One More Time

48

"Me too.",Romy had made her mind. Nabila was happy knowing about her moving in to her relative's place.

Romy followed Ujaan. She was at his room." Say",Ujaan demanded to know from her first.

"Actually I'm planning to leave this PG. I've deposited all my tariffs to Tarun da, you can check it. I just want my safety deposit back. As soon as possible."

" When? And may I know why?",he still could not believe what she said. He wanted her. He needed her.

" Within 2-3 days. The reason is a bit personal.",Romy cleared her voice. She had not noticed him coming closer." Don't want to know what I want to say?"

"Yes. Say please.",Romy had thought of hearing some irrelevant stuffs. But when he confessed about his feelings, it stung her. She turned and laughed," First Snigdha,then god knows how many other girls, then Ria...now when no ones gives you attention. You chose me?"

The sadness in Ujaan's eyes,melt her heart.Romy stood like a statue and heard all Ujaan had to say. Ujaan had a charm and a special way of talking.Her mind wanted to stay, but the brain kept reminding her and forced her to leave. "You talk to Tarun da. And I need time, Ujaan for thinking."

Romy left for her room. Ujaan smiled like he a love-struck teenager.

The next morning Ria was not in bed when Koustav got up. The priest had come downstairs for checking up the ingredients needed for Puja. Ria and her mother- in- law were sitting on the floor,arranging everything. Titli was busy with the alpanas as Ria could not do those herself. Ria was happy today.

She never realised anything regarding the baby except for today. She was tucking her saree pleats,when she noticed the slight bump in her belly. Koustav's words rang in her mind,"Are you ready? Or keeping it because of me?" She wanted to wake him up and show. But an odd or strange type of shyness gripped her and retiring the idea, she had come downstairs. Now she was happy for the new one. Koustav was not ready today like any other day. He just came downstairs and asked her to come with him. As she was still talking, Mita just nodded.

Ria followed him behind. She was thrilled, when Koustav took the que of stairs leading the roof,she got a bit curious. " Why are we here?",Koustav heard her when he entered his old room. Switching on the fan and the led,he asked her to sit on the bed. Ria kept looking the dust layered on the table and his things. She watched as he opened the almirah. Her eyes got larger,when he opened the other side of it. Her part. Ria had come here several times,and have noticed her side, but never ever imagined to see the contents in detail. Koustav took a wooden stool and sat on it. He started from the lower shelf, he brought out everything and kept them on the bed,beside Ria. She had no strength to touch them. She just sat and saw. As he completed unloading it completely, he took the stool beside bed and asked," Where are you lost? Open these one by one."

His soft voice was gone. His tone defined his effort of freeing her. Ria took the cloth bag kept at the uppermost position and opened it, a beautiful red Benarasi saree ,then a green one, then a white with english flower print embroidered saree got out.
" She wore the first two during our wedding, the last one was my first gift to her with my first salary."

Not saying a single word, Ria kept opening the next bag, it contained many sarees. Ria was in awe with his describing her in each and every saree. She felt awful for herself. He was telling , but she was hurting inside,her vocal box throbbing in pain . With her blurried eyes, she saw no other bags, she tried to stand up. Seeing her trying, Koustav gave her a small box. With heavy hands she opened it. It contained her jewelleries." Some came with her PM report, I never collected those."

Ria had no mind nor desire to see her jewelleries. Only thing mattered to her was him. " I'm planning to giveaway her clothes to people who need it. Since it is a good day. That would be perfect."