Part 31
Jai gives a bewildered look at Nachiket....poor Neev...he does not understand the difference...to him its one & all the same, because of Masi he got delayed and now he has to move fast, there are no other reason to be delayed….Nachiket, Neel aur Mera jald se jald jane ki taiyari karo
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Bob looks at the clock, yeah she will be here any moment. He takes out the brown bread & starts slicing it. She will come in and order her usual sandwich and tea…today Bob's shop is unusually empty, there is a pop concert in the stadium and most of the students must be attending that but she will come, definitely come…Bob has been running his shop just outside the Princeton University Campus for the last 30 years and he has seen students of all types and races, infact his favourite pass time is to read them. He is quite good at it as he has helped many in matters of heart, family, finance etc. He looks out, there she is cycling down, her hair in tied with the usual blue-black scarf…actually it's a man's scarf, but she always has it with her….sometimes tied in her hair or wrist or around her neck….she comes in and gives Bob her shy smile ….the usual he asks….yes she replies and goes and sits down in the corner seat.
Bob makes puts finishing touches to her sandwich, puts the kettle on for her tea. He goes towards the door and puts the closed sign on. He does not want any disturbance today as the case looks complicated..
Bob puts the Tea & Sandwich in front of her, as usual she is reading a book or rather seeing a book, because Bob has noticed she hardly turns the pages and looks blankly out of the window most of the time….
Thanks, she mumurs….
Bob goes and brings his usual mug of coffee, pulls the chair opposite her and asks may I,
Yes, yes of course….
Hello, I am Bob….
I know
You are
Bani
Oh similar sounding names, so where do you come from Bani, India?
Yes, how do you know…
Well I just guessed, Indians have beautiful eyes you know…
Do they?
Yes, and the eyes are windows to your soul
I have heard so…
I can read them very well…
Can you?
Yes, I can see you are in grieve, you are missing someone, someone you love, would you like to share it with this old man, you know it will make you feel better, tell me about the owner of your scarf there….
Bani takes few seconds to collect herself and then slowly starts talking about herself….she does not hide anything….I came away, just after the birthday of my son….I went out of the house very casually as I had couried few of my belongings to Suzie, whom you know, she has been my pen friend since I was 10 years old and she knew everthing, I flew to Chicago to be with her family for few days and then we have come to here about 15 days back and I stay with Suzie in her apartment…
So you have not contacted your so called husband or anybody in the family…
I thought I would get in touch with my uncle, but simply not getting the courage to do so…even with so much distance between us I can feel his disapproval….which I did not fear so much at the time of signing the contract
And what about the father of your son…
Bani did not answer…swallowed hard…
You did not contact. As per the contract you left as you did not want to be asked to leave or you were too afraid say about your feeling or ask him about his….
He never said his but if I would have said mine, he would have thought, I am looking for an excuse to stay on…
If he would have said his, you would have thought that he was looking for an excuse to keep you back…
The contract was his idea, not mine…
Exactly, you executed your part now it was his duty to execute his, to abide the contract drawn by him….Bani, you have to see it in his point of view too…..You came away quietly, even if he desired to say anything he did not get a chance….
Bani opened the scarf from her hair, folded and re-folded it…..she did not know what to do….she felt empty…
Bob gets up, pours another cup of tea for her, puts the fresh cup in front of her and silently hands over his mobile…
Bani looks up quentioningly….
Call up…
Whom?
The owner of this…he points the scarf…..
Bani takes the mobile with shaking hands, dials Jai's no slowly…'This no. is switched off'….Bani looks at her watch…it should be early morning there around 7.30….She re-dials to get the same answer….Mr Walia ka phone to kabhi bhi nehi bandh rehta…toh phir….She returns the phone to Bob…
The phone is switched off.
Doesn't he have any other no.
I don't want to call the house…he doesn't pick the phone directly there…
Yes Bani I agree, he is the first person you should contact first…but it doesn't mean that you will not speak to your other relatives…but first to him, because you will get an idea what he is thinking at this moment. If you call others, they will give their interpretations and that may change your mind to call him…
Bani spends the next hour with Bob, chatting with him was really nice, Suzie too was a good friend, but being of Bani's age, she supported all Bani's action….Bob being experienced and elderly, gave Bani some advice which Suzie did not…
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CID
