Yours Accidentally (6 page)

FIFTEEN

When Gautam
tapped her on the shoulder she snapped out of her reverie and looked at him.
“Can you help me out? We’re here.”

Sameera was
glad he had not found anything amiss in her behavior. She tried to erase her
ominous thoughts and get back into the groove. The last thing she wanted was to
be a party-spoiler but her memories had left her feeling worn out and she could
not trust her wobbly legs. Reluctantly, she took Gautam’s arm, steadied herself
and walked along. As they walked, she stole a glance at him. He was wearing his
familiar linen black shirt and comfortable khaki chinos. His curly hair was
unruly as ever but everything else looked different. His attitude oozed
confidence and warmth. This could turn out to be quite an evening.

The ambience
inside was very relaxed. Tanya had chosen the place specifically keeping Gautam
in mind. Hip youngsters grooved to ‘Gangnam Style’ but the music was not loud
enough to dampen conversation. Once settled with their drinks, the boys
continued to narrate their funny teenage escapades.

“Though you
girls may find it hard to believe, Mihir was the true ladies guy amongst us.
Gautam was too busy with something or the other and showed no interest.”

“Time was
never an issue, buddy. But
aisi koi ladki nahi mili jis par dil aa jaae
.
How I wish you girls had been there.” Sameera sat silently even as Tanya
giggled.

“Oye, leave
my fiancé alone.”

When Tanya
and Sanjay left to dance, Gautam turned to Sameera.

“Would you
like to dance, Sameera? I’m sure I can manage.”

“Thanks but
I’d rather just sit here and chat. We’ve met so many times, but I don’t really
know much about you.”

“Yes, we
hardly know each other,” Gautam said.

Sameera
watched Tanya and Sanjay on the packed floor and sighed. “It’s so nice to see
Tanya so happy. She’s the closest thing I have to a sibling. She has stood by
me through some very trying times.”

“I’m an only
child too,” Gautam said. “My father has a successful motor parts business in
Lajpat Nagar; as his only son, I should have joined him in his business but I
had other dreams. I needed to be my own man and running my father’s established
motor parts business just did not fit into my plans.”

Sameera sat
listening earnestly, not wanting to disturb his train of thought. “Education
had never been rated highly in our typical Punjabi business family—only wealth
was—but my mother was adamant that her son would get the best of both worlds.
When I got through IIT, my parents’ pride knew no bounds. No one in my family
had a professional degree. I became the first engineer. By the time I wanted to
do my MBA, most family members said ’
Pagal hai ye ladka. Padhta hi rahega
kya? Kamaega kab
?’ In response, my parents threw a huge party when I got
through IIM-A.”

Gautam
looked straight into Sameera’s eyes. “We often make wrong judgments about
people. Like I did, with you.

“I couldn’t
meet my parents when I was in Delhi for Sanjay’s engagement as they were on
their first-ever foreign vacation at that time. My father has worked every
single day of his life as far as I can remember; my mother always complained
that he had no time for her and she would love to see the world one day. Once I
started earning, I gave them a month-long holiday in Europe.”

Sameera was
a trifle embarrassed. She had just assumed that he did not care to meet his
parents. She was so wrong. She now smiled wickedly. “Any other aces up your
sleeve?”

“Yes,” he
smiled. “I believe in love at first sight.”

Sameera felt
the color rise in her cheeks. She averted her gaze before asking coyly, “Where
did you see her the first time?”

“Outside an
airport.”

Sameera was
crushed. “Can we go out for some time? It is getting loud and hot in here.”

Though he
would have wanted Sameera to probe further, he did not pursue it.

It was a
clear starry night and a cool breeze was blowing. On the terrace they felt far
removed from the humdrum of the ceaseless Mumbai traffic. The thick door cut
off the music from the lounge. They were alone and as they stood there, he held
her hand, savoring the moment. Her body language had changed. She looked
agitated and ran her thumb incessantly against the railing. For a long time
Gautam just let her be. She looked up to the stars. Her father was up there.
She missed him sorely. Watching soccer matches, swimming, reading books
together. She was only twelve when he passed away but even after fifteen years
she felt his absence in her life. She could hear Gautam’s breathing and
strangely, it soothed her. With time she had got to know him a lot better; she
really liked him. It was comforting to be around him. Even his touch was
reassuring, firm. She liked the way he looked straight into her eyes. His
arrogance was a facade as was his tough exterior. He was vulnerable and
sensitive, loyal and loving.

But did he
even like her? Who was this mystery girl at the airport? Was he just being
chivalrous to his doctor who was also Tanya’s friend or did she mean something
more to him?

Her sixth
sense told her that she would always be safe with him. But could she depend on
herself and her judgment? She longed to be the person that people thought she
was; pretty, rich, successful, and happy.

Her thoughts
went back to Kabir and she started to shiver.

≈

SIXTEEN

Concerned,
Gautam wrapped his arms around her. “Are you feeling cold Sameera? Let me take
you inside.” He peered down at her face; in the moonlight, her cheeks glistened
with tears. He was speechless. Without uttering a word, he drew her closer,
cradled her face against his chest, gently stroked her hair, over and over. The
tears would not stop. In his arms she felt a dead weight lift off her soul,
wishing for time to stand still, for the moment to last forever.

“Shush, my
dear, it’s okay.” Gautam whispered, thinking of nothing but Sameera’s anguish
and the need to comfort her. Explanations could wait. Slowly, her sobs became
less furious, her breathing less agitated, and the storm of tears gave way to a
calm sigh. He cupped her cheeks and looked deep into her eyes.

Sameera was
not sure if she could face a volley of questions from him but to her surprise,
he didn’t speak at all. He took a step back and stood quietly, almost guarding
her privacy. She was overwhelmed by his calm presence and his warmth; her eyes
searched his face for any sign of pity, rebuke or reprimand and found none. He
smiled at her and his eyes lit up with affection. She felt something give way
within her, all the bottled up emotions seemed to slip out of her heart and she
fell into his arms, caressing his face, kissing his cheeks. Her lips hungrily
searched his. She kissed him softly at first and as he responded, her passion
soared. They were two perfectly fitting pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

His heart
stopped beating; was it a dream? If it was, he prayed that he would never have
to wake up.

Sameera
looked up into his eyes and abruptly the color drained from her face. She
disentangled herself clumsily and her eyes filled with tears again. “I’m sorry,
sorry, I...I sh...shouldn’t have done this. I am so sorry,” she mumbled before
she turned and ran away, leaving Gautam too stunned to react.

His
shirtfront was wet with her tears. She was in such a state of panic that he did
not follow her. What did he do to scare her away? His head and arm were
throbbing with pain; laboriously, he walked in and without giving any
explanations to Tanya and Sanjay, left for home.

In the
morning a curt message from Dr. Sameera Mathur’s clinic informed him that his
papers had been sent to Dr. Apratim Chatterjee who would take over his
treatment.

He resolved
not to call her; she had his number and knew exactly where to find him. For
now, it was time to roll up his socks and get back to work.

≈

SEVENTEEN

Gautam
received a hero’s welcome in the office. His team fussed around him ensuring
his comfort and his boss plied him with a truckload of work with the
humane
allowance
to, ‘Take your time. We need this only by nine a.m. tomorrow.’ It was familiar
turf for Gautam, here he could swim like a shark and tide over problems and
conflicts.

And so the
grind began once again. Colossal spreadsheets, myriad financial scenarios,
lengthy client meetings, lengthier team meetings, serpentine mail exchanges,
risky beta calculations eventually gave way to Dr. Apratim Chatterjee’s much
rescheduled appointments. The new therapist was efficient but could he be as
effective? Throughout the long and demanding period, Gautam hung on to his mobile
phone, desperately waiting for one call. The days rolled into months and once
again he was fighting fit, but who did he want to fight?

As he
pondered his dilemma, his flight landed at Dabolim airport for Sanjay and
Tanya’s Goa wedding.

His stomach
was in a knot and he barely breathed during the forty-five minute car ride from
the airport to the wedding site, Taj Fort Aguada Beach Resort. He was greeted
at the lobby by Sanjay’s father who engulfed him in a big hug again. “Gautam
beta
,
welcome. This is going to be the best wedding you've ever attended. Everything
is fully paid for, you have fun. Just don’t break the bar this time.” Gautam
grinned but before he could reply, he was surrounded by a bevy of lissome
beauties in sarongs performing the traditional
desi
welcome along with
the not so
desi
welcome cocktail. “The porter will take your luggage,
you go and meet Sanjay.” This was hospitality true ‘
Dilli ishtyle’
,
loud, boisterous and no holds barred.

He strolled
through the hotel. It was a beautiful property—charming, vibrant and romantic,
everything the website had promised. He wanted peace and quiet to settle his
nerves before he met Sanjay, Tanya and Sameera. As he stood admiring the
resort, Sanjay caught up with him, “
Kya hua mere bhai? Yahan akele kya kar
raha hai
?”

“
Dulhe
Raja
, you’re glowing, man.”

“Good to see
you in one piece again.
Sab kuch jud gaya
?”

“At least
the bones and muscles have.”

“What else
was broken?”

“Forget
about me.
Tu bataa
. Excited or nervous?”

“Nervously
excited,” Sanjay laughed. “Excited about finally marrying Tanya and nervous
about the next three days. Hope everything goes off well, the weather holds
out, no one gets into a drunken fight, and Tanya doesn’t have a change of heart
at the last minute.” As an afterthought he added, “And please, no office work
this time.”

Gautam
laughed out loud, “My deal has gone through successfully, so no worries. At
your service,
sirji
.”

“Just for
your knowledge, Sameera has reached Goa. Her ‘Premium Indulgence Cottage’ is
coincidentally next to yours.” Sanjay’s smile was conspiratorial.

***

Soaking in
the pristine white bath, Gautam dug deep into his heart. The questions had
perennially lingered in his mind; it was time for some answers. What did he
feel about her? Why was she constantly on his mind? He could recall every
image, every outfit, replay every conversation, and smell her fragrance even
when she was not present. She seemed to have her own issues—was he ready to
deal with them? She had an uncanny knack of hurting him, making him angry yet
he sought her out. The fact remained that she had kissed him first but he had
been kissed many times before. What was special about this one?

For two
months he had fought his emotions, now it was time to face them. There could be
no smoke without fire but he needed to be sure that the fire burnt on both
sides. The warm, lavender scented water soothed his mind and body. All his life
he had been chasing something or the other, studies, career, projects, salary,
success, money. Was Sameera his next goal or the end of his pursuits? This time
he was truly on his own—no coaching classes, no rankings, no placement
committees, just him and his instinct. He would not chase her; neither would he
avoid her.

They would
meet eventually; till then he had time to brace himself for that moment.

≈

EIGHTEEN

Multi-hued
lights added a dash of uber-chic to the already spiffy interiors of the SFX
Lounge Bar. Gautam was amongst the first to arrive. The vast blue sea outside
glistened in the afterglow of a glorious sunset. The bartenders were carefully
stacking broad bowled champagne coupes to build the champagne tower. Black
jacketed waiters carried shiny silver trays laden with exotic hors d’oeuvre.
Sanjay walked in looking dapper in a black tuxedo complete with a bow tie and
cummerbund. Gautam walked up with two glasses of Jack Daniels on the rocks.
“Cheers buddy. Let the festivities begin!”

“Thanks G. I
really need this.”

“Now wipe
your brow and let’s get ready to rock this party.”

Sanjay was
pleasantly surprised at Gautam’s high spirits. He had expected him to melt into
a corner for the rest of the evening. His accident had obviously changed him.
The guests poured in and the lounge buzzed with activity. The DJ changed the
music to a groovy romantic number as Tanya entered dressed in a metallic copper
floor length cocktail dress with high heeled strappy sandals looking every bit
like the gorgeous bride-to-be. Gautam looked beyond her.

Sameera wore
a decadent yet innocent lime green chiffon dress that cascaded to her knees.
The fitted bustier was sewn with delicate petals making her look like a flower
child blossoming into her own. Her hair was carelessly tied in a loose braid
hanging over one shoulder. Except for delicate solitaire earrings, she wore no
other jewelry. Gautam knew there would be initial awkwardness between the two
of them, so he decided to take the lead and make things easier.

“Hi. How
have you been?”

Sameera
looked embarrassed. “Hello Gautam. It’s so good to see your arm has healed
well.”

“Yes, Dr.
Apratim worked wonders.”

She looked
away, her eyes glistened with tears.

“Hey. I’m
kidding,
yaar
. Anyway, since we will be seeing a lot of each other for
the next three days, let’s clear the air between us. The party is yet to catch
steam. Care for a stroll?” He held out his hand; she hesitated. “I don’t bite,
Sameera. Come on, be a sport.”

He took her
hand and led her out to the soft powdery beach. They walked slowly, their
footprints dark on the white sandy carpet. The water shone like liquid gold in
the setting sun.

“You were
reluctant to come, see what a sight I have gifted you.” He turned towards her
with a smile, “If you want to thank me, go right ahead.”

Sameera
looked quizzically at him. “You’ve changed, Gautam. Cool as a cucumber, not
bad, but stop pulling my leg.”

“Pulling
your leg? No way, Sameera. I don’t want you taller than you are.”

“Bad joke,
Gautam.” She giggled, he laughed, and they strolled happily along the water’s
edge. A young couple entangled in each other’s arms walked ahead of them; when
they stopped for a passionate kiss, Sameera and Gautam felt the tension lay
thick between them. Their laughter stopped, their pace quickened.

“I owe you an
apology for my behavior that night. There are some things that haunt me from my
past. I thought I could move on, but I failed.”

“I can’t
tell you how glad I am to hear that. I thought my kiss was so terrible that you
had to not only stop, but also run away.” Sameera looked at him incredulously.
“I’ve even changed my mouthwash since then.”

She didn’t
know whether to be relieved or annoyed at his irreverence. Here she was trying
to open her heart to him and he was being frivolous. On the other hand, could he
be doing this to put her at ease?

“The sand is
getting into my sandals. I have to go,” she turned around to leave.

“Then take
them off.” Gautam caught her arm in a tight grip, his voice was steel, gone was
the playful grin and banter, instead, he looked like a stern teacher
reprimanding an errant child.

“Don’t you
dare turn your back on me again. What the hell do you think you’re doing? One
minute we are having a conversation and the next you just turn and leave.” He
let go of her hand. “You seem to have made a habit of this. You may have had
your share of issues, but don’t go around behaving as if the whole world should
feel your pain.”

Tears rolled
down her cheeks.

“I’ve said
what I wanted to,
now
you may go.” He stood unblinking, staring at the
gentle waves.

She was not
used to people speaking to her thus; she was rattled by his aggression, but she
knew he was right. A gentle breeze wafted in, spraying them with moisture from
the waves. Gautam wanted to turn around and leave, but he could not bring himself
to do it. His heart would explode any minute and yet
she
was the one
crying. He avoided looking at her.

“You’re
right, Gautam. Once again, I’m sorry.” Her smile was wan. “I’m making a habit
of apologizing too. Perhaps a long chat will help me clear up my head.”

He looked
straight into her eyes. Beneath that gorgeous face and the glamorous dress he
saw a simple girl looking at him with earnestness that could melt stone. He
lent her his arm, “Shall we? Our friends must be wondering where we are. At
least I hope so.”

As she took
his arm a wave of warmth washed over her. This felt good. She needed to sort
out many things and this time she prayed fervently that she could.

≈