She ate ravenously. He had been right in assuming that she hadn’t eaten during the day.

After clearing the dishes Paritosh sat her down and held her hand, “My brother is sixteen years younger to me. Which means, Rupali, more or less, so are you.”

“I am aware of that.”

“You had asked about my faith in our relationship. And I realize now that I shouldn’t have ducked the question. Here is the thing. I have complete faith in our feelings. But relationships are more prosaic than feelings. They may not work for something as silly as someone leaving a wet towel at the wrong place.”

She replied after a pause, “Doesn’t that mean one needs to want a relationship to work for it to work?”

He smiled, “You have ensnared me, Rupali. And with good reason. See, I think about how young you are and worry about your innocence and inexperience because of which a relationship not working is so beyond your imagination. But it doesn’t take you even a moment to come to that very wise conclusion. You are right. But correct me if I am wrong. You never dated anyone ever since you have come here, have you?”

She flushed, “How does that matter?”

“Even though I had asked you not to wait.”

“Even though you had asked me not to wait, you yourself didn’t date anyone from then on. Although I know for sure that you dated other women before that.”

“I have seen enough of the world to know that this is a relationship I want to make work. You closed yourself to that world too soon.”

“That’s such an unfair line of argument.”

“Rupali! Don’t get mad. If I worry about your inexperience and innocence, I also have complete faith in your maturity. So I am not saying that you are wrong in wanting to make it work. I just want you to take a little more time with it. That’s it. Anything I say is not because of my lack of faith. But only because I care.”

“I know. You care. I have taken the time to think about it every single day since I have landed here. It was purely professional, but in that first meeting itself I knew that you cared about my education. And I hadn’t known until then how much I wanted someone to care. I didn’t want to fall for you. I didn’t want to make my life complicated by having feelings for my Ph. D. supervisor. I did everything to keep it under wraps. But I always thought about it. Waiting was not a decision. It was the only option I had. Nobody else could live up to that simple need I had. Of caring.”

He cupped her face and kissed her.

“Then stop worrying. Let things take its course. I am not going anywhere. And even if there are a thousand reasons why it can’t work – including my family, I am committed to making it work. Have that trust.”

“I will.”

“And don’t ever give up on eating and life and me,” he chuckled, “Come to me if anything upsets you. Even if I am the reason you are upset.”

“I will.”

“Good.”

They kissed again and then stayed on the sofa for a long time in each other’s embrace.

“When does your roommate come back?” he asked.

“Tomorrow morning.”

“I should get going then.”

“You could stay,” she replied eagerly.

The invitation took him by surprise and it took him a moment to speak, “I would, happily, Rupali. Except that I am too old to be sneaking around in the morning when you roommate is back. And as you yourself said we aren’t ready to announce it yet.”

Disappointment clouded over her face. “Perhaps we should.”

“We should wait until you degree is official. So, why don’t you come with me instead?”

“To your home?” she mumbled more than asked.

“Yes. Where we have to make things work. Will you come?”

“I will.”

—

Paritosh switched on the porch light and started unlocking the door when Meena appeared on her own porch.

“Paritosh,” she called out.

“Meena ji?”

“Did Aniket–” she stopped short on noticing Rupali. “Never mind. I will talk to you later,” she said and went back inside her house.

Paritosh sighed and opened the door.

“Will you wait for five minutes? I will check on her,” he requested Rupali.

She nodded.

She was sitting on the sofa in the hall when he came back. He took his seat beside her and looked at her cautiously.

“What?” she grew conscious.

“Are you annoyed?”

“That you went to check on Meena ji? No. I am not. Why would you ask that? Is something wrong?”

“No. She just wanted to inform me that Aniket is coming home for a week.”

“Can I ask something personal?”

“You don’t need permission, Rupali.”

“How has your relationship been with her over the years?”

“Cordial, familiar, friendly. She doesn’t necessarily understand my way to life, but she defers to it. I extend her the same courtesy. But we don’t hesitate in speaking our mind before each other. She would get angry if I forgot to bring something from the market that she had asked me to bring. And… I had told her about you.”

“You had? When?”

“Pretty early on. Before my brother got drunk and all hell broke loose.”

“What was her reaction then?”

“She was not happy that I had feelings for a woman I couldn’t pursue. And she wanted me to consider some potential brides all the way back from India.”

“She has been looking for potential brides for you?”

“Like a good Indian mother. Pretty much ever since I have come here.”

Both of them chuckled.

“Why did you never get married, Paritosh?”

“Ah! I don’t know. I suppose it was Aniket’s responsibility. I suppose I never felt free to marry and start a family when I had him to care for.”

Rupali took his hand in her and pressed it. “You are incredible. And I want to tell you this today. Even if nothing else works out – for whatever reasons – wet towels, or your family, or changes in my circumstances — I will always be happy that I met you, knew you and that we had what we have right now.”

He shifted closer and cupped her face, “I may have given that impression when I advised restraint, but know this Rupali. Where you are concerned, I don’t intend to be a martyr. I will do anything and everything to make this work. All you need to do to help me is ignore my family and their tantrums.”

She smiled and leaned in for a hug. He obliged.

“It has been a long day,” he said when they separated, “Do you want to take the guest room or…”

“For all your talks of not wanting to be a martyr,” she replied boldly, “Why don’t you for once tell me what you want.”

“Fair enough!” he chuckled, “Come with me.”

He led her to his bedroom.

—

When Rupali woke up, Paritosh was already dressed up for office.

“What time is it?” she enquired, surprised.

“Eight thirty.”

“Oh!”

“You are well within your right to be completely laid back and relaxed these days. But I have a regular job to do. So, here is the key to the house if you do want to step out at all. Otherwise feel free to laze around. Just don’t go hungry. The kitchen is well-stocked.”

Rupali gazed at him for a long minute, full of amusement and fondness. Then she nodded and smiled mischievously, “Yes Sir!”

Paritosh planted a kiss on her forehead and left.

—

To be continued