April 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge- Chapter 15- Out like a light

I'll Be There Beside You

Chapter 15

Today’s Idiom – Out like a light

Meaning- If you are out like a light, you fall fast asleep.

I sat on the sidewalk holding my head in my hands, thinking about my next course of actions. Should I call my mother and cancel the engagement or should I give Lalitha a last chance to explain.

I called Lalitha’s mobile and after several rings, Rashmi picked my call.

“Hey Rashmi, can I talk to Lalitha?” I wondered how Rashmi had Lalitha’s phone.

“Hi bhava! Lalitha is fast asleep. In fact she was so tired that she slept early but she left her phone in the living room. Do you want me to wake her up?”

I was dumbfounded second time that evening and I really didn’t know what or who to believe.

“You mean she’s there in your house since evening?”

“Yes, she was very happy when she came back. She said that she had had the most amazing day with you. But she was tired after the journey yesterday night. So she slept early.’ Rashmi replied chirpily oblivious to the turmoil in my mind.

“Can you please go and check on her?” I replied urgently.

Rashmi was slightly perturbed by my tone but she confirmed after few seconds.

“She’s out like a light. What’s wrong bhava? You sound upset.” I didn’t want to unnecessarily alarm Lalitha’s family members. I had to solve this Monica mystery before informing anyone else. So I hastily bid a goodbye to Rashmi and cut the call.

I was not in the mood to explain to my friends about the whole fiasco, so I just made some quick excuse that I wasn’t feeling well and hurried home.

I had heard that everyone has seven other people who look exactly like them somewhere in the world. Could Monica be someone who looked like Lalitha but had no connection with her whatsoever?  I thought of Monica who spoke fearlessly, who dressed provocatively and who behaved with confidence and poise.  Then I thought of Lalitha, her soft-spoken nature, the way she hunched her shoulders to dwarf her height, her timidity in our first few meetings.

Monica and Lalitha may look alike but their personalities couldn’t have been more different. Feeling slightly better, I resolved to speak to Lalitha about it the next day, when we would go out to look at some of the apartments for rent.

Bhava- Brother-in-law

You can read the previous chapters here-

Chapter 1                                     Chapter 8                

Chapter 2                                     Chapter 9

Chapter 3                                     Chapter 10

Chapter 4                                     Chapter 11

Chapter 5                                     Chapter 12

Chapter 6                                     Chapter 13

Chapter 7                                     Chapter 14