Lost in Paris
Just when she got all ready wearing her favorite palazzo pants with a psychedelic wavy pattern and a noodle strap cami like tee
and her new dark pink Old Navy jacket,
one of her Grad School friends sent a box of stuff for her wedding, basic clothing,
she didnt have access to in India, ermmm she did but was too expensive at the Malls.
He took A CALL... she walked in and out of the study 4 times, there was no effect on him whatsoever, he acted like she didnt exist
She tried to distract him by getting on the table sliding pushing things off, he held her down, held her in his arms while she nuzzled and dozed
Even here he didnt sit in the study desk chair, only on the couch on the side...
She lay on his chest and took a nap for an hour curled up
When she woke, he was still on it, she made chai, heated a slice of pizza, offered him chai... he drank and talked he refused pizza
She brought things from the frig that looked like meat or meat by products with French labels and gesticulated... after the 4th item, he just shut his eyes
She went to the bedroom, brought his ipad out tuned to the online shruti box and sang for an hour, she only had one of her songs notebooks she usually liked to mix it up
She sang over an hour in fact Deekshithar, Annamacharya, and Tyagaraja, she shut the door, sat on the rug cross legged facing the balcony and lost herself in her favorite world
After 20 or so minutes he wandered out and found her singing, her long braid softly bent on the carpet like a black silk brush, simple unpretentious
When she tapped on her knee for the beat, her bangles clicked... her eyes were closed, he listened first spellbound, and then recorded strating the next composition
He was able to record four, she had a bottle of half empty water... she sipped in between cleared her throat and sang like it was a prayer...
Amma had told him Carnatic music was "the fastest way to achieve salvation" according to Iyers "u are the closest to God when u sing" she had said in one of his few conversations with Mrs Iyer
There was no doubting II's sincerity or dedication, she had the best voice he had ever heard, she sang fearlessly.
Her Appa had emailed him this morning, responding to his "Contact information" while in Paris email
"Dear R&B,
Thank you very much for the contact information... We will not be disturbing you
I hope you and Ishita are doing well. She doesnt wear appropriate warm clothes when the weather cools down in Delhi.
Please make sure she is wearing warm clothing. Also her Amma wants you two not to eat out much and she wants to
let you know she cooks very good Punjabi food so you must ask her to cook. Also you must ask her to practice singing everyday if she can
Please be safe when you are out at night. Please tell her Shravu misses her. If his Chithi can call him it will be nice.
He is asking if "Uncle R" will call him.
I hope you are getting enough rest, your sister told me you stay awake to read. Sleep is important for good health
(he smiled a half smile at that concern wrapped in "indifference")
Blessings
... Mr & Mrs Iyer
R&B imagined Appa of writing "Appa & Amma" first striking it out "Ishita's parents" next striking it out and then choosing "Mr & Mrs Iyer"
After she was done, she leaned on the bed to sretch her back and shut her eyes.. stretching her legs, flexing her toes, felt her lower belly and winced
She sensed his presence and turned, and then turned back to look at the balcony
He walked in slowly and sat down on the rug
He played her songs... she reached and shut it off...
"Did u know your braid lays folded atleast 6 inches on the floor?" he asked
She didnt respond
It was 6 ish or later... she put his ipad on his lap... he held her bangled wrist
"The river cruise is until 10, the last one I think" she stiffened
"I have a job too II" he muttered
"Pannikko" "Naa tirumbi poren Delhi" (Karo, main jaati hoon Dilli)
"We cant find tickets for tonite, maybe tomorrow" he said softly
She started kicking immediately... swearing... he lay on her to still her
"Not an inch from here" he warned huskily
She snaked her arms around his shoulders and wrapped it tight around his neck
"Jhootey!!" she said softly "Mujhe to 10 minute bhi miss nahi karogey"
They lay hugging each other for half hour, she felt his shave foam scented hair inhaled... rubbed his cheek and
jaw as he nuzzled and rested in a comfy spot the setting sun shining on them from the balcony window.
He loaded his email and showed her Appa's email... she immediately cheered up, smiling...
"Cho chweet ethana kavalai" ( How worried is he) she gushed
"Paathukko da, SHRAVU MISSES ME" she gloated
"Read the whole thing" he muttered
"Appa just added that" she giggled
She jostled and pushed...
She sat staring at the email for minutes... and then looked out the window
"How many days before we go back?" she asked somberly
And counted on her fingers
"appaada.. only 13 days" she said smiling
"Do u want to do a bus tour tomorrow?" he asked cutting off her train of thought brutally
"Does that mean what I think it means"
"Yes Paris has buses" he said
"I take a tour, you go to work, we see each other at night... maybe... 4th day of honeymoon" she stood up
"I was honest with you" he said softly
"U did so its my fault if I suddenly become cloying and clingy, I am sorry" she said calmly
She suddenly sounded unemotional and brusque to him
He sat up
She went to the bathroom, he heard her pop a pill...
"What did u take?" he asked
"Umm just a painkiller" she said softly
He grabbed a bottle of water and they set off for the river cruise, they got the hop on hop off pass, he ordered the most expensive wine...
She maxed out her pictures, and smiled a little when a little girl handed him a soaked sucker/candy
He accepted it with a warm smile and pretended to take it to his mouth
She scolded him in French in demanded it back
He handed it back
II took pictures of the interaction
The mother apologized and took her child away not before asking who II was "femme" he said
She said something with a smile and walked away
II sipped her wine slowly, he was sitting across, he sat by her as Notre Dame passed by... "It would take me months to get a "good look" of this city, two weeks is just not enough"
"U were missing your Appa hours ago" he wanted to say, he was frustrated by that unexpected intrusion
They ate at a sidewalk cafe... he instructed them to make tomato soup with no chicken stock and a grilled cheese sandiwch... he ate stuff off the menu without a second glance
They walked hand in hand half way home "Do u want to take the Metro?" he asked softly
"Nahi" she said
"I dont want to do the bus tour" she muttered
"I can try and be home early" he said
"Define early" she said
"6" he said
"bilkul nahi" she said
"5:30" he said
"3" she said
He began kissing her as he unlocked the door... and carried her to bed
Stripping her clothes off slowly
They teased each other slowly and lay panting unfulfilled
And reluctantly deployed other means of obtaining and granting pleasure...she slept on him until 6 AM when he gently lay her down by his side
Got off and showered shaved, changed into biz attire... a carbon blue suit with a burnt orange silk tie, left home at 7
Left one of his Paris cell phones by the bathroom sink, placed her pain killer strip on it
She woke at 1 ish... fixed herself breakfast... went on the web, Skyped with Akka, talked to Amma on her phone...
Around 4:00 ish when he didnt return she decided to go to Champ Elysses... with a smug smile, carried her purse
The phone in the bathroom rang once ...
She followed directions to Miromesnil and thinking she was taking the Eastward she went all the
way to the end of the line M 9 when she realized she was in the wrong direction she got off at Chatelet
It was 5:27 and the bathroom phone rang again...
Since it looked like a "terminus" or hub, she decided to take Line 1, since she saw it intersect at Champ Elysses...
got the direction mixed up again ended up at Line 1 terminus at
Chateau de Vincennes
When walked out of the subway station to the ground level... it was completely dark... she didnt even know what time it was
her phone had 20% charge when she left home and it was now completely dead
II was lost in Paris😭 😭 😲
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