HOLDING YOU

Chapter 42- The Other Singhania

The day is busy... Extremely busy, I go down to the lobby to take a break and grab a cup of coffee. I stroll around and reach the reception area. There's a man at the reception, looking annoyed and hopeful. He's trying to explain something to the receptionist who isn't ready to hear him out. I look at the man carefully and notice that he's well dressed, in his late fifties and is good looking. I walk over to him.

"Everything good here?" I ask the receptionist.

"Ma'am, he wants to meet Mr Singhania but I can't send him in. He doesn't have an appointment." She complains. The man turns towards me. I look at him, something clicks but doesn't click. I stare at him for a while, and the next I know is that I'm at Kabir's cabin's door. I silently open it, just enough to peep inside. He's on a call. He signals me that he'll come out in a few minutes. I close the door and look back at the man. He looks impatient and nervous. Is he here for a job interview? Probably.

"Umm... Mr Singhania is a bit occupied at the moment. Let's wait at the cafeteria." I tell him. He gives me a quick nod and follows behind me. We get a coffee and sit. There's complete silence for some time.

"Are you here for a job interview?" I ask him.

"No." He whispers.

"Okay." I don't have time to know what this man is doing here, but for some reason, I feel like staying.

"What does he look like now?" He says, his eyes shining.

"Sorry?" Who looks like what?

"Kabir." I'm a bit shocked to hear his name from this man's mouth. Suddenly, my phone rings. Charlie. One work you give this woman.

"I... I'm sorry. I gotta take this." I apologetically look at him. He simply smiles. Nice dimples. He is indeed a good-looking man. I excuse myself and take the call. I explain to Charlie the whole concept which was already explained yesterday and cut the call. I walk back to the cafeteria and see Kabir walking towards the cafeteria, he's rapidly replying to emails. From where I'm standing, I'm getting the side views of both of them. Kabir keeps his phone in his pocket and looks in front. Suddenly, he stops. No, suddenly, he freezes. His face becomes still and calm, I know this look. It's called, The calm before the storm. Kabir keeps staring at the man and he does the same. There's complete silence. Deafening silence, a silence that could make your heart pound hard into your chest.

"Kabir!" The man quickly gets up and hugs Kabir. Kabir just stands still, his mouth closed, his eyes wide open in disbelief. He's looking at the bookstand behind the cafeteria area. The man then holds Kabir's face and plants a thousand kisses on his face, saying a lot of amazing things about him. I'm officially confused. Who is this guy? For one thing, he's definitely not here for a job interview.

"Oh my god, you've grown up."

"CEO, huh?"

"I missed you so much."

"I read your interview with The London Express and The Economic Times. It was mind-blowing!! You are such a far-sighted man, Kabir!" He says with pride. It clicks me this time. I look again and there it is. Both of them are the exact same height, and both the left ears have a gold stud. And same is the jawline and the well-chiselled nose. I gasp. This man is him. It's him. It can't be. Before I can say anything, Kabir breaks the silence.

"I thought you were dead." He says with a neutral voice and expression. He looks weak, he looks terrified. I wince at his harsh words. This is precisely not something you say to a man who has been so happy and excited to meet you. But then, my gaze shifts to Kabir. I see a completely new side of him, just a shallow glance. His hands are trembling on his sides, he looks weak at the shoulders and I see his adam's apple move as he gulps. I know he needs to be alone right now. No, he needs to be alone with me right now. I quickly walk toward them and grab his hand. Kabir doesn't react at all. He keeps looking at the man with a shocked expression.

"Excuse me." I politely excuse ourselves and take him into my cabin. I make him sit on a chair and go back to lock the door shut. My soul experiences a nightmare as the sight in front of me feels like someone is chopping my heart into tiny pieces, slowly and brutally. My chest feels empty, I feel like I might feel a depression in my chest if I touch it at the moment. Kabir's eyebrows are narrow, his eyes are wide, his jaw is trembling and his nose flares, he's shivering on the chair, staring at the floor. I practically run to him, stand in between his legs and pull his head to my stomach. He holds the back of my thigh and makes me sit on his lap, my legs dangling on either side. He buries his head into my neck and pulls me tightly to himself. His arms were strongly wrapped around my back. I can't breathe. Not because of his herculean grip, but because of the situation. I feel my soul turning to ash as warm tears soak the collar of my shirt. I immediately start rubbing his back and holding his head. Shit. Kabir is crying, my baby is crying. It feels weird... Not that I think that he doesn't have emotions, but the thought of Kabir crying, is not something I've ever thought of as a possibility, something I've never witnessed. He shivers under me and sobs. I lift his head and I feel like calling NASA. I've experienced time travel, much before them... Kabir never openly discussed his dad, he used to hate talking about him, gradually I started thinking of the topic as something off limits. But, right now, I have a glimpse of the past in front of my eyes. The moment he looks up, I'm taken back to the nine-year-old little boy, scared and helpless. The way he looks at me tells me much more than whatever his words could ever say. I wipe his tears, I still don't dare to ask him anything. To ask him about his dad.

"Why did your mom divorce your dad?" I ask him.

"They weren't happy together." He cuts me off.

"Do you miss him?" I probe.

"No," Kabir says in a clipped tone.

"Not even once? It's been ten years ever since..."

"He is dead, Siya. There's no point missing someone who's not coming back." He rudely replies.

"How do you know that..." He doesn't let me finish.

"He is dead for me. I don't have a father and I don't want to talk about him." He gets up and leaves the room.

"Please ask him to leave." He whispers.

"Kabir, he's back after..." I try to talk.

"Please, Siya. Please." I see the tears forming again. Suddenly, I want to rip his father's head off for making my love cry. I'm so manly sometimes...

I give Kabir a glass of water and kiss his cheek.

"Don't worry, we've got this," I tell him reassuringly. He simply nods and I leave the room.

"Mr Singhania, I'm sorry but he..." How do I tell him to fuck off politely?

"No, no, I understand. I'll leave." He smiles. I nod and head back to the cabin. Kabir is facing the window, he's on a call.

"Yes. But, I need the file by tomorrow morning... No, that's not important... I need you to brief about it to the team... Yes, let me know." He speaks in a professional tone while rubbing his moist eyes and wiping his nose. He cuts the call and I walk toward him. He holds my hand and places it on his heart and drops his head down, closing his eyes. I feel his heart slamming against the wall of his chest. What is it that made him so worried, just by looking at his dad? Honestly, I don't want to know. But, he needs to tell me. He needs to talk about it. I keep concentrating on his heartbeat.

"What does it say?" He whispers, referring to his heart. I step closer to him and attach my lips to his, we stand still, simply feeling the contact. I go near his ear.

"It says- You are stronger than your problems and you will conquer them all." I smile. To my relief, even his lips slightly curl up.

"You sure?" He asks.

"Badass predictions... They never go wrong." I wink at him.

"You bet." He kisses my forehead.

I head back to my cabin after making sure that he's fine and continue with my work.