The Bias

Chapter 50

" So?"  Romi asked him, as both of sat on the terrace, sipping scotch. The same  proclein white  chairs and the garden swing, with huge green plants planted in the similar huge  white pots.
The air was slightly windy and the leaves could be seen in the direction to east.

''So?", Siddharth questioned looking at him. He lay casually in shorts and a t shirt,  with a cushion placed in his lap, as  they drank looking up the sky.

" Arushi? You have met her mother, she's met yours.  Aage kya?"

Siddharth turned to him. Sidharth and Romi had never lied to each other. Romi was his go to guy and his best friend. A shadow of what his parents could not be. He had told Romi everything, from first girlfriend  to sex everything.  But as he grew up, Sidharth had grown those boundaries,  yet Romi always knew whatever he felt in his heart.

" We have known each other for only nine months. Abhi kuch bhi nahi..",

"Only nine months. Sidharth in nine months you would be forty and thats a deal breaker in many scenarios. I have never asked you to do anything you don't feel comfortable with, but this i must. At your age, a child aged 10 looks normal if not older.  The more up you climb the ladder, there is a lesser chance of having them. Arushi is great, you click very well, and she is very homely woman. She's ambitious too, toh you can be happy about that too. She's your age toh its going to work. You two have got something that most couples don't,  social and personal compatibility and the the acceptance of families. You guys look very well on papers, I'm sure it'll turn to something very good. Just give it an honest chance."

Sidharth placed the glass on the table and lit up the cigarette. " I will talk to mom ,and pree. And of course you too. Ofcourse i understand that marriage must happen. But only after we are sure, would I ask Arushi I don't know if she wants to.", he spoke and then all of a sudden fell quiet. " Do you thats right? Getting married?"

"I don't know. But if you look at marriage the same way you looked at it a little back im time, I would suggest you get married. But if kids and those things aren't a real deal now, you may never get married as well. But then you must make a distance from the girl. ."

" She's only a friend...", Siddharth spoke interrupting.

"A friend that you have slept with. Things become complicated when you do that. Look at what you did with Shehnaaz and now she's playing piano in the back of your head"

"Shehnaaz wasn't a friend, when I slept with her. We became friends quite late. And yes, she's playing piano at the back of my head." He laughed off.

"Does Arushi know about Shehnaaz?"

"Shehnaaz is not something I want to talk about. That wound hasn't yet healed." He joked, smiling. Shehnaaz was not a wound, at least not to him. She had left, and definitely left him too, but that wasn't done with a intent of wounding him,  she had been careful and cautious of not causing him any harm in the way.

Romi turned around, " Siddharth you have to be convinced at this. Shehnaaz is not coming back, and honestly going by the way things happened with her , I dont think so she should get back. But letting her go is important,  and don't lie to me like you do to all others. I know what you do in your room. Be honest with yourself!"

"I am honest..."

" No Sidharth.  Brutal honesty. Know that Shehnaaz is not coming back, and  your family would not welcome her. She would never settle in with anything, or very importantly she's not staying on India. But with Arushi,  you must willing admit that,  you don't love Arushi. You can have a happy friendly and respectful marriage with her, and the kids too. But if you want love, she's not one and you will end up waiting like that, for Shehnaaz.  So you have to make a choice between what you feel for Shehnaaz and may be wait all life or compromise and have a sorted real life. And trust me Sidharth,  no matter what, zindgi akele nahi kat ti. Its a very sad story. And thats why most people marry, because sooner or later your friends will have closed life,  Pree and me too, your mom won't be there for very long and then you will be left alone. Tab na Sidharth bhot akela lagega. Ek lambi zindgi, aur gahr ko aane ko koi bhi nahi, baat karne ko koi nahi. Tab khaali pan khale ga. Pyaar sahi h, lekin akela pan zada khoff naag hai."