Chapter 33
*****
It was late at night, over a week after she had talked to Chandini, her cousin called. Isha guessed her cousin probably found out about what happened between Aman and her. Definitely not all the details but about the break up.
“You do realize it’s late here, right?” Isha tried to keep it light.
“Shut up,” Chandini was pissed. “When were you going to tell me?”
Isha paused like she wanted her cousin to catch a breath. “I told you; it is not a big deal. It was just time to move on.”
“Did that moron cheat on you?” Chandini never was the kind to beat around the bush.
“Yes.”
“He is dead meat. How dare he do this to you?” She was fuming.
“Chandini, I told you. I don’t care about what happened.” Isha was being truthful.
“How is that possible? You guys were together for such a long time.”
“Yes, but our dynamic was different.” In her mind, they weren’t a thing for a long time but people just assumed they were a couple.
“How,” her cousin seemed to be at a loss of words.
“How can it be so different? You should have some connection if you have that physical attraction, even if there is nothing emotional, unless…” her cousin’s voice trailed off like she was piecing things together.
“Are you even intimate with each other or are you really like coworkers?”
Isha didn’t know how to answer the question without giving too many details. “Yes and no.”
“What the heck, Isha?” Chandini was not showing any signs of calming down. “When was the last time you guys were intimate?”
Isha knew that was coming. “It doesn’t matter.” “It was never an emotional connection, she wasn’t capable of being connected to anyone at that level.
“Yes, it does.”
“Chandini…I—”
“That’s enough. I don’t want to hear it.” Chandini sniffled and that made Isha’s heart twist. “Now listen, without interrupting me. I want you to have the relationship you deserve. You need to let someone take care of you. Let down the walls you’ve built around you and truly embrace your feelings.”
Isha would have shut down such statements but this time she had to agree with Chandini. In all these years, she badly needed someone to comfort her, like no other time. And the person who could do that was Ashok.
How could someone, practically a stranger, who she knew nothing about was able to give her the comfort that she did not seek all these years. “You’re right.”
Chandini fell silent like she had to process the part surprise and shock she felt when for the first time her cousin agreed with her. “When you come back, we’re going to arrange for you to meet someone, a guy who is good marriage material for you.”
They both laughed and Isha chuckled before adding, “You know, I’m technically already married?”
“Why are you doing this to me? Dropping bombshells on your sleep deprived cousin?” Chandini laughed like she was sure Isha was joking.
Isha had specifically not mentioned the marriage on paper to her family, not even her cousin who was very close. She didn’t deem it necessary. “Well, Ashok and I, as singles, cannot officially adopt both kids. As per the rules, I’d be only able to adopt Vaish and him Vish.”
“Oh, you weren’t kidding.” Her cousin almost choked.
“Well, it doesn’t mean anything. It’s just for paperwork.”
“Don’t say things like that,” Chandini whined.
Isha rolled her eyes. “It really doesn’t mean anything to me. I’m not getting married to some random guy and staying back in India,” she scoffed.
“That would make a good story I can tell my kids and your kids.” Chandini laughed.
“Very funny.” Isha rolled her eyes.
“So, when are you coming back?” Chandini asked and Isha was glad their conversation became casual.
She told Chandini about Ashok’s estranged family, how the parents weren’t informed of the accident as the father was unwell.
And that they were waiting to get the kids to move to the family island before she could head back.
“A chieftain you said?” Chandini asked about Ashok’s father.
“That’s what I’m told. The main island along with a few neighboring ones are all one union territory and his dad is like the leader I think.” Isha didn’t know much to share, either.
“How have I never heard of it?” It sounded like Chandini was searching online for the island’s name. “Ohh wow! This place is like a country of its own and has its own culture. Are they some kind of royal family?”
Isha didn’t know because she wasn’t as curious as Chandini was about Ashok’s home. “I have no idea.”
“They are considered royalty on the islands and Ohh, I found a picture of a, Ashoka Veera Devendraseema, the sole male heir who relinquished his rights to be the chieftain, to his oldest sister.”
Isha listened, wondering in the back of her mind why she didn’t look him up on the internet.
“Is this the guy you’re married to? He is hotttttt!” Chandini was pregnant during Ravi’s wedding and did not travel for Ravi and Sami’s wedding.
Chandini’s words made Isha laugh. “Stop eyeing Ravi’s brother-in-law like that.”
“Are you jealous I’m eyeing your husband,” Chandini said laughing and Isha thought that was the most ridiculous thing for her cousin to say.
“Right.”
“Don’t worry I’m happily married and I’m not interested in anyone else. Now about you, are you blind to his charm? How come you didn’t say anything to me?”
“Really? Why would you and I even talk about him and why would we discuss his looks?” Isha shook her head.
“Now I’m curious. What is he like? Does he have the arrogance to go with the looks?”
Isha was convinced he was an asshole the first few weeks she was there but not anymore. “Yeah, I could not stand the very sight of him earlier but then, he has gotten a lot more bearable lately.”
“Tell me more.” It was like Chandini had no other job to do.
“Aren’t you at the hospital?” Isha teased.
Chandini chuckled, “I have time until I get paged. Tell me, tell me.”
Isha laughed. “What’s there to tell you?
I do not know him well. We argued a few times but other than that, there is nothing else.
” Lies because there was a lot more, him being there for her when she had nightmares, him caring for her when she broke her bone and that heated moment where she kissed him.
No way she was talking about that to anyone, ever. Not even Chandini.
“Mom tells me he is very good with the twins.”
“Yes, he is.” Impressively good.
“With his looks and how he is with kids, how is the guy still single?” Chandini asked and quickly added, “Are you sure there isn’t a girlfriend tucked away in that island of his?”
“Does it look like I care? Once the adoption goes through, I’ll be on the first plane back home.”
“I miss you, Ishhu, come back soon. Bring the kids along if you can.”
Isha thought for a moment. The day she would head back, she would have mixed feelings. She will surely miss those cute twins but she could always visit them and when they are older, they could visit her over the summer.
“I’ll see you soon.” Isha ended the call and had no energy left to think through them. She fell asleep making a mental note about looking up Ashok online to see what Chandini was talking about.