And Everything Climaxes.......

BETWEEN THEM
Part 62

She waited until a sleepy voice answered....

"Helloo?"

"Hi Rithi.... This is Shradha, remember?"

She was taking sometime to recollect....

"Hey... yes.... Wow.... How are you? Been years right?"

"Years...yes.... And hey sorry about the time..."

She laughed.... "That is fine.... Though 11 at night is a weird enough time to get back together... Am real happy you called.... Heard you are hitched... Man! How weird is that?"

"Not very weird.... In fact, I sometimes wonder what other way it could have ever turned out to be.... "

"Meaning you like it? Great....."

"Well Rithi... I just want to get to the point.... I got your number from Priya.... Can you do me a favor?...," She did not wait for an answer...."Can you get me Krish's contact number?"

Rithika seemed completely awake... There was an awkward pause... Then,

"It has been a long time since I ever spoke to him... He might have got a new number...."

"That doesn't matter.... Just give me the one that you have...."

Shradha scribbled down the number that Rithika mumbled....

"Thanks Rithi.... I have something to do now.... Will get back to you this weekend... Good night!"

Rithika kept the receiver back in the cradle and stared at the ceiling... She wondered if Shradha would ever call her back....


Shradha glanced at the mobile number and then at Hemanth who was looking at her from across the room.... She dialed and waited with a sense of apprehension....

She was still unprepared when Krish answered....

"Hello?"

"Hey... Is that Krish?"

"Yes... And this is?"

"Shradha.... Shriya's friend...."


There was a short pause.... If he was startled or surprised, nothing in his voice showed it....

"Yes...Tell me Shradha.... I guess we were classmates years back..."

"Yup... We were... And well... I wanted to ask you if you really like Shri..."

She realized that she was gripping the receiver.... Hemanth had walked up to her and was standing near....

"I do...."


She almost did not hear it... And then when she realized what he had just said, she squealed and hugged Hemanth, who was pleasantly surprised....

"That is great! I mean... Great!"

She could hear him laughing... Though the laugh sounded strained....

"I know.... I mean all this looks hopeless to you, does it?"

"Not really.... ," he weighed his answer..."It would be something if I do get to talk it out with her..."

"Why are you not doing it then?"

"Because I know for sure that she is not going to be very excited if I call her up and ask to meet her... "

"True... So what had you planned?"

"Well.... I am in touch with Gauri here... and she had promised me that she would call Shriya for her house warming ceremony next month... Thought I could meet her there...."

"For which I am sure she would not have come... I mean anything about you and she flares up..."

He groaned,"Wonderful.... Meaning I have almost zero chance....."

"No... Meaning we have to act before that one month...."

"How?"

Shradha drew in her breath.... Hemanth was holding her hand.... She smiled at him and continued....

"If you can drop by here sometime, I can see that you meet her.... Because next month, she is planning to leave to London take up an exam for enrolling in a course on International Law..... Though I know that she is doing it only to get away from here....,"she paused...." from you..."

"I can get down there anytime...."

"Great! Then get yourself here this weekend... "

"That's three days away..."

She laughed.... "Yes.... Can't you wait three days? I mean compared to her waiting...."

He laughed too.... "I will.... And Shradha....."

"Yes?"

"Thanks for everything..."

She laughed again... "Hey I can't promise you anything, I mean she may smell out the whole thing and then forever it may be a royal fiasco...."

"I trust you....."

"Thank you for that... And yes... I will get things ready.... Now that you know my number, give me a call before you leave from there...."

"Agreed..... And thanks...."


She said goodbye to him and hung up.... Hemanth was smiling at her...

She smiled back at him..... Somehow, it was all getting to turn out right...