PART 9
One ship drives east and another drives west
With the selfsame winds that blow.
Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales
Which tells us the way to go.
Like the winds of the seas are the ways of fate,
As we voyage along through the life:
Tis the set of a soul
That decides its goal,
And not the calm or the strife.
- By Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Geet felt the lady was going on in riddles and gave her hand just to get rid of her. As soon as Panna's eyes fell on Geet's palms, her confident manner diminished a bit. Her eyes held wonder yet worry at the same time. She ran her old fingers through both of Geet's palms a few times and cocked her head sideways looking at them again and again. Finally when she raised her head, Geet saw something else in those eyes.
Panna looked at Geet as if she were some Goddess, someone from the other world!
"What does young lady call herself?", she inquired with reverence
"ji..Geet", replied Geet a bit confused.
"Aaah Geet! A song! Song you shall be for they might write songs about you! Who knows there are songs about you already!"
Geet smiled brightly, "Is that what is written in my hand?"
Panna held Geet's hand tightly and said, "Your hands my lady, are the rarest of all that I have seen. You see I have seen many visitors for years. They come and ago. Their palms hold their history, who they were, who they are and what will become of them. All mixed all intermingled. But yours..are different!"
Geet felt her heartbeat rise at that moment. She wasn't supposed to take this seriously then why did it feel this way, she didn't understand.
Her eyes followed Panna's as she explained, "see here, your heart line, this(pointing at her palm)..your head line, life line and fate line. You have three each of them. All the nine parallel to each; one very faint, one strong and a third one, faint and broken abruptly. And this, your fate line is intersecting each other."
"What does that mean?", questioned Geet.
"I haven't seen such a hand before my lady. But I have known things, believe me!Three parallel heart line and life line can only mean that you have three simultaneous life times with a steady head line which means you will always stand on your own in each life. The fate line indicates that all these life events will decide what becomes of you!"
Geet frowned, "You said you will tell me what I become"
Panna shrugged, "that is for normal hands. Your hands are...unique and I can only say what you become in your life is up to you. You have three lives which means your actions of the past and present will decide your future. My lady, that will be the future that the world beholds!"
Geet wasn't convinced, "You got all these from these lines?"
Panna, "That's my livelihood my fair lady, you think I would lie? Noo.. no no no..I will be honest and crude with you. Your line says you have three life times or may be it only means that you will have three men in your life and three choices to make. Now you have to decide which life you choose! What you choose will decide the fate of all things connected to you"
On any other day Geet would have laughed out loud at such a thing. But Panna's eyes which bore into her soul shuddered her. So much that she was not even able to laugh at such a ridiculous notion. She was thankful that Dev wasn't here to listen to all these.
"Choose wisely young maiden!", Panna gently kept a hand on Geet's forehead and left. Geet called out after her to give some money but Panna didn't turn back. She just left.
Suddenly Dev appeared out of nowhere and came back with his sweet smile. Everything felt normal again to Geet.
"Hey, sorry. Did I keep you waiting for too long?", Dev asked apologetically.
"No it's fine. I happened to have some entertainment on my own", replied Geet casually.
Dev had worked his charms and arranged a simple lunch at one of the villager's houses. They ate and exchanged pleasantries with the lovely family.
After lunch Geet yawned as she asked, "So now where? To Handa haweli?"
Dev shook his head, "You've been there before, right? If not, you can always go there. It's your home after all. There is something else that I need you to see. But for that we must leave right now!", he said looking at his watch.
"Where to?", Geet asked skeptically.
"To the jungle!!", Dev said in mock scary tones making her giggle.
Dev sped up and they quickly passed the Veerpur gates and reached the forest at the outskirts. There, he deviated from the main road and took a steep turn into the forest land where a small sign board was kept, "NO VISITORS ALLOWED"
"Dev, it says no visitors", Geet eyed him.
"Yes, but we are no visitors. We are two natives finding their routes"
Geet knew enough to know that some mischief was cooking up in his mind, "What are you planning Dev? I am already exhausted."
Dev smiled, "Just one place and then we will go back. Am I boring you?"
"No! not at all. I am having fun", Geet smiled touched by the fact that he was gentleman enough to ask her.
Dev stopped the car where the mud road ended and ahead of them was a dense forest.
They hiked the rest of the way and after walking for about ten minutes Geet could see a beautiful colour on the ground. It was serene amidst the dense forest under glowing sky. As they moved closer she saw the lake which was eerily quiet. Not a single person was around it, not even any other living being. The birds flew high above the sky but none touched the water. Perhaps they didn't realise it was water or did they see something that the naked eye couldn't see, she wondered.
The water was coloured on the outer circle like a rainbow in the Sun's reflection. It was as if the light there was not reflecting it was scattering around the lake, except the centre where it was still and plain. The rainbow just covered around the circle and the centre stood there all black defying everything that normally science told us.
"What is this place Dev?", she asked still in awe.
"You like it, huh? This is the very famous or should I say notorious Veersagar lake."
"Notorious?", she looked at him curiously.
"You see the centre of the lake", he pointed his finger to that direction.
"They say it is deeper than the deepest sea for eyes cannot see it's depth to measure it."
"Rubbish!", shrugged Geet. "Dev you are making up half of these things, aren't you?"
Dev smiled, "What I really know is that the centre of the lake glows on a full moonlight. They say it has mythical powers working on here. No human is allowed to take a dip in this lake."
"Because it is deep?", Geet asked with a dismissal look.
"That and because no one ever returned to tell the tale after taking a dip on that lake on a full moonlight", Dev sounded thrilled at the idea. "It's mysterious. Even the government has banned people from visiting this lake. That was the No visitors board you saw there. For the lake"
Geet was still doubtful, "I still don't believe you!"
Dev now turned to her. His eyes gleamed of mischief, "You don't? Then take a dip!"
"No", Geet looked away her face turning red. What was he thinking!
"Come on Geet, it's a dare. If you think this is all bullshit, take a dip and prove it"
"I don't have to prove anything", Geet walked carefully through the pebbles to get a closer look at the centre. It was not just a simple contrast of colour. Standing there looking into that lake it was easier to believe these tales.
"Geet, are you scared?", Dev tapped on her shoulder startling her.
"No! I am not. I just don't want to take a dip right after a lunch that's all".
"Is that what it is?", he teased.
Geet was a bit irritated now, "Of course that's all"
"Fine. then let's come back here tonight after midnight. It's Kartik Poornima. We can see the glowing lake and if you are up to it we can take a dip! I will join you too, if you are scared!"
"Are you kidding? My brothers won't let me out at night. You saw how hard it was to go with you today."
Dev laughed, "Admit it Geet, you are scared and you are just making up excuses!"
The sudden accusation of being a coward annoyed Geet forcing her to retort,"I am NOT scared!! OK!"
"Then prove it", Dev challenged.
"Fine. I will. Tonight I will be here and I will take a dip with you or without you! So much for finding my roots!"
She stomped back through the pebbled shores into the forest to find her way back.
She marked those trees just in case she lost her way at night and finally reached back to where the vehicle was parked.
"Geet, are you mad?", a worried Dev followed her.
"No", she turned her face away.
"This was so not the idea in my head", his tone was so polite and apologetic that Geet couldn't help asking, "what was the idea then?"
Dev hesitated and moved closer to her. Geet took a deep breath in. His lips lightly touched hers and they just stayed like that not knowing where to go from there. Suddenly Dev heard her laughing. He took a step back and joined her.
"That was sooo...",he laughed holding his stomach as she completed his sentence, "awkward!"
"Weird!", repeated Dev after her.
"You think we will warm up to all that romance?", Dev had his eyes fixed on her.
"Don't know", shrugged Geet.
"Man! I used to be good with ladies", he complained making them both break into another fit of laughter.
As they got into the car Dev sincerely appealed to her,"Hey, I was just having fun earlier. It's totally ok if you don't wish to come here again."
"No! I made a promise. I will live up to it!", Geet declared surprising Dev.
He raised his hands in defeat, "OK! Tonight then!"
They drove silently on the way back and Dev saw her droopy eyes finally closing into a sleep as they passed the desert back to Samaypur.
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