A Coffee at Dawn

Chapter 15: Life and its Detours!

I reached the terrace and took few rounds with a blank mind. I stopped at a bench like structure on the terrace and set myself at ease over there. Ease only physically though.

One year! And a lot had changed in my life. I had changed as a person. The madness, the crucked brain I had all just seemed foreign to me now. The reason I had all of them in me was my triad, which after that day just seized as though nothing ever existed.

Tanmay had no one here after he lost his mother. His uncle flew down for few days to take care of him. His plan was to take Tanmay along with him, but he did not agree to it as he had his studies to complete. Tanmay had no relative here to stay. His dad and Aarti's dad were partners and friends before and so they were the only known people for him. All his relatives were else where. On repeated force by Mr. Sanon, Aarti's dad, Tanmay had to move in to stay with them. Tanmay and Aman, were good friends so Tanmay had no problems with the only choice he had.

I was happy that Tanmay had found a shelter and people who would take care of him. And since he stayed with Aarti, it would be easy for me to know about him and keep a track. Yes, he was serious that day when he had said, he would not want to me in his life anymore. In a way I deserved it because I had not shown any traits of friendship either.

Post his mothers death, the fest and our couple dance which was liked by all, he had completely stopped talking to me. Nishanth was helpless like that night and he stayed neutral. In a way I had fallen, I had lost people and was alone. If it were not for Aarti, then I had no clue as to where would I be.

She had confessed her feelings and had never expected anything from me. May be she knew my answer but, any other girl in her place would not have reacted the way she handled it or has been handling it till now.

The beginning of the third year just marked these changes in our lives and with time I learnt more about my new me. One thing that had not changed was my bond with her. We had grown even more stronger as a couple. I had a lot of imperfections and she always found perfections in those and stayed by me.

As I was thinking about the past, I heard a car honk down the street. My dad had arrived and it was almost 11. The gatekeeper opened the gates and dad had moved in. I preferred to stay down for some more time only to avoid interactions with him. Not that I did not want to have one, I just feared of having one. I did not want it to land up in an argument and affect my mother. Moreover the silence outside was much better than the silence that prevails in the house.

I heard him enter the house and I could faintly hear the conversation. I did not bother to hear, but I could hear my name. I wanted to know but what is it, but did not have the energy to go down. I just had let things go by.

I took out my cell and saw that it was 11.30 in the night. Aarti had not left a message after her dinner. I believed she had some work and that is when she had not left a text. We were not like the other couples who were constant over the phone and updated each other about the air they just inhaled. We knew our worlds, we also knew that our worlds had each other. We were very happy with the space we both had for each other. I always felt that I was blessed to have her as a part of my life. The only reason I ever reached her was Tanmay and sadly, I did not have him by my side.

I just let out a sigh and decided to move down. As I reached, I saw my dad was not yet to bed. He was sitting on the couch with some files and his glass on. He was a handsome man in his late forties. I moved to the kitchen as though I had not seen him with my head bent.

"Mayank." My dad called.

I stopped at it.

I just turned towards him.