Gautam picked up the phone on the first ring.
“Gautam, I just spoke to Sangita,” said Rithika without preamble. “She's okay, I think. She's had dinner and is on her way to bed.”
“Oh!” It was an anti-climax. The adrenaline that had been pumping inside him slowed down as he listened.
“But you have to work harder now. She's back in her shell, Gautam. Her parents really told her off I think, though she refused to discuss it. Now it's all up to you. I really hope you plan to pursue her.” Rithika wished him goodnight before disconnecting.
Nothing would stop him now. Gautam felt Sangita's pain as if it were his own. He would marry her, Gautam promised himself. He'd give her and Sandeep the wonderful life the two of them deserved. To hell with her parents! They had no idea what they were up against.
10
But Gautam hadn't bargained for Sangita's obstinate attitude. He couldn't see that she had grown a protective shell around herself to save herself more hurt. Why couldn't she understand that he was only trying to help her?
Gautam couldn't get anywhere near her or get in a word sideways over the next three days. He tried calling her at the hospital first thing in the morning. She refused to speak to him on the pretext of being busy.
Evenings when he went for his mockery of a physiotherapy session, she was either not to be seen or handling half-a-dozen patients. She was too busy for him. She refused to meet his eyes. Gautam had never felt so frustrated in his life.
He entered the hospital at three-thirty in the afternoon on the fourth day to find Sangita sipping a cup of coffee at her desk. She hadn't expected him so early. She raised her panic-stricken gaze towards him, her coffee cup in mid-air between her desk and her lips.
Her chocolate-brown eyes clung to his face. Missing him had been a physical pain. It was alright to talk about disciplining one's thoughts, only it was impossible to control one's heart. His eyes shone with a smile of triumph. It sent her heart into a crazy somersault. She ran her eyes quickly over his tall figure. He had lost weight, she thought, shocked. Why? He'd recovered since the accident. Maybe he wasn't well. How terrible! And she hadn't known.
Gautam's blue eyes were returning her compliment as he surveyed her like a man coming across an oasis in the middle of a desert. He drank in her gorgeous but sad face. He wanted to violently strangle the people who were responsible for the haunted expression in her eyes.
“Sangita.” He walked closer to take a better look.
She determinedly turned away from him. She didn't want to fall under the spell of that compelling blue gaze yet again. She had still not recovered from the last time.
“How are you, Sangita?” asked Gautam, his voice a sexy baritone.
Her head turned of its own accord as she nodded to him before asking, “And how are you? Not been feeling well or something?” her eyes anxious.
He shrugged.
“You seem to have lost weight.”
“That's because I've been missing you awfully.”
She had no reply to that.
“I've missed you, Sangita,” he repeated. “Terribly. Why have you been giving me the cold shoulder? I know I landed you in big trouble the other day. I'm so sorry about that mess, sweetheart,” Gautam said, his tone urgent.
“That's okay, Gautam. It's water under the bridge. Just forget it ever happened,” Sangita replied in a low voice, refusing to meet his eyes. She felt like being sucked into a blue whirlpool whenever she looked at them and she didn't like the idea of losing control over her sanity or her life.
“Sangita, listen to me. Take an hour off and let's get out of here. I want to talk to you in private,” Gautam's voice was persuasive. Sangita felt herself being hypnotised by his forceful gaze again.
“No, Gautam. I don't want to go with you,” she insisted.He took both her hands in his. They felt cold and small as he held them tightly. “I know what happened last time, sweetheart. Believe me, not a moment's gone by that I haven't berated myself for my stupidity. I'm extremely sorry. I promise you that'll never happen, ever again. Please take some time off and come with me. I'll drop you back here at five. You can go home then. No one need know.”
She had missed him too. She couldn't begin to say how much. Even her mother's ranting and raving hadn't deleted Gautam's image from her mind. Why not do as he suggested? She was tempted.
Gautam could see her weakening. He gave her an outrageous wink as he blew her a kiss. “Come on, sweetheart. I'll wait outside in the car for you. See you in five minutes.”
He turned around to see Rithika walking back towards the reception. He greeted her, confident that Sangita would fall in with his wishes that he almost missed the whispered, “No” that she uttered in a soft, desperate tone.
The blue eyes swung towards her, anger igniting quickly. A golden eyebrow raised in query as he looked at Sangita's bent head. But she refused to meet his eyes. Only the thought that he would alienate her further stopped Gautam from yelling at her.
He let out a frustrated sigh. What's with the woman? He'd been almost sure that she was glad to see him after all these days.
Rithika gave him a broad smile that he returned with a scowl. Her smile widened into a grin as she greeted him, “Hi, hero!”
“Hi!” came the low growl.
Rithika took a look at Sangita's pinched face and wondered what had happened now. She was aware that Sangita had been avoiding Gautam over the past few days. “Sangita,” she touched her friend's shoulder, “relax, dear.”
Gautam continued to glare at the two girls, his body tense with the control he was exercising on his temper. He wasn't used to being said 'no' to. And now he was being thwarted by this slightly built woman.
“I don't want to relive the nightmare of the other evening, Rithika.” She pleaded with her friend to understand her predicament. “It's still not over. If I go out with him now, I don't think I can go back home.”
That was a first—Gautam being discussed as if he wasn't there. His frown deepened.
Rithika placed a placating hand on his arm. She could feel the tension rippling through him. “Will you please calm down? I'm sure Sangita will go with you in a minute. Just give her a break.”
Blue flames leapt at Rithika as Gautam shook her hand off his arm and snarled, “I don't care. Do you hear me? To hell with you and your friend!” His voice rose with each word.
“I'm sure they heard you in the physiotherapy lab. Vaijayanthi must be quaking in her shoes. As it is she gives you a wide berth when you're there. Now I'm sure she'll go on leave till you complete your session, unless of course, she gives in her resignation.” Rithika's dark eyes twinkled as her effervescent humour came to the fore.
A glimmer of a smile appeared on Gautam's face as he grimaced. He shrugged his wide shoulders in a gesture of apology and turned to look at the woman who was turning his world upside down.
She had been staring up at him, watching the play of emotions on his face. She quickly lowered her gaze as she felt his eyes on hers, much to his annoyance.
“For the last time,” he asked, “will you go with me or not?”
“No, Gautam. I can't do it,” came the soft but determined reply.
He walked out of the hospital without a word. He just needed to get out before his temper blew out of control.
Sangita brushed away the film of tears that blurred her eyesight as she watched Gautam taking long strides towards the hospital exit. His acceptance of her refusal without a word of protest seemed to spell the death knell to their relationship. She sat back on her chair, her shoulders slumped, her head buried in her hands.
Gautam sat behind the wheel of his car, starting the ignition to switch on the air conditioner. He didn't want to drive in his state of mind.
What the hell was wrong with him? He had had his share of woman friends over the past few years. But no one had ever got under his skin. Never! A pair of chocolate-brown eyes came to his mind's eye. Gautam swore, banging his fist against t
he steering wheel. The pain that shot through his hand cooled his temper somewhat.
His phone rang and seeing the hospital number, he took the call in a hurry only to hear Rithika's voice, to his disappointment.
“Listen hero, Sangita's gone to take permission for an hour off. Where are you? Is it possible for you to pick her up?”
Gautam's heart thumped hard as he fought valiantly to put a brake to the emotions that were threatening to go out of control. “Why the sudden change of heart?” he queried sarcastically. “She was very sure a few minutes ago that she didn' wanna go with me.” He couldn't quite keep the hurt from his voice.
“Gautam, I'll say this just once. You don't know Sangita's parents like I do. And with your American upbringing, I wonder whether you'll ever comprehend what she underwent the other day. Please try to be a bit more understanding. I...”
“Undertandin'?” exploded Gautam. “What the hell do you mean by that? How does one understand a woman who refuses to let you anywhere near her? Who refuses to give you the time of day? It's like banging my head against a brick wall. I...”
“Gautam,” Rithika's gentle voice stopped him in mid-tirade. “If you're trying to get through to Sangita, you're going about it the wrong way. Losing your temper will get you nowhere. Sangita's only faced bad temper all her life. First her overbearing parents; then her useless husband. Now you...” She let her voice trail away, allowing her words to sink into Gautam.
“Okay,” said Gautam, his voice considerably cooler. “I got your point. I'm right outside the hospital. My car's parked at the area allotted for the chairman.”
“Thanks, Gautam.” There was a smile in Rithika's voice.
“And thank you, Rithika,” said Gautam grudgingly,“I appreciate your help.”
“You're welcome, hero,” said Rithika as she turned around to see Sangita back. She gave her a 'thumbs up' encouragingly and told her where Gautam was waiting for her.
Sangita opened the passenger door in exactly five minutes and sat next to him. Gautam fastened the seat belt for her before removing her handbag from her clutches and placing it on the back seat.
“Thank you for coming, beautiful,” said Gautam in a soft voice.
Sangita gave him a small, tight smile in reply, not sure how she had landed in the passenger seat of his car. Catching sight of the dark circles under his eyes, “Why are you looking so haggard, Gautam?” she asked anxiously. “Aren't you keeping well?” She was rather paranoid considering the number of patients who came into the hospital everyday with various illnesses.
“Of course not, sweetheart; I'm perfectly fine,” he replied as he reversed the car out of the hospital parking lot. Once outside the gates, Gautam drove as if the devil was on his tail.
“Haven't you been eating properly?” asked Sangita after a while, worried about his health.
“What's this now? Don't tell me you're concerned,” he replied, a trace of anger in his tone as he recalled how she had ignored him over the past few days. They were now driving down Old Mahabalipuram Road at a terrific speed. When Sangita looked from her window, she could see the bright blue of the Bay of Bengal shimmering in the late afternoon sun. It looked gorgeous.
On hearing Gautam's reply, she turned around to gaze at his profile. “Of course I am, Gautam.” Sangita placed a hand on his arm.
The tension left Gautam's body the second he felt Sangita's gentle touch. He slowed the car on an empty stretch of road and parked under the shade of a tree.
Her heart thudded as she met the heat in Gautam's gaze. “Alone at last,” he groaned as he released their seat belts and pulled her into his arms. He crushed the breath out of her body in a tight embrace.
“Sweetheart!” Gautam pressed feverish kisses on her forehead, nose, eyelids and cheeks. His lips were everywhere, caressing every inch of her face. Sangita raised her arms to place them around his neck and clung to him. This was where she wanted to be, in his arms. It was like a haven in her love-starved life.
He placed his lips on hers in a loving caress. His tongue darted out to rub gently against her sensuous lower lip. He buried his face in her neck and pressed his lips against the pulse beating rapidly at her throat.
Time ticked away as he felt a sense of peace stealing through him while he held her in his arms. Sangita came to her senses and pulled out of his arms to sit back in her seat. She raised shy eyes to look at Gautam, his golden-brown hair dishevelled from her caresses.
Gautam watched with a smile as colour stole into her cheeks; her gaze moving away from him to watch the beach where the waves were restlessly chasing one another. They appeared as calm as she felt.
He took her hands in his and kissed them one by one. “What happened that night, Sangita? Were your parents very angry?” There was regret in Gautam's eyes as he traced a forefinger down Sangita's petal-soft cheek.
She gave a small nod without saying anything.
“I'm awfully so...”
Sangita placed a hand on his lips, giving him a weak smile. “That's okay, Gautam. You've apologised too many times already.” It was her turn to offer comfort as she ran her fingers over his hard cheek. Gautam turned his head to kiss her palm.
“Yeah, I know. But I feel so responsible. Is it a sin, Sangita, wanting to get to know you better?” Gautam hit his clenched fist against the steering wheel, his frustration mounting.
“To what end, Gautam?” asked Sangita softly. She had thought long and hard over the past three days and decided to end their budding friendship or whatever it might culminate to be. She had tried ignoring him. It would have been easier to hold back those thrashing waves, it seemed.
“Just what the hell do you mean by that?” The blue eyes that had been so softly gentle a minute ago, spat fire at her question.
“Just listen to me, Gautam. We can't continue to be friends in the kind of society I come from. Friendship needs to be nurtured and cherished and for that we'll have to spend time together, get to know each other. I know it's not possible. Please under...”
“That's utter nonsense if I've heard any. Of course we can be friends. So, it's goin' to be difficult to meet often. We'll find ways; like today, for instance. There are bound to be ways, of course, presuming the will is there, sweetheart,” he said a trifle sarcastically.
Sangita looked at him, her gaze troubled. How to make him understand the kind of humiliation she had suffered at her parents' hands? They had treated her like a pariah. It was wonderful when she was with Gautam. But after work, it had always been home for her and the place had become a nightmare to live in, what with her mother's vitriolic tongue and her father's silent treatment. Her slim body shuddered.
He watched the play of emotions on Sangita's face, his blue gaze intense and penetrating. “You haven't told me what happened that night, Sangita,” said Gautam, his tone gentle once again.
“I don't think you want to know, Gautam. Suffice to say that it was extremely unpleasant.” Her expression spoke volumes.
“Tell me anyway.”
Sangita sighed. She should've known that he'd be too persistent.
“My parents were furious that I had got out of the car of a stranger so late in the evening.” Her low voice was devoid of expression as Sangita explained the scene to Gautam as briefly as possible. He had to bend down close to catch her words.
“My mother screamed at me and shook me by the shoulders. She called me all kinds of names,” her voice trembled as she continued. “She called me a whore, Gautam.” A single tear ran down her left cheek before she could stop it. The hurt from the harsh words still shook her to the core. “Believe me, Gautam,” she placed a beseeching hand on his forearm, “I am not one. I don't sleep around. In fact, after my husband...”
“Enough!” He pulled Sangita's trembling body into his arms, his chin rubbing the top of her head, as he tucked it against his shoulder. Her slight body shook with sobs. She didn't understand the need to justify herself to him. But then, she had been free with her kisses.
She couldn't blame him if he thought that she had loose morals, could she?
Only Gautam could see her innocence from a mile away. He had been surprised by that quality in a woman with a child. But it looked like her marriage was shrouded in mystery. Rithika had called her husband a 'bastard'.
How could her mother accuse her of being a whore? His blood boiled with fury. What kind of a woman was she, calling her daughter names? Couldn't she sense the pain she caused? Gautam controlled the string of epithets that rose to his tongue. He didn't think Sangita would appreciate it.
He rubbed her back in a gentle caress, doing his best to pacify her. “I believe you, sweetheart. Anyone can see how innocent you are.”Sangita raised her head to look at Gautam's face searchingly. “You believe me?” she asked, her eyes wide with wonder.
“But, of course, Sangita. I most definitely believe you,” stated Gautam reassuringly.
His reward was a broad smile that stretched from ear-to-ear. Sangita threw her arms around Gautam's neck and said, “Thank you so much. You don't know how much it means to me.”
“You're welcome, my darling,” said Gautam. He was glad to see the smile shining through her tears. He trailed a finger down her face as he asked, “Now that it's clear, what about us? I don't want to lose your friendship.”
Sangita gave a huge sigh. “I don't want to lose yours either.” She looked at him, her eyes glowing. “Let's take life as it comes, Gautam, please. I don't want to find devious means of meeting you, without my parents' knowledge. It sort of leaves a bad taste in the mouth...”
“I couldn't agree more. You're right, let's take life the way it is.” He bent down to kiss her soft cheek. “Any problem, I'm there for you, darling. Please believe that.”
The Madras Affair Page 11
