Billionaire's 'lost' wife

Chapter 5-- Yesterday (his and her evening)

As they started to move past the door, Rukma felt a tap on her shoulder. It was Prof and he wanted Rukma to weigh on an issue. I moved back and gave my two cents to whatever Mainak was talking about. Rukma was polite yet firm, she had learnt the art of repelling people like him. He understood and gave up on her. Rukma smiled and turned back. Rukma knew these people preyed on unattached young women using their position and I signaled Vanya to stay away.

I hate these businessmen! Mainak is slimy!

Happily I turned back towards the door and started to move out. Vit joined me right at the door. We were walking very close and my elbow brushed his and he smiled. It was dazzling and for a moment I was back in the forests near Goa where it all had started. And then his phone buzzed again, breaking the spell.

Vit picked the call, this was Yash, his lawyer again. He was again insisting on discussing documentation with his 'wife'. He was not sure how to address Rukma, but even more about how to broach the unfinished business of their relationship. She had interacted with him nicely, came close many times but maintained polite distance most of the time. Maybe that was because of Mainak, they were both patrons but I could see his intentions and her aversion to Mainak. I am not sure what that idiot wanted, Rukma is not that type of person.

God what and how do I speak to her about our 'marriage'?  Especially without the word getting out. I don't think either uncle or Yash understands the veritable mela (local fair) this event is. Media is very much present all around and the number of people who can overhear is the whole crowd. This is too much of a risk. Let her walk me to the car area, maybe we can have a few minutes alone there.

' errr...would you be able to guide me to the area where my car might be.'

'Sure, call up your driver and I will give him directions.' Rukma turning around to other guests, ' Mr Sinha and Mr Roychowdhary let me guide you all to the foyer area.'

So Vit, Rukma and the entourage walked through the corridors towards an open foyer. It was evening by now and very strong gust of wind hit them. Rukma shivered involuntarily, Mr Sinha offered his coat and put it around her quickly. Jealousy hit Vit in the gut, he could not stand her in someone else's clothes. While Rukma smiled and thanked him she returned the coat saying she had spotted his car. Mr Roychowdhary had already taken leave. Vit immediately offered his coat and she looked at him quizzically. He ignored it and put it around her shoulders.

Rukma was pleasantly surprised and muttered a 'thanks.' As an afterthought she added, "I could not thank you properly last time when you defended me.'

Vit found himself smiling and staring at her. She looked beautiful. He was not sure how to carry the conversation. 'I never thought I will meet you like this...erm...you look beautiful.'

She was blushing, her cheeks turned pink and he smiled involuntarily.

To distract herself, she said, 'Yes this was unexpected.... So your name is Vithoba Rajeva.'

'Yes I belong to that famous family, I told you. ' Teasingly he added, 'you are not supposed to take name of your husband, it brings bad luck.'

Surprised by the flirtation, Rukma laughed. Before she could say anything his phone buzzed again.

Vit saw that it was uncle. He picked it up while she looked about shyly.

'Yes, I am with her....yes I will ask her for it...Yes she has them.....I will get them from her.....pranaam.'

He cleared his throat but was not sure how to approach the conversation. She found his embarrassment endearing, she could smell him on his coat and was feeling as if he was hugging her.

Finally he found some courage to pick up the topic of marriage and said, ' this is about our marriage, we need to talk about it.'

Not sure how to respond, she nodded in agreement.

'When we were attacked, I took some of it on my head and lost some of my memories of you.'

She was shocked and concerned. 'Yes I had recovered in the hospital and went looking for you, but they said someone had taken you for advanced treatment. They would not tell me where. I told them I was your wife but I did not even know you full name.'

'Jeez, I did not know that. It was very hard to convince my family that I was married. And to top it all, I could not trace you at all. They thought I was giving excuses to wriggle out of the engagement.'

'You were engaged?'

'Not when I met and 'married' you. Back then it was being fixed but now they have formalised it.'

'So you are engaged now?' Her tone was clipped now. She was not sure where her temper would take her.

'Yes I am engaged now.' He said without looking up and showed her the ring on his hand.

His coat slipped off her shoulders and she held it out to return it to him.

He said, ' Let us do something legal to close it, our marriage. Tell me your demands and I will get papers drawn up.'

She held her chin up, 'I can prepare the papers, I am a trained lawyer. Meet me here tomorrow morning at 10. I will make sure we are fair to each other. '

He was not sure why he was not liking this conversation. But he knew it was about to get worse. 'I would also need your earrings, these are part of our ancestral jewelry. it is worn by ...'

This time her phone buzzed. She picked it, it was Param calling from Vanya's phone asking for her help. She asked for their location and cut the call. Taking the earrings off she handed them to him and said 'I am needed elsewhere' started to rush back into the university.