The Rare Gem- ONE Part-L uploaded

One

Part-A

It was hard into San Francisco's tourist season, which never actually died, only abated somewhat and cars , grabbing every empty foot of parking space like greedy squatters, choked the sloping streets near Fisherman's Wharf. Nandini Moorthy had to park her car several blocks away, but she didn't mind for she enjoyed the stroll toward the wharf, viewing the choppy blue of San Francisco Bay beyond the tall building that had once housed the famous Ghirardelli chocolate factory. These days it housed a number of shops and restaurants, and Nandini was headed for her best friend's craft shop. She was in need of a shoulder to cry on, and Navya's ample one would do nicely.

After climbing to the plaza in Ghirardelli Square where she'd find her friend's business, Nandini passed under the sign she'd painted for her which read: NAVYA'S SHOP: THE PLACE TO BE CRAFTY. Entering the high-ceilinged room through one of its two doors, she noted it as well filled with customers. The two friends spotted each other at the same time, their faces lighting up with their customary smiles of pleasure. As usual, the tall, slim woman, who was one year older than Nandini's twenty-four, was dressed in a colorful caftan, her long dark brown hair drawn away from her pleasing, round-cheeked face by a fat braid that hung halfway down her back. Nandini was well aware that her own looks were in stark contrast to her brown hair friend's. She was short and quite bulky and her mane of black hair tumbled over her shoulders without restraint.

Navya was busy at the moment with a customer, but Nandini knew enough to make her at home. She threaded her way through the half dozen shoppers to the back and pushed through the privacy curtains into Navya's stockroom. The curtains served the dividing line between chaos and order. Outside, in the showroom, the apparent disarray was actually organized clutters; every item, from the smallest clay pot to the giant stuffed animals hanging from the ceiling- all works of local artists, Nandini included- had its assigned niche. But upon entering Navya's private domain, a barrage of sighs assaulted the eyes. No order here! Nandini grimaced as she picked her way through boxes and general debris to a small space where two beat-up chairs were drawn up next to an equally pathetic table. Upon that relic was a shiny new coffee maker; only coffee was never made in it. Navya used it to heat water for her continual consumption of herbal tea.

As if on cue, the slim woman bustled through the curtains. "Nandini, you look mad as heck! What's the matter? Harshad give you trouble again? I knew something was wrong the minute you came in the place. What you need is a cup of chamomile tea to calm you down."

"You could say I did have a bad day." Nandini stated dryly. "And yes, I'll take that tea, but I doubt it'll help."

As Nandini plopped herself down on one chair, Navya fussed with the tea things, leveling an assessing look at her.

"So? Give."

"I just quit my job." Nandini sighed, sounding as tired as she felt.