River & Desert

Part 26

"I won't entertain any discussion about meeting Mitali."

The Sinha siblings cast a strong glare at their matriarch who, in humility, appeared ashamed of her grandchildren's open display of disdain.

"She needs company. She should have someone to speak heart out to. What would she do alone?" asked Shanti, straightening her stooped back and not meeting the eyes of either of the siblings.

"We made a deal about her dignity and she wouldn't be grateful for any company we can provide, Dadi. Especially not someone who prizes her self-respect like Mitali."

The blaze of fury in Adhrit's eyes diminished as Purvi spoke. His elder sister was little more than a sacrifice at various altars throughout her life, and it hurt him to see her consumed by remorse for her part in Mitali's tragic destiny.

The burden of guilt had shattered his conscience when he witnessed Mitali losing her fiery spirit and forgetting her priorities, all for the sake of a forced preposterous bargain.

"Adhrit and Purvi, I won't question you if you believe that's the right thing to do. I just want you to know that I had your best interests at heart. I wish it had not come down to this and that you could forgive me someday," said Shanti with a weak smile stretching on her lips.

"The day I stop feeling guilty for ruining an innocent girl's life, and Mitali can smile without feeling like she's lost something, is the day I will forgive you. Your wish will come true, but the reason and outcome will be hidden from you, perhaps teaching you to not prioritize your desires over others' decisions."

Without giving his grandmother a chance to speak, Adhrit turned on his heel and walked towards the stairs. Purvi steadied herself and mimicked her brother as she observed her grandmother's trembling form.

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Mitali's Room,

Adhrit knocked on Mitali's open door and saw her staring at the laptop screen with a frown.

"What happened? Is it a bad time?" he asked, taking a seat on the chair beside her. By pointing towards the screen, she redirected his focus to the object of Mitali's dissatisfaction.

The article titled 'How to ensure the sound health of the unborn?' was open in a tab among several other tabs of others, which Adhrit guessed were like the one opened. The scent of her freesia perfume wafted towards him as he leaned closer.

Mitali had ceased paying attention to herself since the miscarriage, even though the freesia perfume was a daily habit. A tender smile formed on his lips as he saw that she had resumed her routine and things were falling back in place.

"Did you read that?" asked Mitali, her vexation clear in her tone.

He was brought back to his senses by her voice, and he rolled his eyes at himself for neglecting to read the page.

"I am sorry, but what do you mean?" he asked, moving back to his seat, straightening up himself.

She glared at him, and he wondered what had caused her mind to become so turbulent when she said, "You just proved what I thought was true."

"Please tell me what you read and thought, which I just confirmed as accurate. He furrowed his brows and thought about the situation again, saying, "I don't understand anything."

The font size of the page's script made it impossible for him to read unless he got close to her. He had no intention of crossing her personal boundaries or struggling with a temptation that was out of his reach.

"According to the writing, a pregnant woman should be surrounded by positivity, good thoughts, and people who love and understand her. Her anger faded into pain, and she looked away from him with wide-open eyes as she paused briefly, "But I am here..."

"And?" he asked, despite the realization dawning upon him.

With a rueful curve of her lips, she placed the laptop on the table in front of them and leaned back against the couch. "There is nobody who loves me. The only exception is my mother, but she's not here. I really want to meet her. She became furious after I informed her I won't return next month. How I wish I could!"

Placing his hand over hers on her knee, Adhrit met her gaze. A myriad of emotions swirled in their eyes - unexpressed, unwanted, and unexpected. Their souls were each touched in a way that would leave a lasting mark.

"You really think so? Your mother is the only one who loves you?"

Mitali laughed to herself and shook her head. "The family I am staying with is Adhrit Sinha's, who is known for intimidating people. I haven't witnessed any love among the family members in this household. Do I have the right to expect love from them?"

Mitali's eyes wandered into the nothingness before her as she bit her lower lip. "My brother's priority was the loan, and now I live here because of him. Do you still doubt that my mother is the only one who loves me?" She spoke with a touch of playfulness in her otherwise mournful tone, "I expected you to be smarter, Mr. Sinha."

He wished he could prove her wrong and confess that there was someone else who cared for and respected her besides her motherly figure. That Mitali Pathak was the match Adhrit Sinha did not know he had waited for, and that she had managed to melt the icy cage around his heart and own it.

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