Love, Unrequited [Thread 2 : Pg 140] - Page 30

30. A Tiff of Sorts

‘Why are they here, Biplab?’ Kirti asked in a hushed tone. ‘Wasn’t this supposed to be ‘our trek’? "The siblings chilling out together".’ She air quoted his words.

‘Uh well, Di. I just mentioned it to Prasanna and she wanted to come along. As for her brother,’ they both looked in the direction of Nishit, who stood a distance away from them, with lips pulled into a thin line. ‘Nishit Bhaiyya wasn’t in the plan,' Biplab finished.

When Kirti had complained about numerous things to finish with so less time in hands and about her inability to go on any longer, Biplab had recommended an excursion. Never been on any, Kirti had agreed immediately. 

It was their childhood coming alive as they prepared backpacks for the journey. Every summer vacation they would go visit their native place. They would buy chips and drinks for the bus journey. The feeling of looking out of the window, and counting the huts or paddy fields, such joy was inimitable.

It was with the same childlike anticipation she had cleaned her shoes, bought snacks and had filled their backpack. ‘I have packed some salt too. Didn’t they show on Discovery? Leech, you know!’

Their grandmother had prepared karanjis (deep fried sweet dumplings) the previous night, as exhilarated about the whole picnic as them, as if she as well was living her past memories through them.

In a striped navy T shirt and gray cargoes, the laces of her shoes tied tight, a backpack on her shoulders, Kirti was ready to take on the world. So finding a frowning squad leader and his grim looking sister by the gleaming car at the bus stop, was a speedbreaker.

Seeing Kirti, Prasanna’s face had lightened up before returning to the former serious expression. Even before approaching them, Kirti had sensed a tiff between the duo.

‘Hi Prasanna. Hi Nishit Bhaiyya.’ Biplab greeted, his manners lively. Either he had still not caught on the tension in the air or was ignoring it.

‘I didn’t know you were joining us too,’ Biplab remarked, nonchalantly.

‘I had to come to make a few things clear.’

'Hmm?' Biplab.

'There's a valid reason she doesn't know Mumbai places. Yes, she doesn't travel much but I don't think I would have to spell it out for you, why. Stop putting ideas into her head! She will not go with you!'

'I think you will have to spell out the reason why a twenty three year old woman does not know her own city. Why does her brother have to come and make decisions for her?' Turning to Prasanna, Biplab asked, 'You are not coming?'

'I am,' she managed to utter, at the sight of support.

Nishit looked very displeased. The worst was him looking at Kirti as if she had any role in this.

'What?' She asked, when he continued to look her way.

'Help me convince her that it's a bad idea,' he said.

'It is a bad idea?' She looked at him confused.

He sighed, his eyes bearing a disappointed look. 

What? What did she do to disappoint him? 

'The places you all are going to visit might not necessarily be wheelchair friendly!'

'Oh' Kirti blurted, understanding where he was coming from. But her brother apparently did not.

'The world is not very human friendly. Should that stop us from living our life?' Biplab countered.

'The idealistic talk! As a guardian, sadly it does nothing to change my opinion!'

'As a guardian, I believe, you should encourage her rather than impede,' Biplab continued to argue.

Nishit was getting impatient with each passing moment.

'Biplab,' Kirti intervened, not wanting to get involved in Nishit's matters. 'He knows better. It's their call. Let them decide,' she whispered, taking him aside. 

She wanted to start her trip. Period.

'How can he know better about her life?!' Biplab was in no mood of giving up. Kirti wondered if it had something to do with the brown eyed young woman on a wheelchair who looked at Biplab with stars in her eyes. When and how did this happen? Was Prasanna the one Biplab had been busy with on the phone? The late night calls? Biplab, being an adult now, Kirti gave him space, not prying unnecessarily. But Prasanna? Hoping that it was only friendship, Kirti tried to instill some sense in him. ‘Did you bring me here to argue, Biplab? Is this your idea of getaway? If he doesn’t think she should come with us, let them be.’

‘But she's really interested, Di. Her own wish doesn’t matter?’

‘She’ll have to speak for herself. You and I cannot do that for her,’ Kirti pointed out.

As if on cue, Prasanna declared to her brother in firm words. ‘I am going with them, Bhai. That’s it!’

His facial features set firm, Nishit yielded finally. ‘Okay’ He opened the car’s gate, ‘Let’s go. Get in.’

The three others looked at him sheepishly. 

‘What now?’ He asked, seeing them act like mice caught in an act.

‘We are taking the bus!’ Kirti was given the task of belling the cat.

‘What?!’ He barked. ‘Let’s go home Prasanna’ he ordered to which she opposed,‘But,’ 

‘No ifs and buts! Travel by bus? Have you seen our buses?!' Then turning to Kirti he condemned her, 'He is a callow!' he said about Biplab,'but I expected better from you! What are you doing? Making fun of her disability?'

'You are overreacting, Nishit. No one is here making fun or anything. Biplab just wants her to experience a few things. She herself seems interested that’s why. Bringing in her 'disability', it’s you who’s hurting her.’

‘Will burying my head in the sand make the glaring truth disappear. She has limitations!’ Kirti’s eyes darted toward the young woman whose eyes now shimmered with tears.

‘That is the truth. Like your brother and you, she cannot hop from one bus to another, not when our system does very little to be all inclusive.’

‘Limitations exist only as long as we let them, Nishit. I know it’s not your intention but you are hurting her.’

‘And who’s responsible? She was okay staying at home until you both come along and corrupt her mind! How do you plan to make her travel the bus? Our buses are they customised enough to board the wheel bound?’

Kirti had to give him that. She remembered reading once about the court dictating the State to roll out buses that were wheelchair friendly but had no idea if the State ever followed through with it. Since she never had use of it, she never cared as well.

‘Oh it’s okay Bhai, you do not have to highlight my shortcomings in public like this. You don’t want me to go. I won’t. Does that make you happy now?’

Oh, how a very appealing morning had gone southwards!

A bus arrived honking and blowing dust. Seeing the heartbroken girl, Kirti wondered if they should just take up Nishit on his car offer. Or maybe call a cab? Middle ground. But traveling by bus and munching on chips, watching paddy fields had been the whole point!

The bus stopped before them, the conductor listing out the destinations the bus would go. Kirti was going to offer a truce to Nishit when the callow Biplab in his very 'krantikari' lawyer style did the unthinkable. 

‘You asked how do you plan to make her travel the bus. Like this,’ Biplab said, lifting Prasanna in his arms, he boarded the bus, leaving Kirti to face the wrath of the brother.

‘He’s crossed a line! Don’t blame me if I break a bone or two of his,’ Nishit said through gritted teeth, charging towards her brother. She held both his hands standing in his way, ‘No! Wait! Look at your sister. She wants this! Doesn’t she? She’s happy. Give her today, at least. And what are you worried about? Between you and me, we’ll take care of her, okay?’

For a long minute, he had stared at her, as if reining in his temper. Then, his gaze had flitted to her hands on his, making her quickly step back. Turning away, she said, ‘Now help me fold this. The bus isn’t going to wait for the whole day.’

Biplab lowered the girl in his arms on one of the front seats. ‘Sorry, that was sudden and dramatic, Estella. But I didn’t want to see you sad.’

Prasanna trying hard to ignore the warmth of her cheeks, and every place he had touched, nodded. Then remembering her brother she said, ‘But Bhaiii…’ 

Biplab clicked his tongue. ‘It’s about you and your experience.You cannot let others dictate the course of your life.’

‘Will it be okay? What if I turn out to be an inconvenience or what if something goes wrong?’

‘The first time of what seems an impossible is always scary. There’s you, me and…’ they both turned to see Kirti boarding the bus too, the now folded wheelchair in her hand. ‘Them. It’ll be alright,’ he assured her, dropping in the seat next to her. Kirti handed him the closed chair to hold, her face impassive. He knew he was going to get a big lecture at home. Nishit stared him down with eyes burning with fire which he casually ignored.

Kirti walked down the aisle to an empty window seat. Nishit followed her. She hoped he would not sit with her. She wanted to enjoy the bus ride all alone with herself. No dragons breathing fire down her neck. If he comes, I would turn him away, she thought. 

When he chose to sit two seats behind her, she felt scorned!

Well let him sit wherever he wants. Had he sat next to her, she would have offered some chips and refreshing drinks to him! His loss! 

Yes, totally his, she thought, sliding open the window, watching the first rays of the sun colour the sky.