“I had felt that there was something going on when you had intervened for her that evening. Mrs. Gupta is not very kind to her.”

“Nothing was going on, Papa.”

“In my defense, I did not tell anything to your mother. But what is the situation now? You don’t want this?”

“Papa. I am so confused…”

“Hmm…” Nishant Agarwal smiled at his son, “If it has come to being confused, from being certainly not interested, I guess I am going to let you go ahead with this.”

“But Papa. This is so sudden…”

“It will be fine. I respect it that you want to make your own decision, but I also think that you have started thinking so much that you will never make the decision. She is a fine girl. For once, I agree with your mother.”

—

It was all fixed between the families. Mrinal could not decide whether to be happy or to be anxious. He had seen a kindred soul in Antara having read her diary. But that was not enough. She didn’t know how he wanted to live his life. Would she be willing to share it? He was more hopeful when he had thought of her as a poor relative or house-help. But that wasn’t the case. How would Mr. Gupta’s niece like it that he wanted to live his life off his salary, and not use the family money? Since starting his job, he had never touched the money his father transferred to his account every month. His life wasn’t uncomfortable, but his wife wouldn’t exactly be able to afford buying jewelry every month.

Since summer vacations were going on, it was decided that the wedding would take place before his college opened; else getting long leave would be difficult for him. Guruji had anyway wanted them to get married within a month. So, there was no reason for delay.

Acting graciously, the families had decided to let the young couple spend some time with each other. Mrinal couldn’t believe that he was putting up with all this absurdity, when he was sent up to “see Antara’s room” amidst a lot of giggles and mock warnings to wait until marriage.

“This is ridiculous,” he mumbled as they entered her room; then looked at Antara wondering if he might have offended her. But she hadn’t heard him at all. She continued walking towards the window where two chairs were kept. He looked at her face; and the emotion he had felt, but not articulated, during their first meeting, came rushing back. The desire and passion. He wanted a particular lifestyle because he wanted happiness in life. But from now on, he could easily find his happiness if this woman standing before him would stop being anxious and smile freely. He would even embrace the family and money he had shunned all these years. He decided to let go of his anxieties. He would woo her, make her happy in whatever ways possible, and find happiness for himself that way. If he had stopped to think about it, he wouldn’t have believed that it was happening to him.

“Hello?” he said to draw her attention.

“Haan… Uh… I am so sorry. I…”

“Relax. Antara,” he said in such a soft voice that he himself didn’t think he possessed.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down, but he could see that her lips were still quivering.

Mrinal broke the silence again, because she seemed to be at a loss, “Shall we sit down?”

“Yes…. Of course… Please sit down,” that was another slip in etiquettes that she had not invited him to sit.

Mrinal did not comment on her nervousness again to avoid making her even more self-conscious. He went forward and took one of the chairs motioning her to sit on the other chair. She followed the suit.

Seeing her sitting there with downcast eyes, wringing her hands and barely able to contain shaking of her body, a thought entered his mind. He must confirm with her, and yet he must approach it delicately. He started with what he had already been meaning to ask her.

“Had somebody asked you for your consent about this… relationship?” he asked trying to sound as gentle as possible.

She looked up at him terrified. “Why…. Why are you asking this?”

He ignored her fear and continued in a conversational tone, “Because somebody must ask, Antara. I’m sorry that things happened in a way that… I couldn’t ask you earlier.”

She still looked confused, but less terrified, and replied tentatively, “I’m fine, Mrinal ji.”

“Are you sure? Because if there is any hesitation on your part, I should know now….”

“I wasn’t having any affairs, if that’s what you really wanted to ask about,” she said in a rare display of courage. She immediately bit her lips fearing that she might have said too much.

Mrinal was also taken by surprise at first; then he smiled. She had answered the question that had come to his mind after seeing her condition – what if she had somebody else in her life? It just wouldn’t do to force her into an “arranged” marriage then. “I wasn’t specifically asking about that, but it is good to know. Not because I care about you having a past. But because I would hate it if you were to get into this relationship unwillingly.”

She looked surprised at first; then a faint smile formed on her lips. Mrinal was satisfied. He sat back in his chair feeling relaxed. At least there wasn’t a complete reluctance on her side.

“Don’t you want to know anything about me? Anything you want to ask me?” he said.

“I… What should I… ask you? I know about you… Everyone does…”

“What could you possibly know about me?” he smiled patronizingly.

“That you are a physicist, have always been passionate about your studies, and you work as an assistant professor in Mumbai.”

“Those things tell you very little about a person.”

“Probably. But one can’t possibly know a person by asking questions either.”

“Fair enough…”

Just then there was knock on the door and a servant walked in with the tea trolley.

Antara prepared the tea and passed him a cup. After taking a sip, he reached out for sugar.

“You don’t take sugar in your tea, right?” she asked.

He gave an embarrassed grin as he dropped one spoonful of sugar in his cup.

“Why did you lie, then? You could have just taken one spoonful that day too….”

“If I had, then Auntie would have claimed that you should have known that everyone takes one spoonful of sugar.”

She bit her lips again, this time to suppress her smile that threatened to be too wide. He had done that to protect her!

“How much sugar do you take?” he asked trying to ignore how when she bit her lips, she seemed to be inviting him to do the same. To her lips! This easily aroused, raw, physical desire was totally alien to him until then; even though he was no novice as far as relationships with women were concerned.

“Two… Two spoonfuls…” she said. “I will take it,” she added as she saw him putting sugar in her cup.

“I can measure two spoonfuls of sugar,” he replied with a smile and handed her the cup after mixing the sugar well.

She looked more relaxed when she smiled this time. So, he ventured to propose an alternate arrangement for them to meet, “Honestly, I am extremely uncomfortable with us “meeting” in full public view. Would you like to go out sometime?”

Her smile disappeared and nervousness returned. “I… I am not sure Chachiji will allow.”

He frowned and replied after a pause. “And I am not exactly going to ask for somebody’s permission for two adults to go out.”

—

To be continued