“How do I bring myself to trust my judgment again?” Her voice was reduced to a hoarse whisper. She rested her face on his chest.
He gently stroked her hair, “Sameera, I wish I could wipe away your pain. I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am. I know there is no way I can fathom the depth of your sorrow, but one thing is for sure, if I can ever lay my hands on that swine, I will kill him. I will kill him if it is the last thing I do.”
They sat wrapped in each other’s arms.
“You have trusted me with your deepest pain and I honor that. I knew about this because I made Tanya tell me, but it was very important for me to hear it from you.” He pulled away and looked at her. “Are you angry with me?”
Sameera did not say anything; she just clutched him harder.
”Nothing that I say will wipe away your insecurities; you need to trust yourself first. It wasn’t your fault after all.” They sat together, crying unabashedly, rocking gently, in a tight embrace. She felt lighter while he was overcome with anger and grief. “My darling. I will always cherish you. There may be issues and problems that life throws at us, but we will deal with everything together. I do not have any illusions of being perfect, I can be rude, moody, abrasive, but I know I am perfect for you. Please, let’s give our love a chance. Be mine.” He’d wanted to say the words that burned his mind, but all he actually managed to say was, “Let me take you inside.”
She staggered in after him, holding his hand tightly. She slipped into bed without letting go of his hand. It was a surreal feeling. Her mind felt free but her body had collapsed. The strain was too much for her to bear. Through intermittent sobs, she pulled him in with her. “Don’t go.”
“I won’t.” He pulled the covers over her, bent down and kissed her forehead. “Trust your heart Sameera. Good night.” She turned and fitted into him perfectly as she fell asleep, ensconced in his tight embrace.
≈
TWENTY-TWO
When she got up, he was gone. She had actually spent the whole night with him, wrapped in his arms, yet she felt no guilt, no shame in the morning. She had slept more peacefully than she could ever remember. Being the thorough gentleman that he was, he had quietly left in the morning, giving her space to deal with her own emotions in privacy. Sameera looked at herself in the mirror; “What does my heart really say?”
The festivities of the day were about to begin and there was no time to soul-search. There was a knock on the door. Gautam? She ran to open the door and was surprised to find a waiter from room service carrying breakfast.
“I’m sorry but there must be a mistake. I have not ordered anything.”
The waiter handed her a card that read “Pehle pait pooja. Another hectic day ahead. Cheers, Gautam”.
She stood at the door, reading the card over and over again even as the waiter laid the table for her. For her this was romance at its best. He was ready to take care of her, could she reciprocate?
Soon Sameera was engulfed in the barrage of festivities. She could not desert Tanya in the midst of chuda, haldi, lunch, milni and the actual wedding.
***
She was with Tanya at the parlor, arguing over the right shade of lipstick for her when Tanya abruptly clutched Sameera’s hand. “Do you like him?”
“What? Who?”
“You know jolly well who. Still, if you want to be daft, do you like Gautam?”
“Yes I do. I hardly know him well, but he’s different from every other guy I know.” Sameera fidgeted with her hair. “I love him but am afraid to commit. I’m so confused.”
“Just trust your instinct Sam. I know what’s bugging you. But do you see any similarity between Gautam and Kabir? Sanjay has known Gautam forever; he’s a loving son, a loyal friend, with unquestionable integrity. He’s madly in love with you; even a blind man can see it.”
Sameera could no longer control her tears.
“Just think about it, and do what you have to do. You deserve to be happy and I deserve a sexy, handsome jiju like him.”
Sameera did not budge. She kept combing her hair while a thousand thoughts crossed her mind. Gautam had tried to take care of her but did not demand anything from her. If she could not trust him whom could she trust ever again? Life was offering her a second chance and it was up to her to seize it. “I have to go,” she said, dropping the brush on the floor.
Tanya gave her a tight hug and held the door open for her.
***
Once outside, she did not know what to do. Mustering all her courage, she dialed Gautam’s number. “Come and see me at Bay point. NOW.”
The seconds passed very slowly. She strained her eyes till they hurt. Her throat was parched. Just when she thought she would faint with anxiety, she saw Gautam. He was running—tuxedo and all—a full-bodied dash towards her.
As soon as he reached her, he scooped her in his arms in one fluent motion. She remained within the circle of his arms, not seeking release. He kissed her softly on the cheek and once again, the same soft, melting sensation engulfed her.
“Do you love me?” she blurted.
“Wow. That’s direct.” He put her down and held her hand.
She repeated, “Do you love me?” He put her hand on his wildly beating heart and held her gaze.
“Always have.” His voice was deep and husky, choked with emotion.
“What about your ‘love-at-first-sight girl’ at the airport?” Her brow creased theatrically.
He neither blinked nor moved. “That was you.”
“What rubbish. You met me for the first time at Sanjay’s farmhouse.”
“Correct, I met you there for the first time, but I saw you at the airport taxi stand, negotiating how to load your luggage. You were wearing a pink floral dress.”
“Oh my God. Where were you?”
“In the taxi queue.”
“But you were so rude and indifferent towards me after that.”
“That is how hot-blooded males display their love.” He cocked an eyebrow. “It must have worked or else we would not be standing here now.”
“Bullshit.”
“Strategy.”
“Investment banker or romance strategist, Gautam?”
“I promise there is much more to me. Hang on and you shall see.”
Her voice fell into a whisper. “My mom has to approve of you.”
“First tell me if you approve of me.” He drew her closer, wiping the tears as they rolled down her cheeks.
“I do.” She sniffed.
“So does she. I’ve met her. Had to meet her after Tanya told me everything.”
She was amazed. He had cared enough to even meet her mother. He cares. He cares. The words kept repeating in her head. “How long have you been plotting and scheming behind my back?”
“It seems like a lifetime. Don’t know how much longer I can carry on wooing.”
She puckered her face in a mock frown. “Wooing? You will have to be more romantic than this.”
He put his hand in his pocket and brought out a small red, velvet box. He opened it, revealing a sparkling diamond solitaire hanging on a thin gold chain that he clasped around her neck. “Your neck drives me wild. You cannot imagine how many hours I have spent dreaming about touching it, caressing it, kissing it. This diamond is actually a warning: Private property. Hope you like it.”
Sameera felt a lump in her throat. This was too good to be true. She’d found her knight in black tuxedo and white shirt; her heart thudded at the love brimming in his eyes. The wind blew a speck of sand into her eyes. As she squinted, he caught her by her waist and blew into her eyes. Their lips brushed. It felt so right. This time he would not let her go. He kissed her, on her forehead, cheeks, neck, eyes and finally, her lips. Sameera kissed back and they stood entwined for an eternity. Gautam did not want to let go; he picked her up in his arms and walked towards the wedding venue. Sameera clung to him happily and smiled. The setting sun had an amber glow, her peach lehenga was blowing in the wind, and her A
donis with molten eyes was carrying her away to a land of dreams. “Gautam, this is Tanya’s dream coming true.”
“No my darling, this is my dream coming true.”
≈
TWENTY-THREE
“I love you,” whispered Sameera into Gautam’s ears as he reluctantly put her down. To him, no verse could be more poetic, no music more soulful, and no praise more flattering than these three simple words.
“I love you too” he replied, engulfing her yet again in his embrace. Oh, if only he could sweep her far, far away from all this hungama. He knew that this wedding was too important for her to miss; he also did not want to overwhelm her. He had a nagging fear that she may not be ready to reciprocate his passion and that was one risk he would rather not take. Now that he knew she was his, she was free to take her time. She loved him, and for now, nothing else mattered. The air was more fragrant, the breeze was cooler, and even the Bollywood song-and-dance tamasha more bearable.
Sameera’s face shone brighter than the full moon. Her walk had a bounce, her voice a tinkle, her heart a song. She felt Gautam’s hand clasped tightly in hers, the touch of his warm lips still lingered on her cheeks and the diamond pendant shone proudly at her throat. She smiled triumphantly.
Gautam and Sameera radiated happiness. It was obvious to everybody that the two were in love and they didn’t mind the teasing and leg-pulling that followed. Physically they clung to each other, afraid to let go; mentally, they were ensconced in their own private world. She hung on to his strong arms while he had eyes only for her.
***
Sameera was desperate to get away with Gautam. His gestures made her feel special; the way he pulled her close when standing at the bar, the way he indulgently stroked her hair. Her fears had melted away. He was her security blanket. Her ardor rose each time she felt his breath on her ears as he whispered, when she saw the gentle heaving of his chest. He was her soul mate and had set her free. There was no excess baggage, no past, no pain, and no time to lose. Amidst the hullabaloo all she could think of was lingerie and candles, perfume and music. It was intoxicating. She had finally unlocked her heart.
Long before the festivities were over, Sameera took Gautam’s hand and led him out to the beach.
“This is nice,” said Gautam, savoring the gentle sea breeze. Sameera just winked. As she continued walking purposefully towards their rooms, Gautam enquired quizzically, “Are we going somewhere?”
Sameera closed her eyes and put his hand on her wildly thumping heart. Time stopped as they stood in the garden. She raised her eyes to his and smiled. She was ready. This was just right. Still holding his hand, smiling gently, she led him in and shut the door softly behind them.
≈
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Madhur Nevatia’s mushy romanticism stems from her schooling at an all-girls’ school and Bollywood. She is an MBA who has juggled being a banker, a stay-at-home mother, a part-time teacher, a body language and communications coach and a freelance writer. Over the past ten years, Madhur has been fortunate enough to travel with her husband’s advancing career to Mumbai, Kolkata, Gurgaon, Johannesburg, South Africa and currently London.
By her own admission, this nomadic lifestyle suits her adventurous spirit. An avid reader, she loves everything—from literary classics to biographies to management books to ‘chick lit’. She started off by writing a blog—a funny take on her life and what she saw around her. A diehard romantic, she loves all kinds of love stories and hopes to create many of her own. “Yours Accidentally” is her first book.
You can reach her at www.madhurnevatia.blogspot.com and on FB at https://www.facebook.com/MadhurNevatiaAuthor.
REQUEST FOR FEEDBACK
Yours Accidentally is an Indirom novella brought to you by Indireads. As a young publisher that aims to connect South Asian writers and readers, we are keen to hear from you—our readers.
· Please drop us a note at [email protected] to tell us what you thought of this title, our other books, or our work in general.
· Please visit the book-page on the Indireads site and leave a review
· Please leave a review of the book on the online bookstore where you bought this book. Your reviews help us improve our offerings, and enable us to serve you better.
· Finally, if you liked this book, please consider tweeting a short review. You can tweet a prepopulated review (you will be able to edit, customize and personalize) by clicking here.
Yours Accidentally Page 7