FF: Shades Of Love last part pg 91 dt 28.12.15 - Page 29

Shade 13

" Dutta Ji there's a baisakhi mela in PV . Let's go and visit it." I peered up from my cell phone and stood up.

" not a bad idea."

The weather was excellent today. It had rained last night and the sky was still partially clouded with cool breeze blowing. Besides it had been ages since I last visited a fair. In Mumbai I often went for dandiya nights and they were great but melas in small towns had their own charm and beauty.

" let's go. But won't she come with us?"

" who?" Supriya asked. I gazed at nakusha who was far away watering the plants in the lawn.

" it would be great but usually she avoids going to crowded places ."

I furrowed my brows. " why?"

Supriya hesitated. " you know how people are. What they say and how they react." I flared my nostrils. " she shouldn't let what people think and say affect her."

" Supriya you call her here and ask her out. Leave the rest on me." She shot me a helpless look. " she won't agree."

Putting on my shades I said," you bet she will."

She nodded her head and then called out. " nakku come here. Fast." Nakusha dropped the water pipe and strolled toward us while wiping her hands with her dupatta.

" yeah tayi."

" nakku today is the last day of baisakhi mela , come with us."

" but tayi..."

" Supriya are you out if your mind? Nakusha will come with us to visit the mela?" I laughed out loud.

" you must be kidding me. You know now she will come up with 100 excuses for not going. Worse she will try to convince you to not go as well." As expected nakusha was miffed and glared hard at me.

" no dutta Ji. Nakku is not like that. Isn't it?" Supriya looked at her expectantly but nakku dropped her gaze to her feet. " tayi you know I am not..."

Once again I didn't let her finish her sentence. " oh ho Supriya don't you know nakusha hurt her feet. So what if it's been ten days. So what if we find her jumping around the house like a squirrel. She has still not recovered." Nakusha was now totally upset with me but she couldn't do anything about it and that was even more annoying for her.

" tayi, I don't think AS would appreciate it."

I raised an eye brow. So she had another ace up her sleeve. " I agree with nakusha. Though AS is not at home right now but she would return by evening and I am sure none of us would tell her but still..." I trailed off. Supriya made a cute face. " nakku it won't take us long. We will be back in two hours. I promise." Nakusha still didn't seem convinced.

" Supriya you are wasting your time. She won't come with us. Let her be." I turned slightly and caught nakusha moving from the corner of my eye. She was walking back toward the house.

" see Supriya I had told you she wouldn't accompany us." Hearing my words nakusha whirled around. Her cold green eyes darted from me to Supriya.

" tayi I am coming with you. Let me inform aayi that I would be away for some time." Then without throwing me a second glance she walked off.

Supriya smiled and crossed her arms before her chest. " must say dutta Ji that was smart. Really smart. I am impressed."

I grinned broadly. " when my patients get difficult I handle them like this. You know negative approach can sometimes work wonders." She nodded her head in agreement.

" I'll take out the car before she changes her mind."

Supriya and I were approaching the car when out of nowhere I asked," does she hate me?" Supriya stopped in her tracks and so did I.

" who? Nakku?" She sounded surprised.

" hmm."

She paused to think about it. " hate is a very strong emotion. I am sure she doesn't hate you but yes she is rude and indifferent. But then she is like that with everyone. And you know why."

" you are right I don't blame her for being bitter and I have to say that on some occasions even I haven't been nice to her. We are as different as chalk and cheese thus have always been at loggerheads so I was thinking whether she really disliked me."

Supriya gave out a faint smile. " she seems rough and cold but she is good at heart." I opened the car door for Supriya.

" tell me one thing Dutta Ji, what nakku thinks of you does it actually Matter to you?"

Now her question caught me off guard. I shrugged. " no. Why should it bother me? After all who is she to me? We are not even friends."

Supriya didn't argue but her expressions said that she didn't believe me.

Leaving both of them at the jewelry stall I went to the ice cream vendor and bought a choc bar for myself. With one hand in my pocket I wandered lazily through the fair, glancing at various other stalls. I smiled when I saw a guy aiming at the pyramid of plastic glasses. The task was to drop all the glasses with just three balls. I stopped to watch him. Ah he missed it. Not that I was surprised. I had myself attempted quite a few times in the past but always failed to drop all the glasses. It was an impossible task. Nobody could do it.

Moving on my gaze fell on the next game stall where one was supposed to throw rings from a distance. If the ring fell on any object of display then it would be yours. Just for fun sake I tried it out. Taking a big bite of my ice cream with my other free hand I threw the ring.

Oops it was a close shave. Never mind I still had one more chance.

Yey. I got it.

But what? A small teddy bear! I laughed at myself.

Anyways I strolled further and hoped by now supriya must have bought what she wanted. Relishing on my ice cream I looked around when a camel passed by me. Peering up I spotted a cute girl riding the camel. She smiled at me and I smiled back. Then raised my hand to give her that teddy bear. She shook her head shyly.

" take it. It's so cute like you."

She extended her tiny hand and took the stuff toy. " thank you."

I waved at her and blew her a flying kiss. Kids could so easily bring a smile on your face.

I threw the ice cream stick in the dustbin and returned to the jewelry stall. God these girls were still not done. I shook my head and waited. Supriya was trying out different earrings and showing them to nakusha for approval.

" supriya hurry up." I called out. She nodded her head and gestured me to give her two more minutes. I glanced at nakusha who was fingering some green glass bangles. Suddenly the stall owner shouted.

" hey keep your hands away!"

What nonsense.

" excuse me Bhaiya Ji what's your problem?" Supriya raised her voice.

" why is she touching these things?"

" why? What's wrong if she touches these bangles? Are her hands contaminated?" I snarled.

Wordlessly nakusha left from there.

" bhau such things are not meant for her. She is.."

" I'm warning you, don't you dare utter anything rubbish."

He clamped his mouth shut but I doubted he regretted what he said. Irritated supriya threw back the earrings on his face. " you wear these. They suit you more."

I was so furious at him. Surely we had not brought nakusha here to get humiliated. Throwing that owner another thunderous look we both walked off. Our eyes scattered around in search of nakusha.

There she was, standing at a stall that was absolutely Empty. A woman like nakusha who covered her face was selling clothes. But sadly no one was there to buy them.

" nakku that color is very dull. Won't look good on you."

" Tayi I am thinking of buying a sari for aayi." Supriya nodded and picked up a light blue colored suit piece and placed it on Nakisha's shoulder. " see this is nice. I'll get it for you."

" no Tayi. Please." Her tone was soft and firm. Supriya looked at me and raised her brows. I waved my hand in the air suggesting not to force her.

" bhau, try these kurtas." The lady displayed two kurtas before me. I rarely wore them but... Holding up a maroon kurta I asked, " how's this?"

" not bad dutta Ji." Supriya shot an appreciative look.

" no it's too dark. In summers light colors are more eye pleasing . Show me something in pastel."

I frowned at nakusha. Clearly she was talking to the saleswoman but was she hinting at me? Though she made sense. So I dropped the maroon one and picked up a lemon colored kurta.

" what about this one?" Even I was asking supriya not her.

" this is even better." Supriya gave a thumbs up.

" this is fine." Nakusha peered down at the light pink sari in her hands.

" pack this." I told the saleswoman.

Meanwhile supriya also chose a suit for herself. Nakusha too handed the sari and opened the knot of her dupatta to extract some money.

" nakku now don't do this."

" thanks Tayi but I want to pay." Quite self respecting!

" now Supriya I hope you won't mind if I pay for both of us? I said I owe you a gift."

" alright Dutta Ji. Ah should I pick something for AS?"

" no." These saris would fail to meet her taste and stature.

"By the way I am feeling very thirsty." Supriya looked around and spotted a vendor selling cold drinks.

" anybody?" She looked at me and nakusha. We both shook our heads and she went alone to grab a drink. I took out the wallet to pay. " please keep these packets with you. Before leaving we shall take them from you." Turning my neck I found nakusha had also left in fact at some distance she was watching a puppet show. I picked up the blue suit that Supriya had chosen for her.

" I'll take this one too."

It was strangely amusing to see nakusha watching the puppet dance with so much of interest. I remember as a kid these dancing dolls never excited me maybe they are meant for girls only. Standing behind nakusha I too for the first time thought of giving it a chance. The puppets were dancing to some folk song, I couldn't grab the lyrics but nakusha was enjoying herself. She was patting her leg and shaking her head slightly. Smiling to myself I stepped ahead. Now I was just an inch behind her and leaned over. Oh she was even humming along.

Suddenly she turned around and gasped. " Sahab!"

She lost her balance, again.

She was about to trip, again.

But she didn't because I held her.

Again.

Her eyes were wide as I grinned down at her. " admit it nakusha. You're falling for me." She immediately straightened herself and stepped back.

" where's tayi?"

" there she is standing near the giant wheel." I pointed out. Nakusha walked to Supriya and I followed.

" Dutta Ji I want to sit on the wheel. Come." I was about to join her then stopped.

" no Supriya I don't feel like going for this ride." Supriya's face dropped.

" why? Scared?" Now who said this? I turned. It was nakusha.

" ha ha very funny. Why should I be scared? Such childish rides are for kids and girls. Not for boys." She simply rolled her eyes. I folded my arms. " but I doubt you would sit there with Supriya without getting scared."

" are you guys done with your argument? Is anybody coming with me or not?"

" sorry Supriya I think you will have to go alone because I am going to that stall to shoot the balloons. It's more boyish stuff. But don't be sad. Nakusha will happily cheer for you from here."

" isn't it nakusha?" I cocked an eyebrow. She held my gaze for a moment and then said what I was expecting to hear.

" tayi I will sit with you."

I let out an audible sigh as both of them went for the ride. Nakusha you're getting too predictable for me.

The stall for shooting the balloons was slightly crowded. With hands deposited in my pockets I waited for my turn. I glanced at the huge giant wheel. Supriya looked like a terrified cat. She was clinging on to nakusha for life. I couldn't stop grinning. Nakusha was pacifying her. Slowly Supriya opened her eyes but still appeared scared. If she was so terrified then why did she go? I shook my head. The wheel started rolling faster and Supriya again grabbed Nakusha's hand and shut her eyes.

Nakusha seemed totally relaxed.

In fact she was happy.

Yes. She. Was. Happy.

Her dupatta flew in the air and she didn't realise. And I was so glad because for the first time I saw her smiling. No she was laughing throwing her head back.

It was a beautiful sight!

thanks for reading

Rose