I Am Guilty

31. Guilty Again

On just the second day of her wedding, Mitra was wondering the entire day, where her husband was.
While she helped Sapna in the kitchen, she happened to see Arjun walk away to their room. Under the pretense of giving him a coffee, she to followed him.

She lightly pushed opened the door and walked in to find him sitting on the sofa, with his head leaned back and eyes closed.

"Arjun?" She called him out lightly after closing the door and walking closer.

He straightened up and looked at her.

"Are you alright?" She asked with concern laced voice and lightly pushed back the hair on his forehead.

He did not waste a moment before pulling her close and hiding his face in her midriff as he wrapped her arms around her waist.
She smiled and lovingly threaded her fingers in his hair but next moment, her foreecreased and she narrowed her eyes.

She forcefully pulled his face up to meet his eyes. She gasped lowly as she found his eyes glossy, ready to spill.

"Tell me." She whispered.

He shook his head and sighed deeply. He left her blinked rapidly to get rid of the unshed tears.

She sat down beside him and held his large palms in her soft dainty ones.
Sometimes, the silence can be satisfying. There is no need to exchange words to express the distress. She gave him a silent moment, until he was ready to talk.

"I am imposing myself on everyone." He whispered with a broken voice.
His turmoil was evident.

She looked at him. She knew, he did not need anything advice or her opinion. All he needed was to vent out his troubles.

When she did not reply, he looked at her.

"I am sure, you have a strong reason to say this." She said when she thought he was waiting for her to reply.

He licked his lips and nodded.
"I met Geet downstairs. I was just trying to spend some time with her. She..."

Mitra narrowed her eyes when Arjun found it difficult to continue.

"She what?" Mitra gently coaxed him.

Arjun let out a sharp breath.
"She said, not to touch her. It was all about good and bad touch her father taught her."

Mitra gulped. She could now understand why Arjun was hurt.

She lightly rubbed his palm.
"It's okay, Arjun. Now a days all this is taught in schools too."

Arjun looked at her and held her gaze.
"What do think, Mitra? Everytime I happen to touch her, will Naren have a perception in his mind? Do you think, he will mind me near his daughter?"

She gasped with parted lips.
"Why are taking this in other way, Arjun? This is very common thing to be taught now a days."

Arjun shook his head.
"You don't understand. He hasn't said a word to me after the incident. He did not even participate in wedding rituals. And... Now when Geet mentioned that, I could not help but think that he was warning her against me. Am I that bad?"

His voice quivered at his last words and Mitra could not help but pull him closer. He hid his face in the crook of her neck and tightened his hold over her, trying to absorb the strength that she was ready to offer.

Arjun appeared calm, but a storm was brewing within him. He refused to come down for dinner, saying he was already full, which was not a lie. The moment of joy spent with Kunal was short-lived and he was back to contemplating about what he lost in his life, without any fault of his.