Chapter Thirty-Nine: Don't Entertain Clowns

The sun was now setting behind the horizon. Nehmat had her eyes fixed on it since 6 PM. She didn't have much work to do today, so she decided to spend her time in her room reading books. If she didn't have work on another day, she would take a walk in the garden in the back, but knowing how stubborn Vamika was, she figured she hadn't left the house. Earlier, there had been sounds of crying and pleading, and half an hour later, the house went silent. Nehmat was sure they must be downstairs, and she didn't have the energy to face them, so she ate her lunch in her room and spent the afternoon with a book in her hand. Now, the clock had struck 7.50 PM. Sighing, she looked back at the sun and waited for twenty minutes until the sky turned dark.

As Nehmat watched the snow-clad mountains slowly darken with the setting sun, a thought struck her. The serene beauty of the scene seemed to clear her distant demeanour. Why did Anushka and Vamika have to suffer the consequences of their mistakes? Had her anger made her so blind that she was hurting the people who were actually there for her? One thing Nehmat had learned over the three years, along with being a cold-hearted person, was to make quick and rational decisions rather than fussing and letting her mind bear the pain of thoughts.

Setting the book aside as the stars began to twinkle in the night sky, Nehmat opened the door of her room after spending 7 to 8 hours inside. Walking along the wooden flooring, she relished the coolness under her bare feet. Despite the Indian tradition of not wearing shoes inside the home becoming a thing of the past, she still maintained it. Descending the stairs, her steps made a creaking sound, drawing everyone's attention in the living room.

Anushka and Virat had changed their clothes and were seated, staring into space. Vamika was asleep, her head resting on her mother's lap and her legs stretched out on her father's. Shubman looked exhausted, his clothes dishevelled, and his face red from crying. Evelyn had stepped out for some errands, leaving Nehmat alone in the house.

As Nehmat reached the final step, the main door opened, and two pairs of feet came running, shouting towards her. "Nehhh!" The sudden noise jolted Vamika from her sleep, and what she saw brought a pang of jealousy to her heart. Two little kids, around four or five years old, were hugging Nehmat tightly. Shubman felt his heart leap into his throat as he watched the kids embrace Nehmat. Was she... was she... he couldn't complete the thought, or rather, he didn't have the courage to.

"James, Lily, I want you to meet someone," Nehmat said, gently curling the front strands of hair that always rested on the twins' foreheads.

"Who is it, Neh?" the twins asked, their curiosity piqued.

Nehmat smiled and then glanced towards Vamika, who was now sitting upright with messy hair, a red nose, and tears in her eyes as she watched Nehmat, ready to embrace someone else but not her. Vamika's jealousy turned to surprise when she saw Nehmat gesturing for her to come closer. Quietly, she got down and walked towards Nehmat.

With a smile, Nehmat pulled Vamika close by her waist as she knelt in front of the kids. "Meet my niece, my Vamii, also known as Vanika."

James and Lily, excited to have one more person to play with, eagerly embraced Vanika, causing all three of them to tumble down in a heap, making Nehmat laugh. "Easy there, my tigers," she chuckled, amused by their enthusiasm.

Vamika laughed joyfully as the twins continued to cling to her, their happiness evident. Nehmat gently lifted all three of them into her arms, embracing them tightly. "So, what do you want to have for dinner?" she asked with a warm smile.

Vamika hugged Nehmat tightly, her emotions overflowing. "I missed you, Nini. I missed you," she said, tears welling up in her eyes as she saw Nehmat returning to her old self. Sensing her distress, the twins rubbed Vanika's back, trying to comfort her.

Evelyn smiled from the background, pleased to see the little girl getting what she wanted. Virat and Anushka also smiled, happy to see the old Nehmat back. However, Shubman still sat on the couch, clutching onto his thoughts, unable to determine whether Nehmat was married or not.

Kissing her cheeks, Nehmat whispered, "Love, I missed you too. Your Nini felt empty without you too."

Rubbing her arms, Nehmat comforted Vaika as she continued to sob. Nehmat held Vamika close, her heart aching to see her niece in distress. "It's okay, Vanii," she murmured, her voice tender. "I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

Vamika sniffled, looking up at Nehmat with tear-streaked cheeks. "Promise?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion.

Nehmat smiled softly, brushing a stray tear from Vamika's cheek. "I promise," she said, her voice steady and reassuring. "I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

Nehmat smiled and asked once again, "Now tell me, what do you want to have?" All three kids at once announced, "Pizza!"

Evelyn chimed in from behind, scolding Lily and James, "You had pizza today on the field trip. You're not having it again." Both of them whined, "But Mumma, please, just this one time!"

No one would have felt as relieved as Shubman did when the twins called Evelyn their mum. He leaned back on the couch and let out a sigh of relief, feeling the tension ease from his shoulders. Meanwhile, Nehmat approached Evelyn, pleading, "Eve, let them have it just this once. I'll make sure these little tigers won't have it for at least a month."

"Promise, kids?" Nehmat asked, turning to the twins. They nodded eagerly, knowing that Nehmat had often spoiled them with treats behind Evelyn's back. "Promise," they chimed in unison.

Evelyn rolled her eyes at Nehmat's indulgence. "You're always spoiling them, Nehmat. And I know how many times you've given them candies and ice cream behind my back," she said, narrowing her eyes with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Anushka chuckled and looked at Nehmat. "Spoiling kids with ice cream and candies hasn't changed, has it, Nehmat?"

Nehmat whined and said, "Bhabhi, not always. I did." But Anushka narrowed her eyes and countered, "After school, most of the time, you did spoil Vami."

Virat attempted to join the conversation, but one cold glare from Nehmat stopped him in his tracks. Gulping nervously, he shifted in his seat, unsure of what to say.

Sensing the tension, Nehmat addressed everyone except the two elder males. "Let's all have dinner," she suggested, hoping to change the subject.

Virat, eager to lighten the mood, chimed in, "Yeah, dinner sounds great. I could eat a whole pizza by myself!" He grinned, trying to inject some levity into the atmosphere.

Dinner proceeded with chuckles and chatter, mostly ignoring Shubman and Virat, who silently ate their meal. After dinner, everyone was assigned their rooms, with the twins urging Vamika to sleep with them. They were only allowed to do so with Nehmat's assurance that she would make sure they slept without any chaos.

With James nestled between Lily and Vamika, the three of them snuggled under the Peppa Pig blanket. They listened intently as Nehmat recited a story she had adapted from one of the books she had read into a kid-friendly version. As she finished the story, James and Lily had already drifted off to sleep, but Vamika remained awake. She held onto Nehmat's finger tightly, not wanting to let her go as she struggled to fall asleep.

Nehmat smiled, kissing Vamika's forehead gently as she patted her chest and began to sing a soothing melody that made her sleep as a newborn. Vamika's eyes grew heavy, and she soon drifted off to sleep, her breathing becoming slow and steady. Nehmat's voice was melodic in the stillness of the night, echoing through the air as it danced among the peaks of the Alps. It seemed as though the mountains themselves were whispering back, filling certain someone's room with a sense of peace and love.

Kothe te khlo Maiya

Kothe te khlo Maiya

Chan pain chare na

Chare sanu teri hi loh maiya

( Come stand on the terrace, my love
Regardless if the moon comes out or not, I have your moonlight, my love)

Shubman woke up once again in the middle of the night, startled by the familiar song that filled the room. At first, he thought it might have been a dream, but as the melody continued, he realized it wasn't. For the past three years, he had heard this song in his dreams, and now it was echoing through his room.

Sitting up, Shubman looked around the darkness, finding only himself and the emptiness that seemed to envelop him. Yet, as the lyrics of the song filled the air, he felt the weight of his solitude gradually lifting, as if the music itself was reaching out to him, offering solace in the night.

As Shubman walked towards the room window to find the source of the song, it abruptly stopped. He sighed, feeling a sense of disappointment wash over him. "Just a dream," he muttered to himself, gazing out at the twinkling stars scattered over the mountains. The night was silent once again, and Shubman couldn't shake off the feeling of longing that lingered within him.

Leaning his head against the window, Shubman felt a pang of longing wash over him. The sight of the Swiss night, with its majestic mountains and shimmering stars, reminded him of Nehmat more than ever. The beauty of Switzerland seemed to amplify his sense of loss, each twinkling star a painful reminder of her absence. Shubman closed his eyes, letting the cool night air brush against his face, wishing for just a moment that Nehmat was there beside him, sharing in the splendour of the Swiss landscape.

As he closed his eyes, Shubman was confronted by Nehmat's stoic demeanour in his mind's eye. He could see himself pleading with her, pouring out his heart and begging for her forgiveness. Yet, she remained unchanged, her expression devoid of emotion, her silence piercing through him like a knife.

Desperation welled up within Shubman as he continued to kiss her and plead with her to forgive him, but it was as if his words fell on deaf ears. Nehmat remained unmoved, her impassive facade unyielding to his anguish.

Unable to bear the weight of his own sorrow any longer, Shubman broke down into heart-wrenching sobs, his body racked with pain as he grappled with the reality of his mistakes and the loss of the one he loved.

Nehmat, on her way to her room, noticed Shubman's door slightly ajar and heard the sobs emanating from within. She pushed the door open a bit more, revealing Shubman on the floor near the window, his cries echoing in the darkness. She stood there silently, observing him as he seemed to be consumed by his pain and longing.

Despite witnessing his anguish, Nehmat felt no emotions or empathy stirring within her. She remained detached, almost robotic, as she watched him writhe in agony. Shubman's eyes suddenly shot up as he saw a stream of light enter the room, and before Nehmat could react, he was on his feet, pulling her into his arms and pressing her against the now-closed door, enveloping her in his embrace.

He pulled her closer, his grip firm yet gentle, and laid his forehead against hers in the dark room. Nehmat watched him closely as he began to speak, his voice trembling with raw emotion.

"Nehmat," he whispered, his voice choked with tears. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything. I know I've hurt you, and I can't bear to see you like this anymore."

As he pleaded for her to respond, she remained stoic and silent, her expression unchanged. Tears welled up in his eyes, trickling down his cheeks and onto hers, but she made no move to wipe them away or acknowledge them.

He buried his face in her neck, holding her close, desperate to melt her heart with his embrace. But despite his efforts, Nehmat remained unmoved, her cold-hearted demeanour unchanged. It felt like nothing he could say or do would reach her.

Then, in a slow and bored voice, she spoke, "Are you done with the drama?" Her words cut through the air with an icy indifference, leaving Shubman feeling defeated and insignificant.

Shubman looked shocked. "Drama?" he asked, his voice choking on his tears. The word hit him like a blow, leaving him feeling bewildered and hurt. He had poured his heart out, baring his soul to her, only to be dismissed with such callousness.

Shubman's voice cracked as he continued, "Nehmat, this isn't drama. These are my feelings, my regrets... my love for you." He paused, trying to steady his trembling voice. "I just want us to find our way back to each other, to make things right again. Can't you see that?"

Nehmat removed her phone and checked the time. "All I can see is it's midnight, and I have a lot of work tomorrow," she stated matter-of-factly. Her tone was devoid of any sympathy or understanding for Shubman's emotional turmoil.

Shubman was about to speak again when Nehmat released herself from his arms. "Make the trip short. I don't entertain any clowns," she said flatly. "It's only because of Bhabhi and Vamika that I'm tolerating this. Otherwise, I would have thrown you out in seconds. And remember, you are married, so stay within your limits." Her words were sharp and cutting, leaving Shubman feeling both rejected and reprimanded.

As Nehmat walked out, Shubman realized one thing: no matter how long it took, he wouldn't leave her, even if she called the authorities. Determination burned in his eyes as he vowed to fight for her, to win back her love and trust, no matter the obstacles in his path.