OTHER GROOM... the tale of the rejected guy...

Part 39

"That apartment must be getting crowded! sleeping." Abir shook his his head. "I don't get the logic of feast in the name of funereal! I mean some one died..."

"That's ritual!" Arun mumbled. Ratul rolled his eyes making a bored face before shoving a piece of dosa in his mouth. "You are always welcome at my house you know right!" Arun said.

"Its okay. Its not that crowded." Cutting a piece of his idlie and soaking it in the chatni Suvo mouthed. "We have Tuli's room for us. Tuli's Kaku..."

"Sekire!!! Did your father in law just arranged for you to sleep with his daughter - by dying???" Ratul chuckled aloud not even letting Suvro finish his sentence.

Shuvro's hand that was carrying the piece of the idlie to his mouth stayed hung in the air. He just stared at him finding nothing to utter in reply. Ratul grinning face stayed glowing infront of him.

"I am in pain. I am physically in pain after hearing this. My brain is bursting!!!" Arun growled as Abir scrunched his nose in disgust. In reply Ratul just took the piece of the idlie that was still in Shuvro's hand and popped in his own mouth ignoring Shuvro's glare.

"Why are you here!!!" Arun piped.

"Why are you here?" Ratul quipped "To eat ! So am I."

"Why can not y..."

"Stop being melodramatic!"

"I will literally punch you both!" Suvo growled clutching his hair in frustration.

"And that should scare me?" Ratul challenged.

The rest trio heaved a sigh in unison.

"Anyway, I must acknowledge a thanks in your behalf to the let man while I visit the funereal tomorrow!" Ratul piped humorously as the four of them came out of the small restaurant to head back to the office.

Shuvro's head snapped at him with a jolt. "You are not invited." He furrowed his brows.

For one nanosecond a dark shadow, hooded his eyes. "Because...?" Through the clenched jaw his asked.

"It's not a party. I am not going either!" Arun threw his hand in the air.

"He is." Ratul hissed back darting his eyes at Arun. To which Arun furrowed brow.

"I am Tul's friend. I was close to uncle. I was there when he was taken to the crematorium even!"

"And Tuli would actually kill you if you enter her house." Shuvro told matter of fact-ly wondering about Ratul's this attitude.

Ratul for a moment didn't say anything but tightening his jaw he scrutinized Shuvro's face and then took a glance of Arun. A slyness sparkled in his dark eyes and he spoke up looking at Shuvro, "you know RoyChoudhuri, just because, you don't invite me, doesn't mean I can not get at invitation!" He smirked.

"What?"

"Lawyer knows." Ratul jerked his face at Arun, smiling at him meaningfully and then turning around on his heal he was gone.

"What did he mean?" Shuvro asked and Arun, who was looking at the way Ratul disappeared infuriatingly looked back at Shuvro's and Abir's confused face being somewhat a little vertiginous.

He quickly cleared his voice and ran away murmuring, "Lets pray you don't need to know..."

***

The ceremony of having the non veg for the deceased's family following the Hindu shastra was the day after the funereal.

After the ceremony got over Shuvro was at the dining area looking after the people, making sure they were served properly. Meanwhile he didn't realise when Tuli had entered the area. He got awareness as a he heard an uncle of Tuli to take her name and talking about her father offering his condolences. Shuvro made his way to his wife seeing her face fall again.

These past days people came offering their condolences again and again, and he witnessed her face to fall each and every time more and more. She would look at him if he was standing near by the bewilderment in her eyes each time was same as he could see - unknown to the fact that every time her eyes would seek for his. She would find something, maybe a support that was constantly being her rock.

And as usually she looked at him as he was walking towards her.

Shuvro looked at her questioning-ly as the uncle bid good bye.

"I heard you are going home tonight?" She asked in a stern voice looking right into his eyes. Her face refused to give away anything she was feeling.

For a moment Shuvro got confounded and looked at her being surprised, then nodded, "yah."

Tuli took a pause before saying in low voice "you did not tell me,"

Surprise again got him as he couldn't understand what to say. To be true it didn't come in his mind that his whereabouts could be some issue with Tuli. He was about to acknowledge her before he would have headed out, but didn't imagine that it would have mattered to her.

"I..."

"Aji chole jabi?" She asked him before he would answer. There was something in her voice that made every bone in Shuvro's body start shaking. "Why do you need to go tonight? You can stay..."

Her eyes looking upwards at his eyes making him bewildered. Her gloom eyes were not just mournful they were hurt too. Standing there at the corner of the dining area with fifty something people in the background and more fifty in the house Shuvro suddenly felt he was standing there alone with Tuli's eyes seeking answer to him.

"Tuli..." he spoke up gathering his all consciousness cautiously. "I need to go office tomorrow..."

"You can go from here..." she argued stubbornly.

He wanted to believe she was really wanting him to be with her, but the thought was too attractive to be dangerous for him.

"Tuli!" A caution hiss came out from his throat. He shook his head, detaching his gaze from her eyes. "I need to go home. I have some work there..."

Tuli kept looking at his face with a irritated scowl as he was looking at dining area. She bit her lip tightly before she muttered "Fine. But have dinner before you go." And stormed out of the room.

Shuvro realized he was holding his breath for the past few second as he inhaled sharply...

So this was the part. Hope you have liked it. Now VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! and please comment...