. Deal?”
“Deal.” She left the conference room and returned to her desk, knowing she could count on Deby. Anytime.
******************
A Week Later
Ruhaan gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white as he cursed under his breath. It had been a week of pure torture, with every attempt he made to reach Naina or Neil failing. She had blocked his number, blocked his mother’s number after his last desperate attempt, and left him with no other way to reach out. Each passing day, he grew more frustrated and regretful, cursing himself for never asking for her address or even where she worked. Even Rohit wasn’t going to budge on giving up her address. He’d tried pleading, joking, even a bit of bribery, but Rohit wouldn’t budge.
As he drove through the bustling streets of Mumbai, he tried to suppress his irritation, but it was impossible. Every child he saw reminded him of Neil, every woman with a bright smile reminded him of Naina. The frustration simmered as he tried to shake away memories of the two weeks they’d spent together, but it was futile. Thoughts of Naina’s laughter, Neil’s mischievous antics, and the quiet moments they’d shared crept into his mind constantly, taking root in the empty spaces that no one else had ever touched.
Today, on his way to work, he stopped at a red traffic light and spotted a father dropping his young son, around Neil’s age, off at the school gate. The scene hit him square in the heart…the boy’s arms wrapped around his father, the way the father lovingly ruffled his son’s hair and sent him off with a kiss on his cheek. He felt a pang of longing so strong it left him breathless. He saw himself in that father, imagined Neil in that little boy’s place, and the realization hit him harder. He missed that boy more than he could explain to anyone, even to himself.
This feeling of loss wasn’t something he was used to. He’d dated, enjoyed the thrill of casual relationships, but Naina…she had changed something in him. With Naina, Ruhaan felt like hecould be himself—no pretenses, no need to flash the charm he usually wore like armor. Around her, he didn’t need the smooth talk or the polished gestures. She seemed to bring out a side of him he rarely let anyone see, a side he barely recognized himself. And with Neil? He hadn’t realized how attached he’d become to that boy until now. Neil lit up Ruhaan’s protective instincts like nothing else. The kid had this uncanny way of making him feel both responsible and playful, like he was someone Neil could count on.
Ever since returning to Mumbai, whenever Ruhaan got ready for work before the mirror, he couldn’t help recalling helping Neil with his spiked hair, brushing it up as they laughed. When Ruhaan flipped through TV channels in the evenings, catching the sports station, he remembered how Neil had been so thrilled to play cricket with him some day. And how could he forget the day they’d tried swimming together? That memory had become a favorite.
He couldn’t tell who he missed more, Naina or Neil, but he knew one thing: he missed them both, more than he ever thought he would.
A sudden ring jolted him from his thoughts as Rohit’s name flashed on his phone screen. Without hesitation, Ruhaan picked up, pressing the button on his Bluetooth.
“Tell me you’re ready to give me Naina’s address,” he said immediately, not bothering with a greeting.
“In your dreams, Ruhaan,” came Rohit’s reply. “I called to check if you signed off on those checks for Mittal Group?”
“Yes, I signed them,” Ruhaan snapped. “But come on, Rohit! Stop being so damn stubborn and give me her address. I’ve been practically begging you for a week now.”
“Exactly. It’s been a week, man. Get over it. Naina doesn’t want to meet you. So, you need to respect that.”
“Respect it?” Ruhaan almost growled. “Let her decide that when I ring her doorbell. I’m...I’m just really missing her, Rohit. I need to see her, to explain everything. I’ve been dying here, missing Neil even, thinking about everything that happened.”
There was a pause on the other end.
“Look, I get it, Ruhaan. I do. But she’s made her decision clear, and I have to respect that. Besides, if I hand over her address, my wife and father-in-law will bury me alive.”
Ruhaan groaned, gripping the wheel tighter as he tried to keep his frustration in check.
