Samarpan
He who knows nothing is closer to the truth
than he who has surrendered to fears of mind.
Part 11
He turned to look at her….and stood rooted. Her eyes mesmerized him…as he was pulled right into their soulful depths. Before he had turned around, he was somewhat offended at being taken for a charity case and meant to clear the misconception regarding his financial status. Yet, the moment his gaze fell on her he was captivated. He couldn't take his eyes off her face. He felt rather than saw her take a step back, but her eyes held his in a silent assurance of their own. At the moment they were full of compassion and kindness, yet he found himself clearly reading a haunted sadness in them. To him they hid an unknown sorrow…pieces of a broken soul…pangs of a tormented heart. In haze he heard the other girl come and break the moment by drawing her away from him. He heard her offer to pay for the burger. He could have stopped her then, but something held him back. And when she turned toward him again to assure him about the burger, he realized she would leave if he didn't stop her…and for reasons unbeknownst to him, he couldn't let that happen. Suddenly words read a million times before in the journal reverberated in his mind: Do not pass me by….please stay. It will not be easy for you, yet I pray….For the first time the words in the journal had connected with a face…just like that. But why now? That too with an unknown girl? That too on first sight? There was no time to rationalize; he just knew that he couldn't let her go. So, he said the first thing that came to his mind, "Do people eat alone in your house?"
He saw her expression change to surprise and then to confusion as she deterred. He realized he was being irrational as he insisted she give him company. Excuses came naturally as he made up a plea regarding the day being his birthday, which actually was still a couple of months away. With great relief he saw her relent. Yash had no idea what was driving him to act in this manner. Time of contemplation would come later, but for now he needed her with him. One thing was clear: it was not only the girl but also her voice that intrigued him. It was as if he had heard that soft voice before. There was a sense of familiarity the moment he had heard her.
As he gestured toward the far corner table, she agreed haltingly, wishing him, "OK. I'll sit for awhile. Please have a seat. Err….Happy Birthday, Sir!!"
"Yash!"
"Excuse me?"
"Yash Scindia….that's my name."
"Oh…OK!" The name held no meaning to her, he noted, as they sat down.
She was clearly uncomfortable as she tried to look away but kept glancing back at him…her body tense, her hands locked in her lap, and the haunted look coming to the fore. For some reason, she was folding up. She was not as calm as she was moments earlier when she thought she was helping a stranger from afar. He sensed her retreat and found himself not liking it, so tried to make small talk.
"Your name is Aarti?" He saw a confused look come into her eyes, as she nodded, "Your friend called you by that name, so I asked. (Silence)…It's a nice name."
He waited as he took a bite of the burger….Nothing…not a word. If he was expecting her to suddenly turn into a chatterbox, she was certainly not forthcoming, so he continued nonchalantly, "You are a very nice person, Ma'am. Not many would come forward to help a hungry, penniless stranger." He tried to catch her eye, but in vain.
So, he tried again, "Thank you so much. Believe me I don't normally go walking into shops looking for food. I really thought I had some money on me, but as it turned out, I didn't." He smiled amiably, hoping against hope it'll be reciprocated. He continued when she still didn't respond, "I promise I shall return whatever I owe you as soon as I get my paycheck. My employer hasn't paid me in a while. He keeps promising he would but then doesn't." He had her attention now, as her eyes rested on his, reflecting his pain in them.
Aarti's heart went out to the stranger, as she said softly, "You don't have to pay me. I understand."
He was astounded…Is it even possible that a girl could have so much empathy in her? That too for a complete stranger? Is she always like this or is it that his physical appearance brought out the pity in her? Something told him it was the former.
He picked up the burger with both hands and bit into it as he saw her wandering eyes stop at the snack counter. Something struck her, as she looked back at him and smiled nervously, which made his heart constrict with an unknown feeling, "Please excuse me. I'll be back in a moment."
As she arose, he stopped her, "Promise?"
When she looked at him quizzically, he repeated, "Promise you'll come back?" She nodded, and he saw her walk toward the girl in the counter. He really shouldn't be doing this…making her pay for his food. But the situation was beyond his control at the moment. He would find a way to pay her back later. He saw her now, talking gently. There was a fragile softness in her entire bearing. She had on a pale yellow churidar suit, long silken hair, face devoid of any make up, except for eyes lined with kohl and lips glistening with light pink lip gloss…so simple yet so deep. The way her expressions danced across her face told him that there was no guile, no ulterior motives, and certainly no duplicity there.
In the next moment Yash shook himself…wasn't he himself being deceitful by hiding his identity? Making her believe what he was not? His conscience pricked him as he saw her turn and look at him before taking a step toward him. He wanted to be honest with her…but he couldn't do it, as devious faces of past came rushing in his memories and his guard went up. Dammit!! What's going on? Why is this girl evoking unexplored feelings in him? How can he be sure he won't be taken for a ride again? What if his instincts about her are wrong? No, he couldn't let himself go down that lane again…not so soon, not so instantaneously….not until he knew more about her…not until he was sure that her enchanting beauty and obvious goodness were not just smoke and mirrors, as well as that this instant attraction he felt was not a result of lonely days spent on the mountains.
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Aarti glided back into the seat, unmindful of the battle raging in the man opposite. He continued to stare at her, as she kept her eyes fixed on a point on the table.
They were both shaken out of their reveries by Maansi who kept two sandwiches and a bottle of lemonade in front of Yash. "Here you are…Don't look at me like that, Sir. Aarti here felt you needed some more food in you. You should thank your stars that you met her."
She then bent near Aarti's ears and whispered, "Guess who just pulled over in the parking lot, Aarti."
Aarti glanced outside and jumped up, apologizing nervously, "I…I am sorry.…I..have..to go. I…Goodbye Sir!" She took a couple of steps and then turned, "Please finish eating before you leave."
Before Yash could get a word out, she was gone…disappearing through a side door in the left. He jerked his head toward the entrance as a handsome young man walked in. The man looked rich, considering the fancy car he drove in and the clothes and accessories he had on, and behaved rich, as Yash soon witnessed. He heard Maansi use the most offensive word under her breath, as she proceeded to attend to the man with her best salesgirl smile.
"Good evening, Mr Singhania! What a surprise? What can I get you?"
"Where is Aarti? I thought I saw her…Is she in her office? I want to see her….(and at Maansi's raised brow) I mean I need to see her to place some orders." Sameer Singhania's eyes were clearly searching for Aarti.
"You can tell me, Sir. She is not here. She went home hours ago." Maansi lied smoothly, making Yash wonder why. This man obviously had a thing for Aarti. Is she involved with this…this fat cat with an obviously shining silver spoon? Yash clinched his teeth involuntarily and stood up.
"Alright. You can do something for me. Give this to her," Sameer took a smallish square jewelry box from his jacket pocket. "Tell her this is a gift from me to her for the fantastic job she did with my sister's kid's birthday party. I'll call her later….And yes, please speak with my mom regarding the catering of her kitty party." He tossed the box and walked out.
Maansi grabbed the box and opened it. Yash had closed in on her by then, with the sandwiches in his hand. He saw it was an expensive bracelet. Maansi's eyes had gone large as she pursed her lips and let out a low whistle. She looked up as Yash cleared his throat, "Ma'am, may I have a paper bag. I'll carry these with me for laters." As Maansi passed him a bag, he added, "Thank you so much for your kindness. Please convey my gratitude to the kind lady as well."
Maansi nodded with a smile and turned to attend to a large family that had entered. Yash walked out with a final look at the closed door. Outside he stood behind a hedge and looked inside the shop, waiting. His actions were becoming weirder even to him. A few minutes later the family walked out after making their purchases. He saw Maansi pick up the phone and dial. As he waited, he saw the back door open and Aarti step back into the shop and immediately looking at the table they had sat. He saw her gesture toward it and ask something. Maansi stepped forward and responded, at the same time giving her the jewelry box. He saw Aarti take it and listen to whatever Maansi was saying, which was obviously about that Singhania fellow. "Give it back, Aarti. Throw it. Prove me wrong." Yash found himself muttering under his breath. He staggered back a step as he saw her look at the box in her hand and then keep it her handbag.
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Aarti stepped into the house and heard voices from the living room. Naanimaasi sounded angry, and the other voice was of that bad man Prashant. Aarti stood outside the door and wondered whether she should go in, when she heard naanimaasi ask Prashant to leave.
"Just go Prashant…OUT. I don't want to hear any more of your nonsense. My granddaughter is out of limits for you. If you still harass her or come barging in like this again, I swear I'll report you to the authorities. There must be a law for the likes of you."
"C'mon bhabhi! Be practical….I only want the best for you. I have found out that your financial condition is not so sound any more. It's getting more and more difficult for you to maintain this house and the vast area around it. On top of that you have to get Aarti married off. Where will you get the money for all this?" Prashant had hit the raw nerve, and he knew it. He thought if he persisted he could break the woman's willpower.
"That's my know-how, Prashant. You don't need to bother. Now, get out." Her small frame was shaking with fury.
Prashant went on nonchalantly, regardless of naanimaasi's rude dismissal of him, "Think about it bhabhi. You are not going to get a millionaire prince for that girl. If I marry her, you won't have to spend a rupee. Moreover, she gets to stay with you here…in this house. I have enough to run this house."
"I may be getting on the years Prashant, but I am not a fool. You want this house so that you can sell it off. You know that the only way you can get a hold on this house is only if you marry my Aarti…which will never happen…ever. Do you get that? Now if you are not out in five seconds, I shall call the police."
"OK…I am going. But think about what I said."
Aarti slipped into the kitchen as Prashant came out muttering, "Stubborn old hag! Let me also see who will marry that girl. I will ensure no body touches her after I am through with her reputation…Gah!!"
Aarti stepped out only when she was sure the man was gone. She went and locked the door, and then walked inside the living room. Naanimaasi was standing with a picture of her husband in her hand. Aarti tip-toed to naanimaasi's back and laid her chin on her shoulder; naanimaasi lifted her hand and patted her head.
Aarti whispered, "He was so handsome. He loved you very much, didn't he?"
"Yes he did…so very much. There was none like my Raj." Naanimaasi kept the picture back on the mantelpiece, turned, and held Aarti's hands in hers. They both sat down on the sofa, as the old lady continued, "We didn't have any children, but he never made me feel that our life lacked anything. He was so full of life and laughter all the time. He was my friend, lover, guide as well as my kid. When he was alive we lived every moment of our life…That's why even though I miss him a lot, I have no regrets. You know before the illness took him away from me, he prepared me for the life without him. He taught me how to find my happiness without him, how I should live when he won't be there. He is no more, yet is very much alive in every little thing here. We made this house together. I see him in that corner, putting the ladder and trying to catch a firefly stuck in the spider's web, just because I asked him to….I hear him singing loudly with Chris, both drunk, sitting on the stairs….I feel his touch in the rain. He would always pull me out when it rained. This house has his memories, Aarti. He lives in those memories."
Aarti was spellbound. She reached across and hugged her grandmother, "We won't let this house go, naanimaasi. I will not let anyone take this house away from you, I promise."
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Next morning, Aarti came down with her files and sat down for breakfast. As her grandmother served her her favorite poha, she said, "Naanimaasi, that Sameer Singhania came to the shop yesterday. He left this for me." Aarti kept the box on the table.
"Another one? Hmm! This is getting out of hand. This time I won't send it back through someone. I guess it's about time I pay his parents a visit. Don't worry, child…I'll make sure he doesn't bother you anymore."
"Thanks naanimaasi….what'll I do without you."
She finished her breakfast and got up, "I have an appointment with the C.A. after lunch. I'll go to the shop after that. Till then I have some last-minute work. I'll be in the lawn."
Aarti took a sheet and spread it on her favorite place in the lawn and sat down with her files. Sometime later she lifted her head and looked around at the flowers. She loved this place. She lifted her knees to her chin and her arms went around them as she stared at her home. A home…her home. Three and a half years back she didn't know what a home was, till naanimaasi gave her one. She had given her more than a home…she had given her not only a new life but also a meaning to her life. If she had not come that day and rescued her, who knows what would have happened? Inadvertently, her hand went and touched her cheek and then the scar on her chest over her kurta…as she was sucked back once again to the memories of the years that were still gaping wounds inside her…wounds she had learnt to hide from naanimaasi. She turned her head at the sound of the gate. Someone had come in…a man. She tried to come out of the mist of her memories as she saw the man stop and give her a long look before he began to walk toward her, his eyes on her as he took out something from his pocket and held it in front of him….A phone.
To be continued………….
Edited by InduG64 - 12 years ago
Shiv Shakti
