Thahan TS- Hues of Love Part 2 Page 2

"Bihan, what has happened to you? Won't you dance?"

His father's voice was laced with worry. Of course, if he was appearing calm, his father had all the reason to worry. After all, this was so uncharacteristic of him, so not him. He, B for Bihan Pandey as he called himself, was not someone who calmly listens to the beat of the dhol lightly tapping on the glass of whatever kind of cocktail he had. He was the adrenaline fueled, restless dancer who would bathe in colors and sway uncaring to the furious beat of the dhol. His refusal to let anyone color him must have hardened his father's suspicion that something was off. His father was bound to ask him question. He smiled lightly and shook his head.

"I am fine Bauji. I was just trying to reel in the spirit of Holi." He winked, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "I will surely dance." Without his smile wavering, he left his father to attend a neighbor with a glass ofBhang.

He slowly began moving away from the festivities.

"Bihan devarji...Have some awesome jalebi." He smiled at his two sisters-in-law. He couldn't refuse after their expectant look which told him that they had made the sweets. He grabbed one of the sour- jalebis, one of his favorites and took a bite.

"Mmm...Gajab."

His smile widened at the sight of the proud smiles on the faces of his sisters-in- law. He slowly retreated thanking the ladies. The Jalebi in his hand had a golden-yellow color, his suddenly color sensitive mind picked up speed.

Golden- Yellow.

That was the color of her favorite choodiyan. The choodiyan of marriage, the mark of a woman who was bound by the nuptial vows the saath bachan, which she took with her jeevan sathi. He had always wondered why she adored those choodiyan, they were bestowed upon her by his mother, which must have been a reason for her adoration. But she never took it off when they separated, when everything, every truth had been said, all formalities had been done. Those choodiyan, that adorned her beautiful hands. He closed his eyes for a moment. Then the moment passed and he climbed the stairs.

"Bhaiyyya..." Kiran's shout sounded.

The sound of steel plate hurtling down the stairs followed close by. Bihan plastered himself to the wall as he saw the thalis of gulal hurtle down the stairs. He furiously checked himself for any sign of color in his pristine white kurta as the clatter subsided. He sighed in relief as he found no trace of gulal.

"Sorry bhaiyya, it slipped off of my hand. Oh no all the gulal spilled on the floor." Kiran skittered off worriedly looking for something which can be used to clean up the mess as Bihan walked away smiling at her expression.

Gulal. Rose.

She was wearing pink when they first met. He was a rogue and she; she had the appearance of a Princess. He remembers vaguely, she had looked very pretty that day, decked up for her brother's birthday. He had threatened her with the gun, he smiled at the memory but then the guilt washed over him as he remembered her scared face. He continued towards their room, his room, she wasn't living with him anymore but it will always be their room for him.

"Ouch."

"aah."

Bihan looked up rubbing his head, he had collided head on with Shradha. He braced himself for her taunts. He didn't want to fight with her today but Shradha was Shradha. She was wearing majenta as opposed to the white people usually wore and now she had a frown to match her saree. Bihan contemplated on hearing her taunts but decided against it, plainly ignored her and left. She must have been outraged, he thought with a wry smile as he heard her shouting his name.

Majenta.

His first gift to her was a majenta salwar- kameez. He remembered the small mirrors that adorned the salwar, precisely for which he had bought it for her. He remembered her shocked face when he gave her the dress. He had never seen her in that dress afterwards. Now that he come to think of it, he had never seen the dress later, she must have had took it with her. He smiled at the thought. His heart fluttered at the thought of her holding that dress close to herself. His mind wandered again. He opened the door to their room and looked up.

"You."