That night, she sat on the ledge of her window, the unashamed rain mercilessly slashing down on the backstreets of Calcutta and all that inhabited it.
The candle that was lit on top of the small table beside her unused bed flickered, but not with the wind - rather, the atmosphere that was an extension of her wherever she went...
Her ever moving eyes scanned through the darkness and the droplets as she saw a figure flit across the bottom of the complex. Was he running away with the rain or from the rain? It was hard to tell.
Her legs swung over the ledge as she walked through her apartment once more, her lingering hands leaving nothing but a touch wherever they roamed.
The next morning, she was met with a light tap on the door before he entered, bringing her a small cup of tea.
"I should be thanking you for fixing my pipe yesterday not the other way around," she said as she took the cup, filtering her way back to the kitchen to check on her toast.
"Consider it a neighbourly welcome. Check the bottom of the teacup."
"I'll have to do that once I've drank it."
"Will you?"
"We'll see. Care for some toast?" she didn't bother to offer him a seat at her table; instead thrusting the piece into his hand which he took reluctantly.
"I prefer butter."
"Margarine is a healthier option. Take it or leave it."
"I think I'll opt for both," he broke the piece off in his hands, letting the crumbs fall onto the linoleum floor as he left half a piece on the worktop and the other half met his mouth, just after he'd turned away from her and started for the door.
"You might want to take an umbrella the next time you decide to frolick in the rain," she called after him as she watched him go.
"I'd much rather you admire my pashmina shawl instead."
"I couldn't see much of it anyway, because of the rain."
"It's not like you've not seen it before. After all, it was sewn and worn by your fair hands itself... Geet."
He closed door number 28 behind him.
To be continued...
Edited by walkintomylifex - 12 years ago
Anupamaa
363