Love, Arranged by mother nature

Part 10

Amrita had always been a high-spirited person. When she really wanted something, she went for it. Once upon a time she really wanted Kabir, but always from a distance. He was very good looking. That was a time of turbulent emotions and low maturity in Amrita's life. She had nursed the obsession in the solitary cave of her heart fanned by the encouragements of her equally childish friends. Not wanting to regret anything, she confessed, only to be turned down. She was hurt but buried it, only to unearth it a year later to make sure she had done everything in her power to get what she thought she wanted. But once more she met with an indifferent wall. Her self-worth had been bruised. She let it go for good. She was satisfied she had left no stone unturned in the pursuit of what she had deluded herself into believing she wanted.

She immersed herself in living life according to what she thought was right, not what her peers thought was cool. She had always loved to bake and turned it into her profession. She knew now that self-worth depended on her own self. We become what we think. She now had a roaring business in the heart of the city.

It had turned eight at night. Amrita was sitting by the support of the couch on the carpet thinking about what was happening in the hotel at the time. She wondered about Mahi's leg that had gotten injured. She wondered if Mohit had told her parents they were stuck here. Was Mohit too stranded in Krishi? What were her parents thinking of her being stuck all alone with only Arjun for her company? They must be worried sick, she thought. If only she could call them up and let them know she was safe.

"What's the matter?" Amrita was woken from her contemplation by Arjun's husky voice. He had been sitting in front of her, reading some old newspapers. A small pair of frameless glasses were perched on his nose, giving him a serious look.

Amrita replied, "I wish I could let my parents know we are safe here. They must be very worried. Thank God, my sister Neetu did not accompany us, Bunny would have gotten ill in this cold."

Arjun quietly folded and kept the newspaper aside then took off his glasses and said, "You know when I had just finished school, I was in a dilemma; I did not know what I wanted to do with my life. So, I told my parents I was going to take a year off and do some exploring. I travelled all over Asia and some parts of Europe. After I had seen and understood all I wanted, I had the confidence to decide and comprehend what I wanted to do with my life. I did what I wanted to do, I overcame problems... that is how I came out stronger from it. Not only me, but my parents also have more confidence in me now."

Amrita had her chin on her knees, listening to him with interest. He continued, "Similarly you are doing what you have to do. Problems come in the way so that we can be led towards something better. You are sensible and wise and your parents know this, they might feel worried but they also know you are capable of handling it."

Amrita smiled, for the first time letting her true appreciation of him, escape in her smile; but held herself back from complimenting him lest he got the wrong idea.

For Arjun, her smile was enough to make him feel appreciated. Sitting there on the floor with the snow falling outside, enclosed in the little hut with Amrita, in comfortable silence, Arjun felt at home. The roaring fire made her skin glow in its light giving it an ethereal beauty, it made her slightly curly, long hair shine. Arjun couldn't take his eyes off her. He asked her abruptly, "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Amrita was taken aback at his abruptness, "No, I don't. Uh... What about you, are you like... single?"

"Yes, very much so," Arjun replied without hesitation. At that moment he wanted her, so much.

"Okay..." replied Amrita.

Arjun went on, "I sort of had a girlfriend in business school. After my trip, I decided I wanted to go into the family business, so I went to a B-School."

Amrita was suddenly more attentive. "Had a girlfriend, what happened?" she asked.

Arjun said, "Well, she saw things differently than I did." He sighed. He shifted closer to where Amrita was sitting and said, "To be very frank, and I have not confessed this in front of anyone before, our relationship was very superficial. It wasn't even a real relationship. We just hung out a lot. I misunderstood things, apparently. When the moment of truth came, I was rejected. Though in retrospect, it turned out well since it did not offer me what I was looking for." His voice had grown solemn.

Amrita asked him gently, "What were you looking for?"

He looked at her studying her face. "For a deeper connection," he replied.

Both of them looked at each for a moment longer than was usual.

Amrita was the one to break the connection. She got up, picking up her blankets. "I think we should sleep now, I am tired."

Arjun got up slowly, "Alright... why don't you take the bedroom and I will take this big couch?"

"Are you sure you will sleep here on this couch? You can take the bed, I will easily fit on the couch," Amrita offered.

"No it's fine," he said.

"Alright then," Amrita stifled a yawn and Arjun gave a chuckle.

The next morning the sun was still losing the fight with the clouds. It was still snowing. Amrita sat up in bed, her eyes still closed. She reached out for her dresser for the water bottle. Where was the damn dresser? She groped about. She cracked open her eye a little peeking out her window. A valley and snowclad mountains as far as the eye could see! It dawned on her then where she was. She got up, strangely feeling happy. Arjun was still asleep on the couch, his long legs poking out of the blanket. The fire in the mantle was still burning.

Amrita went into the kitchen and drank a glass of water after warming it up. She took some eggs out of the fridge and made two omelettes and two cups of coffee. Next, she bundled up into warm clothes and went over to the front door, trying to open it. It was jammed shut. The window had become translucent with the mist. Amrita made two holes for her eyes with her finger and peeked outside. There was a white wall up to her waist as far as she could see. She gave a sigh and tried restarting her cell phone to get some reception, but to no avail.

Arjun stirred in his sofa, catching her attention. She gently woke him up. Arjun opened his eyes with a satisfied smile. "That is the best sleep I have had in a long time," he said in his just woken up voice. Amrita raised one eyebrow, "I have made omelette. You eat eggs, right?"

Arjun went into the bathroom to freshen up. Then the both of them sat down on the couch and had their breakfast.