A Chance to Love

Chapter 15

Prem

I woke up early in the morning to the ringing of my phone indicating an incoming message. Although it wasn't loud but I'm a light sleeper owing to the fact that I've lived with a baby sis whole of my life.

Good Morning :)

It was Preeti. Last night we spent a couple of hours chatting before calling it a night. We talked about the time we spent with our kids for this short vacation. She told me that she told Aman about me since they were to spend all the time alone in his room and thus, there was a good chance to tell him and make him understand. I learnt that Aman is quite like Bitto. They both have been less social and pretty much spent their time at home only. The only difference was that Aman had open up quite early owing to the fact that Preeti got busy with her college, not being able to give as much attention to him as she used to before; whereas I was always there for Bitto. Instead of having her adjust to the changes occurring in my life, I did every effort to adjust to hers. I even went to the extent of doing my studies through correspondence to be able to become a full time parent for her.

I wanted to ask Preeti why she was up this early as it was still dark outside; but deciding otherwise, I just left an answer to her before heading to the bathroom to do my routine and have a long shower to subside the urge to sleep back.

Morning Love; Have a Great Day :)

***

Time went by and we started to learn a lot about each other. We developed the habit of sharing titbits of our routine with each other during the day and have conversations about ourselves in general in the evening after dinner. Although we kept contact, it was rare that we got time actually to talk, so we just chatted through texts and tried to learn as much as we can about each other. Although I really felt like we need to see each other to understand each other better, I realised that it might be too soon for Preeti to take such next step so early in our relationship. We might have known each other for more than two years, but we were still technically strangers. Therefore, I decided to give Preeti as much time as she required and to move forward at her pace in this relationship.

***

I was in a meeting when my phone rang. It was Preeti! We have developed a tradition to ask through a text before calling and to leave a text before heading for a work where we wouldn't like any disturbance to avoid any issues. We have been in this undefined kind of relationship for about three weeks now and therefore I knew that it was not casual for her to call off like this, and it got me worried.

As soon as I saw the caller ID, I picked it up excusing myself without even bothering to wait for any response or even leaving the room.

"Hello! What's wrong?" I asked right away.

"Kiran" she said almost in a whisper making my heartbeat stop.

"Bitto! What happened to her? Is she okay? Answer me please." I asked in a hysteric.

"She is fine, absolutely well. Relax." she said quickly as soon as I stopped firing questions, but the sadness in her voice didn't go unnoticed by me.

"Are you okay? What's the matter?" I asked taking back my seat, which I've left in the hysterical moment a while back.

"Umm... she is angry on me. She isn't talking to me." she replied slowly and I looked up to see everyone giving me curious glances. I felt that this isn't a matter to discuss in front of public and thus asked for a postponement of the meeting indefinitely until I resolve the matter in hand.

I asked Preeti to hold on and came to my cabin.

"Okay, now tell me what happened?"

"Umm, you know we had a meeting today to decide for an upcoming event!" she queried in answer to which I hummed. "Well, it's actually a rally we are going to organise regarding ill effects of alcohol consumption to rebut the Court's statement of its being a choice in a recent judgment."

"So! What's wrong in that?" I asked as she paused.

"We are about to visit some slums where the alcoholic accidents are most to occur" she began again slowly "Being the 'Cultural Head' Kiran is organising it. She presented her plan of rally today in the meeting"

"So?" Why is she hesitating so much? She let out a long tired breath before continuing.

"Kiran wanted to head one of the rallies and I denied," she said in one breath and it took me a while to register her words.

"You mean you stood against Bitto in front of a whole committee of teachers and students in order to prevent her from taking up this risky task and she got offended because of it" I put forward getting her point.

"Hmm yes and now she is not talking to me because obviously everyone agreed to me and asked her to consult me in future before taking any steps," she said again with a defeated tone.

"You really care for her a lot, don't you?" I asked with a soft smile playing on my lips.

"Is that even a question? She is our first child remember?" she asked and I was relieved to feel her smiling on the other side.

"Oh, so we are already having two kids even before we are officially in a relationship! What will happen after we'll get married?" I asked teasing her.

"Huh!" I heard her gasping "You..." She trailed off and I'm sure she is deep red by now, which made me chuckle.

"Please help me na... I really can't bear her hatred towards me" she said her cheerfulness getting lost again.

"First, she doesn't hate you; she can never, and secondly, she is just facing rejection for the first time so she just need a positive attitude to deal with it" I told her.

"You mean she never was rejected before!" I can hear the surprise evident in her voice.

"No. She was always the best in whatever she did, because I was the decision maker. It's just that it never included anything of social kind and that is why she doesn't realise the risks behind her steps now." I explained further.

"Oh! So what should I do to convince her now? I really want her to smile back." now I can bet she is pouting.

"You look cute with a pout" I told her remembering what Bitto told me.

"What! Where are you? How did you know I'm pouting?" she asked bewildered making me laugh.

"I'm not around Preeti. It's just that I can estimate your behaviour. I've noticed you enough for that. Moreover, as to your look, well they were Bitto's words, not mine. She told me once that you look cute with a pout," I told her.

"Oh... Anyways, any suggestions?" she asked.

"Well yes..." I said slowly.

"What what" she asked hysterically making me chuckle.

"Well all you need is a handmade sorry card, a chocolate and well your cute pouty face and she will melt," I said with a small laugh.

"That's all!" she asked surprised.

"What else you want?" I asked back.

"Well Ammu needs a whole 24 Hour disturbance less attention to forgive if he ever gets angry" she said and it felt like she is recalling some of the incidents.

"Well lucky you then, our elder kid have fewer tantrums than the younger one" I said chuckling.

"Well thanks to you" she replied and I felt very happy to have her in my life now.

"So got your remedy?"

"Yes, but..."

"But..."

"I think we should tell her about us."

"Hmm, me too"

"So?"

"Let's meet up to decide what to do and how to do?"

"Okay I'll see when can that be?"

"I hope it would be soon"

"Me too." she said and with that we bid our goodbyes.

***