18 Chapter 18

He took a deep breath and started, "Stella and I had been going together for the last five months and I wanted to marry her. But when I visited my parents they had already selected a match for me. I tried my best to convince them otherwise, but they wouldn't listen. My mom stopped eating and it was killing me to see her that way. I wanted to tell you but my parents specifically asked me not to say anything. Sneha, believe me, I wanted to talk about this just before we were married but I felt so guilty I couldn't ever bring it up."

"Stella is a nice girl. She's been with me for five months and I feel responsible for her, I put her in this situation but I feel worse for you. You have come a long way from home," he lamented as he waited for her response with his heart in his throat.

Sneha wanted to slap him! Her emotions blurted out and she lashed, "Far away from home? I have come far in my life! I have married you. I didn't want to marry, but even I conceded to my father's wishes. I want this marriage to work, I want to give our relationship a chance before it capsizes."

"I painstakingly ordered the furniture for our home. A lot of thought went into keeping each and every piece in this home. Do you know how much Ramona aunty has spent? Leaving aside the money; do you know how much our parents have dedicated to this marriage?" she asked.

Sneha again started weeping, her sorrow overtaking her better sense. Rohan came to her and held her tight. He found it hard to see her cry but didn't have any words to say (what could he say) and sat beside her for a long time. He asked her not to cry because he didn't want her to cry and it hurt him to watch her be so upset.

Sneha let him sit beside her. It was as if she was leaving and her friend had hugged her for the last time, but felt nice and warm and didn't want him to go away.

'Rohan please leave Stella. I'll prove to be a great companion. I'd do anything to keep you happy,' she thought. Her mind was racing. Instead she said, "Why don't you call Stella to come over tomorrow? I would like to talk to her."

Rohan was wary of calling her, but finally agreed. The doorbell rang, startling them both and Rohan went to answer it; the delivery boy stood with the ordered food at the door. Rohan paid him and returned to the drawing room. He saw that Sneha had already left to go and fetch the plates and spoons to lay out the lunch. They had a quiet lunch…a quiet that was deafening. Sneha and Rohan couldn't finish their meal because their stomachs were all knotted up because of the tension. They left most of it and didn't pester the other to have more.

Sneha got up listlessly and headed toward the bedroom. Her headache had returned so she went to the bed and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Rohan didn't bat an eye but his anxiety and the stress was peaking. He didn't want Stella to come over but he knew her too well, she was coming over anyway. He didn't want Sneha to leave him, but knew in his heart that she was going to leave him anyway sooner or later. He stood in the middle of the room and said quietly to himself, "I stand at a junction in my life and don't know what to do. I need to find a solution, and quickly."