The Red String Theory (Chapter 17 updated on page 59) - Page 10

Chapter seven: Paint a pretty picture

Date: 21^st August 2008
Time: 1.30p.m
Place: The Monne Medical conference, lift
Mood: Happy, confused and lonely all at the same time

Dutta had spent his lunch break exploring, picking a coffee and a sanga (as the Australians referred to sandwiches) on the go, Dutta did not want to miss anything. He was mesmerised by all the science around him. True most of it went over his head-Dutta may have been smart, but the research, the level of research being conducted here was not exactly the high school stuff he had passed through with flying colours.

Every time he'd sit in a talk, pass by a Q&A, or even read a caption on an enlarged poster, he learnt something new. The human race was clearly thriving, or so he had heard a short balding man squeak in delight as he closed up his presentation on robotic prosthetics. Either way, Dutta was completely immersed, that he'd nearly forgotten about heading back up to the conference media room. Realising the time, Dutta began quickly wading through crowds, apologising profusely every time he would accidentally bump into someone.

At one point he had actually double taken, he could have sworn the petite he'd just bumped into, he'd met before. Of course she had run off faster, barely even acknowledging his apology as she ran in the opposite direction-clearly she too like Dutta was in a rush. But briefly for a minuscule moment Dutta could have sworn he knew that person. As though they had met before, as though for some bizarre reason he was well acquainted with her. The fact that, his heart had also weirdly skipped a beat, as soon as he'd brushed past her as she ran away, puzzled him somewhat too.

But whatever weird, out of body experiences he was having evaporated as he raced against the clock to get back upstairs. Unfortunately Dutta couldn't seem to locate the stairs-the problem with having large conventions was that unless you had an aerial shot of the view, it in all honesty felt like a giant life sized maze. But either way, Dutta somehow managed to locate an elevator. An elevator that looked like it belonged in the last century, but nonetheless an elevator.

Wasting no time Dutta pressed the button and waited.

Then waited.

Then waited.

Then waited some more.

Take your time, it's not like I have to be somewhere,' he murmured, drumming his fingers along the side of the elevator.

Dutta had been stood by the elevator for a couple of minutes before the door finally pinged open, it opened ever so slowly, yet Dutta who was well aware of how late he was, jumped in quickly, completely preoccupied with his lateness, not even realising that someone was already stood in there, gaping at him.

It was only when the doors had closed (finally) that he had gone ahead to press the up button, that he found it blocked by a hand, a hand that he recognised.

The very same hand that had bandaged him up all those years ago, in Phuket.

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"Rosie!"

"Finally, I thought I'd have to punch you to get your attention," Nakusha spoke.

"Now, now dear is that how you greet all men?" Dutta flirted;

"Nope just the ones with weird names" Nakusha flirted back winking.

They looked at each other for a while, perhaps they should have hugged, maybe a handshake was due, but they did neither. Instead they continued looking at one another taking in all the changes the last three and half years had brought about.

Nakusha saw he had matured. He had always been handsome, but now he was supporting a beard, short hair and what clearly looked a bit like a tan, Dutta looked ruggedly handsome. Very handsome. Yet it was his eyes that struck her the most, although still youthful with a twist of mischief they had aged. Aged beyond his years. They looked tired, they looked pained. Any other person looking at Dutta-whether they knew him or only met him today would not notice, but Nakusha wasn't just another person to Dutta. She noticed. Of course she would notice. It had to be her to notice.

It was that that had struck her, for an instant looking at his eyes made her realise how lonely she suddenly felt. As though up until now she hadn't realised how alone she was. Which was odd considering she wasn't alone at all. She had friends, she had Leela, she had Raman, and she even had her Jerk now (as Leela referred to him.)

It could have been that instant pang of loneliness or it could have been something else, that something else that Nakusha had not recognised then, but it was definitely something nonetheless that resulted in her doing what she wouldn't normally have done next.

She hugged him.

Dutta hadn't expected the hug, which is why it was awkward to begin with, but as soon as he felt Nakusha against his chest, something had happened and suddenly, Dutta felt something he had never felt before.

He felt at home.

For the first time in his life he felt a sense of warmth, a sense of comfort and a sense of familiarity. He didn't want to lose that feeling. So he held on longer.

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They stood like that for a while, before she was finally freed from his embrace;

"So what floor Patil Saab?"

"The foyer upstairs, I think its two floors up."

"Still useless with directions I see." Nakusha teased,

"Haha, I just need to get back to the Q&A session, before they realise I'm missing."

"Wait," It suddenly hit Nakusha;

"You're here for the Monne conference too?"

"What conference? I just got told there's free food that's why I'm here." Dutta added straight faced, while Nakusha playfully slapped his arm;

"Ha-ha. Seriously are you?"

Dutta nodded while Nakusha broke into a wide smile;

"SO what are you doing here Dr Jain? After freebies right?"

"Damn, you caught me, how did you know I had my eyes on those free cartoon band-aids?" She replied back suppressing laughter.

"What can I say I am just that good!" Dutta mocked straightening up.

That's when they heard it, it was a low creek, before they heard the whirring, Nakusha instantly pressed the open button on the lift, but nothing happened. Well for a second at least, until, suddenly they were falling, the lift went crashing down a couple of floors, before it stopped.

Nakusha's heart palpitated, yes she was scared but it was nothing compared to Dutta. She turned to see him, his face white as paper, and the blood from his hands completely drawn as he clung to the railing below the mirror behind him, his eyes closed.

"Dutta, are you ok?"

He didn't speak but nodded, Nakusha made her way over to him, placing her hand on his, it seemed to do the trick he opened his eyes and exhaled a couple of times as though he was trying to catch his breath.

"Sorry," He muttered.

"Don't be," Nakusha added empathetically.

She allowed him to recover, before she asked;

"How long have you been claustrophobic?"

"Ever since Phuket."

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It was true, ever since Dutta had come back from Thailand and his stupid but heroic act; Dutta had found that he was now afraid of small tight places. He hadn't realised it, but something had impacted him, although at the time he felt brave helping another, it wasn't until he was free and back home that the reality had hit in as to what could have happened that day.

He could easily have been buried alive.

Of course none of that would have been problem until it hit him like a tonne of bricks-pun unintended-when he realised that even if he had been buried alive, who would have cared? Who would have cried? Baji surely, but who else? Perhaps Roops would shed a tear or two, but when it came to the crunch, Dutta was lonely. He had no-one and that, that was what scared him the most.

The help button on the lift began to flash; Nakusha went up to the button and pushed it. But there was no answer, a few seconds later someone spoke through the speaker, help would be on its way. Nakusha turned to see that although Duttta looked less alarmed now, he was still in shock and so she decided to distract him:

"SO come on fill me in? I'm getting a super hot biker chick girlfriend,' and a new job and posh pad in..." Nakusha now examined him closely before saying

"LA-vibe from you. So how much of that is true?"

Dutta laughed a little before he added;

"See this is why I don't like talking to you, you always paint my life better than it really is."

"What no chick?" Nakusha gasped;

"But you've gotten so handsome."

"Pshh please I was always handsome, you've just gotten a better prescription chashmish." Dutta mocked,

"No seriously come on spill, so what have you been up to these past few years?"

"What is this, twenty questions? And if so why do you get to go first." Dutta whined

"Because." Nakusha responded back child like;

"Because what?"

"Because nothing. Just because, so tell me: question one: New Job?" Dutta cocked his head to the side, before he began indulging her:

"Ok, so yeah I did get a new job." Dutta began, while he felt Nakusha playfully punch him and say:

"SEE I was right! Now tell me about the biker chick."

"Whoa Whoa, hang in there, speedy Gonzales, my turn." Dutta interrupted quickly;

"Ok fine, if you must."

Dutta examined her. She had not changed, if anything she was now more beautiful. She still had those piercing green eyes, that mischievous smile and the mighty force and strength of someone who should have been twice her size. She even now had bangs. They framed her face well. Yet it was her cheeks that he noticed the most, it was getting rather warm in the elevator and therefore without a doubt her cheeks had begun doing what they did best:

Reddening.

Dutta now knew what to ask;

"Ok, so I have to ask, it's been bothering me for years, why Rosie?"

"Huh?" Nakusha frowned not following him;

"Your name, why did they call you Rosie?"

"Not they, remember; she..."

"Yes, yes, I remember, your mother called it you, but why."

She shook her head.

Dutta blinked, at first he thought he was imagining it, she surely hadn't shook her head. But alas he was wrong. She had.

"Nope, ask me another one."

"Why?" Dutta asked completely intrigued;

"Is that your second question?"

"Why aren't you answering the question?" Dutta pressed on, now even more interested than before.

"And that's three." She counted off;

"Rosie..." Dutta began but Nakusha cut him off;

"I will. Someday. Just not today. Ask me something else."

At that point there was nothing more in the world that Dutta wanted to do than ask why suddenly Nakusha's tone had changed. Why she had suddenly recoiled. She hadn't fretted so much last time when she spoke about her mother, in fact he was more of a stranger to her then, than he was now. So why had she suddenly risen her walls. Of course that is what Dutta wanted to say, but instead he said this;

"SO you believe we'll meet again?"

"Yes. And that was your question done now my turn:"

"Hey hang on, no..."

"Too late mister I answered the question, now you wait your turn. Ok so let me see, next question: Biker chick; yay or nay?"

Dutta watched her; she had suddenly sprung back into her spunky self as though Dutta had not asked her about her name at all.

"No biker chick, actually no chick at all. Damn, that sounds more depressing out loud." He amused.

Nakusha laughed while adding;

"And where are you living now, not Australia?"

"All in good time my dear, that's your third question. But me first so: why do you believe we'll meet again?"

Nakusha smiled, she scooted closer to him;

"Because, meeting someone once is luck, twice is a coincidence but the third time now that's destiny. And I don't know about you Mr Patil-not Sir Patil, I take it you're still not knighted yet?..."

Dutta shook his head, showing her that she assumed correctly as he smiled his crooked smile;

"...but something tells me, us meeting like this, every so often out of the blue is destiny. It can't just stop at two. Not now we're getting somewhere. We'll meet again. We will. I can feel it."

There was something in her eyes when she said that, for a second Dutta believed it too, until she snapped her fingers;

"Come on so tell me!"

"What?"

"Do you now live in Australia?"

"No, I'm covering the Monne conference for work, I've been living in London , since about two years now..."

"No way." Nakusha yelled, Dutta had pull away slightly to prevent his eardrum from piercing;

"What?" Dutta asked confused.

"Are you seriously telling me you've been living in my neck of the woods and yet we have not bumped into each other, well until now anyway?"

Dutta nodded laughing

"Yep, and even then look where we've bumped into each other: on the side of the world."

Nakusha couldn't help but laugh too. Before she suddenly remembered something;

"Wait, you're still single? SO mommy dearest didn't find the perfect bakhri?"

She saw something then, it was brief and it vanished as soon as it had appeared but she definitely had seen something, but whatever it was Dutta masked it, instead he said:

"My turn, so you? Neurologist yet?"

"Yes, in fact my stint in Thailand may just have prompted it."

"Huh?"

"Is that a question Dutta? Because it's my turn."

"No seriously, what do you mean?"

"Ok, I don't know if you remember, but I didn't leave on the same bus as you..."

"I remember" Dutta interrupted instantly. How could he forget? He hadn't realised it but he remained bitter about it till this day.

Nakusha was slightly taken aback at the speed of his response, but continued anyway:

"Well Leela-my best friend" she clarified;

"Leela, rang me just before I was about to get on the bus and told me about this new position. Anyway long story short, I was working side by side of the very doctor who was to become my boss where I currently work." She finished.

Dutta noted how she was beaming. Indeed he gathered how ambitious she had been the last time they met, but now it felt as though he was seeing a new Dr Jain, one who had her life together. Although not a lot had changed, she seemed light years away from the Dr Jain he had encountered Phuket. For some reason this made Dutta very happy. Naturally he was happy for her. He had utmost respect for those who forged their own paths, who were ambitious and not afraid to achieve their dreams, no matter how thorny or dreadful the path to their dreams was. Nakusha was clearly the epitome of that, and hearing her talk about her job, Dutta couldn't help but share her happiness.

"Hello," Nakusha waved her hand before his face;

"Kaha ko gaya?" She asked

Dutta snapped out of it and added;

"That's amazing. Congratulations." Nakusha smiled back before adding excitedly;

"So spill about the bakhri, mummy didn't find her, Yah, voh baag gaye?"

Again she saw something across his face, but yet again it vanished as soon as it had appeared. Dutta instead bent lower to Nakusha's level and whispered:

"She did, except it wasn't a bakhri."

"Toh kya, Bhakra?" Nakusha mocked, as Dutta narrowed his eyes at her;

"Hardy ha-ha, no not a bakhra," he began then added:

"The bakhri didn't have a weird name. It just wouldn't work." He declared dramatically as he continued:

"I mean seriously, how can I marry someone with a name like Priya, or Anjali or Simran..."

"Haan voh to hain, it's not like your Rahul or Raj yourself." Nakusha added, while Dutta continued;

"Exactly, I need a weird name...like Nakusha." He suggested suppressing his own grin, while Nakusha who had been smiling at this point suddenly stopped, and looked at him deadpan before adding;

"Ok fair enough I have a stupid name too."

They both burst out laughing.

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They had been chatting for the past hour having completely forgotten that they were stuck in a lift;

"It's a break before I go over to the States to cover the final leg of the Whitehouse race. You know change is round the corner." He confirmed.

"So Obama keeps reminding us all." Nakusha responded raising her eyebrows

"What you don't think so?" Dutta enquired.

It is was no secret Dutta was a democrat, but despite Nakusha not being American, the one thing he'd gathered-or rather assumed was that she was at least not pro-Republican.

"It doesn't matter what I think."

"Why?"

"Well no vote so no opinion' for one," She spoke, only for Dutta to interrupt her, snorting loudly;

"Please don't tell me you believe that bull. Opinions matter. Ever single opinion matters. Regardless of the person. If it wasn't for opinions, how would the sexist, misogynistic, racist entrenched attitudes that beguile the human race be eradicated?"

Nakusha couldn't help but smile upon hearing him speak. He truly had a flare with words. He didn't just say them, he felt them.

"That may be so." Nakusha began

"Don't get me wrong, I'm all for debate, may be not as eloquently as you, but yeah I agree. Opinions are great. And yes we should all have one and should voice it. But as beautiful as it seems to believe that each opinion matters, you and I are smart enough to know that isn't the case. Who you are, how you are, and what you are, really matters in the grand scheme of things."

"So what are you trying to say?"

"Obama will win. I mean you guys have had to put up with the dumbest guy on this planet for two terms, heck any Tom, Dick or Harry would sound appealing right about now. But I like to think I'm a realist. The world isn't going to change, overnight. Wars aren't going to suddenly stop. The rich will continue exploiting the poor. Education will remain a privilege rather than a right. And healthcare? Until you guys get an NHS equivalent, I refuse to believe you have any sort of medical brilliance."

Dutta just gaped at her for a while until he eventually said:

"Are you sure you're not a politician?"

They both laughed again.

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Time marched on, it was definitely getting warm in the lift, yet Dutta and Nakusha remained unaware at how long they had been entrapped as they continued talking:

"I walked out that night. Didn't even bother picking up my stuff. Even if that was my favourite leather jacket I had left behind."

"They actually said that, though?" Nakusha asked again as she pushed her knees up to her chest as she sat beside Dutta on the floor,

"No, I made the whole shizz up, what do you think Sherlock?" Dutta sarcastically responded

"And here I thought my folks would win the worst parent award." Nakusha admitted, as she tucked in a wisp of her hair behind her ear. May be it was the way she had said, or may be Dutta was deliberately trying to find something where there was nothing, but when Nakusha spoke about her parents this time, it was different. It was as though she was calmer, more resolute, more at peace.

It was now definitely hot in the elevator. Whatever help that was supposedly coming was coming from another world, as both Dutta and Nakusha were still trapped.

"So what happened to her?"

"Who?"

"Jansi ki rani! Priya aur kaun?"

"I don't know,"

"Did you ever see her?"

"Once, at Roops' reception, only then I didn't really know why she was being so friendly with me." Dutta amused, thinking back to how he had stupidly thought he'd scored that night, not knowing that the girl he was flirting with, had already picked out their kids names.

"Bechari."

"Huh?" Dutta asked,

"What? She is!" Nakusha defended;

"I'm the one who was about to be forced into a marriage and you call her the bechari."

"Ok, so you're a bechara too. Kush?" Nakusha added;

"But I do feel for her." She finished honestly.

"Why?" He hadn't meant for his question to come out so bitter but it did, nonetheless Nakusha did not seem fazed by it;

"Going purely off what you told me, I don't think she must have had much of a choice either." She noted that he was listening to her so she continued;

"I'm not condoning what either of your parents decided, but place yourself in her shoes. You at least up'd and left, she couldn't do that, instead she had to face what I presume must have been a very embarrassing moment. Waking up the next day to find her fianc had skipped town..."

"I wasn't her fianc" Dutta interrupted

"That may be so, but for her the decision was cast she was now going to be Mrs Dutta Patil, except when you left, all of that went kaput. I'm not blaming you, if anything, kudos to you, I'd have done the same, except maybe break a few chairs on my way out, to channel some of my anger and if for nothing else then drama at least.." she noticed this made him smile;

"...but as much as it pains me, the ever more feminist' to say this, but she had it worse. Worse than you anyway. Considering the time and place, especially in the kind of social environment she's grown up in, she will be shunned, even though it was no mistake of hers-it wasn't yours either-but while you can put this behind you like a nightmare, she'll live with the stigma. A stigma that is completely bogus, but nonetheless one that is still a stigma for girls like Priya Sharma."

Dutta was stunned; he didn't really know what to say. He hadn't spared a thought for Priya. Heck he now cringed when he thought about it, but at the time he had completely forgotten that if he was being forced into the marriage there was also another who wasn't being treated any better. He'd forgotten that marriage was between two people. That both he and Priya were being ill treated.

Dutta was still stuck in his thoughts when he was jerked out of them. Nakusha had taken her shirt off. Dutta unsure as what to do, even though she wore a tank top underneath it he felt that he should avert his gaze.

"Erm what are you doing?" he asked

"Aren't you feeling hot?" She asked as she wiped sweat from her forehead.

Dutta had been feeling warm, he'd even sweated a little, but he'd been so engrossed in what Nakusha was saying that he hadn't even noticed.

"How long did they say?" Dutta asked as he too took his own shirt off.

"They didn't they..." But whatever Nakusha was about to say got cut off, unlike her, Dutta wasn't wearing anything under his shirt.

For a second Nakusha was lost for words. She always figured he was lean and trim, the time she had helped him back into bed had proved that, but she didn't think he would look this good. Naked. Well semi-naked.

She must have been staring, because then Dutta decided to clear his throat loudly, while Nakusha suddenly pretended she had a cramp in her foot and got up, immediately facing the other way. She collected herself and turned around, except when she turned around she saw that Dutta was stood right in front of her, his face mere inches from hers. His gaze intact and deep, watching her.

"Erm..." Nakusha didn't really know what to say.

Her heart was beating fast, was he about to do what she thought he was. She looked back up to him, this seemed to have signalled something because suddenly he began closing in on the gap, his eyes closing.

Nakusha too, began closing her own eyes anticipating his lips, when suddenly they both felt her phone vibrate in her trouser pocket. Dutta stepped back, while Nakusha got her phone out, she didn't even check who it was:

"Hhello." She spoke slightly out of breath.

Dutta didn't know who she was talking to but as soon as the other person had greeted her, her face changed. The colour had drained from her face, her usually rosie cheeks now paled and for a second Duttta was concerned, he could have sworn he saw regret all over her face, as though she had just been caught doing something wrong by someone. She spoke a little, before she placed the phone back in her pocket and quickly put her shirt back on, buttoning all of her buttons, even the top one.

"Everything ok, Rosie?"

Nakusha who had been so preoccupied was startled somewhat at realising again she was in a lift, trapped with a man. A man who she had nearly kissed.

"Yeah,"

"Who was it?"

But before Dutta could get his answer the door lift opened and Nakusha quickly existed while Dutta fumbled with his shirt, by the time he had followed her out, he saw she was already half way down the hall. He was just about to call out to her, when he saw another man appear; he hugged her tight, a little too tight for Dutta's comfort. But the worst was yet to come. The man now placed his hand on her waist and brought her close as he kissed her. Dutta who had been staring suddenly averted his gaze.

Nakusha could feel his eyes on her, although she was already half way down the hall, as she was kissed, she couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. Something didn't feel right. She went from feeling comfortable to vulnerable. But why? Nothing had changed; except for the man before her. Why was it then that she was feeling guilty in the arms of the man who technically was her boyfriend? Why was it that she felt as though she was breaking someone's heart?

Nakusha didn't have an answer for these questions. But one thing she knew. Something wasn't right.

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* till next time ;)*