Chapter 9 #3
‘If you give me a hint, it will make Friday’s weekly meet up much more interesting.
Luv says it’s to stay connected, but really, it’s an excuse for him to whip out his guitar and woo the girls with his singing.
It’s insufferable to watch, and I’ll do anything to keep him busy in something else,’ Raghav chuckled, dragging his chair closer until his knee nudged against Abhay.
‘Then why do you go?’ Abhay asked pointedly.
‘They discuss interesting theories about both of you, and Meera brings cupcakes, and you know where her sweet treats go, I go,’ Raghav announced and Abhay felt a surge of joy at seeing his friend so happy and unabashedly in love.
He’d witnessed their bond bloom in real time, and it had truly restored his belief in the enduring nature of love.
‘But really,’ Raghav continued. ‘You know that you can talk to me, right?’
Abhay hesitated but then gave him a nod. With a sigh, he leaned back and trained his gaze on the balcony ceiling.
‘What happened is that I fucked up big time.’
Something in his tone must have cut through the humour because Raghav’s smile faded.
He tilted his head, curiosity edged with concern tugging at his heart.
‘Bigger than the time you and Luv raced off a cliff and into the sea, to decide who was the better swimmer, and then nearly drowned because you didn’t even know how to swim? ’
Abhay scoffed bitterly. ‘That wasn’t a mess. It was me living my life. But when it came to my woman, I managed to make the biggest mistake of my life.’
Raghav gave a pat on his knee and waited patiently for Abhay to gather his thoughts.
Even in the near-darkness of the night, he could see pain shimmering in his eyes as Abhay said, ‘When we first met, I lied about my name, my identity. I thought I was protecting us, but I chose to do it with the kind of lie that poisons everything it touches.’
He knows Raghav has seen him through his best and worst in life, and yet, he couldn’t bring himself to meet his eyes. Even in the unlikely scenario, Abhay couldn’t stomach seeing disgust in his friend’s eyes.
‘I know that’s not who you are. What were you thinking?’ Raghav asked, disbelief colouring his question.
Abhay couldn’t suppress a mean scoff escaping from his lips. ‘The night I met her, just looking into her eyes stole my breath. I’d been worried she’d hear the loud thump of my heartbeat. There were no thoughts in my mind, just her.’
Raghav looked up from his glass and studied him closely as he asked, ‘Are you this serious about her?’
Abhay did not hesitate, did not deny. He simply let the conviction in his voice speak up for his heart.
‘Siya is in my thoughts from the moment I wake up to the last quiet minute of the night. She is… she’s the one thing I can’t afford to lose again because I won’t survive it.
Give me the worst day, and I will still choose it if it comes with her happy and safe in my arms.’
For a beat, the sounds of the night crickets and the faint click of ice in the glasses filled the silence.
Then, the tension drained out of Raghav’s tense shoulders as he took in the determination etched onto his friend’s face.
‘In that case, you know how to fix this mess. You remember what our dads used to say on our boys’ trips? Accountability. Action. Acceptance.’
Abhay set the empty glass down on the table and recited it from memory. ‘Accountability for the mistake. Actions to make sure you never repeat it. And acceptance that forgiveness is earned, not owed. Frankly, I used to think these “life lessons” they gave us were dorky.’
‘So did I,’ Raghav admitted. ‘But those values run through our veins, so it’s time for you to buckle up. You owe her better than the old misogynistic patterns that the men in her family and society have shown her.’
Hope surged in his heart as he vowed, ‘If I have to spend years grovelling to earn back her trust, I’ll call it a good deal. I’ll make things right, no matter what.’
The corner of Raghav’s mouth curved into a small, knowing smile. ‘Good. Because since you’re that far gone in love, you’re lucky that your friends know how to play cupid.’
‘That’s a terrifying thought,’ Abhay laughed.
The balcony door slid open with a soft whoosh, and Aadar stepped out onto the balcony with a tablet in his hand. The bright screen made his spectacles glow as he spoke to Abhay. ‘The movers have left, sir. The room is ready for Ms Kashyap.’
Abhay couldn’t remember why he had ever been against hiring an executive assistant. He had come to depend on Aadar for organising the chaos in his work life, but it was difficult to fight against his meticulous nature when it comes to Siya.
‘What fell onto the floor earlier?’ Abhay asked.
What if Siya needs that item? Should he get it replaced?
He was about to get up to check himself when Aadar assured him. ‘I’ve personally overlooked every detail, sir. I’ve even replaced the new vase one of the staff broke. Everything is exactly the way you’d requested.’
Abhay relaxed back into his seat, grateful to have someone around who was more neurotically organised than him.
Tapping on the screen with a smart pencil, Aadar informed him. ‘I have mailed you the final guest list for approval. The stylist has hung your suit for tomorrow in the closet. All the matching accessories are on the dressing table.’
He nodded and gestured for him to go on.
Aadar continued, ‘The event management team will come by eight in the morning. Catering staff will punch in by ten. I’ll be here with the media personnel, and they will begin setting up the cameras by eleven.
You and Siya ma’am need to come downstairs by noon. ’
‘We will be there. Thank you, Aadar. Have a good night,’ Abhay said, and with a polite nod, Aadar went back inside.
Raghav tipped his head toward Abhay with a crooked grin. ‘What’s happening tomorrow? Are you guys getting married? Should I text Meera to get her maid-of-honour saree ready?’
‘Kartik has arranged an official brunch tomorrow for investors and his elite friends to announce the date of the wedding. Dad suggested we could tone down and not invite the media, but Kartik leaked the news so we had to agree.’
‘He wants to monopolise the media with this merger as much as possible,’ Raghav understood.
‘Which is why I need everyone to be here tomorrow.’
‘You need us here for moral support or to make sure that the bride won’t run away?’ Raghav asked, mischief glinting in his eyes.
‘I need you here to save me from the bride. That elite crowd and the spotlight from the cameras will piss Siya off until she decides the fastest way to find peace is to push me off the balcony,’ Abhay said, taking a slow sip of the amber liquid.
The doorbell echoed in his home, loud and insistent. Just one name crossed his mind, and his heartbeat picked up speed.
Siya.