THE FATE (✔)

Chapter 17 - Doubt

"Bhaiyya, I'm home! Look what I bring home today," shouted Radha in front of Aman's room as she knocked the door.

"Are you looking for Aman?" Diya's voice, one of the housekeepers in Srivastava's residence, caught her attention. Instead of answering, Radha kept silent.

"He's on the pool side," Diya added.

"Oh, thank you, Diya."

"Hmm. Then, I'll back to work." Radha nodded and smiled.

Radha found Aman was pensive on a lounge chair by the pool side. She thought teasing her brother as usual was no big deal. She hung a brown paper bag in front of Aman's face.

"Keep daydreaming, you won't get this," she sneered.

Aman snapped. "Hey, butter naan! Give it to me," said Aman while trying to grab the bag from Radha's hand, but she kept dodging.

"Tell me, Bhai. Why aren't you working?"

"I'm on leave."

"Again? Why? Did something happen?"

"Hmm. The reason is..." Both of them fell into silence.

"Whatever. Give it to me."

"You haven't finish your words."

"I'll continue it later. Now, give it to me."

"Promise?"

"No."

"Ah, you fool."

Radha opened the paper bag she has bought and grabbed a bowl of chicken curry. Six sheets of naan was served between them and they peacefully enjoyed it. Radha kept urging Aman to tell the reason for his leave this time. Aman just said that he had just experienced the same failure. Radha was not surprised. It was a deep trauma for her brother. She gave Aman a brief hug before leaving him.

"Relax, Bhai. Don't let it be your burden for the next long time. I'm going inside first," said Radha. Aman just mumbled.

She took only three steps, stopped and turned. "Oh, Bhaiyya. Diwali is coming in two weeks. Wanna have a party? Just a simple one, for family and closest friends."

Aman seemed thinking for a second before answering. "Hmm... Set it up."

"Okay."

"Don't forget to put your friend who liked me on the list."

"Noted!" Radha shouted as she continue her steps, leaving him all alone.

Birds flew freely in the wide sky. A breezy wind greeted Aman. The sound of the rustling of the leaves sounded soothing, but managed to bring his mind into the same thing. The thing that didn't let him sleep peacefully.

"How could it not be my burden, Radha? I killed a mother of someone who... I don't know. I feel so wrong. How could I do this? If I only knew... If I only didn't... If I only..."

His mind was frantic. The days passed. Parvati's death left him feeling guilty. Especially on Archana. After knowing her for a very short time, Archana never seemed to leave his mind. Her voice, her touch, her gaze, even the refreshing scent of her floral perfume. She was so gentle. According to him, that woman shouldn't be in pain like this.

Now Aman was doubtful about his feelings toward Archana. It was impossible for him to love her in such a short time. However, the another side of him felt he couldn't stay away from her. There was a quote saying, "When something hurts you, sometimes, that something is also the antidote." Archana didn't hurt Aman. Absolutely not. But she messed him up. His guilt was so great and always rising when he remembered Archana. However, sometimes, for some reason, he needs her presence, just to calm himself down.

***

Archana seemed to have gotten used to live without Parvati. She always spent her time at work and at home with Priya. Arvind has returned abroad. His relationship with Archana and Priya was well-improved. His two daughters greeted him warmly, because he is the only parent they have now, even though he does not live in India with them.

Twice a week, Archana visits the hospital where Aman was working to see him. Yet, he had never seen there. Until she ran into one of the nurses with the label name 'Rita'.

"Excuse me. Uh-hm, sorry. I'm Archana, doctor Aman's friend. I want to meet him. I've been here many times looking for him, but he's always not there. Has he stopped working here?" she asked.

Rita smiled and answered Archana's question in a friendly manner. "Oh, doctor Aman. He still works here. But he's taking break for some time."

Archana was silent, but she got the information. "Okay, thanks," she said before walking away.

In the car, before she drove back home, her mind kept spinning. "Where is he going? Why did he suddenly disappear? There's no trace of anything, not his address, not his phone number," she thought. Then she remembered their first meeting happened at Dev's masquerade party. Yes. maybe, Dev knows something about Aman. She rushed to contact Dev. However, her friend did not answer, even his phone was off. Archana took a deep breath, then texted Priya and waited for a reply before she started the car.

Along the way, one side of Archana said, "Mum's death must have made him feel bad and guilty for the second time after his past events. The trauma was so great that it brought him down. Why did he have to disappear like this? Now, how can I find out about him?"

While her other side said, "Why do you want to know, Archana? That much do you believe that he is your destiny? Why are you so worried? How much do you worry about him? Do you love him? Or is it just sympathy?"

"I don't even know," she whispered as she replied to the questions she was asking to herself.