I am on the mend with my cut. Thank you for all the good wishes. It meant a lot.
Part 18:
Imlie: Or not? So you would be okay with me choosing a life away from you?
Aditya: If it makes you happy.
Imlie, sarcastically: That's magnanimous of you.
Aditya, irritated: Don't take that tone, this is not easy for me. But I am being realistic. It's not like I have much to offer. I am a man without purpose and you are a career woman. So if this does not work for you anymore, I understand.
Imlie's blub lit up. She knew just what to do to distract him from his pity party.
Imlie: Like I was telling you the other day when you were being realistic... Alex is a good option and I am considering him too. He's a good guardian to Emmy. He has known me for some 8 years, we know and trust each other. And he's gorgeous, no denying that.
Aditya glared at her: Why then were you asking me about Malini's relationship just a minute ago?
Imlie shrugged and said lightly: I was curious. We never had that conversation before and I wanted to know. You want to know about me and Alex? We went on so many missions together, all over the world actually. It's actually really exciting!
Aditya, curtly: No, thanks.
He got up to leave.
Imlie grabbed his arm: No, please stay. I need some advice.
Aditya looked disturbed: About Alex?
Imlie: Well, obviously. You know he's a bit of a player. He always has stories about so many women. How do I interest him?
Aditya pulled his hand back and looked away: I don't think you have to work on that. He loves you.
Imlie in mock seriousness: But does he love me enough to marry me and stay loyal...that is the question. Hmmm...you are a man, Aditya.
Aditya: Thanks for noticing.
Imlie: What do you think?
Aditya sighed: He gave you a child and is fulfilling his promises to be a guardian. I think that's someone who would jump at the option.
Imlie pulled him back in his seat: So! You are here for the time being and you are kind of like a relative...would you walk me down the aisle?
Aditya looked at her like she hit him. Imlie sat back a bit. Maybe she had pushed too far.
Aditya: Have you lost your mind!? I am your husband!
Imlie: Yes, but I was your wife and I walked you and Malini Didi down the aisle.
Aditya grimaced: Are you playing games with me again? Because it hurts, Imlie. Tell me if you are serious. I already told you I wanted to mend our relationship and you are playing games.
Imlie: No, I am not playing games. I am just considering it. That's all. And he's so tall! Even taller than you.
Aditya snapped: So what!? You are tiny. What will you do with all that height!? And who marries a man for his height anyway!?
Imlie: Women do. We LIKE height, Aditya. It's some kind of evolutionary thing.
Aditya pulled his hand out of hers and got up to leave: I have had enough of this for one evening. You want to marry him? Fine. Do it. I will not only walk you down the aisle, I will plan your whole wedding. It's not like I have anything better to do now, is it?
Imlie followed him: And then we will all live here together. It will be so much fun, you, me, Alex, and Emmy. We will forget old hurts and build something new. Then, we will find a way for you to get back in society and rebuild. Don't worry about that.
Aditya slammed the door on her face. Imlie stifled a giggle with her hand. What had gotten into her? He was so easy to tease. Better he be jealous than piteous, she thought.
Aditya stared at his hollowed reflection on the medicine cabinet in his room. What had he hoped? It had been ten years. Of course she would not consider it seriously. The mangal sutra was just a habit for her. Realistically, she already had a makeshift family with Alex. And Alex was just being kind because he's not the jealous type. They probably both wanted him to end things and give Imlie a clean slate to start over on. He was the fool, after all he had put her through, he had hoped they could forget everything and start over. She was right, he made her (his wife) walk him and Malini down the aisle. If it sounded so ridiculous to him when she suggested it, why did he not see it when it was happening? How selfish could he have been? Aditya turned on the shower.
Imlie paced her loft room and wondered if she had gone a bit too far this time. He had no sense of humor when it came to her and another man. Aditya lost all sense of perspective. She blushed. It was like the 10 years' gap had never been. He was still as into her as ever. God, they had lost so much time thinking the other was happy with their own lives when both of them had been living for each other. Imlie wondered if she could forget the past, it was so difficult to think about Malini Didi imposing herself on him, manipulating him, and keeping him tied to her that way. All that made his mistakes a little more bearable. She could never hate him despite all the hurt he caused her in the early days. God knows, she tried that path to train her mind to forget him. It never worked. She only wanted to see him happy with his child at the end of the day. But none of that was to be. He had waited for her and he would wait his whole life if they had not met by accident. She felt a little bad about teasing him now. He was more vulnerable than he let on.
The next morning...
Imlie knocked on Aditya's door. No response.
She knocked again. No response.
Her heart started to beat loudly in her ears. Was he in any danger?
She checked the locks around the house. No signs of foul play. She knocked again.
Imlie: Aditya Kumar Tripathi, answer me! I have been knocking for 15 minutes. I will be late for work and Emmy for daycare. What are you about? (She listened at the door).
She heard some groaning.
Imlie: I am opening the door with my extra key, you better be ready!
She walked in and saw him, soaking wet with his clothes still on, lying on the bed sideways. Imlie rushed to him.
Imlie: Oh my god! Aditya! Aditya, what happened!?
Aditya: Leave me alone. I am ffffine.
Imlie: Why are you wet!?
She tried to turn him and that's when she felt his temperature. He resisted, but turned on his own.
Imlie: Let me see your temp-ow!
Aditya slapped her hand away.
Imlie: Stop it! You are burning up.
Aditya choked out: What do you care! Leave. Lock me in and go to work.
Imlie: I can't do that. I can't leave you alone. God, you have a high fever. It's these clothes...did you fall asleep in them? Are you crazy? Get out of these at once!
She tugged at his t-shirt.
Aditya snapped: Don't touch me!
Imlie stepped back: Fine, do it on your own then. I am getting the thermometer.
Aditya: Don't you listen!? Just go to work, I can take care of myself. It's not like I can't do without you.
That hurt.
Aditya: Go. I managed fine for 10 years. I can do more.
Imlie, angrily: I will have Marie pick Emmy up, she lives close. Then, we will see about you.
Aditya groaned as he tried to take off his t-shirt: I don't want to burden you anymore. Just leave me to my own devices. I will be gone when I am better.
Imlie: You are not going anywhere! Here...
She pulled the damp t-shirt off him and couldn't help but stare. It just occurred to her that she had never seen him with his top off. At their wedding, yes, but that was different. This felt very intimate even though she had seen men with their tops off a lot during their training bootcamp. But this was Babusahib, this was...nice. She wanted to touch him.
Aditya got up and went to his luggage to get a change of clothes. When he looked around, Imlie was still looking at him, her expression clouded.
Aditya: Weren't you getting the thermometer?
Imlie blushed: Yes, yes, I will be back.
She ran out the door.
Aditya grabbed the thermometer when Imlie came back with it: I will do it myself.
She tried to help, but he softly slapped her hand away.
Imlie warned: If you do that one more time, I will smack you.
Aditya scoffed, put the thermometer in his mouth, lay down and turned his back to her. Imlie waited.
Imlie, impatiently: Well? What does it say?
Aditya took it out and looked at it: It says, "tell Imlie to go to work and leave you alone."
Imlie smacked him on the shoulder and climbed over him to grab the reader.
Aditya turned back: Ow!
Imlie was on top of him. He could feel her heartbeat. She scrambled up.
Imlie, blushing: 102. This is crazy. What were you doing last night!? This is so irresponsible.
She got up and made a call to Marie and then at work with Alex.
Imlie got off the phone: I am working from home. I will get you an ice pack, just lie back and relax.
Later that day after Marie left with Emmy...
Aditya: I can't freak-ing drink this god-awful thing anymore! Are you trying to poison me!?
Imlie rolled her eyes: You are so melodramatic. It's just kara.
Aditya: It tastes like poison. Suno, I will get out of your path myself, you don't have to poison me to make me leave.
Imlie: I thought you said you won't give up until I agreed to a married life with you.
Aditya looked away, seething: That was before you had plans to marry him.
Imlie: So you will give me up without a fight after waiting for me for ten years?
Aditya glared at her: I wasn't waiting for you.
Imlie was taken aback: No? But you said...(she said softly now) You were in other relationships?
Aditya gave up: Of course not.
Imlie: You were! You can't look me in the eyes, I can see it. Who was it? How many? (She threw the kara on him, thankfully at a little above room temperature). Answer me!
Aditya jumped: Oh god! (He wiped his face) Are you crazy!!!!? I thought that was hot! You ruined my white shirt...Jhalli!
He got up again and changed his shirt. Imlie sat there on his bed like a small, crouching animal.
Aditya: You have lost your mind! Why am I even asking... Jhalli kahiki! Didn't I just say, I wasn't with anyone?
Aditya sat down and pressed the ice pack to his head: Godddd..., now it burns. My chest is burning from all that masala now. Happy?
He looked at her and realized she was crying softly.
Aditya: Hey...what (she slapped his hands away). I wasn't with anyone! I wasn't, I swear! (She kept slapping at his hands as he tried to caress her face). What do you care anyway? You were having your adventures with Alex.
Imlie scratched him hard.
Aditya: Okay, that's it. Imlie! I started off with a fever that was my fault and now my skin is burning and I have a scratch. So you are really not helping.
Imlie was immediately apologetic and said in a shaky voice: I will get a balm.
Aditya: No, just go do your thing, okay? Just leave me in peace. Please.
Imlie: I wasn't with-with Alex.
Aditya sighed: I know that.
Imlie: Who were you with?
Aditya: No one! I never looked at a woman. For all I knew, I was still married to you. Okay?
Imlie in a small voice: You promise?
Aditya: Yes. And what does it matter now, Imlie?
Imlie: It matters to me!
Aditya looked straight at her: Fine. I said I gave up swearing, but I swear. I wasn't with anyone. Now, please don't throw anything else at me.
Imlie wiped her tears and went back to the large armchair by his bed. She opened her laptop.
Aditya looked at her wearily: Why do you care if I was with anyone or not?
Imlie sniffed: I don't. I am busy working.
Aditya repressed a smile and lay back: At least, that was the last of the kara.
Imlie jumped up: I will go make another one.
Aditya, alarmed: No, please! I am getting a headache on top of the fever now, please stop.
Imlie: I made it worse na? I will make my special kara and it will all be well by the evening.
She ran off.
When she came back with her full breakfast tray, she saw him sleeping, looking tired. Imlie softly lay down the tray and looked at his face. He was so sweet when he was sleeping. She loved looking at his lips and his lashes while he slept. God, she missed this face.
Imlie gently traced his lips with her fingers and stroked his face. She lay her cheek against his and hugged him tight. This was her man, only hers.
Aditya sneezed, startling her: What the...Imlie! (He swiped at her hair tickling his nose).
Imlie stepped back: I was just checking your temperature. Here, have this kara.
Did you enjoy this one? Keeping things PG. But you have to read into it a bit.
Edited by Marybarton - 4 years ago
Cricket
Itti Si Khushi Sab TV
