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

Part 48

The sound of knocking on the door woke up Tuli. Soft sunbeams of Shimla, trespassing disregarding the presence of the thick curtains, were playing around the cottage room, illuminating it.

Tuli with a light moan escaping her mouth turned her head a little at the sound of the door opening. A bell boy was standing there as Shuvro had opened the door. The boy with a smile and greet of 'good morning' strolled the curt full of breakfast, inside room.

They had arrived the capital of Himachal Pradesh just the day before at 6 of the evening. The two hour long journey of Flight and then a cab was somehow tiring enough so Tuli didn't get to see much of around but the mall. After a cup of coffee she had dragged Shuvro to the hurt of the hill city. Ratul stayed back at the room, rolling eyes at her excitement and Shuvro's sheepish smile at that.

Even as the clock approached 8 but the hustle and bustle of the mall road was at it's peak.

The duo stuffed themselves with hot chocolates, cookies as well as buying a hand full of bakery foods as the roam around and finished it with two plates of steaming hot momos.

"We must visit the Kali temple tomorrow." Tuli had quipped dipping a momo into the hot sauce before putting into mouth.

"Emm... but I have meetings tomorrow. I won't be free even after lunch. " Shuvro looked at her with guilt.

"Okay. The day after tomorrow?"

The question suddenly made him look at her keenly, with a little bit of curiosity, a little bit of excitement and bit of hope.

"Um, yah. I am free the day after tomorrow." He answered after a moment. "I wouldn't take a job to do that day when you are with me." The last part of the sentence came in a hardly audible whisper as he was not sure whether to say such thing to her or not! Taking a look of her quickly he looked down at his food as if he didn't utter a thing.

But as the restaurant was soundproof form the traffic sounds of outside by tick glasses Shuvro's whisper was audible enough to her. She muzzled for a moment to put a piece of food in her mouth but didn't say anything.

At the way back carrying the bags of things they brought both of them was walking in silence, quietly leaving the busy soul of the city behind. But the distance of their souls, who knew how far they were to meet!

*

"You are ready?" Tuli smiled looking at her husband's all prepped up corporate get up. She sat up wrapping the warm quilt around her after the hotel staff went out keeping the breakfast.

"Yah." Shuvro gave her a confused smile trying to track his wife's mind's courses. But failing miserably in doing so he sighed and headed towards the breakfast cart.

***

The day for Tuli went with herself. She walked till the Mall, sat at the benches looking at the other tourist, shopping a little and visiting the temple in the way back. The rest of the afternoon after lunch she spent in the cottage. She had liked this beautiful stay of them as soon as she laid her eyes on but the beauty it revealed after the Sun came up was like a dream. Situating a little away from hustle and bustle of the mall road, the cottage was wrapped in wooden planks and surrounded by pine trees, oaks.

Their room had a balcony attached, standing where one could see the beautiful view of the city wrapping around the mountains by degrees, gradually had gone as up as it could. Sitting in one of the chairs Tuli spent all the afternoon sunlight until she unknowingly fall asleep on the chair.

*

"Common man, one drink more. In the name of success! You deserve it." Ratul insisted. "That too when its free, you know free drinks tastes the best?"