Chapter 4 - the first flicker
When they stood looking at the stuff Maya turned to the man near her, “Ex minute... dhikana... oh **** thanks... umm Sexy, yahaan par koi khadak chai mil saki hai kya?”
“Yeah, give me ten minutes, winding up.” he called back, she nodded, soon they where walking towards a nearby tea stall. “Kya hua?”
“Muje laga ki yeah saab mummy ka research ka hissa hai... “ she added, tears finally flowing down her eyes. Her lips were trembling, as where her hands, “Baby doll, you need to tell her. Shipment needs to be secure!”
“Lekin...” he pressed her hand on hers, “You know how to do it, we planned it out... its possible.”
Nodding Maya sighed and picked up the phone, she waited for a few moments before she finally a voice came across, “Haan Dheepak beta bolo.”
Dheepak Krithag - is Maya’s friend and a liaison between excavators and researchers. Connecting inter-specialization groups for managing research projects related to history. A charmer, flirt and also a man who can mold himself to any type of group... or extreems.
Dheepak Krithag - is Maya’s friend and a liaison between excavators and researchers. Connecting inter-specialization groups for managing research projects related to history. A charmer, flirt and also a man who can mold himself to any type of group... or extreems.
“Nandhini ma, it’s Maya. Meri phone ka battery thoda kam hai.’ she added, “Maya, achanak call kya hua bache?”
Turning towards the man next to her she sighed and nodded, “Ma aaj kuch mili thi...”
“Nandhini ma, I am sure, yeah uski ka research ka related thi. Usne apni audio notes main mention karthi thi isko. I had seen it!” Maya said on the phone, “Unko bijwadho sab kuch, apni cargo ke zariye. I will make arrangements dhyaan se Maya. Aur haan Vishi, dhyaan rahe, agar Mrithyunjay Roy ko patha chala tho...”
“Don’t worry ma. I am sending an official email right now.” she added, turning around to the men, “Weight kithna hai in documents ka?”
“Close to 2.5 kgs ma’am protective bag ke saath three.” he nodded, “All right ma, its three she has twenty in hand. Instructions aap ke paas already hai right?”
“Yeah.” she replied, “I am going to make some chocolate cake, kya chahiye, white ya dark?”
“White sounds good. Been ages, I will be there by evening. Thanks ma...” she added, “Make sure your home for dinner, white chocolate aur strawberry jam cake bana rahi hoon. Upar se Ri aur Waz aarahe hai. Don’t allow me to be stuck with them.”
“Sure ma dont worry. Got to go, by ma, love you.” she replied... there was a hesitance but only for a moment...
“Love you too bache.” the lady replied, running her fingers across a photo in the frame, in front of her tears flowing down her eyes. It was a photo of them, the ones she began calling kids... there were two in the photo, a young girl, around seven, dressed in a peppermint green and white checked dress. In her hair was a white ribbon with pigtails and set with white ribbons. There was a young boy near her, in a similar shirt with the pepper mint green shorts. Finishing the look where white shoes and socks, her meditations though where tripped off by another phone call, “Nandhini Jaising.”
“Hello Mrs. Jaysingh, this is Leela, Mr. Rudhr Roy’s research assistant. May I have a few minutes of your time?” the voice was soft with a polite touch to it, “Aah Lella... this is your mobile number?”
“Yes ma’am!” came the reply, “All right, I am sorry can I have your surname?”
”SanRayan, ma’am... my surname.” came the reply as she quickly noted it down, “Umm ok got it, please go ahead.”
“Umm ma’am wanted to meet you is it possible? Especially since we have a meeting to go to, Mexico, tomorrow evening and it came up suddenly...”
“Breakfast meeting, eight A.M my residence. Don’t be late.” she snapped cutting the line with th ‘yes ma’am’ response. Then she walked up to the open kitchen and began looking around the ingredients, finally making a list before stepping out of the grand flat, calling someone at the same time, “Going to buy groceries, Dheerak, tume kuch chahiye?.... All right... oh haan, Maya ne call kiya... uski phone batery down hone lagi thi.... Aur Dheepak ke paas tera number kahaan hai?... Kaise hoga! Agar tum apne beti ki dosthon ko apni dosth banathe tho... anyway... she is fine... dinner ke liye aajayegi. Uski favorite deserts bana rahi hoon after all! Aab argue karna bandh karo aur bolo... finally! Love you too baby!”
The man on the other end sighed and cut the line then smiled at another woman in front of him, showing a finger movement saying ‘around’ to which she nodded and went out to walk back again! “Eshwar? Busy ho kya?”
“For you never. Kuch kaam tha?” he asked, “Soch rahi thi, kyun na hum dhonon ek movie ke liye jaayenge, phir shopping jaayenge phir hum dhonon dinner bhi bahar kar lenge. It was been ages aur Chrissmass is round the corner.”
“Honey, you know, good ones need pre-booking!” he replied, a touch of frustration in his voice, “Koi bhi movie chalega. Just something we can watch for time paas saath main? Pehele shopping phir moive bhi chalega... please?”
“All right, all right, book a show uski waqth depend karke baaki dhekthe hai.” he added, tossing her the phone, she looked around for a few moments then added a sudden, “Booked, lekin change of plans - pehele shopping. Phir hum dinner kar lenge, finally movie... jahaan par tum apni pair rest kar sakte ho. Happy?”
“More than. Thank you!” he called back as she began making tea, “Tulsi chai banadhun?”
“Sounds good.” he called back winking at her!
Next day morning a young man stood at one of the many shops in the airport picking up his own, "Tulasi tea sir, along with some masala biscuts."
“Thank you.” he took his own tea an began pushing a trolly with a large suitcase and another smaller bag on it. His clothes where, sober, simple and plain... a gray sweatshirt, a yellow t-shirt and a black jeans with sports shoes. He sat down and continued to speak on the hans free. Next to him, came a lady, dressed a mixed colours bright colors based overalls with a simple black straps and a deep blood red t shirt. “Excuse me, a cup of hot chocolate please.”
The security guard who had eyes on him through spoke softly, “Sir they have not made any switch of any kind. They are boarding sir. No exchange... this time either.”
The man sighed angrily, “Tho yeah flight bhi nahi tha... shayaadh kisi aur ka hoga... jaab thak aandhar nahi jaathe dhekthe nazar rakna...”
The man sighed, angrily, “Tho yeah bhi nahi tha... shayadh dusri hoga, nazar maath hatana. Oxford jaane sari flights par nazar rakthe rehena! Students, teachers, researchers kisi ko bhi math chodna. Chattered flights par bhi nazar rakna.”
“Yes sir!” he replied continuing to look around, “Ek din main vahaan pahonchne ke liye zaruur yeahi se jaayenge.”
A hand tapped his shoulder, “Excuse me sir, aap muje Mexico flight ka direction dhika sakte hai kya?”
“Sorry please ask the help desk.” he snapped not turning, when someone called out to the girl, “Aare Leela, tu vahaan kya kar rahi hai? Chal mere saath.”
Leela SanRayan - (Suryanshi) Code name - Cookie - under cover and under special situation someone who can blend but never change internally - a girl who is Rudhr’s research assistant, a brilliant worker and organized but from a very poor family background. The backbone of her family financially.
“Rudhru sir thank god, main tho phas gayi thi.” she siled at the man throwing his arms around him, “Drame baaz, Mexico ka iss tharaf hai... chal mere saath. Aur kithne baar boli tume, bhiya bula muje, meri choti behen ho... research assistant ke saath saath!”
“Sorry Rudhru bhiya...” she replied, “Aadhath nahi hai na aise bulane ki.”
Rudhra Roy - the elder son, a researcher, a man with a plan! He is by profession a researcher, who gives a lot of guest lectures in colleges. A person who combines the ‘business’ brains with research brains and is developing a publishing business with a twist! Smart, charming and a strong mind with his father’s back up... wants to take digital and paper publishing to the next level, because of a pain in his past.
“I know chutki, aur iss tharaf hai!” he wrapped his arms around her shoulder, leading her towards the right space, “Bag aacha laga?”
“Haan bahoth aacha. Thank you.” she added, pulling the large suitcase, pushing the back pack a little up her shoulder, as she pulled the suitcase along with her, “You deserve it sweetheart. Someone as smart and beautiful as you deserve this and a lot more. Main soch raha tha ke dad se baath karun. See if we can some real help for your situation!”
“Aap saach main mere liye apne dad se baath karenge sir? Agar aap karthe tho bahoth meherbaan hogi, book publishing aur teaching se jo paise kamayi thi... vo tho puri thara loans bharne main chali gayi... aab bhi biji ke gehenoon ko vapaas leena baaki hai.” seeing how happy he was he smiled, patting her cheek, "Jaantha hoon chutki, isi liye karne ki koshish kar raha hoon... tere chehere ka yeah smile na, mere liye anmol hai."
Edited by arya.arumugam - 4 years ago
comment:
p_commentcount