Tumbleweeds ...24th Update.. Pg 45 - Page 24

A Startling Encounter ……….

Through the sea of faces, Manav spotted his kid brother at the airport and waved. The climate was muggy and warm but that was Mumbai. The brothers met with a hug.

"Dada, it so good to see you!" exclaimed Sachin.

"I am just as happy, kiddo," said Manav.

They went to the car and loaded the luggage.

"Did you get the wheelchair?"

"Uh-huh.." was the reply.

"You said you would."

"Sachin, until I have seen, examined and talked to Dr Raikar, I am not going to provide your friend with any aid."

"But….," Sachin looked crestfallen.

They got into the car and started on their way home.

"As a rule, I don't like to fit any patient with any kind of a support. The idea is to make him/her as normal as possible in his movements. Even if the walk is not swift, it doesn't matter. The motto is to get the patients back on their feet, right?"

Sachin nodded. He knew his brother. He wasn't the kind who would budge or give an extra inch. How was he going to deal with him and Arch? Arch was beginning to hate the word hospital and had begun to resent doctors. How were these two going to work together? Arch didn't even know Manav was coming home. She knew he was taking a look at her case from a distance but she never spoke a word about him. She kept totally mum. She had so far shown neither interest nor curiosity about him. She would change the subject or stay out of conversations whenever his name cropped up.

"A penny for your thoughts!"

"Nothing…… I had a task keeping Ayi from coming with me."

"Oh….. you should have let her."

"Please dada, she sometimes talks nineteen to the dozen and always about you. I am fighting all odds to keep myself of getting an inferiority complex!"

"Aww Sachin, don't be so mean. Ayi means well. You are lucky in many ways to have her with you."

Sachin looked askance and cocked a brow. "Really?"

They laughed and chatted the journey home.

"Archu, I have to leave for Mumbai …… something has come up. Let's all leave in the morning."

"Why Baba? You said I could stay on. Ayi will be here."

"No Archu, my asthma is playing up and I am feeling breathless," fibbed Sulochana.

"Then let me stay her with Prabha tai."

Prabha tai was the nurse who had been taking care of Arch since her accident. The middle aged woman was an excellent friend and caretaker of Archana. The two ladies got along and Arch had begun to trust her and like her.

"Actually, I have to also go to the city to see my old uncle before he leaves for the village."

Arch fell silent. She looked defeated but managed to smile.

"Alright! I don't have much choice then." The remaing three people were full of guilt for having lied so brazenly to the girl who trusted every word they uttered.

"Manav Deshmukh, you'd better be good." Manohar muttered to himself.

Savita was ecstatic to see her son after almost two years. She fussed over him and Sachin teased both his mother and his brother about it. They talked and ate and the house was full of life. Vishwasrao smiled. He loved it when Manav was home. The three children were a treasure he thought. They all had their favourites and everyone was open about it. Savita had a special fondness for Manav, Damodar for Sachin and he for Vandita. She would be arriving to meet her brother from Satara district. Armed with an Agriculture degree, Vandita was slowly turning their farmlands into pomegranate orchards. She had been able to convince all the neighbouring farmers to join her enterprise and reap the dividends of a good harvest. What an achiever she had become! He was so proud of her.

It was four in the morning before they went to sleep. There had been so much catching up to do. Savita knew that tomorrow Arch would be coming here for an informal introduction with her son. She had grown fond of Arch and wanted that she get better.

It was four in the morning. Manohar and Sulochana quickly began to ready so that they could start the journey back home at the crack of dawn. That afternoon Arch was to go to Sachin's house. Of course Arch knew nothing about it. It was going to be a contrived event. Sulochana's breathing became fast. She was getting very apprehensive. This she felt was somehow her daughter's last chance at recovering properly. She had been praying to Bappa that he should help her daughter.

It was well after midday that Manav woke up. He was going to take things easy and his parents had told him firmly that the first day was reserved for them. Later the next day he could go and meet all his friends. He had relented. Most of his friends thought he was coming tomorrow and not today. He went downstairs to have a scrumptious lunch specially prepared by his mother. Most of the items were his favourites.

"Oh God…… I am going to be tortured the next few weeks. I have to eat all your favourite food! Bah!"

"And don't forget, Vandita will be coming soon too," remarked Kaka.

"Dada, don't you think we should get her married? My husband just laughs whenever I start the subject…… but don't you think I am right?"

"Ayi…… there are only two things you talk about – Vandu's marriage and your dear Manav. What about me? Pass me that puran poli…," Sachin laughed at his mother.

He was a worried man. He hoped Arch would come without much ado. His mother sensed the worry in him. She patted his shoulder and whispered that all would be okay.

Arch was tired and didn't want to go to meet Savita Aunty who had made some special puran poli for her. Her mother had told her she should go otherwise it would look rude. So Arch had worn a light lavender coloured suit with white flowers on it. Prabha tai had combed her short shoulder length hair and left it open. She was ready when Sachin arrived to take her home.

"I can't believe you women sometimes. All you think of is food. Make food, serve food and eat food." Sachin said

"And the rest of the time, fret about how to get rid of all the calories that have gone under their skin!" Manohar laughed.

"Be gone the two of you." Sachin helped Arch with her crutches and helped her to the car. He saw the thumbs up sign from Kaki and smiled at her. Everyone was on tenterhooks.

Arch slowly entered Sachin's house. Savita came forward to greet her. She patted her cheeks and told her that she looked very pretty. Arch smiled wanly. Savita led her to the couch. She sat with her and took a platter of flowers on her lap. She was stringing the fragrant jasmines together. She heard the faint sounds of music. Her head tilted to one side. This time the notes were powerful. It was a saxophone. Where had she heard this instrument before? She frowned and was trying to recall when one of the doors upstairs opened and the musical cadences came loud and clear. She sat immobile as if trapped in a time frame. She almost stopped breathing. Where was this music coming from and who was playing it? A figure stepped out on the landing and the saxophone squealed even louder. Arch's mouth ran dry. She began to perspire a bit. The light from the room darkened his face as he stopped playing. It was the silhouette of a tall man. Arch's lips parted to suck in some air. Where had she seen him?

Savita put a tiny string of jasmines on Arch's head. Sachin scooped a handful of flowers and showered them over her head. Her hand went up in reflex to stop the rain of flowers while her face turned upwards to feel the soft fall of the petals. The white ptelas blended with the print on her dress. She picked up some in the palms of her hand and lifted them to inhale the fragrance.

Manav was standing on the top floor and was watching the scene – his saxophone in his hand. Where had he seen this vision? A girl enjoying a shower of flowers ….. her hands in a dancer's pose? He was intrigued. He could have bet his last dollar that he had seen her somewhere. But where?

Something caught her attention and she looked up. She gasped softly. It was the same man ………. The one in her dreams.

He narrowed his eyes and tried to recollect. Recognition dawned. It was the same girl ………. The one in his dreams.

The main door opened. Shravani rushed in.

************

Originally posted by: SaffyFlower

MashaAllah ! Very beautiful Skepi ! At least,when I visualized it,with all the glitter,v handsom couple in the making😉

Reminds me of PRide and Prejudice,I dunno why😆😆

Originally posted by: *Resham*

well done skep....very well written

Originally posted by: bhavni88

thank you for update..

finally they meet....cant wait to read next update..😉