Page 10 of That Same Old Love

“Oh my God, Sidhu!! I’llhaveto marry you for that gorgeous ring,” she had told Sidhu after he showed her the pictures from his family albums.

“Once it’s passed on to us, I’m going to get it engraved with our initials M and S.” Sidhu had promised with a loving kiss.

“Won’t our next generations mind? Pfft… Our children and grandchildren will learn to live with it. Besides who cares?They’ll have to pry it from my dead fingers,” she had said, laughing.

Mahi was shocked, and kept staring at the ring while Ananya opened the box and placed it on the table.

Samrat smiled at his sister. “Smells great, Anu.” He took a bite and then several more. “It’s pretty good.”

He looked at Mahi. “Would you like to try some before it’s all gone? Ananya is a fantastic cook,” he offered politely.

Mahi looked at him blankly and then at the ring. When she looked up at Ananya, she could see the slight satisfaction on her face. Mahi didn’t know, whether it was because of the significance of the ring or the compliments that Samrat was showering on the cooking.

Sidhu married Ananya.

That thought kept swimming in Mahi’s head, shocking her senseless. She knew Sidhu would be married. But to Ananya of all the people?

They weren’t even of the same caste to think it was an arranged match. Didn’t Sidhu leave for his Master’s degree in the U.S as planned? Maybe Ananya stayed in touch with him through emails and they fell in love. But Sidhu had no clue of Ananya’s existence in college. Then how?

Samrat and Ananya were staring at her, waiting for her to respond.

“I-I’m sure it tastes great… But I’m really full and… really tired from my journey… Maybe some other time. I need to get back home. I’ve got a lot of chores to complete… Nice seeing you both again,” Mahi rambled out and stood up.

She put her plate in the sink and muttered a quick, “Bye,” and all but ran out from the kitchen and then the house.

Samrat was quiet for a few seconds. “Anu… Mahi was—”

Ananya shook her head slightly with a smile. “No need to explain anything. I was just surprised seeing her after so many years.”

Samrat sighed. He knew his sister well. “I had to talk to her about some land acquisitions. Are you okay, Anu?” he asked gently.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be? We are all mature grownups here. Anyway, I also came because Srishti was telling me about an internship at your company.”

Samrat knew Ananya was changing the topic, but he was more than willing to take up the offer. “Yes. I’ve asked Srishti to join my company during the summer as an intern. That should keep her occupied and she’ll learn more about responsibility too. And besides, she’s pretty good at computers and has always been curious about my inventions.”

Ananya smiled. “That’s great. I don’t know whyIhaven’t thought of it before. Her school ends in mid-April and she can join as an intern during her holidays.”

He nodded. “Good. She seemed excited about it and wanted to ask your permission before she accepted the offer.”

After chatting for some more time, Samrat escorted his sister to her car.

“I’ll see you later,” she said and drove away.

Samrat felt guilty. He did not like that feeling at all. He hurt his sister’s feelings. And that too, because of Mahi.

Even though he always gave everyone a benefit of doubt and didn’t judge people by their past, in Mahi’s case, he did judge. And most of it was because he had a strong sense of familial duty. For his sister’s sake he’ll have to keep Mahi at a distance.

Apart from their business transactions, he didn’t want anything to do with her.

Oh yes, for Anu’s sake and not because the sight of Mahi’s bare legs stirred you up,his mind taunted him, making him curse viciously for the second time in less than three hours.

CHAPTER 3

Mahi tried to relax. But she couldn’t. Even though she had moved back to India for herself and no longer had feelings for Sidhu apart from fondness, she still couldn’t get the fact that Sidhu was married to Ananya.

Not even in her wildest dreams, did she ever imagine that happening. And she had mixed feelings about how she felt.

On one hand she wanted Sidhu to be ecstatically happy in his life, but on the other hand, her very human heart felt a slight betrayal that it was Ananya he had chosen to spend his life with.

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