Part 16-

 

Kripa stayed to have a bite of lunch with josh and afterwards walked down to the local super market – to stock up on a few items for which her mother had given her alist. Why was it one always bought so much more than was on the list? – that she ran in to angad.

Angad – hi, I'll take that.

Her heartbeat stumbled, then staggered on. She watched as he took charge of the trolley. She hadn't spoke to him – neither of them had made contact – since that day when they had gone into each other's arm. Ecstatic, then, afterwards trying to push away.

Angad – how's prithvi?

Kripa – stable when I rang this morning.

Angad – and mishti, my wayward cousin?

Kripa – she'll be coming home. I pray to god they'll both be coming home soon.

Angad – so how do you feel about it? (started loading the provisions into her car)

Kripa – I'm just thankful they're alive angad. Other than that I feel like a complete fool.

Angad paused in what he was doing to look down at her. There were faint shadows beneath her beautiful eyes as though she'd slept badly.

 

Angad – you don't buy the innocent story?

Kripa – ( looked away from him) my mother told me not long after it happened it wasn't. she's dreadfully upset, so is my father. Both of them were thrilled when I got engaged to prithvi.

Angad – (there was a lick of anger in his brilliant brown eyes) in god's name, why? It sounds to me like you were almost railroaded into it.

Kripa – (shrugged her shoulder) let it drop. Not anymore. When prithvi is fit enough I'm going to tell him – for the second time – our engagement is over.

Angad – pretty!!! (feeling both happy and sad)

Kripa – if he wants to be with mishti he's welcome to her. She was saying, sensitive to the changing expressions on his face. What was he thinking about?

Angad – you have the most beautiful skin. I'd say prithvi will probably take the line mishti came onto him. I think that's the sort nof thing he would do. The point is, whatever arrangement he had with mishti, he wants you.
 kripa –(with bitterness) may be for a while. But that's not going to happen, angad.

Angad – I wish I could believe you.

Kripa – what's it to you anyway? (the breathless feeling was increasing. She had never stopped thinking about anagd even with everything else going on her life).

Angad – for a highly intelligent young woman that's a very stupid question.

Kripa – angad, I'm not taking anything away from…… from what happened that day (she burst out emotionally) I fell……

Angad – we fell…. (he corrected, shoving his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans lest he reach out and grab her)

Kripa – are you going to keep interrupting me?

Angad – yes (he nodded) we fell…..

Kripa – fathoms deep in… fascination. It's not love anagd. It can't be love. We barely know each other. I've known prithvi fro almost all my life.

Angad – so? You got engaged, you pleased your parents, his parents. But he certainly didn't make you happy. Are you going to admit it?

Kripa – I can't abandon him until he's out of hospital and safely home. He could have been killed or condemned to live life in a wheelchair. He could still take a turn for the worse.

Angad – I hope to god he doesn't. This guy seems to be able to project guilt on you. Are you sorry about our time together? (he tilted her chin up) tell me, I'm not here to harass you kripa. But I'm not going to stand by and watch you get into a bad situation. On your own admission your parents are coming around to dismissing the rumors or ignoring them altogether.

Kripa – who told you?

Angad – someone who was there.

Kripa – surely not one of the agrawal's? you know the story. Your father was supposed to get married in that family.

Angad – sounds like a lot of railroadings goes on in this part of the world. My father told me he the only woman he ever wanted to marry was my mother. If you'd have been seen them together you would have known how much they loved each other.

Kripa – they both died young.

Angad – young enough. We kept ourselves to ourselves as my father wanted no part of his family. After my father was killed, my mother and I were even more quiet.

Kripa – my heart goes out to you, angad.

Angad – (he could see the sympathy and understanding in her lovely face) don't get upset, kripa. You know what happened the last time. Do you feel like a cup of coffee? (he was desperate to prolong his time with her)

Kripa – I have to get going, angad. (she waved back, so did angad)

Angad – you don't want us to be seen together? Is that it?

Kripa – no, I don't mean that. I feel I must visit prithvi in hospital. I have to make arrangements. It's a duty I can't avoid.

Angad – if you want I can drive you there. Mishti mightn't love me as a cousin should but I've been thinking of calling in to see her. She might need a bit of support. I bet her family are very unhappy with her. Khanna's hate scandals. When would you want to go/ are your parents going with you?