Part 78 Frisco Update 2
"Oh! Please...I can find my way around" she said sulking, as he placed his arm around her waist and directed her the other way.
She was about to head off into the International terminal. And they say anger blinds one, but she could only blame him for now.
"You got to calm down Geet. So what I didn't tell you I'm coming too...It's a surprise" He waved as he got to the front and faced her "Hello...get it surprise?"
"Repetition does not make it clear or right. Just don't act smart Maan...Or Archie?" She threw her bag inside the car and her face grew torpid "What should I call you now?"
"Anything that would make you feel better" He smiled as he sat up right next to her in the rear passenger seat.
Every time she had thought it would grow easy on her, it didn't and yet she tried. Her husband was quite good at keeping things to himself. He was giving a beat to even the best in class vaults carrying a hoard of secrets and game plans, operating in stealth all the while.
"But it's your fault entirely I say. Is that all you expect of me? How did you possibly imagine I was going to let you settle by yourself?" He asked as he signaled to the driver to take off.
True indeed; knowing how overbearing he could be, that was a gross negligence on her part. But when he did put it like that, she could not help feel gloated at how he had managed to keep up with her needs. Think of it, he had to be someplace to play Senior Director, brother to a distressed sister, Chairman to the Khurana group and grandson to a hurt grandmother and yet here he was by her side. How much more clear can it get? Although words wouldn't hurt, does it? It was weird playing the devil's advocate for him, but it paid off. Always. A weak smile had showed up and it didn't take him long to capitalize on it and for her to improve upon it.
They rode up the highway into the city welcomed by potholes and cracked up tar that juggled them in their seats. As the white fog descended slow into their route and crawled into every nook and cranny of the road, he scooted next to her responsively. She didn't object as always, and his arm took her closer.
"You know what all said and done...that was thoughtful. Thank you Maan" She gave a peace-out smile in return.
It had done it and roused up their chatter-up selves. Pointing to the crisp blue waters that came into view he gave her a peck, as they passed the tall cones and silvery boxes that made up the small downtown on the other side. Every other downtown compared to New York was small, let's face it.
Once they moved towards golden gate and crossed to the other side, the roads wound up the sloping hill and gave way to catch up scattered three story homes that overlooked the ocean. She knew theirs were somewhere around the bend too, for he had just asked the driver to slow down.
Actually given as a last minute surprise at the airport, she had jumped out of her skin when he had announced her stay arrangements at Sausalito. She had originally planned to put up her roof in the city. There were a couple of Indian roommate ad's she had responded to in spite of his objection, but she had argued, she needed to suit up to her salary needs than make it all seem pointless taking up a job that would not pay up half their luxuries like back in NY. He had basked in pride, at his wife's sensibility and modesty, and had almost agreed to her proposal, but his resolve had all flown out the window when the pictures of the newly secured house had arrived. He had started dreaming by then.
They were there in a matter of a few seconds. The thin air up the hill chilled up her bones. It was all mystical, enshrouded in a white cloud bank that hung low. It was a tall building that claimed clean angles and hoisted up in full length glass at the front. No front garden or porch there was, but a line of yellow daffodils bordered their plot from the road marking the beginning of their home. The stony pathway paved way to a plain cherry oak bulk of a door, with nothing but a keyhole and polished steel door handle to take her in. She didn't know what else to say, but her mouth rounded into an O and let out a "Wow". What would have she done had she gotten here by herself? With him, the same place and situation was only a dream like dusk.
He strode up next to her, punched in a bunch of numbers at the security lock by the side wall and pushed the door inwards.
His eyes lighted up like fireworks, as she turned to him. To her surprise, he scooped her up in his arms in a jiffy and rested his forehead on hers.
Strangely as it is, he had seen that Asian paints ad as an adolescent and the idea of a home and a wife and carrying her in his arms for Grahapravesh had stuck to his silly heart and survived his adult years. Her blush and a bewitching smile, made her feel like bales of cotton in his arms. Her hair teased his nose as it flew over his face and when he realized he was indeed living that wishful moment, time slowed upon him. Without as much as a look at all that made up the house and surrounding, his eyes found hers.
"I always wanted to do this" he winked at her and carried her indoors; up the stairs following tradition. His insides fluttered in the spirits of bliss. It was those anxious moments one never wanted to let go.
She kissed him back as it was her turn now and he let her down upon entering the space that gave her the view of the wide blue bay. The view was cozy and comforting with the rich calm waters and streaked red sky. Mostly hazy it was with the swirls of mist that played around in the space between her and the scenery.
"You know...you have an eye for these things" She said as she titled her head up to notice the length of the glass wall that ran up two floors. Long palls of transparent white flowed down the edges and blended with the rest of the white in the room. A splash of color here and there screamed a hint of class. That Asian wall art, to the carved wood tables, all gave out his touch as they silently welcomed them. About time it caught her attention, and it did, the low day bed, dressed in sheets of tendril blue flowers, sat right at the corner of the junction between the wood and glass wall. And it did what he had intended to do when he had chosen it with the decorator; a quick gentle smile came up her face as she ran to fall into the seating. The cushioned wooden frame served as backrest and she darted to one of the corners while he fell into a motion to join her.
Stretching to rest his legs next to her, he tucked her in closer embracing her by her waist. She smiled once again and turned inward a bit to rest on his shoulders.
"How do I start?,...This is all just..." She dragged her voice into a drone, searching for the right word.
"Just perfect" She ended and reached up to his lips to kiss him.
"See things wouldn't be this way, had I announced it all upfront to you" He made a case to her earlier sense of anger.
Before she could react, her phone rang and she picked up the same to answer Daadima. They talked about the journey across the coast and about Maan's surprise to accompany her, which everyone except her seemed to be aware of. No wonder, no one had reacted to her dramatic departure at the airport, she thought and had whacked him playfully on his shoulder. For it was quite late in the night already on the other side of the country, they bid their goodbyes soon and rested the phone.
"I don't understand why you let me cry and make a scene there" She asked, still unable to bear with the idea of how much he withheld from her. He smiled at that, for there was no true answer he could give to console her irked being.
"I'm sorry" he nuzzled in by the curve of her neck and came back up to oblige her with a kiss. This appeased her greatly and swiftly. Her knee buckled inward and a deluge of sensations broken inside him. Perhaps it was the fulfillment of a young dream that he felt married again. The pravesh inside with her in his arms, though infinitesimal in the grand workings of his own life, it was an endless stream of a euphoric moment that he was to live with for eternity. As he reveled in those feelings of content and arousal, he lifted her up unexpectedly from his side and let her seat between his legs. Acknowledging his move, her kiss grew strong with passion and her arm bolted around his neck.
"Maan...hold on...I want to talk something first" She said pulling away, when his hand traced her pliant skin, inside her top. She was instantly proud she could stop herself at a point, when he was dowsing her with a need for him.
His eyebrows knotted and he looked at her with curious eyes. She once more settled her head on his comforting shoulders.
"I...actually" she stumbled with words, struggling to introduce the thought on her mind.
"Geet...just say it" he wiggled her by her upper arm, as her sight lowered to the ground and seemed lost. Worry concealed all that he had felt a second ago.
"Did you know that Dev and Naini...I mean Naintara were business partners?" She asked slowly, with enough pause between words, that made him feel it had or perhaps now bothered her; he was unsure.
" No...I guess it's a small worl(d)..." He had intended to finish the sentence that way, but the bitter grey in her eyes made him assume something else.
"Don't tell me..." His eyes widened in shock and disbelief "they...I mean...Naini" Words now failed him too at the possibilities and connections that coursed his mind. Could it even be possible? He shuddered at the realization. But seeing the alarm that he expressed physically, she jumped in without wasting any time.
"No...No...nothing of that sort. But I had once upon a time...doubted our Naini" She said stressing on the word "our". It was a mix of shame and guilt that pierced her now. At her words an inexplicable awareness of peace ran through his nerves that had frayed in a short time.
"It's just that the situations had presented itself that way earlier" She clarified and he relaxed more to hug her.
"When you showed me the file to sign...that's when I had realized her name was Naintara" She got up and slapped his shoulder. Well that was out of nothing expected and he jerked up in amazement at what had called for that act.
"Your fault...even after 2 months of marriage I'm still learning about our immediate family" She faked a cry of complaint.
He laughed heartily at how she brought that up every chance she had. She joined him now and eventually sobered up to finish the string of serious concerns she had inside of her.
"I talked to her Maan...She is troubled...I cannot tell you how much she still loves him" She expressed genuine interest to seal the problems for his sister. Her care for Naini touched him openly and it showed in his eyes.
"But the divorce?" He questioned with chagrin at his own relationship with Naini when he was learning of such profound subjects from his wife.
"It must have been a mistake...Though they met early, I think it's all still alive between them" She said as she placed an assuring hand on his chest. His face was still tensed and sensing the same she added more to convince him.
"Did you know that she had a miscarriage a few months ago?" Her "Did you know" questions riled him. The news gutted his insides ruefully and his eyes mortified at the thoughts of her.
"Oh! Geet... Please stop" He gave out a cry and held his forehead as all promises of cheer for his sister drained out of him. He cursed mentally and felt a strong urge to break something. His hatred for her from a time, she was ignorant of ways of life had blinded him mindlessly. The time to make amends to his mistakes have slipped and now he was at a stage when all looked lost.
"No no Maan..." She tapped his cheek kindly, unable to see him break down in front of him.
"I'm sorry I'm bringing this up when you had been so happy...but Maan she needs you more..." she said as an unexpected tear fell out of her eye.
"That is why I urge you to speak to her...there is more you need to know" she said trembling. She wondered if he could handle more.
"Maan...they suspected she was pregnant when she ran away from home...that's why they didn't come back when..." Her words trailed and she paused "But it turned out they were not" she said lowering her eyes. There must be something that must bind them in uncanny ways, for she connected with his pain and remorse. This changed things for him. All that he had assumed of her and the prejudice now sounded premature and careless on his part. No doubt the instinct that had time and again told him otherwise, now haunted his ears in a ghoulish whisper. The very foundations of his disconnect and distance from his sister was upon foolish egotistical planes; the conclusion was devastating and shredded him beyond repair.
"She told me that Rishab blamed her carelessness for losing the baby..." she held his hand tight in hers and continued "Her work, stress and traveling...After that he wanted her to leave everything and stay home, but she needed that buzz to keep her mind off the loss. That is where they differed and things went downhill after that"
"That rascal..." His hand fisted at the blame that lay upon his sister, but he soon relaxed his tense fingers realizing his own grave fault that was yet to be remedied.
"Something tells me he doesn't want to break up either and now that she is expecting the divorce will surely come through...she is only being dragged into his thoughts. We have to do something" She concluded and hugged to assuage him.
"Thanks..." He said as he ran his fingers through the hair by the side of her face. Closing his eyes, still showing displeasure, he kissed her forehead.
They stayed still for a while and that let him process his own blame and lapse of judgment. She had kissed him and soothed him in ways known to her and yet he had been irresponsive to her acts. There were things that took time and some others that needed actions to make up for the damage caused. Clearly, he felt his strong feelings could be subdued only with the latter. For now his own heart and mind felt a binding numbness which he felt paralyzed in. Comatose was the word to capture his state for all that he felt and rightfully did not.
She had discoursed mentally too, over bringing up the graveness upon them, but somehow with passing hours, she was convinced it was due high time. And that there was no way to introduce the truth to him mildly.
Partly their evening was ruined with the descent of such dark clouds from the dreadful insight he now had. But another burden was off of her and to this she was ever grateful to the gods.
It was well into the night when he had uttered any word to break the eerie silence that had prevailed too long. All the while, she had kissed him and he had held her when any overwhelming thought or emotion had showed up. He was easing down slowly over the course of the night. Even this will come to pass...she had decided and kissed him goodnight.
Ok people...your's truly had been quite busy with all the work at office and so trying to make up for the same. Hope you are all liking it. Maan is not here to stay people...he is just here to get her settled. I just wanted to get that out.
Link to the house to help with the imagination.
Sausalito is my fav place in SF...that I go down to read sometimes...Some initial parts of NY times were written sitting there by the bay.
Edited by 6thElement - 14 years ago
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