#4: Mohit's Decision!

As Mohit sits in a client meeting, fully engaged, a sudden ping disrupts his focus. His eyes flick to the screen, and as he reads the message, shock and anger grip him tightly. He loses track of the meeting, only half hearing and half responding. After the meeting concludes, Mohit goes straight to his cabin.

Mohit reads the message again sitting in his cabin. It is from Shalini - “I am going clubbing with my flatmates and some friends this weekend.” Mohit who always contemplates two steps ahead, finds himself filled with unease and doubts. 

"In her friends’ group, are there any boys in Jaipur? Will she get drunk? What if they try to… No, no, what am I thinking?" He abruptly cuts off his own train of thought, realizing the uselessness of his thoughts. He is trying to comprehend the reasons for his feelings of jealousy. He is quite open and comfortable when Shalini tells him that she talked to his male college friend over the phone or met for coffee. She even tells him the details, which he barely listens to.

"Then, why am I feeling uncomfortable today? Is it because I fear losing her to someone else? Perhaps because we have not talked for many days now. I miss hearing her laugh and sharing her feelings about everything. I do not want her to confide in anyone else. Why does it all feel so intense with Shalini?" Mohit wrestles to find answers, unsuccessfully trying to convince himself that she will be fine alone, clubbing.

"Mohit, are you feeling fine? You were looking distracted during the meeting," Kunal - Mohit's friend and subordinate asks, breaking off Mohit's pondering as he knocks on his cabin door, concern evident in his voice.

"I wasn't feeling well during the meeting," Mohit lies.

"Is it your health, or is it Shalini?" Kunal winks knowingly at Mohit. "I know you won't talk about Shalini, and I sense something isn't okay between you two. We can meet later in the evening and hopefully that can distract you a bit. For now, would you like a coffee?" he says softly, smiling.

Mohit rises from his seat and heads towards the pantry for a cup of coffee, feeling even more awkward and embarrassed due to his transparent behavior.

After the coffee, Mohit's yearning to call Shalini resurfaces. In fact, he called her after two days of their disagreement, but she responded coldly, and now their chats are limited to mere good morning and good night messages on WhatsApp. On one hand, his deep desire to talk to Shalini overwhelms him. On the other hand, he remains unsure about continuing the engagement with her, especially given Shalini's stubbornness. Recalling their fight, Mohit sighs deeply, feeling a sense of helplessness, and immerses himself in work.

Later that evening, Mohit and Kunal are seated on a sofa in the bar, engaged in conversation about various topics. Mohit tactfully avoids any questions about Shalini, and Kunal refrains from pushing too hard. After a while, Mohit's old friend Sulabh arrives, greeting both of them from a distance. Mohit questions Kunal with a glance, to which Kunal responds with a kind smile. "Kunal has no idea, that means!" Mohit thinks.

Meanwhile, Kunal reflects, “Sulabh has been Mohit's friend since college days. He may not be one of his closest friends, but he can provide Mohit some relief and a shoulder to confide in. That's why I have surprised Mohit by calling Sulabh today.”

Sulabh approaches, first shaking hands with Kunal and then extending his hand to Mohit. Mohit reluctantly extends his hand towards Sulabh, who seizes the opportunity to whisper loudly with a mean grin, "I have heard you are not getting along with Shalini." Mohit gives a sharp look to Kunal, who, sensing the wrongness in the situation feels embarrassed and unable to react, keeps his eyes down. Undeterred, Sulabh continues, "Beautiful girls like Shalini are nothing but playful witches with men’s hearts. They will play with your heart with their sweet voice and then create drama and leave you in the midst. Behind those beautiful eyes and mesmerizing smile is a mean and pathetic bi**..." 

Fueled by anger, Mohit hits Sulabh hard on his face and shouts back, "Talk respectfully! She is my future wife," before storming out of the bar.

As a stunned Sulabh gently caresses his throbbing cheek, Kunal rises from his seat, settles the bill at the counter, and just before leaving the bar, he approaches Sulabh and utters angrily, "You're a sh*thead." Sulabh, who had hoped for some sympathy from Kunal, feels even more disheartened by his harsh words. About to leave, Sulabh is surprised when the waiter approaches with the bill for the drink he had ordered. Inquiring, "Hasn't the guy who was sitting here paid my bill?" The waiter shakes his head, replying, "No sir," and hands over the bill before departing, leaving Sulabh to rue his decision to seek revenge on Shalini.

Kunal reaches his house and messages Mohit, "I'm sorry Mohit for inviting Sulabh. I didn't know you guys had a rift over Shalini. I just wanted to lighten your mood." Mohit replies, "How could you have known? I never told you. I'm about to reach your house. If you're free, could you please come out in 10 minutes?"

"Of course," replies Kunal ecstatically.

They went to a nearby restaurant to talk and eat. Mohit said, “About 6 months before my wedding proposal to Shalini, she was briefly engaged to Sulabh through arranged marriage. However, Sulabh’s parents kept demanding more and more money in the name of wedding expenses. One day, Shalini couldn't bear it anymore, took off her ring, and gave it to her father. Her father reciprocated this brave decision of hers by breaking off the wedding. When we met, Shalini didn't outrightly tell me about this, but a few days before the Roka ceremony, she called and informed me. She also mentioned seeing Sulabh in some of my Facebook photos and advised me to reconsider if I wasn't comfortable. I appreciated her honesty and decided to proceed with the Roka. However, I also inquired with Sulabh. I could see the jealousy in his eyes when I mentioned Shalini. He spoke poorly of her and her family. That's the day I blocked him.”

"Thank you for confiding in me. I will keep it a secret," Kunal said in a sincere voice. "By the way, I did not know you could hit someone?" he said laughingly now, trying to make the situation lighter.

"Even I didn't," Mohit replied shyly.

As they now eat their food in silence, Mohit questions himself, “Why do I feel like I'm the only one entitled to her love?”, struggling with this uncomfortable feeling of possessiveness that grips his heart. “Is it insecurity, or a desire to protect what's mine? But love shouldn't be about possession.” He ponders the complexities of his emotions, struggling to reconcile with his principles of trust and freedom in a relationship.

The decision has been made. "I will be traveling tomorrow. Call me only for absolute necessities, " he says to Kunal. 

"Aye Aye, sir," Kunal replies in his usual sweet tone.

—

What happens next? What is Shalini's reaction when she suddenly sees Mohit at her door? Stay tuned for the next installment of the engrossing series of Shalini and Mohit Tales, coming soon!