Part 28
...#.....Baby, baby, we've got a date; (ooh-hoo, ooh-hoo)
Oh, baby, baby, don't you be late. Oh, baby!
I'll meet you at your house at a quarter to eight. (ooh-hoo, ooh-hoo)
Oh, darlin', baby, baby, just you have some faith!
I promise you, we're gonna (rock it, baby; rock it, baby, tonight);
To (rock it, baby; rock it, baby, tonight);
Gonna (rock it, baby; rock it, baby, tonight);
Baby, (rock it, baby; rock it, baby, tonight)...#
"Hop in!"
"Weren't we supposed to go inconspicuous? "
"Isn't this BMW 6 series Sedan just a tiny eye-sore?"
"I am not going in this. Let me call up a cab."
"Cummon we are not riding up to his house now, are we? We will get off a good yards before only."
"We are to go walking then?"
"Yup. Then out of the guard's view we shall scale the wall and jump inside."
"Okay….I am suddenly not having a good feeling about your whole trespassing plan."
"They may have dogs let loose in the garden to guard. But don't worry, why fear when Mr. Mayank Sharma is near? The end thing is we will surprise Morgan tonight."
"OMG..Dog's are going to be there? Are you serious??"
"Maybe. Who knows? I am expert in dealing with them anyways. Have various breeds in my house."
"I don't doubt your special connectivity with them. You yourself act like one sometimes."
"No way. Dogs are loyal, you see."
I rolled my eyes. "Aren't we getting late now?"
"Jump in. I am dying for our first long drive in this humble piece."
"You are such a show-off!"
I seated myself beside him and started to tie my seatbelt. With a sly grin on his face, he put on his black sun-glass and ignited the engine.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
"We are almost there."
"Thank god. I can't bear your torturous presence a moment longer."
"It's not my fault if you don't like hearing songs at this volume."
"You got me a headache!"
"That's why it's said, the co-passenger should add effort to make the trip more enjoyable. Not put up a grumpy face for the entire ride."
"Next time, take someone who will go ga-ga over your idiotic self-proclaimed histrionics with women. Spare me, Duh."
"You make me shut quiet if I talk about you and you yourself go quiet if I talk about others. Sorry for being rude but it's you with the problem!"
"Stop the car please."
"Woah..I wasn't fighting Nupur. I swear. Just a healthy discussion on what-not-to –do –to-make- a-road trip-boring."
"Mayank I am serious. It's useless going there tonight."
"What?"
"Well…I just got a text. Morgan is coming tomorrow Sunday morning. "
The car screeched to a sudden stop jerking us forwards.
"Really? We got a postponing of plans. Well who told that? Kyile or Liu?"
"None. I got a text from…umm….my colleague. Morgan called her tomorrow. And………"
"And?"
"…..and she has accepted the deal."
"Finally she grew some guts. You tell her we'll be there on time. Everything is going to be recorded. That bas***d will get caught red-handed!"
"Oh..yeah."
"What should we do now?...I have a brilliant idea. Let's check out our venue for spying tomorrow, his villa now only."
"He hasn't yet decided the time and place. He will text me….her..i meant my colleague, tomorrow itself."
"He wants a change of place?"
"Maybe. I dunno. Hopefully Kyile has not blabbered out anything."
"You can't trust anyone. Well I do hope she doesn't break my heart."
"You think he knows or suspects?"
"I really don't care. We will nail him tomorrow no matter what. On the plus side, Kylie doesn't know about your colleague. So there is still chance Morgan has no clue."
"Anything wrong with you, Nupur?"
"No…I…I am alright. It's ….It's what road trips do to me. Just a bit tired. Nothing else."
Quickly I wiped the brimming tears in my eyes as he looked ahead.
"So it's useless going to his place tonight. Let's go back to the city then. We can come tomorrow here again if this is the place he decides upon."
"NO…no. No need. It's starting to snow outside. The radio gave warning of a blizzard. It's safer to spend the night in a nearby inn."
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
"Here are some warm clothes for you. You didn't come down for dinner. I get you are tired. But you need to finish this food here in your room."
"I don't wish to eat."
"Why are you being angry with the food? And why is your window open? Can't you see the snow-flakes falling down?"
"Don't close the window, Mayank."
"Girl, do you want to get sick? Now get yourself a jacket on. You are damn shivering."
"I feel better this way."
He knelt down and turned the chair upon which I was seating towards the fire-place. The burning flames reflected its pattern in his deep hazel eyes which pored intently upon me.
"What's troubling you tonight, Nupur?"
"Nothing. I am perfectly fine." I forced out a weak smile.
"Did I hurt you?"
"No…you haven't done anything. You'd been the greatest help infact. I said I am fine."
"Just tell me Nupur."
"Why doesn't time stand still Mayank? Why it has to go?"
"Time goes for better things to come your way."
"What if the best thing is now present with me? I don't want to let it go."
"Tomorrow a new morning will come with a new lease of life Nupur."
"But I prefer this night Mayank."
"Why are you afraid of tomorrow Nupur?"
"I……I can lose you again."
He smiled a warm radiant smile." Lost and gain- the cycle continues forever. But being forgotten in the process is the scarier thought."
"Why you left without saying goodbye?"
"I did not. Wished you goodnight yesterday."
"You did. At your farmhouse after the party was over. You left suddenly at night without meeting me."
"I left you flowers."
"Those were lovely. I love orchids. But I was waiting for you. But you were gone."
"I was scared you didn't wish to see me again after I'd been so rude to you. I thought you chose him."
"Would I ever do that Mayank?"
"I am sorry. Didn't know that it meant a lot to you. I shouldn't have left that way."
"No. I am sorry for making you think that way. I was never marrying Aman. I should have told you. Thought you could read my eyes."
"Yours are so deep and brown that it's still a mystery to me." He gently tucked away a loose strand from my forehead behind my ears. I shivered some more as his warm fingers brushed against my cold skin." It will take a life-time to read them." He gently blew on them.
I closed my eyes.
"Can you guess what's in my heart right now?"
He placed his right hand over the left side of my chest." It's pulsating so fast. I can feel your heartbeat."
Still with my eyes tightly shut, "Can you decipher what the beats are trying to convey?"
"I can't tell you."
"Oh."
"But I can show you."
My heart pounded louder than before as he gently lowered his face and planted a wet kiss on both my closed eyes. Next I felt the sappy thing on my forehead. He pecked on both the cheeks.
Removing the hair on my right shoulder by the back of his hand, he leaned in to whisper." Are you afraid of tonight Nupur?"
"It's you. How can I be afraid?" I whispered back.
He gently bit me on the right ear-lobe in response and proceeded downwards nibbling gently on the delicate flesh near my collarbone.
"Mayank." I moaned out his name.
He left a trail of butterfly kisses on my throat slowly rising up. He teasingly placed his warm lips on mine with the gentlest touch ever. Digging my nails into his back I kissed him back will all I had been holding up for so long. I moaned some more as his tongue danced to its content inside.
"Okay pause….time for breath."
Finally we broke apart. As I inhaled a large amount of air to get over the breathlessness, realization dawned upon me. I kept my eyes lowered wondering what to say next.
"Errr………..I think we have a busy day ahead. Umm…..lets retire for the night."
I raised my eyes to see him move towards his room. He looked back.
"Sorry. I forgot again. My bad."
…………………
"Good night , Saxena." He winked.
A curve on its own formed on my lips.
Home is where the heart is
And my heart is anywhere you are
Anywhere you are is home
I don't need a mansion on a hill
That overlooks the sea
Anywhere you're with me is home
Maybe i'm a rolling stone
Who won't amount to much
But everything that i hold dear
Is close enough to touch
I'm a lover, I'm not a fighter,
Hold me close and I'll take you higher than you've ever been,
Raise your hands and lay down your weapons,
We could turn this around in seconds flat,
If you believe.
Home is where the heart is,
It's where we started,
Where we belong, singing.
Home is where the heart is,
It's where we started,
Where we belong.
Music Corner
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
272