SERENDIPITOUS|✓

Chapter 17

Days passed in a frenzy.

Long days passed constituting small and lingering glances, short days passed with gazes full of longing and pining.

Numb was how Radha felt, confused was how Krishn did. Their smiles had been lost somewhere but things weren't bad. They were all right.

They hadn't talked after that day.

But still, they were alright.

They were on that level of comfort, which was considered too intimate if seen from afar.

Funny, how they could talk through their eyes and communicate in between silence but not out loud with each other.
*

"So, uncle," Krishn started, gaining the attention of the whole table, "My father has signed the file, approving of our partnership. The internal matters have been taken care of, all that is left are the physical attributes like the company's final name, the starting up of the office at five new places and a few more details, here and there." He explained to Mr Rathore who nodded in agreement, happy with Krishn's devotion to their work.

"That's amazing, son. Our company can most definitely look into the details whilst you could finalize the name yourself. Your  father would be proud of your son," Mr Rathore stated and then smiled, "just like I am.''

He patted Krishn's back in appreciation. "It would have been so good if you were my son, Krishn,"  he said into the tensed air smelling of loss and sadness.

Radha nodded to herself subconsciously, agreeing to the statement because yeah, it would have been so much better if Krishn was Mr Rathore's son.

The next words were spoken after a gap of a good five to ten minutes as if preparing a bomb to drop in the silence

It was.

"I think we should prepone the wedding. Get the kids to marry as soon as possible." Mrs Rathore voiced her concerns to the table of four people, her voice stable and determined.

And suddenly two different fits of cough were heard at the same time. One came from Mrs Rathore's side, one from Mr Rathore's. They both looked as Radha choked on the water in her mouth while Krishn broke into a series of coughs, choking on his food.

Mr Rathore immediately patted Radha's back to relieve her from choking while Mrs Rathore instantly turned towards Krishna and aided him, handing him the water.

Abhi wasn't present at the dining table.

He hadn't shown his face to the whole house, not after that day when Krishn had kicked open the door of the occupied room and had almost caught him and the girl in a compromising position.

Almost.

Abhi was quick to stop the activity leading to an indescribable end and had immediately sent the girl (who had then covered her face) home.

Krishn had slapped him hard, hard enough to let his fingers print on his cheek and the punishment to embark in his mind. Mr Rathore hadn't said anything rather had wanted to slap his son himself. Krishn had remembered to make Abhi pay for the tears Radha had shed that day.

"Are you ok, daughter? Son, are you alright?" Mr Rathore asked both the youngsters who nodded simultaneously. Mrs Rathore once again cleared her throat and Radha looked up at her with moist eyes.

From the corner of her eyes, she could see Krishn's gaze settled at her and she wanted nothing more to turn and just relish under the attention but it wasn't right.

It would never be.

"So, Rakesh, as I was sa- "

"Let it be, Mala!" Mr Rathore interrupted his wife, too disgusted to move on to the topic.