Ch11: Joy to the World
Present Day
Telankhadi Lake,Nagpur
He looked down at her face and smiled. She was leaning on his shoulder and looking at the musical fountains in the middle of the lake. She was popping the sweet-sour boiled beri in her mouth, licking her lips with relish. She would play with the seed till all the tang was gone and then pucker her mouth to blow out the seed to make them fall far. Some landed with a plunk at the edge of the water and some very near their feet. It was such a reminiscent action of little Naksh that his heart thumped erratically. He felt at peace with himself and life for the first time in many years. He looked at the couples sitting around them. It was a cramped place with people sitting in every place available. Yet in that entire crowd everyone was lost in their own private world where they had just each other. On the surface, they looked just like these couples. Very much in love, very much together, with dreams and hopes, with future and destinies. But it was a charade, he knew that. Pretence! So what, his heart asked. Let the pretence be the reality for just now. Just live the pretence for now. He closed his eyes and let the breeze envelop him in her smell. Just tonight, tomorrow it will all seem like a pleasant dream. So why not capture this dream in your heart forever.
He felt a touch of something wet on his lips; juice tickled of the edge of his lips. He opened his eyes to see her hold a beri to his lips. He opened his mouth and took it from her hands without looking away from her. As the burst of salty, sweet, sour taste exploded on his taste buds, he smiled at her. She leaned up a little and brushed off the trail of the juice with her lips. His breath caught in his chest and he nearly choked. But just as suddenly she went back and turned away from him. He saw the color climb up her neck making her pink as she avoided his gaze and resolutely looked at the lake.
He grinned and swirled the seed in his mouth a few times, removing the final tang sticking on it. He puckered his mouth and blew, setting the seed to fly spirally off to the lake. As the ripples spread in wider waves, he smirked at her pointing out the distance. He flicked a hand across his shoulder in mimicking a dusting movement in show of superiority. She sat up straight frowning at him, an adorable pout forming on her lips. She popped a beri in her mouth and resolutely sucked it in fast movements, throwing a glare at him she blew out with all her might. As the seed followed the law gravity and fell, so did her face, as the seed-missile landed on her shoe. Dutta smothered his laugh and popped another in his mouth dancing his eyebrows devilishly at him, sending his missile off to the lake once more. Her glare became intense as she popped the next in her mouth and prepared herself for an all out war with him. With each seed falling in the water a ripple came on the surface and spread wider and wider. Just like the ripple off this small time spent together was spreading wider enveloping them tighter in web of love.
After all the beri were gone, she again plunked her head on his shoulder smiling at the world at large. He let her there for sometime but world and reality had a habit of intruding on such moments. Her cellphone kept in his chest pocket buzzed breaking the spell for him while she stayed oblivious to everything. He pulled it out and saw 'mom' on the display screen. Duuta- haan, aunty. He heard her and said- ji, we have got everything. Yeah. We'll be home in half hour. Ok?
After cutting the call he laid his head on her hair, breathing their flowery smell. "We have to go."dutta whispered. Nakkusha cuddled further shaking her head- ummmm! No! please, let's stay for some time. Dutta- they called us. We already stayed too late, Naksh.We have to put up the tree, decorate it. Then there is dinner, the mass. The Christmas party and dance. We should go. Chalein? She looked at him and knew the spell was broken. She nodded slowly and got up to follow him to the parking.
The parking was drenched in darkness. The sole yellow blubs hardly provided the relief. Many of these lamps had been long stolen to light the little homes in the nearby slums. Dutta flicked the cell to light up the path and prevent her tripping. A rough side of the road along the small hill Telan was cut to make the space for parking. It was still littered with sharp rocks and pebbles. Broken bottles of cheap wine were spread on the sides thickly. An investment by the tyre- puncture fixer to further his business by preying on the vehicles in the lot.
As they reached the car, dutta stopped midway in helping Nakkusha getting in. Nakkusha turned a questioning gaze at him only to be signaled to keep quiet. His face had turned curiously still ,jaws clinched as he looked intently at his right. She tried to understand what happened when he heard a scratching sound and a laughter.
An almost childish voice whinned- agar pakade gaye toh? Another voice firmly- last time did we get caught? Bakwaas mat kar. Manddy, chilam bana yaar. Taza maal laya hai.
First voice- main nahi try karunga. Pichli baar ajeeb lag raha tha ulti bhi huyi thi. I don't want to fall sick. A thrisd voice guffawed- Saala, Faatoo kahin ka! When will you grow up. This is life man!. Ecstasy! And we got it with hell of a trouble. Its difficult to get this in this hellhole backwater of town.
The second voice- yeah, I had to get it from my friend in Goa. Do you know how much I paid for it? Manddy get on yaar. Jaldi bana. Mandy- Bas,ho gaya.
Dutta said in a cold voice reeked with softness- Wait here! Don't. Move. His voice sent chill down her spine but before she could stop him he was already walking with long strides in the direction of the voice.
She gripped the car door firmly as a second latter she heard a loud thud and agitated voices.
"Hey! Let go! Who are you?" There was a breaking of glass that sprung nakkusha to action she ran towards the scene.
Three teenagers with bare groW*H of whiskers were cowering on the rocky floor crying out. One of them was holding his head between his knees and shaking. Dutta was standing over them breathing fire. "Give me your numbers!" they protested. Dutta took one step at them and the smallest of them blurted out a number. Dutta dialed it.
An hour later, nakkusha and dutta were driving back towards civil lines. He still was dark as thunder and was not looking at her. The parents of the kids had arrived soon. Dutta had told them everything in cut dried voice. They were shocked and appalled by the truth. The mother had refused to believe at first but when the kids had confessed they had been broken. After thanking dutta profusely, they had taken them home, promising to see professional help.
Nakkusha felt shock at what she had seen. They were barely in their teens, where did they learn all this. That too, in Nagpur. Her city was one of the most peaceful, sleepy cities of India, untouched by politics, wars, crime. The worst this city has seen of crime was a double robbery at Hislops principal's house and his neighbor's house. The culprits were apprehended in two weeks. How did something so dirty get into this city?
Nakkusha- Tudu? Dutta was silent looking ahead. Nakkusha- please don't ruin your mood because of this. I know I am shocked, too. Can you believe it? Kids that age, going to those lengths. Its disgusting. Cowards! I have no sympathy for these people. A murder may have motive, a theft could be profession or need, even promiscuity has reasons but this has no reason accept self destruction. Such people don't deserve to be called humans. I simply can't accept it . I mean, how can you even do it for fun, knowing its wrong. A suicide. It's utterly disg....She was jerked from her seat suddenly as dutta braked in the middle of the road. She turned to look at him worried. His face looked chalky white as he fidgeted with the key to get the car started as it had died down. Nakkusha- Du..He clenched his jaw as the car roared back to life. Loud honks of horn sounded from behind by impatient people. He signaled from the window to wait and stepped on the accelerator without even looking at her once. Something was not right, she could feel it but couldn't imagine what.
That incident was more than his gallantry. What had happened to her tudu in those Five years of his life? At this moment she was scared that her tudu had not returned to her whole, some part of him had been destroyed but how?
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"Save him! Please! Anything...Anything!"
"We have tried our best but its too late! What did you expect at his condition? There nothing left of him to fight for."
He grabbed the man by his shirt-What do you mean nothing left? Why don't you move your A$$ to that A&E and do somthin.. The man coldly removed his hold- Look punk. I am saving your A$$ by not sounding the alarm. What you did is federal offence? I tried my best. I didn't give him that shot that brought him here in the first place. He did it all by himself. I have humans here to take care off instead of breathing cropses.
He shoved him back against a wall- I would have to call the cops.Do you know anyone of his family? Call them.
The young man nodded and looked at him, a cold calmness on his face- Cover him with an extra blanket,please! He doen't like to be cold. Even in death.
A sudden knock sounded on the door breaking his reverie. He looked at the darkness in the room and switched the light on. Aunty Fanny- beta, come out. It's time for the best part.
Dutta smiled to himself and opened the door. Dutta- aunty, I am not 11 anymore. Fanny chuckled- You look eleven to me, just a rather tall eleven year old. That's all. Come,come. And anyways the tree is too heavy for your uncle to push around and your naksh has got it in her head that she wants it near the living room wall this year. Dutta grinned- So its the muscles you want,beautiful!. Fanny puled his ears making him wince - Behave,young man.
Dutta came to the living room pushing up his sleeves. Nakkusha was standing in the middle of the room with all the chrismas decorations lying around her feet, hands on her hip,militant style. Ben was looking thunderous. Dutta folded his hand on his chest and leaned against the wall to enjoy the Nepolean-Wellington battle or rather the Winget family version of it.
Ben- what's wrong with it being here? Nakkusha- What's wrong is that I don't want it here. I want it there. Ben- I like it here. It has always been here. Nakkusha- well, I don't like it here so it is moving. Ben- nakkusha winget! You better watch how you talk to your old man. I may be close to retiring but I am still the man of this house. So what I say is the final decree. Nakkusha yawned- right! Now get on with it and move it there. Watch out for the top part. You haven't fixed it properly. Ben- now look here young lady. Nakkusha- Dad, do you want your choclate cake tomorrow or not? Because it seriously depends on the position of this tree. Plus, I don't have the whole night to tussle with a kid like you. I have to help with dinner and get dressed for the mass. Now, Move! Ben seeing that it was a lossing battle tried one last time- Fanny, look what your daughter is threatening me with. I told you she doesn't respect me at all. Fanny shook her head at dutta and escaped to the kitchen. Dutta grinned as Ben continued his ranting while nakkusha moved her fingers in jerking movements mouthing yap.yap,yap.
Dutta knew it was time to step in – where is the tree going? Ben- nowhere. Nakkusha- there. Both said it simultaneously and glared at each other. Dutta could actually see the claws of his little kitten. He looked at them raising his brows. Ben- Ok. Dutta you decide. Dutta looked at the victorious look on her face even before he said it. Ben roared- You kids always team up together. I should have known. After all I did for you Dutta you betray me with this..this..this.. Nakkusha supplied cutely- sweetheart? Ben-yes. No! With this Hitler. Fine, You move it alone. I won't lift a finger. Nakkusha- oh, that's why you liked it here. You lazy bone! Oh no, you are not getting away. You hold from here. She pushed her dad towards the tree by his rounded belly. Dutta ginned all the way not feeling the weight of the tree at all, as he heard the ever familiar banter of father-daughter.
Ben soon got bored of decorating the tree and went to kitchen to irritate his wife. Dutta decorated the tree, or rather he followed her directions in putting up everything. She had an eye for these things. He could see her artistic touch all over the house ever since he came yesterday. She used the simple old papers and lights to bring the tree alive. She would rebuke him when he didn't do as she wanted, thumping him on the shoulder frowning at him. When they put thhe bells together she smiled at him at the tinkling sound. All the old memories of the christmas past came back to him with rush. He picked up the stockings she insisted that he must have incase, Santa missed out his place. Plus, it would be easy to make dilevery for the old guy at one house rather than visting two neighbouring ones. The memory brought a smile on his face. She had been such a considering, cute baby with kind heart. Always running around collecting strays with him, trying to take the blame on herself to save him from troubles.
Nakkusha- Tudu. It's time to put up the star. Let me call dad. Dutta nodded. Another tradition. The christmas star on the tree was always placed by uncle. That was the only part he played at decorating the tree. He rather liked putting up the lightings around the house. Ben came into the room with fanny. Fanny sighed- It's beautiful, beta. So nice. She wipped her wet eyes. Most beautiful one I have seen in many years now. Ben put his arm around her and patted her arm. Nakkusha cleared her throat- yeah, but its not done. Dad, put up the star. She held out the glittering star to him.
Ben looked at Dutta who was standing beside the tree straightening a bell and said- I want my son to put it up for me this year. Dutta jerked back to look at him. Ben nodded silently as fanny gave a teary hopeful smile. Dutta felt the walls of emotions and ties closing on him, slowly making his evident departure tomorrow difficult. He felt like a cheat but took the star from her hand. She lightly grazed his hand looking in his eyes. He climbed up the small ladder and placed the star on the top. "It's tilted a little to left", Nakkusha whispered. He looked down to see her standing near his leg looking up at him. He straightened the star looking down at her without breaking the eye-contact. He got down and looked at the tree with somber eyes. What he saw in her eyes scared him like nothing had scared him ever. The events of the evening on the way back replayed in his mind strengthening his resolve to leave come tomorrow. The further he went, lesser would be the pain for her when his truth is revealed to her.
Fanny – Nakkusha honey, please set up the table. The dinner is almost ready. Nakkusha nodded and giving a last look at dutta went to set the places.
Family sat down to have the Christmas dinner laughing together, remembering the olden times. Dutta laughed more than he had in the last five years. Nakkusha looked at his twinkling eyes as he mischievously teased mom about her ever youthful looks. He can't leave us now, she thought.. The bonds were forged again now. They were deeper and stronger. She clung to the reassurance like a drowning man clings to a log in river.
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Fanny and ben waited in the car. Ben was grumbling about females always being late everywhere, even to the house of God. Fanny was protesting that it's not fair as she was on time. Dutta looked at the watch irritated. What was taking her so long? She had to just through over that green dress she had bought today and come out.. Some things never change, even the most exasperating, annoying things. At this rate they'll reach the church after the final hymn.
Dutta leaned down by the car window- I see what's taking so long. He hopped up the few steps to the porch and went inside that house, switching on the dim lights as he went.
Dutta- naksh, we have to leave now if we want to make it to this year's mass and not next year's!
Nakkusha- Oh! Great Dutta, you are here come here fast.
Dutta rolled his eyes- what happened what did you do now?
Nakkusha mumbled something loudly. Dutta reached her door and placed his hand on it- what? Again the irritated mumbling. Dutta- Ok , I am coming in.
He opened the door smiling and the smile forze on his lips at what he saw in front of him.
….to be continued.
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