2. The sound of spices
Mustard cackled in merry when dropped in pan of hot oil - singing a ballad about feasts and foreign lands. Freshly cut green-red chilies added to the cacophony. The colored mixture of red, green and golden mirrored the sentiment of the owner as they reduced their boisterous orchestra to one that of distant hum. The owner clad in a pale lavender sari smiled wanly as she bent down to take a whiff of final mixture from the simmering pan. Her smile reflected the quality of the product purely based on smell and the first taste of the simmering mixture made her smile reach her eyes.
She hummed an old love song which was a rage two generations before her. She dimmed lights around the apartment and lit candles. Winter Sonata resonated in the apartment as she set the table.
Swish of wind behind her and the tap of footsteps told the guest was here; or technically the owner of the apartment where she was cooking him a meal. The arms that encircled her waist were cold from the winds of early winter. His face was cozily tucked in the crook of her neck while she completely ignored his presence.
"You are trespassing on private property Dr. Riddhima Gupta", he said.
"How is it trespassing if the owner has given me a copy of his apartment keys Dr. Armaan Mallik?" She responded. He didn't respond but closed his eyes and savored in the freshness she possessed. When there was no response from him, she slowly turned around in his arms and furrowed her eyebrows looking at his face.
"What is it Armaan? You look more than famished today", she asked him gently. His gave her a tired smile in response. She held him for several moments offering him warmth and all of her care.
"It was just another day at the hospital only that it was bit more on the downer side." He replied.
She wasn't new to that sort of feeling as she worked along with him and she had had her share of bad days.
"And you weren't there", came his soft voice breaking her thoughts. She nodded slowly at that. She knew how it felt of course.
"I am sorry to hear that Armaan, I truly am", she said holding his hands.
She took him by the hands and walked towards balcony where moonlight was their only companion. She sat on the floor inhaling sweet scent of jasmine and bathing in moonlight. Armaan settled his head on her lap and inhaled deeply. He didn't let go of her hand as if he was drawing energy from her.
"I am glad you came today Riddhima. I know that I would have survived this night after a rough day at hospital but being here with you makes everything seem... better you know? Your presence give me the feeling of everything is going to be alright", he sighed. She ran her fingers in his hair and her other hand still holding his. He closed his eyes and basked the feeling of being cared for; being loved for.
"Armaan, I am not doing anything", she said. He opened his eyes and looked at her.
"You give me the feeling of home. No, you are home Riddhima", he closed his eyes again and buried his face in pleats of her sari.
With her, he could battle any darkness that tried to crawl its way into his heart. She was that light which kept things like despair and animosity at bay.
With her, he was just him; nothing more nothing less.
The dinner lay forgotten.
Sookie
Edited by -Sookie- - 14 years ago
Book Talk
Cricket
201