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It is not uncommon practice to curse oneself when one is confused, especially when it relates to matters one is trying to convince oneself are unimportant. Therefore, it is not difficult to guess what Shaantanu Khandelwal was doing ever since he realized that he didn't notice when Rahul left his cabin.
But cursing would not do. A reply would be the best thing to do.
Truth be told, Shaan hadn't been expecting a reply. Khanak seemed to be shy and obviously very aware of the fact that their fathers knew each other well. She seemed to be traditional - but then you can't really vouch for that right? his mind corrected him. Shaan had believed that once a few weeks had passed and his letter would have gone unanswered he would have the perfect reason to convince his dad that this marriage would not happen. Neither Khanak nor he wanted it. But in less than a weeks time his letter had received a reply and Shaantanu was forced to accept that there was nothing instinctive about his plan. It was his hopes dependent upon the decision of an unknown girl. Irrational preemption was the phrase.
Now that he had a reply he could do two things: ignore it or write back. Ignoring it seemed to be a good option because it would send a clear signal to Khanak- he was simply not interested in maintaining, or building for that matter, any relationship with her. But this option was so much more wrong on other levels: it would be unchivalrous, impolite and outright rude! He had asked, in no less than a manner which was akin to a gentleman's, that he would like to talk to her. For a woman it implied no less than a "he's interested in me!"
Regardless of the woman mentality, to any normal person it would mean that I wish to try to know them better, his mind reiterated.
So, Shaan was left with only the second option: write back. But what should he write?
Shaan picked up Khanak's letter and read the few lines again. The woman was smart. Traditionalist or not, the woman was smart and Shaantanu forced himself to acknowledge that. She had matched his tone in her letter, only that her letter contained a hint of sarcasm.
"...whether publicly receiving your phonecall is any more obvious than the household seeing a letter addressed by a Shaantanu Khandelwal.." she had written.
His own stupidity was highlighted in a mere sentence and this made him smile. The girl was smart, he repeated. If Shaan had left London with the view that Khanak was conservative and shy then it was no less than ridiculous to think that she would feel scandalized if letters from a potential husband came to her by post. Anyone could find out she was conversing with him. Moreover, nothing had been finalized. Their families hadn't agreed to marriage, or having collective holidays, or get-to-know-each-other-better lunches. Technically, Shaan was a nobody for Khanak. To receive letters from a stranger would of course lead to questioning or worse- opening of the letter by any one of Khanak's parents! From what his father had told him, Shaan knew the Jadeja's were a good family, but good didn't mean liberal. If Khanak, being a Londoner for almost two decades, seemed conservative then there was a slim chance her parents were otherwise.
Obviously, phir to-the-point reply hi de gi na idiot- his mind concluded his thoughts for him.
Proceeding with his analysis on Khanak's letter Shaantanu decided there were a few things he had to find out. And in that moment, Shaantanu Khandelwal subconsciously made the decision to let Khanak occupy a place in his mind, if not in his heart-yet. A little place, but a place nonetheless. A place more significant than any other woman he had met in his life, barring family of course.
Her letter was short and Shaan concluded she probably didn't want to seem too eager, at first at least. Something told him that she had put in a great deal of effort to ensure the letter was devoid of any scent of emotion. The girl was acting tough, or was she? There was only one way to find out.
Something had also told Shaan that Khanak was a romantic at heart. It was again that something which had made him write his first letter to her on a piece of parchment- reminiscent of her love for medieval times. A shy romantic soul needs just the right words to open up and Shaantanu was determined to unlock those thoughts Khanak had safely locked in her mind, away from the words in her letter. She had not responded on a parchment and Shaan concluded it was for the very reason that she didn't want to seem too keen.
Let her open his envelope. Let the fun begin. Shaantanu smiled to himself as he placed yet another beige envelope addressed to a Ms. Khanak Jadeja on the pile of mail post his secretary Payal would have posted for him later today.
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