To Love Again !!!

Chapter - 41

Amrit drank her coffee as she looked at the beautiful Himalayan range far away. The tall green pine and fir filled the valley between the hills. The long grey winding road in between that greenery looked like a serpent moving lazily in the deep woods. But it was the low floating clouds barely touching the tips of the hills and casting various patterned shadows across the valley that had her mesmerized. Shimla was so close she could practically see the city from where she stood. Though a tiny dot but still. The air was crisp this high up and it had gotten little cooler now that it was evening. She felt more than saw Abhay come and stand behind her. He was a great guide and she had told him so. It was as if he had stayed in the city all his life. All the hidden treasures Kasauli had to offer he knew about it including this nice coffee house at the top of the hill from where one could see the entire city. He had taken her to his favorite spot too which was a small trail through the woods that opened to a small pond like structure a little away from where they were staying. It had been so peaceful she had fallen in love with the place. They had walked mostly. To the mall road which was a couple of kilometers from where they were staying, then to his favorite place for the coffee house of course they had had to drive. And though she was sure her legs would kill her later she had loved it. He was so easygoing which was a contrast to his strict discipline that he followed. The contrasts were intriguing. He never seemed to lose his temper. Max he would show his displeasure over something only by frowning or not smiling but otherwise he stayed calm.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Abhay said in his deep rumbling rolling voice and Amrit shivered a little but she turned to face him. "You cold?" he asked as he watched her carefully.

"No," Amrit said. She had her warm wrap with her. She wasn't cold but sometimes he had that kind of effect on her. And she wondered why? But she couldn't tell him that so she quickly answered him, "I was just thinking that probably you are in the wrong profession," she said and smiled a little.

"Wrong profession?" he asked with mirth.

"Yes," Amrit said as she leaned on the railings where they stood on the terrace of the coffee shop, "you should seriously consider changing to becoming a guide," she said and smiled mischievously.

"Really," Abhay said going along her tease. This was a first and he was enjoying it. "But then it would get boring because we will be only at one place with the same things around us. I don't think it would be lucrative," he told her with a thoughtful expression on his face.

Amrit smiled broadly, "Then we should shift often so you can be a great guide later you can write your own books too," she suggested.

"Yes well but I still prefer what I do right now," Abhay said with a smile, "unless we open our own travelling company and make new schedules for tourists with newer places. What do you think?" he asked with a smile, "Just like Varun," he said and then immediately regretted mentioning his name as he watched Amrit's smile fade and her face turn all serious.

"You would still be more successful than him any day," Amrit said seriously.

"Tell me something," Abhay said carefully, "why do you hate him so? I mean he is stupid and weird but the way you react to him...did he ever say anything to you that he shouldn't have?" he asked wondering if that was the case. Or maybe because he was Simrit's husband. That could be a reason too given that she was not on good terms with her sister either.

Amrit looked at Abhay. Here she had been thinking of how to talk to him and here he had given her a perfect opportunity all on his own. Should she take this and tell him a few things? She had been meaning to anyway. She should start trusting him a little at least. But she did trust him she realized. She didn't have to start anywhere. How, when, why? That was irrelevant at this point. She took in a deep breath.