Apulki Chapter 22 - The Space Between Us

Recap Chapter 21: During a dinner celebrating two years of knowing each other, a tipsy Isha accidentally confirms why she accepted Neerav’s proposal. Hurt and angry, Neerav later confronts her and returns her engagement ring, leaving her heartbroken.

When the Rings Are Together, But You Aren't

Yamini found Isha sitting in the dark.

Without a word, she switched on the bedside lamp.

The soft yellow light filled the room.

"What did he say?" she whispered.

Isha burst into fresh tears.

"He said even toddlers can make better fried eggs than me."

Then she buried her face in her hands and continued to bawl.

Yamini climbed onto the bed beside her and gently pulled her into her arms.

"Shhh," she murmured, cradling her head. "Everything will soon be alright."

A little later, after the tears had finally begun to subside, Isha sat quietly on the edge of the bed.

For a long moment, she stared at the engagement ring on her finger.

Then she slowly slipped it off.

She picked up Neerav's ring as well, threaded both rings onto a string and tied it around her neck.

The two rings settled against her heart.

And there they stayed.

The Real Victims of the Break-Up

While Isha and Neerav were busy breaking up, their parents were having a crisis of their own.

Mr Sharma and Mr Banerjee sat in the Banerjee living room, looking as though someone had just informed them that cricket and politics had both been banned in India.

Mr Banerjee shook his head.

"What did the children mean, we're on a break?"

"God knows, Mr Banerjee." Mr Sharma sighed heavily. "Some strange whim of the new generation."

Mr Banerjee looked genuinely distressed.

"I will miss our heated discussions on Rahul Gandhi and Modiji."

Mr Sharma's eyes grew moist.

"Who will I watch cricket with now?"

For a moment, neither man spoke.

Then they threw their arms around each other and cried on each other's shoulders.

Meanwhile, in the Banerjee bedroom, Mrs Sharma and Mrs Banerjee were going through an equally difficult time.

The two women sat huddled together on the bed, dabbing their eyes with tissues.

"And what about our plans to meet Ranbir Kapoor and take selfies?" Mrs Banerjee wailed.

Mrs Sharma sniffed.

"You're the only one who understands. Mr Sharma thinks it's Ishu who should be running after movie stars, not me."

"I know." Mrs Banerjee squeezed her hand. "I'll miss you so much."

Only a few months ago, the two women had been complete strangers.

Now they felt like a pair of teenagers whose grand plans had been cruelly snatched away.

A fresh wave of emotion swept over them.

And they too cried on each other's shoulders.

When One Door Closes, Another Opens

The next few days were not easy.

For anyone.

Least of all for the poor piece of wood currently lying on Isha's workbench.

Yamini and Akash were watching a movie on telly, while Isha was attacking the unfortunate plank with a saw, as though it personally bore responsibility for all the misery in her life.

Yamini watched for a few seconds.

Then calmly removed the saw from Isha's hand.

"Okay," she said. "Let's keep you away from the workbench for a while. Come and watch the movie with us."

To her surprise, Isha didn't argue.

She simply nodded and dropped onto the sofa.

For a few minutes, the three of them watched in silence.

Then Isha frowned at the screen.

"Is this a Sunil Waghmare movie?"

"No. Some newbie."

"Oh."

A few moments passed.

Then Isha glanced sideways at Yamini.

"What happened to your drunken messages? Did he get them?"

Yamini grinned.

"He wrote a very sweet reply."

"He did?"

"Lemme read it out."

Picking up her phone, Yamini scrolled through her messages.

"Yeah... here it is."

She cleared her throat dramatically.

"'My dear Yami... If only I had met you before Mohini... but now that I am committed, let's be good friends forever?'"

"Aww." Isha smiled. "He's such a gentleman."

"He really is."

And strangely enough, hearing it aloud brought Yamini an unexpected sense of peace.

Her spectacular drunken confession had probably shortened her life by a few years from sheer embarrassment, but it had also done something else.

It had finally cured her of her crush on Sunil Waghmare.

The man would always remain her favourite actor.

But somewhere between the drunken messages, the mortification and that impossibly gracious reply, the fantasy had quietly packed its bags and left.

During the next ad break, Akash leaned towards Yamini.

"Why do you wear so much makeup? Take it off. I don't want to taste foundation and lipstick when I kiss you."

Yamini looked offended.

"I've horribly dark circles."

"They make you real."

She blinked.

"Real?"

"Right now you look like a porcelain doll."

"You don't like dolls?"

"They break."

Yamini narrowed her eyes.

"Neerav said you had a doll when you were a kid. You used to call her your bahu."

Akash groaned.

"I'm going to kill him."

Yamini laughed and pulled his cheeks.

"But that's so cute."

Across the room, Isha found herself smiling at them, despite everything.

The smile disappeared when the doorbell rang.

Isha's heart began to pound.

Could it be Neer?

"I'll get it."

She opened the door to find the postman standing outside.

After signing his register, she accepted the envelope and shut the door behind her.

"Who's it from?" asked Yamini.

Isha didn't answer.

She had already torn the envelope open.

Her eyes raced across the page.

Then widened.

"I've got the job!"

"What?"

"I've got the job!"

Yamini let out a squeal and practically launched herself at her.

The two friends hugged, bounced and laughed at the same time.

"Am so happy for you, Ishu."

"Me too."

Akash joined the celebrations with a high five.

"Good job, buddy. I'll miss our going to work together."

When the Three Little Words Are Not 'I Love You'

Still grinning, Isha grabbed her phone and pressed Neerav's number.

The call rang.

And rang.

Then died.

She stared at the screen.

Neerav had switched off his phone.

The smile faded from her face.

Slowly, she sank onto the sofa.

After a moment, she opened her messages.

I got the job. You were always the first to congratulate me.

Her thumb hovered over the screen.

Then she typed another message.

Missing you.

For a second, she considered deleting it.

But only for a second.

Then she hit send.

A few moments later, her phone buzzed.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She looked at the screen.

Good for you.

That was all.

Three words.

Nothing more.

Isha stared at the message.

Then her eyes slowly filled with tears.

When You Daydream Like Yammu

A little while later, Isha found herself staring blankly at the television.

The movie was still playing.

But she wasn't watching it anymore.

Her mind had wandered elsewhere.

To a wedding mandap.

To herself.

And to Neerav.

She was dressed as a Bengali bride, seated on a piri with a pair of betel leaves hiding her face.

Her cousin brothers carried her around Neerav while loudly complaining about how heavy she was.

The guests laughed.

Isha wanted to tell them she wasn't that heavy.

But nobody seemed interested in her opinion.

They took the piri around Neerav seven times then lowered it.

The bride and groom finally faced each other.

Isha lowered the betel leaves with a shy smile.

Neerav looked at her.

"You're looking gorgeous. Can I kiss you?"

Isha immediately turned red.

She glanced around at all the guests.

Then glared at him.

"Shut up."

The mandap vanished.

Reality returned.

"Oh God," muttered Isha.

She buried her face in her hands.

"I'm daydreaming like Yammu. I must be losing it."

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Chapter 1 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-1

Chapter 2 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-2

Chapter 3 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-3

Chapter 4 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-4

Chapter 5 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-5

Chapter 6 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-6

Chapter 7 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-7

Chapter 8 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-8

Chapter 9 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-9

Chapter 10 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-10

Chapter 11 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-11

Chapter 12 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-12

Chapter 13 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-13

Chapter 14 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-14

Chapter 15 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-15

Chapter 16 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-16

Chapter 17 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-17

Chapter 18 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-18

Chapter 19 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-19

Chapter 20 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-20

Chapter 21 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-21

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