Part 4:
"Yes that's the number...do whatever you want but just trace her"
He cut the call and kissed the phone once more before muttering, "I am not letting you go this time Ishita"
So Raman was right behind his Ishita and was determined to get her back to his life. So in this cat and mouse race, we can hope, wish and pray that the cat wins, thereby making both win.
*************************************
In less an hour's time, Mihir was back with all the info needed by Raman
"Bhai, the call was from Ooty...Ooty's Blue Springs school..."
Mihir's words were nothing less than soothing music to his stressed out ears. His head seemed to revolve just around that even while he enquired, "Did you find out about her? Is she..."
Raman wanted to enquire if she was alright and then munched back his words confused if Mihir would have the answer he really wished to hear but Mihir was never wrong in reading Raman's mind or complete his unsaid words. He smiled a little wondering about how much his bhabi has impacted his bhai and how important she was to him. He replied, "Bhai, Ishita bhabi is a teacher there...she teaches music and dance to little children"
Raman couldn't hold back his smile hearing that. The very visualization of her surrounded small children felt so comforting and gave him much needed solace. She indeed had got a job that would give her so much happiness. He knew that she loved kids and always watched the kids in the play area through the window and balcony. He had once even made fun of her asking if she wanted to go down and play with them. He had also taunted about her becoming a child again and she had instantly said, "Kaash aisa..."
Her trailed off reply had changed the fun moment into a serious one. He had smacked himself a thousand times for taunting her and thereby making her remember her past.
But today, the information which Mihir passed onto him was really a happy one and almost healed his cracked up mind state.
He replied, "Book the ticket Mihir...I want to see her ASAP"
Mihir was quicker than his brother. "Its done bhai...Afternoon's flight to Coimbatore and also booked a car which will take you to Ooty."
Raman was impressed by his work and it once more proved that none knew Raman like Mihir did. Raman thanked him mentally and then said, "That's good Mihir...just handle all my appointments and meetings till I am back...I know I don't have to worry about any of it when you are here"
MIhir smiled, "NO worries bhai...aap bas jao aur bhabi ko le aao...yahaan sab main handle kar loonga..."
Raman knew that Mihir was able enough to handle everything without his guidance but there was something which MIhir couldn't handle...his family. He knew that his family would turn the world upside down if they knew about all this but there was no way he was backing out of it. He just said, "Keep this a secret between us Mihir...kisi se kuch matth kehna...I will come back and then sort this out"
"Ok bhai" was his reply as expected before the call was cut.
It was her last class for the evening and time was almost 7 in the evening. Her steps faltered for the first time in so many months of taking classes to her students. The annual day was coming up and she was in-charge for the dance program to be performed. So the classes and rehearsals were all on full swing. After their regular classes, they met up every day to choreograph the entire sequence. She was in the same process today and she was making them dance along with her, explaining them every step in detail, in tandem with the changing music. But something disturbed her focussed mind and her heart was almost gearing up for a marathon.
She couldn't fathom this overwhelming feeling of being watched...by him. "Raman", that thought, that name gave a shrill along her body.
She stopped her dance moves all of a sudden and looked around, muttering anxiously in a mere whisper like voice, "Aiyoo murugan"
The class was in the open podium which was to the far end of the school campus. She couldn't spot him or anyone for that matter. But the feeling wasn't leaving her. She tried to brush it off as her imagination, probably due to her call to him that morning. She didn't know why she experiences this sudden unusual feeling of having him around. His presence around her could never be brushed aside by her. It wasn't something which could be rubbished nor ignored. She looked around again and again as if to see him. Probably the deepest part of her wished that he came for her...searching and desiring her back while another logically protesting side never wanted him to come and jump into her life which was no less than a black hole.
Her students who were a little puzzled by their teacher's unusual weird behaviour shook her up, "Teacher...what happened?"
She snapped out and composed herself. She couldn't let out her anticipations before them and so smiled in response. Wiping the sweat beads that covered her face with her saree's pallu, she walked to switch off the music player and then said, "Onnum illa...That song took me to a beautiful land..."
[Nothing]
The young girls giggled. They were in their teenage years and one of them naughtily enquired in pure classical Tamil, "Ungal ullam kavarntha antha maya kannan yaar thozhi?"
[Who is that thief who stole your heart friend?]
She was more like a friend to the group and so the students took such liberties with her. She smiled sheepishly first and then snapped out suddenly unwilling to converse such topics with them. She playfully slapped the girl's arm and said
"Vaal romba neelama pochu...shut up and go home...we will continue the class tomorrow"
[Your tail has grown long]
The girls giggled more at their teacher's shyness and embarrassed look. She looked prettier than ever with the crimson red cheeks which marked her blush.
They whispered their usual naughty teases as they dispersed for the day. Ishita shook her head amused by her students and their girlish antics and then crouched down to take off her dance anklets. She looked around once more as she could feel her body heating up and this was only possible with him around. She hissed at the emptiness around her and then smacked herself for behaving crazy.
"Paithyam" and then quickly took the music player and her bag before walking off into the school building.
It wasn't difficult for Raman to get entry into the campus of the school. For the school authorities, he was a rich businessman from Mumbai who wanted to donate for their campus fund and also sponsor the students who were from the financially low families.
They didn't doubt anything when Raman expressed a wish to walk through the campus. A person took him around the empty classrooms and explained what each block was for and the facilities available for the students. He also putforth what were pending to be built just to project that Raman's donation would be used in the right direction. Raman's head nodded to what he said but his ears and eyes were only scanning, searching for a trace of her. It was by chance that he spotted the dance class which was in progress at the far end. The complete silence in the campus accentuated the melodious music that resonated from there, and along with it was the trinkling sound of their anklets which chimed uniformly and rhymed with the song. Their footsteps were according to the music as well. It gave the whole atmosphere a divine ambience which just attracted him towards the area.
Enna thavam seidanai yashoda
engum nirai parabhrammam ammavenrazhaikka
Enna thavam sheidanai yasoda
Songs of Lord Krishna depicting the lord's life in Gokul was sequenced like a medley mix. It seemed like a dance musical or something like a skit which showcased Krishna's relationship with his mother Yashoda, his childhood friends and then also his gopikas, especially Radha.
Raman stood mesmerized by the beautiful lady who led the entire group. Even from far, he sensed who it was and his heartbeats were racing up with each other steps.
Her suddenly faltering steps only told him that her situation was no different from his. Even without seeing him, she seemed to have sensed his presence and that gave him a relieved feeling. She could feel him, his presence and that only meant that the love, fire and the passion filled feeling were mutual.
Fortunately, the person accompanying him got a call and he walked away from Raman, excusing himself for a few minutes. This gave Raman the much needed privacy to see her to his heart's fill. He made himself oblivious to her but his eyes never left her once. She had gone down a little but other than that, her curves and feisty form which had lured him initially were perfectly toned up. He had never seen her dance before nor had he even known of this talent in her. Their conversations were always one sided and she had never opened up more about herself before him.
He controlled a groan of desire when he saw her blush at some comment from her students. And to make it worse for him, she wiped away her sweat beads with the end of her saree pallu which somehow had a turn on effect on him. He turned away from her direction fisting his hands, leashing all his urges to run to her and take her into his arms. He knew that this wasn't the place to do that. It took him great efforts to stay off her for some more time.
He slowly retraced his steps and by then his guide was back too. They walked back to the office but he turned around for a stealing glimpse of her at every possible chance.
It was around 7:30-8 when she unlocked her home and stepped inside. She always came back by 5 but ever since the rehearsals started, this was her usual time.
The moment she hung the keys on the stand and turned. She could feel something different in the air. Though her logical self didn't approve of it, her lips muttered what her paced up heart beats chanted to her, "Raman"
He chuckled at her whispering his name and switched on the table lamp. She turned around fully to see him. There he sat on the sofa with crossed arms and waiting for her to come back.
His naughty side popped up seeing her so close and also her face showed up mixed emotions. He commented, "Kya hua teacher ji??? Why are you standing there? Don't worry...Yeh tumaare hi ghar hai...come in"
[What happened?? this is your house only...come in]
She stood fixed in the same spot unable to decide what to do. Her heart screamed and commanded her to run to him, hug him and do whatever it takes to never part from him but her logical mind battled against such thoughts and kept her stranded there.
He went on with a naughty wink, "Ab khelte hai aankh micholi...chalo...I am ready"
[Let's play hide and seek now]
By then end of those words, he had walked closer to her and she was just an arm length away from him and his eyes scanned her head to toe. In the special saree needed for the Bharathanatyam dance, she looked cool, elegant and vibrant though a storm of uncertainty was brewing within her.
[To be continued]
so how was it pls do reply
probably one more part would finish this up...š
Health and Fitness
9