The Day The State Split Asunder-18

Siddharth and Aarti checked into the executive meeting suite at Hotel Stella Palace. The hotel authorities set up three chairs and tables along with two bottles of beer and one bottle of grape wine.

'Oh, my dear queen! Would you like to have a glass?' asked Siddharth, raising his glass at her.

She shrugged. 'I have never had wine before.'

'See, I've never loved anyone before. You're the first one I have ever fallen for. But, after falling in love I am in an eternal state of bliss. You don't know how wonderful this wine can be unless you give it a try. It will be a perfect anodyne which will take you into a new world which is beyond the realm of objective theories.'

'I am feeling afraid to talk to Adarsh. Had you said these all before, I could have cut him off easily by this time.'

'I lost count of how many times I requested you to come out for lunch. You didn't even care about it. You didn't give me the opportunity to say. And don't worry too much about the slumdog Adarsh who vowed to make you a millionaire. He is, by nature, given to braggadocio, to hyperbole, perhaps to exaggeration.' He poured wine into one of the small glasses and put them in front of her. 'Have it your majesty! You will feel better! It gives you enough power to speak boldly!'

Why not try some wine? She thought, mildly excited. She had heard a lot about it from her colleagues, about how wonderful it tasted. But in her family, nobody is used to alcohol and in Indian society, it was unthinkable for women to even consider the option of consuming it. She timidly took her first sip. It burned a little as she forced it through her throat, and then she coughed.

'Since you have been trying for the first time it's common to have this," Siddharth said. 'Two more sips, you will get adjusted to it.'

Aarti hesitated. 'How bitter this wine is! I don't know how you guys consume it?'

He let out a hearty laugh. She couldn't help grinning back at him. She quietly took another sip, it was slowly beginning to taste better.

All of a sudden she put her glass hard on the table and said, 'Did you ask Adarsh to come?'

'Yes, of course, I called him in front of you while we were in the car.'

There was a knock on the door. Aarti's eyes widened in apprehension. Siddharth rose from his seat and walked towards the door. He opened the door and happened to see Adarsh standing straight in front of him.

'Welcome Adarsh!' He pulled him into the room by grabbing his arm. 'We have been waiting for you.'

As Adarsh walked in, Aarti swiftly turned her face away from him in fear.

'Aarti, When did you come? And sir,' he turned his face towards Siddharth, 'Sir, do we have any client visit today?'

'Take your seat first,' he pushed one chair to him, while he sat in another. 'It's not about a client meeting but a confession which will be soon revealed. Adarsh, you know I am a straightforward person and I will come straight to the point. Aarti and I are going to get married soon.'

'What!' He froze for a moment with a distorted expression on his face as if a thousand needles were being pierced, and then he said, 'Sir, you are joking right? Let me make it clear, Aarti and I are in a relationship, I love her a lot and she too loves me a lot.'

'I am not joking Mr Adarsh, I am serious. If you want, just ask Aarti. I booked this room for the entire day. You can talk for as much time as possible, I will just leave so that you two can talk,' after having said that, Siddharth stepped out of the room.

'Aarti! What is this mess? And how dare he say he is going to marry you, I know you planned a prank right?' he got near her and tried to embrace her but to his surprise, she resisted by pushing him away. The alcohol took complete control of her mind. Her eyes turned red.

'What happened to you! Can you tell me what's going on?' he said, pounding his fist hard on the table. One of the glasses fell and broke. 

'What Siddharth said was right!' she said.

'What! Come again!' he yelled, struck with fear, and dread. 'Tell me what happened to you all of a sudden and why I am getting a bad smell from you, did you drink?'

'See Adarsh, it is my dream to start a company,' her tone was stern.

'Yes! I know that and I already told you I will fulfil your dream-'

'How can you help me! See you're just an employee and Siddharth is the owner of the company. If I were to start with you it would take years to build it. You can't take care of me the way he can, so… so… so…' she shrugged her shoulders.

'So… that's what this is all about, money? Aarti I already promised you that I will fulfil all your dreams. I will do one thing I will work for extra hours outside somewhere I will not sleep at all I will work for twenty-four hours you wouldn't have to worry about money again and even after doing all those if things don't turn out in our favour I will sell my organs and get the capital…' he said, panting. His hands and legs started to shiver.

'Come on!' she growled and took the mobile out of her purse. 'This is the mobile you gifted me! You can't afford to get me an iPhone and how can you simply say not to worry about my dream? You don't even have a car and house.'

'What about the promises that we have made for each other? You don't trust me?'

'Promise!' she raised her brow. 'What kind of promises? I didn't make any promises and for your information, I realized the most important thing. I accepted you by force, but not by love. Now, I deeply regret that mistake. I need someone who can take care of my needs, who can build my dreams and you. Let's break up Adarsh… You can find someone better than me. Let's finish it off…'

'This is a joke, right? I think you might be hiding cameras somewhere to record my emotions and to see how I react. But I passed because I trust you a lot!' He was still optimistic about her.

She took another sip of wine and tossed him a blistering look. 'Do I look like I am joking? It's all over.'

'Bloody hell!' his face registered utter disbelief, tears fell from his face. 'How could you do this to me!' He stared at her, his speech frozen at the moment. He closed his eyes and looked up at the ceiling.

'Adarsh! If you want I will recruit you as a manager in my company? I will pay you one lakh per month? You can easily find someone to tie a knot. I told you what I wanted to say,' she made a helpless gesture with her hands wide open. 'Loving and breaking up is a common thing nowadays. Why do you have to be so serious about everything?'

He became still. His face was dressed in a grimace as if he consumed adulterated cyanide. 'So you want me to go away?'

She wasn't interested in giving him an answer. It was clear she doesn't care for him anymore.

'Please Aarti! I love you please don't leave me…' he fell on his knees and pleaded.

'I can't, Adarsh. If you don't mind I would like to give one suggestion, just upgrade yourself. You gotta know how the real world works.'

Her words pierced him like an arrow. He remained silent. There was truth in what she said. With that realisation, came the worst sense of defeat and desperate loneliness. He knows she doesn't like repeating things. There's no chance to convince her as she is rigid in her opinion. Siddharth has rigged her mind completely.

He decided to surrender himself to the will of fate. 'May you always be happy and achieve all your dreams, I love you so much… Bye!'

He opened the door and stormed out of the hotel. The tears were running down his cheeks in torrents. His beautiful world and dream is shattered just in a matter of minutes. As he was walking on the road the horrific memories of childhood flickered in his mind. 

Maybe God doesn't like me, that's why he is taking away everyone from my life.