“Mrinal! Is he inside? Alone?” Karishma looked disheveled and was panting when she barged into Mrinal’s office.

“Yes, but there is a meeting starting in five minutes–”

“Please hold it. I must see him now!”

Mrinal didn’t stop her as she made for the door connecting Mrinal’s and Siddhartha’s office.

“Mrinal, we are using the conference room, aren’t we—Karishma?” Siddhartha stood up worried and came around his table to talk to her, “What happened?”

“Did you pay for Kirti’s pre-school?”

His face became somber and he asked in agitation, “How did you– who told you?”

“Did you?”

Apprehension clouded his face, but he replied truthfully, “Yes. I did. But hear me out, Karishma.”

She waited for him to continue. He cleared his throat before speaking again, “I am aware that you do not like being taken for granted. And you have no idea how much I respect that. In all these days, forget about getting anything for you, I haven’t as much as gotten a bar of chocolate for Kirti. Because you haven’t given me that right. I am okay with that. Last few days the more I have thought about it, the more I have regretted doing this pre-school thing without consulting you. But that decision was taken–”

“Before all this.”

“Yes. And I didn’t know my mind back then. I didn’t know that a day will come when it will be possible to discuss this with you, frankly, without awkwardness.”

Tears had started flowing down her eyes and she spoke with difficulty, “Thank you, for explaining all this. But I hadn’t come here to complain.”

“You hadn’t?” he looked lost.

She ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck. He stumbled for a moment but then balanced himself against the table behind him and slowly brought his arms around her.

She drew back a little, without breaking the embrace, and said, “I can depend on you. And I want to. If you can wait for the divorce and all the other mess to be sorted out in my life, then yes. I will marry you.”

He smiled broadly in response. His eyes were moist. Then in their most intimate gesture ever, he ran his knuckles over her face, sending shivers down her spine. She closed her eyes savoring the feeling. Then she opened them and looked at him, expecting a kiss. But just then the door flung open.

“Dada! I need to–”

They separated hastily, but it was too late.

“Karishma! Dada! Oh my God– I-” Soumen’s face turned ashen and he ran out as abruptly as he had entered.

“Oh no!” Karishma buried her face in her hands, “This isn’t going to go well.”

“Why? He had to know sooner or later–”

“He had proposed to me again – just before I came here!”

“What? That is–”

“Awkward.”

“Weird. I thought he was over it.”

“I should talk to him, I suppose,” Karishma said, sounding tired.

“No,” Siddhartha objected, “Not you. You have done enough. I will sort this out.”

“Sure?”

“Yes. I promise!” He suddenly noticed the time. “Whatever happened to the meeting I had! Mrinal didn’t remind me.”

“I had asked him to hold it.”

“And he did?”

“Apparently,” Karishma replied sheepishly, “Sorry! This was the only time. I won’t do it again.”

He cupped her face with his hand and said, smiling, “Once in a while, for such pleasant surprises, it wouldn’t hurt.”

She chuckled.

“I think I will have to catch Soumen over lunch,” he said, “Wait for me in the evening?”

She nodded and left.

—

After the meeting, Siddhartha asked Mrinal, “So you let Karishma decide that the meeting should be held off, eh?”

Mrinal replied cautiously, “Did I decide wrong?”

“No. But do you know why?”

“I don’t know. But I can guess.”

“Well, now you know. So that should remove any future awkwardness.”

“I am relieved to finally know so that I don’t have to tip-toe around it. What took so long?”

“Long story. But for now, can you locate my brother for me? It is important that I get hold of him before anybody else knows. And please keep him from barging into my office in future.”

“He barged in on you?”

“Yes!”

“I’m sorry. I would have stopped him, but I was already in the conference room.”

“I understand. Just find him. And…”

“Yeah?”

“Can you buy me a good child seat for the car? Not online. I want it today.”

“Consider it done, Boss.”

—

Siddhartha wrapped up his work by seven. Karishma was in her office, Kirti playing on a playmat by the table. Karishma looked pleased as well as nervous as Siddhartha walked in, closing the door behind him. He pulled the blinds too, although the office was almost empty.

“How was your day?” he asked as he sat down on a chair across the table from her.

“Rather empty. Soumen didn’t show up. I did some paperwork on my own but had to cancel most of the meetings. Did you meet him?”

“Yes. And he is alright. Don’t worry about him.”

“I hope he is still okay with me.”

“He is okay with you, don’t worry. He was angry with me that I didn’t tell him about us and so he ended up making a fool of himself.”

“Oh no! Is he going to avoid me?”

“I have told him that he needn’t. Nobody is judging him. But if he does, it’s not your problem. Just let me know and I will figure out what to do.”

“Looks like none of my problems are my own now,” she smiled indulgently.

“At least not the ones created by me.”

“You have never created any problems for me,” she said in a low voice.

“That shall be addressed in near future,” he replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes, which made her avert her own.

“Come on,” he said, “Let’s go for dinner.”

“Where are we going?” she asked anxiously, aware that she was dressed very plainly.

“Nowhere that you need to be so self-conscious. Trust me. Come.”

—

Karishma laughed when she saw the child-seat fitted in the car. Thankfully, Kirti was already used to it from Soumen’s car and happily let herself be strapped into it.

After a drive of about fifteen minutes, Siddhartha entered the parking of a luxurious-looking apartment block. She looked at him questioningly.

“I have an apartment here,” he explained, “I thought Kirti will be sleepy after a while. So it will be easier than a restaurant.”

“You think everything through!” she exclaimed.

“That’s one skill I believe I have,” he said, grinning, as he parked the car.

It was a three-bedroom apartment, much smaller than the house Siddhartha lived in, but spacious and luxurious as an apartment.

“I haven’t rented it out,” he told Karishma, “I keep it for the times when I want to be alone.”

“Your secret cave?” Karishma grinned.

“Unfortunately, it’s not a secret. Soumen and Baba each have a key. Soumen could barge in any time. So, you are safe here, don’t worry.”

She turned somber at the joke, “Secret or not, I’m sure there is nowhere I would be safer than with you.”

He came near her and pressed her hand, “Yes, you are. You are always safe with me. Nobody can violate you or your space. Not your husband, not your family or mine, not even me.”

“Shut up, already. I don’t want to cry now,” she said, her moist eyes threatening to do just that.

He smiled and said, “I will order food. What do you want? Indian, Chinese, Continental?”

“Anything.”

“What cuisine is that?”

She laughed, “Alright. Chinese, then. Some simple veg noodles for Kirti.”

“Coming your way. You are a vegetarian, right?”

“Yes. But you can order whatever you want for yourself.”

He gave her an indulgent smile and dialed a number.

They sat down to eat at a small four-seater dining table after Kirti was fed and put to sleep.

—

To be continued