Chapter 13: chapter 13

Mowri,reached the coffee house five minutes late. There had been a huge argument over what she should wear and Mowri,had refused to wear any of the clothes her family suggested. She wore what she was comfortable in, something she always wore.Her philosophy he should know what she looked like normally or wore regularly.It had cost her precious minutes then the unnecessary instructions started. Damn.when were they going to learn she wasnot a small child? She rushed up the stairs and entered the coffee house in a rush.She wasn't sure if Arnab,was finicky about time. As she scanned the place she found him sitting at a table for two in the corner.She was surprised to see so many people here this early on a Sunday morning mostly youngsters. Seemed like they had nothing better to do than vile away time.She quickly brushed her hand through her hair to put away the wayward strands and then walked towards where he sat. He was wearing a plain black polo neck t shirt andjeans. He rose when he saw her. She walked up to him. He looked even better in the morning with a clean shaven look. Aw man, he had no right to look so good it was a sin ifone was to ask her."Hi," she said."Hi," he responded with a smile and gestured for her to take a chair.Mowri,sat down opposite to him and let his musky scent envelop her. Why did they make such strong fragrances for men? But it suited him. It wasn't overly powering and he used itjust a little not like some who practically took a bath in it."How are you this morning?" he askedpolitely."Same as I am every morning only a little stuffed," she answered."Stuffed?" he asked with a pleasant smile ignoring her brusque words he was trying to get used to it."Yes," she replied, "Inever take breakfast only something about this time and today biji, stuffed me up with one and a half parathas. How does one eat that much earlyin the morning?" she asked."You don't take breakfast," he said, "but it is the most important meal of the day" he said curiously."I know but I have never had breakfast at eight or nine in the morning," she said with a shrug, "I always eat around eleven. Just a cup of coffee or hot milk is good for me in themorning," she said."Why one and a half parathas?" he asked."Well she wanted me to eat two but I couldn't put one morsel after one and a half." shesaid and made a face, "it was either leave or throw up," she said making a face.Arnab,chuckled."You are really good you know," he said full of mirth."You know you are the only one who sees my dryness as humorous most people find it irritating," she said."Alright, so since your routine got a bitupside down today care for a coffee," he asked."Please," she said, "Ineed it so badly rightnow," she said, "and I am sorry for being late. I just hate it when people do that to me. I would have been here on time but the extensive discussion over clothes," she saidand shook her head."No need to apologize you weren't overly late," he said, "but your clothes look fine to me," he said appreciatively."Yes, because I fought tooth and nail for them, my family wanted me to wear what they thought would look good for example banana colored kurta with parrot green salwar and matching dupatta," she said andthe look of horror came over her face.Arnab,couldn't do with chuckles this time he had to laugh. The way she said it and the description was enough. If  only he could laugh like that with others too. His divorce had given a beating to his self-confidence and esteem. It hadn't been easy to face it atleast for him. Nisha,of course had had no issues."Something like what you were wearing yesterday," he said."Yes, but only worse," she said and shook her head in disgust."Okay, you really need that coffee after that," he said, "what will you have?" he asked."Since it is hot I will have a Frappuccino," she said."Okay," he said and raised his hand.Mowri,didn't bother to tell him hot or not she always had cold coffee. She watched him interact with the waiter. He ordered a hotespresso for himself and a Frappuccino forher. She heard a couple of others aroundthem talking to waiters, laughing loud,making irritating noises to gain attention.Arnab,was polite and clear in what hewanted and how he had to speak. He even said thank you to the waiter once he was done. She came out of her thoughts when the waiter left with their order."How have you been?" she asked him."Well," he said, "I am fine. Had a heartybreakfast," and as she raised her eyebrow he responded, "I have my breakfast every day ateight," he confirmed and smiled."Oh," she said embarrassed a little."Yes and then I had to come meet you so," he said. "What time does your train leave?" he asked."Around four thirty" she said.The waiter brought their order and placed it in front of them. Arnab,thanked him again ashe left. Mowri,liked that attribute."When did you move to Delhi?" he asked."About five years ago," she told him when her life had come crashing around her but she didn't tell him that, "I had applied for atemporary lecturer post and it got accepted.I did my M. Phil from Delhi University too," she said."That's good," haid, "so did you think about what we had talked last evening," he askedher."Actually I did and I realized there were a few things we hadn't discussed," she said as she sipped her cold coffee."Okay, so now would be a good time to talk about them," he said.Mowri,thought about it. She just hoped he wouldn't take it in any other way. How would he feel? Would he get angry? Should shetalk about it to him? But it was important and a concern so she should and so she straightened her shoulders and cleared her throat."Being in the army you do get medical tests done right?" she asked carefully."Yes," he said, "it is mandatory. We have to keep ourselves functioning to our optimum capacities," he replied."Good," she said and sipped her coffee again. One down two more to go."Why do you ask?" he asked curiously then as if the answer hit him. And he smiled. "I have no hidden or obvious diseases Amrit.IfI did I would have told you. I appreciateyour being concerned and not a lot of peopletalk or think about these things but I amphysically and mentally fit" he said.Mowri,felt heat stain her cheeks but sherefused to back down or let him see how hisreading her so effectively affected her."Great," she said, "hope you didn't mind. If we are to be married then I don't want any complications on my hand," she said a little loudly for comfort and was glad when hedidn't react."The other thing is," she went on as he sipped his coffee, "is it okay if we don't consummate our marriage on the very first day?" she asked.And he spluttered. The coffee went down the wrong side of the pipe and he coughed at the choking he felt. Then as he got under controlhe quickly picked up a napkin and cleaned his mouth and looked at her. She looked concerned. He saw the vulnerability again.But this time it stayed fora few secondsbefore she realized she was showing too much emotion. It softened her features almost making her look unconfident. And somehow he didn't like that. He liked the confident and sassy Amrit. But it was good toknow she had emotions too. He cleared his throat."What?" he asked in a strange voice. Itsounded as if someone had strangled him."I said..." she began when he raised his hand to stop her."I heard what you said that cough was not for show," he said carefully. It was a delicate topic and seemed mighty important to her,"I should have said something else. What I meant was I am okay with it," he said, "in factI was meaning to talk to you about it only I wasn't sure how you would take it. I am glad we could talk about this," he explained."Yes well," she said, "I wasn't sure how you would take it either. I just want us to get to know each other better first," she said unsure if that sounded correct."Relax Amrit," he said, "don't get so tense about these things. They are of importance but they are not everything. Not a lot of people discuss these issues and then end up in situations they were not ready for," he told her."Okay, it is good to know we are on the same page over this," she said and relaxed a little,"last what is your take on having children," she asked.Arnab,seemed to think about it as he took a couple of sips from his coffee. Was she doing this deliberately? But why would she do that? Hadn't he been thinking on the same lines. They were important questions and he was sure anybody else would have takenoffence with the first one itself. He was glad she could talk about these things easily and not do hoos and haas about it. He pondered over how he should answer her query."I would like to know you better Amrit," he said seriously, "get to understand you, be your best friend and when you are ready to have kids we will have them," he saidconfidently, "they are important too but not as important as you. When they grow up they will have a life of their own, only two people left for each other are going to be you andme," he said and looked at her directly.Mowri,felt some emotion constrict her throat. Who would say something like that? She hadn't met any man not even in her own family who would have such clarity over things. Such large heartedness. Her lips twisted in sarcasm as she shook her head."Ýou know you keep telling me I amsomething else I would say the same for you,"she told him."I am no saint Amrit," he said seriously, "I have my faults to0. I get angry, frustrated, even defensive but yeah I like to keep my head where it belongs most times. You may never know a person completely till you startstaying with him," he said.It sounded like a warning to her. But having shortcomings made you human in her belief. She was no paragon herselfin fact quite the opposite."You say that out of experience or just for my benefit?" she asked."Both," he said."How long were you married?" she asked curiously.  "About two years that is inclusive of our separation before divorce," he said quietly.It was a painful topic for him. Though he kept telling himself he had moved on but every time he thought about it. He had loved her dammit."Did you love her?" she asked just as quietly."What does it matter?" he said a bit bitterly, "I am here to get married to you. I don't love her anymore so you needn't be worried," he said.Mowri,could understand how he felt. It wasn't  something one forgot easily. Two years was a long time. He must have loved her, he must have been attached to her too. Hell you geta pet to your house you get attached to him too this was a girl he had married. Maybe she hadn't been able to adjust to his kind of life that was why they got divorced. But he was ready to start a new life so she should evaluate him on that."Is there something you need to tell me?" she asked changing the topic."You look nice in these clothes," he said with a grateful smile."Thanks," she said, "this is what I normally wear," she told him."Thank God for that," he said and for the first time in all the time they had spent together she smiled.Mowri,knew what her decision was going to be. She would tell biji, she was trusting her judgment and she would never forgive her if something went Wrong. For the first time inyears Mowri,wanted to move on in terms of a relationship and coming from her that was something.*********