Choices & Clues😲
When they left home it was around 6 ish... the twilight winter evening, kids finishing up their cricket games... but refusing to leave the huge parks between two blocks of D IIs...😳
She wore a silver and navy skirt/ghaghra/a line skirt with a navy silk blouse... a fusion dress Akka ordered from a work friend, since she was so tall unless the skirt was long and flowing she didn't usually get it...
He took calls and wandered in and out of her room, he didn't ask about the wheel chair or where everyone was
"The wealthy dont care about such things?"😕
"Punjabis dont care?😕
She tried to come up with many answers... but none was just right, so she let it go, he watched her changed her mind on earrings like three times...
"Who said an Accountant had to be firm about personal design and fashion choices?" she told him off☺️
He shook his head lifted his shoulders in a "yep, make your choice" gesture... she spoke mostly ... he only nodded or or shrugged...😳
She was going to Sam's she wondered HOW he will explain this visit...😳 what seems like weighty and profound matters to the middle class are they trivial to the upper class? Will Sam miss me? If I stop going 6 months from now? Will someone else take my place?😭
Will she act like that spot was for A WOMAN... if its not II it will be someone else?😭
Why did he invite her? Does he not care what Sam thinks? Or does she know something already?
Her stomach churned at the possibility of slowly having more people know about "us"
What if its a "us" for ME alone?... and he doesnt really care?
It hurt her ... but she killed such ominous thoughts quickly... sometimes its easy to trick the mind.. II was doing a mighty good job of it...👏
It looked like he ate fine to her, he didnt complain😳... nor appear disgusted.😃.. she almost asked him if he wanted the Punjabi accompaniments to a meal, sirke waali pyaaz and achaar and such... but didnt want him to think SHE KNEW TOO MUCH about his culture☺️
A strange sense of calm and peace enveloped her, like this was going go OK😃😈
Lying not only to everyone but to HERSELF... and THIS was the right way to go... she let her heart rule over her mind
II hadnt done that much, ever during her growing up years, or later when dating Subbu...
This was either an extension of her rational personality and decision making skills OR a facade crafted by the newly discovered reckless trait...
Either way she was HAPPY...😃
She smiled during lunch @ after 5 PM...
"Are u thinking of how much u will charge me?" he asked with a crooked smile
"IYERS are very generous.. giving people" she gushed with self praise..
"Thanks...I will hold u to that" he said softly... his eyes roving over her crushed peace tee..
II ONNODA VAI SUPER GLUE POTTU SEAL PANNANUM... we must seal your mouth with super glue... coz EVERY TIME IT OPENS,. A SIZE 8 FOOT GOES IN THERE🤣
Rakshasan!!!!!!... the food tasted like chalk...from that point on...☺️
~~~
He didnt talk to her about work, he didnt mention it one since he entered and found her singing, sitting cross legged on the floor... she had no idea he was even there, like she didnt care to respond to external cues of any sort... then she got up and prayed with joined hands at the picture of St Tyagaraja.. and fell at the feet...
Her eyes lit up when she first saw him like she didnt expect him to be there..."she didnt kick him out" he smiled standing in her balcony checking messages... as she changed...
"Ennai mannipaya" he whispered a lil uneven...
Mihir called... "Kidhar hai yaar R&B?"
"Not at home" he said
"Matlab?"
"Close to Sam's, in fact should be there in 30 minutes"
"Main South Ex mein hoon, kitni der rahega Sam ke ghar? Mihir asked
Dont know... I am getting dinner with the French mec (dude)... u could join us... R&B said
"I will see u @ Sam's?" Mihir asked...
"Sure... in 30?
"Tu keh raha hai u are around there phir 30 mins kyon?"
His friend was as snoopy as his two sisters... "I have to get gas" he muttered😳
Mihir smiled, he knew
He wondered what Ranjan was up to, "adding to his list of dubious conquests at some hotel, THIS TIME undiscovered? Perhaps?"😡🤢
He set one foot up on the concrete paving and leaned his elbows... resting his chin on his palm... rotating the phone on the narrow ledge of a concrete rail
He looked down, the number of trees around the housing impressed him a lot... he HATED Delhi ... he never hated it before... things had changed around him in 3 years... he still hadnt gone on the Metro yet... his French copian (buddies) wanted to ride it... he wondered which route to take...
He wandered in... he heard drawers being open and shut... she wore a long silver and navy skirt, with tiny floral patterns... the hair that was ALL OVER HIS AND HER PILLOW hours ago was now tied in some strange messy knot, the locks behind her ear usually... was now, everywhere... it was held by a silver pin of some sort...
He leaned on the half shut door hands in his pockets, she didnt see him... she tried one pair... second... third...
And she told him off,😳 and continued to pretty herself...
He pulled the phone out of his pocket and Googled
What does Da in Tamil mean?"
Yahoo answers said "Its like the Hindi yaar"😉
His half smile came and went slowly...
~~~
She returned from Sam's at 8:45 ish... he dropped her by the walk way between two lawns belonging to ground floor D II flats... he didnt get out of the car nor open the door or walk with her upstairs... the light was on... but the curtains were drawn... Amma had taken Appa's car.. she turned to look, yep she was home...
(Author's note: Update of Sam's house soon😃)
He slid his window down to hear the steel door shut in her apartment and sped off, gassing it like he always did... an indentation on the leather head rest where her silver pin pressed into while she sat... the only reminder that she was even here... well... if u dont count the jasmine like scent she wore...
Appa, Periappa & the night nurse followed 10 minutes later...
She told Amma she went to a "friend's"
Amma didnt think anything of it... she looked REALLY happy...
But would scold her for NOT drying the clothes from the washing machine...
II would fumble for the first time...
The second and third would happen soon...
When Amma and Appa would gush at night about the davara tumbler in the sink and the extra lunch plate and subzi bowl and spoon and water glass... they would be thrilled she spent the day with Srikanth
Until... Srikanth would call Appa on Sunday asking HOW II is doing...😲
comment:
p_commentcount