Chapter 22 - Not so soon, Tesoro

|Innaya|

After more than an hour when I was sure my face was not flushed anymore and I had quite a good grip over my emotions, I exited the washroom wiping my wet hair with the towel. I wore the blue Anarkali suit with simple work, I had kept inside the washroom last night.

I noticed Eshan was not present in the room. He might have left for the guest washroom for getting ready.

I moved towards dressing table to get ready when my phone buzzed. I glanced at the clock and realized, I overslept and I was more than late from my usual time. It was almost nearing ten in the morning. The phone continued to buzz as I had kept it on vibrate mode.

'Mom Calling.'

I answered the call and put it on the loudspeaker mode as I was all alone in the room and my hands were moist.

"Hello Mom, how are you? How is Granny? I am missing both of you," I bombarded the questions forgetting my earlier discomfort.

Mom and Grandma chuckled. I guessed Mom also had the loudspeaker on. "Breath Innu, we are fine. Tell me how you and Eshan are. Yesterday you forgot to inform us, whether you reached or not. Eshan called us and now you are saying you missed us."

"Umm... Mom, I slept," I stuttered as I recalled why I did not call yesterday and why I forgot today. I mentally thanked Eshan for informing Mom yesterday.

"It's alright. Eshan told us," Grandma spoke breaking my reverie.

"Told you what?" Afraid I asked, hoping he had not said anything about that incident. I crossed my fingers as I waited for them to answer. The wait felt like an eternity when in reality it was just a few seconds.

"That you were tired. Has something else happened?"

I sighed in relief before adding, "Nothing Granny. You are unnecessarily worrying. Don't forget about your today's appointment okay?"

"Yes, Grandma."

"Mom," I whined like a child at my mother's nickname for me. I was her child.

"Where's Eshan?"

I nearly choked on air as she asked me about him. The last hour's work went in a vain as along with his name, came the memory of earlier.

"I am here, Mom."

Abruptly I spun around as I heard his voice just from behind. How did I not notice him entering inside? I lowered my eyes instantly as I recalled, myself touching his closed eyelids. How on the earth was I going to face him, without embarrassing myself, or recalling my stupid stunt?

"How are you? Hope my daughter is not troubling you."

"She is a sweetheart Mom."

My heart fluttered a bit at the sincerity and affection in his voice.

"Now enough both of you, we will talk later. You guys get ready for the appointment. It's getting late." I intervened knowing full well, I was just making an excuse to avoid his intense gaze and I wanted nothing more than to escape it.

"Yes, take care, you two. Bye."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Both of us said at the same time before I disconnected the call.

For few awkward moments we stood in silence, at least it was awkward for me. My phone buzzed again. It must be Mom, asking something, so I answered without bothering to check the caller Id and put it on the speaker just like before.

"Hello, Innaya." The male voice speaking from the other end had me almost drop towel in my hands on the floor. I quickly checked the caller Id to confirm it was Roy Sir talking to me.

"Hello Sir," I answered still keeping it on the loudspeaker. I didn't want Eshan to think anything about it and ask me later why I changed it from the loudspeaker. Honestly, there was nothing to hide from him.

"I called to ask you about the flight schedule, you will be comfortable with."

"Excuse me. Why?" I wondered why he was asking me about it. I was an adult and I knew how to travel.

"The conference is next week, so I thought I will book our flight tickets and arrange for our stay in Mumbai. You don't know anyone there, right?"

He was just worried and being helpful. My mind seemed to be in overdrive today.

"Thank you for your concern Sir, but no need of doing anything. In addition, now I do know people in Mumbai and I am already here," I answered in a gentle tone, as my eyes met Eshan's through the mirror. His eyes were trained on me and when they met mine, the emotion in them was almost unsettling, in a good way though.

"Here?"

Roy Sir's voice brought me out of our eye lock. I answered as I lowered my gaze to the small box of vermilion kept on the dressing table. "In Mumbai, let me know further details after your arrival."

"Oh... Okay! See you soon!"

I did not reply. I did not feel the need to, as the disappointment in his voice was weird to me.

"Weird," I muttered to myself once I was sure he had disconnected the line.

"Indeed." Eshan affirmed too.

I kept my eyes solely focussed on drying my hair and leaving the room as soon as possible without any interaction with him. I hurriedly towel dried my hair before putting the towel away.

From my peripheral vision, I noticed Eshan's approaching figure towards me. I picked up the vermilion box and tried opening the lid, with my shivering hands. Eshan stopped behind me. His eyes were lazily roaming on my figure and I knew he noticed the slight shivering in my body as well as my downcast gaze.

I did not know what I was going to answer him. I turned away hoping to leave the room when his hand wrapped around my wrist pulling me back at my place with his other hand around my waist.

"Not so soon, Tesoro." His husky voice demanded my attention with the seriousness in his tone.

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