Conflicted Desires – Part 4

We have embarked on the story of student counselor Rohini, a student’s guardian a very handsome man, Vikram, and a super talkative grumpy parakeet – Keezo. To read the previous part of the story, click here.

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However absurd it may feel, Rohini is affected by this sudden attention emanating from Vikram. She and Kaushal have been married for over 20 years now, but somehow, they have become parts of a well-oiled machinery of life. There are family duties as partners, and parents, somewhere down the line, they have accustomed to the monotony called life.

She knew this man was trouble, she could sense it clearly, and feel it with her instincts, but still, the attention of his aura was like a living breathing person, her peace had never been challenged like this before.

“And you know these things because?” she asked Vikram nonchalantly.

“Because I have eyes madam, and when they see ravishingly attractive beauty, they send signals to my brain’s neurons. A chemical reaction called dopamine sets in the mood.” He replied with a bored expression, but his eyes were sharp with a glint of amusement. “Would you like me to continue…?” and that flirty smile resurfaces.

“I…I meant how do you know about the wildlife and license? Though I know he is wild with his filthy mouth and tiny fuzzy brain.” She stuttered while looking at Keezo getting his neck rubbed by Vikram’s index finger.

Her eyes moved from the birdcage to the man leaning next to it. Vikram is an attractive man, with a sharp jaw and a well-chiseled body. She can say it seeing the linen stretching over the taut shoulders, his shirt sleeves peeking from the jacket he gracefully adorned. He is immaculately dressed for a boardroom meeting, giving a ruthless business executive vibe who is ready to topple some meager businesses to kill some free time.

“Ah! That… sorry for my manners, I am a lawyer, I represent criminal law at the Supreme Court, whereas my partner is into corporate law.” He removes a business card embossed with his name in dark blue on a thick white paper from his brown wallet. Holding it in front of Rohini, he looked straight into her eyes with a smile.

She took the card from him, the thick luxurious paper with rough edges around the embossed name it felt good in her hand. Looking at the card she read his name twice and checked the other details. His office is placed near her counselor’s collective division, in fact, both their offices are in the same building but on different floors. Has he seen me before, though she cannot remember seeing him ever in the office building?

“You have a beautiful house; did you design it yourself?” He asked pulling her back from the brain overhaul.

Umm…. “No, we hired professionals, but it has some intricate pieces that were done by me,’ she replied thoughtfully.

Vikram was inspecting a decorative item from the corner shelf very comfortable in himself, as if he owned the place, when a soft voice echoed, “I have filled out the form and questionnaire.”

Breaking the palpable tension, Rohini answered with a smile, “Great, so let’s go back to the room for the next part of the session, shall we?” her eyes were on Vikram.

He carefully placed the item back and started moving towards the room, when his phone rang. He excused himself and waved them to carry on. While talking over the phone, Vikram wandered over to the living room where he saw many family photographs. While scanning the portrait wall, he obverses that most of Rohini’s pictures are either with her son or candid single shots. There were a couple of family shots with her smiling face, but that smile was missing the spark.

Vikram is a practical man; he does not indulge in unnecessary drama. He is single by choice even at the age of 36 and happy with the status quo – no strings attached one-night stands or a few short-time flings with no commitment. But, seeing Rohini in such effortless beauty has stirred some feelings in him. He cannot name it. There is something intriguing about her, whether it is her nonchalant approach towards him when women fall all over him for attention, Rohini did not even flutter an eye once. Or, her deep penetrating calmness, as if she has all the calm of this messed up world.

Vikram’s professional life is chaotic, he has seen so much evil and messed up things in life, thanks to his career as a top-notch criminal lawyer in the country. He has taken a silent oath to not have family, beyond what he already has. A brother, a sister-in-law, and a niece.

He entered the counseling room after the phone call, Rohini was engrossed in asking questions to Krisha so he sat at the back without disturbing the flow of conversation.

A simple cotton saree could look so beautiful and enhance a person’s appeal, this is beyond his belief. Women spend exuberant amounts of money on fancy dresses, accessories, make-up, and shit. Well, look at this beauty sitting in front of me, she doesn’t need any brand of fake shit. She is the most beautiful and ‘natural’ person he has seen in a long time.

Rohini was in her element, confident and intelligent. She made Krisha feel comfortable and asked numerous questions in a way that didn’t raise her guard regarding her aspirations for the future. He heard Rohini mention a few more sessions might be required to get to the final results.

Swiftly her eyes moved towards Vikram sitting in the dark corner of the room holding some college catalog upside down. Their eyes met and he could see her breathing hitched a beat. He found her flustering cute, something you don’t expect from a grown-up woman. But, when she is flustered, her actions become robotic. Rearranging already set stuff, or looking everywhere in the room but at him.

Smiling Vikram got up from the corner, to move towards the desk in his typical swag, eyes not leaving their target. “I believe we can have another session with you to discuss more details about the colleges of interest, how about tomorrow?” he asked.

Before he could see Rohini’s reaction, a small irritated voice replied ‘But I am not here tomorrow, uncle. Remember, I told you about my music class culmination,” Krisha was visibly troubled about having another session tomorrow, he wondered why!

Then he remembers her music class culmination tomorrow, well, he couldn’t have asked for anything better than this. “Sorry kiddo, I have a whole week punched into the T, we have to make it tomorrow, or else you have to wait till your folks come back, that would be a month or so”, he shrugged his shoulders while looking at Krisha, hoping he takes the bait.

Krisha was almost in tears when she replied meekly, ‘I can’t miss tomorrow, uncle. You know how much it means to me.” He felt a deep pang of guilt for using his niece to set the score for meeting Rohini alone.

Rohini was seeing the entire commotion calmly, she was perplexed as well and clearly didn’t want to intervene to make the situation any worse.

“Why don’t we do one thing, you go and attend your music class culmination, and I will meet MRS. Kaushik on your behalf.” The way he emphasized ‘MRS’, was to raise a response from Rohini.

Krisha quipped in happiness and clapped her hands twice, “Thanks Uncle, you know, you are my favorite Uncle”.

“DUH, I am your only uncle’ cupcake,” he said with a chuckle; mission accomplished.

He extends his hand towards Rohini, who is sitting perplexed and visibly troubled by what is conspired in front of her. “I will see you tomorrow, Mrs. Kaushik.”

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2024

Disclaimer – This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents in this story are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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