“About Maya?”

She looked at him in surprise.

“Ask away, Rupali.”

“What happened? You were going to get married.”

“This happened!” he picked up the polythene bag from the side table and handed it to her.

She emptied the bag and stared wide-eyed at the white dress that tumbled out.

“This!”

“She saw it,” Paritosh said, “And knew immediately.”

“It wasn’t for her?”

“What do you think?”

“You had asked me how she would like it or something like that. I was so scared because whatever I said it didn’t seem to satisfy you.”

“I was annoyed with you.”

“With me?”

“For not seeing what should have been plain to anyone.”

“I didn’t dare compare myself to Maya Ma’am. I still don’t. She is so elegant. And she must hate me now.”

“She doesn’t hate you. She doesn’t hate even me. If it matters, I didn’t end the relationship. I had no intention of doing so. I am grateful to her. In the days following Amrit’s suicide, I was a broken man and she really came through for me. But I guess gratefulness doesn’t make one a good lover. Eventually we couldn’t escape that.”

“This dress… You got this for me? In Lonavala?”

He nodded, then said, “Although I would never have had the courage to actually gift it to you had this day not come in the shape that it did. I didn’t think you would have appreciated it. And in all likelihood you would have refused.”

She gave a small, nervous smile.

“I want to see you wearing this.”

“Now?”

“Yes. Please?”

“If such a simple thing makes you happy, then why not?” she grinned and took the dress to the bathroom.

Once inside, she leaned against the door for a long minute. Her heart was threatening to leap out, it was thudding so loud. She undressed and quickly washed herself before wearing the dress that had brought her a lot of anxiety and a lot of happiness.

She found Paritosh standing near the dresser, waiting for her, his eyes fixed in the direction he expected her to come from. When she met his eyes, she wondered if others had already seen the expression that she was seeing for the first time. Because there was no mistaking the love and desire in them. She went and stood in front of him.

“I am so glad I bought this dress,” he whispered in her ears, then produced a small pouch from his pocket, “And this too.”

She looked at it curiously as he opened it and expertly put two sparkling ear-rings on her.

“These are–“

“Diamonds for the most precious person in my life!” he replied and did not give her time to react. He pressed his lips against hers and pried opened her mouth, tasting her to his heart’s content. Before they knew it they had stumbled on the bed and writhing in each other’s embrace. Her precious dress would have been torn but for the interruption from the baby monitor. Meenal was awake and was calling Paritosh.

Paritosh stopped and gave a perplexed look to Rupali. Then they both broke into a laughter and sat up.

“I will go check on her,” Paritosh said.

“I will come with you,” Rupali was right beside him as he climbed out of the bed.

After they put Meenal to sleep again, Paritosh came back with Rupali to her room, but stopped at the door. She realized that after a moment.

“What we were about to do,” he responded to her quizzical look, “It is too early for that. We need to let the feeling settle down. At least, I need to.” He came forward and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Is that okay?”

She blushed hard and nodded, hoping that her disappointment didn’t show up on her face. He was being wise, but her body was on fire after their accidental foreplay.

“Have a good night, Rupali.”

“Good night, Dr. Khanna.”

—

The next evening Paritosh came to her with some draft papers. He was setting aside money for Soumitra and Sugata. She fidgeted and Paritosh noticed.

“What is it?”  he asked.

“I didn’t think you literally meant to do this. I mean… You don’t need to hand over the money to them or me, Dr. Khanna. I don’t have the slightest doubt that you will support them.”

“Don’t take it otherwise, Rupali. It’s just that life is unpredictable. And I don’t want you or your brothers to ever feel stranded again. At least not financially.”

“They will be spoiled.”

“You and I operate this money,” he smiled, “So no! They won’t be spoiled.”

“I’ll be spoiled in that case.”

“That is perfect. I want to spoil you,” he grinned and kissed her on forehead. Then he noticed that she looked even more uncomfortable. “What is it, now?” he asked, frowning.

“You don’t need to spoil me with money,” she replied, “My brother’s education and their needs – yes. Those are absolute necessities. You transferred a huge amount to my account today. Perhaps I can use some of it. But these diamonds? You should return these.”

“Are you crazy? Why would I return them?”

“Because I don’t need them.”

“Of course, you don’t need them? Nobody eats or drinks diamonds. That’s not what they are bought for.”

“Why are you getting angry?”

“Because the one thing I had expected in our relationship was that the question of money should not arise again. And yet you are behaving like–” he stopped short and stormed out of the room leaving Rupali baffled and miserable. She hadn’t meant to fight with him at all. For a while she stayed in her room growing angry at him and his reaction. But patience had become her second nature in the long years of struggle. That nature finally raised its head and calmed her down. On reflecting at the incident from his point of view, things finally began to make sense to her. She stared at the diamond ear-rings for a long minute, then put them on. They were a complete mismatch to the old, faded dress she had been wearing at home. But she wasn’t going to lose time in dressing up.

—

To be continued