I Am Guilty

34. Guest?

"Bansi went to her college, your father and Samrat are at the office and your mother was waiting for you to wake up, but have seen what time it is now?  It's almost three. I made her eat and now she is resting in her room. That leaves you and me."

Arjun parted his lips in surprise.
"You did not eat?"

Mitra did not grace the question with an answer, instead, she made a morsel with a piece of roti dipped in the curry and raised it to his lips. He was obliged to open his mouth and eat.

"Now don't throw tantrums, Arjun. Eat, or I will really pack you in my make up box and take you back." She threatened.

That made him chuckle. An imaginary scene, where her dainty figure was trying to fold his tall and rough body to fit in her tiny make up box, flashed in front of him and he laughed. But Mitra threw a death glare and he instantly went silent. She could be scary when she wanted to. She knew how to make him tow the line.

Arjun too fed her from the same plate and while they were eating in silence, Mitra could not help but ask, "what were you thinking when I came? You looked lost."

Arjun's hand froze midair, momentarily, before he composed himself.

"Nothing much, I was just thinking about how much things have changed, since I left."

"What do you mean? What changed?" She asked, chewing leisurely.

Arjun filled a spoon full of curry and licked on it.
"Like this room. It was never my room. I shared a room with Samrat."

Mitra could feel like there was something more than just that.

"And?" She probbed.

Arjun did not look back at her, which was enough for her to know that he was finding words to put the things in a easier way.

"You know... That night, when I... I mean... I brought Veena here, she was staying here."

Mitra licked on her finger thoughtfully and held his gaze.
"How do you know? Weren't you staying at the outhouse?"

Arjun nodded without looking at her.
"I was, but, then... I... You know... She asked for annulment. And... I went to..."

"Threaten her?" Mitra completed for him.

Arjun did not grace her with an answer and was ashamed of the act.

Mitra kept her steady gaze on his face while she put a morsel in her mouth.
Arjun finally looked up when she did not reply.

"So, this is a guest room." Mitra's cold voice was void of any emotion.

Arjun could not contemplate what she meant by the coldness.

That night when everyone gathered for the dinner, the silence was cutting deep.
Arjun looked at his sister, who had a twinkle in her eyes. Her chirpy self instantly went cold with a single warning glare from her father. She gave a sad smile and focused on her food.

"You will be coming to the office from tomorrow. Samrat will show you around and then you can start. We will leave at sharp 9, after breakfast." Aniket suddenly announced, in a no nonsense tone.

Arjun looked at his father and then at his wife, who did not bother to acknowledge.

"Dad, actually, Mitra has an early morning flight tomorrow. I will drop her to the airport and then meet you at the office. Would that be fine?"

Aniket furrowed his eyebrows.
"Flight? Where is she going?"

This time, Mitra thought it was necessary to intervene.
"I am going back to Lucknow. But, I will try to come back here often. Probably, every alternate weekend."

Aniket and Sapna were taken aback by the new information.
"What arrangement is this?"

"This is necessary, I have a business to run in Lucknow." Mitra explained.

Aniket clenched his jaw and dropped his spoon.
"Don't you think, it is necessary for a husband and wife to stay together after marriage?"

Mitra nodded wholeheartedly.
"I do. It's absolutely necessary."

Aniket hummed in satisfaction.
"So, you stay where Arjun is."

Arjun closed his eyes in defeat. He did not want anymore complications in his life.

"Right. So, Arjun, pack your bags. You are coming with me tomorrow." Mitra announced.

Arjun knew, Mitra would say something like that, so, he did not dare to look up from his plate. But Aniket lost his cool.

"By husband, I do not mean only him. A girl stays with the in-laws after marriage. That is expected from you too." He said, trying to control his temper.

The environment at the dinner table suddenly changed. There was thick tension and no one knew if this would escalate into a new storm.

But Mitra gave a sweet smile.
"I think you are right. I should be staying with my in-laws. But you see, we have a little problem here. You are still faraway from accepting him as your son."

Aniket's jaw dropped at her words.
Mitra stood up to her full height and picked up her empty plate. She looked at her father-in-law, squarely.

"The day you accept him as your son, I will accept you as my in-laws."

Arjun could not help but look at her with wide eyes. His eyes had unknown emotions swirling in them. Aniket looked at his son and found a vulnerable child peeping in from his rugged features.
That small child now relied on the woman who walked out of the dining room, gracefully.

Arjun looked at his father, only to find him already analyzing him. He looked down and silently gulped down the food and washed it down with a glass of water.

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