Opposite Poles..Part 64

Part 64

“ASR!” Lavanya called out brightly.  He smiled faintly.

“Did you see Khushi?” he asked looking around.  Lavanya shook her head with twinkling eyes.  He turned to leave.

“ASR!” she wrapped her arm.  He stopped.  People were slowly making their exit.  He lingered behind in search of Khushi.  Many had left for excursion arranged by the organizers.  Lavanya was happily giggling with the acquaintances.  His eyes moved all over the place.  

“Damn it! Lavanya, where is she?” he asked her furiously.  She looked shocked.

“How do I know, ASR?” she retorted.  She was little upset.  He stared at her blankly.  She looked at his worried face…

“Ok! Wait! I will ask someone!” she said in a consoling voice.

“Forget it! I will do that!” he spat back, taking out his phone and dialing Khushi’s number.  Her mobile was switched off.

“Damn it! Even after recharging last night…!” he was furious.  He looked at Lavanya.  The announcement was made that the last bus for excursion would leave in five minutes.  The conference venue looked deserted with very few people around, who were talking to each other only business.  Lavanya looked happy and contented holding ASR’s hand and leaning on his shoulder.  He kept glancing at her but his eyes searched for Khushi.  No trace of her made him blow his head off in rage.

Lavanya came out with him and moved towards the car. 

“ASR! Don’t worry! She is enjoying..!” said Lavanya smiling shyly.  He gaped at her. 

“What the hell, Lavanya!” he spat anger.  She gave him a light hug and whispered in his ears..

“She went with the excursion group for site seeing…!” to his shock.

“Oh! ASR, I am so happy! Finally we got some time together alone with each other…!” he gaped at her bright face.  

**********    *********   *********

Khushi fell short of two eyes. 

 “Devi Mayya, can you not give me some ten pairs of eyes, like Ravan, just for this site seeing?  I will take in the beauty from all the angles… !” she looked up grumpily.  She was so excited to see the snow capped Himalayan peaks.  The tall trees of chinar, oak, walnut looked as if they were competing with the height of the mountains..! Khushi  was gaping everywhere unblinkingly.  

“Governer’s House!” someone pointed at the huge monumental structure and Khushi winced remembering her Laad Governer.  “Was it necessary to spell out the name? “ she frowned with a knot in her heart.  

“WOH DONO KYA KAR RAHE HONGE? What all  they must be doing?” she thought.  Smile on her face wiped off for a moment.  She tried to push away the thought but his face kept flashing.  She frowned as if it was his mistake that his memories flashed in her mind.  

“Naina Devi Temple…!” she forgot everything and ran up the stairs to pray the goddess. 

“YEH   KITANA   SUNDAR   HAIN!!  Sacred and Blessed.  She touched down her head sitting on the floor and prayed for everyone.

“Hey Devi Mayya, I am fortunate to be here at your feet.  Please bless me, protect me! And protect my Amma Babuji…. And Buwaji… and Jiji… Ok! Protect everyone!  Even that Laad Governer..!” she frowned again.  She closed her eyes again..

“Hey Devi Mayya…Raksha Karana!” she mumbled  Devi prayer and stood up, ready for the next sopt.  

“Oh! Hello Ms Gupta! Nice to meet you again..!” someone came grinning sycophantly.  She shuddered and looked at Ramanand.  She smiled looking around for some known faces and she found one.  A lady with a five-six year boy was coming out of the temple with Prashad and Aarati Thal.  She hurriedly went and said.. “Come I will hell[ you!” she held the hand of the boy and took the Aarati Thal.  The lady smiled approvingly.  Khushi returned the smile.

“Daddy…!” the boy screamed and ran forward to hold Mr. Ramanand’s hand.  Khushi grinned.

“Arree Uncle ji, KITANA PYARAA BACCHA HAIN, AAP KAA!  Your son is so cute!!” She nailed him.  He smiled sheepishly and went ahead with the lad. 

***********   *********   **********

“ASR! Say something…! I have been talking all the time!” Lavanya poked him sulkily.  He looked at her. 

“I am listening!” he said looking lost in his own thoughts.  It was just five thirty in the evening.  The excursion team had left at one thirty.   Lavanya had plans for a romantic lunch at lake view point.  

“You know, I have seen Nainital so many times.. I don’t have any interest in site seeing.  That Chamakili was so excited…! I mean… it sounds so stupid… to go that Naina Devi Mandir and all!” she said resting her head on his shoulder.  He looked down at her without any expression.  

“Hey Devi Mayya… Raksha Karana..!” he heard muttering and startled. 

“Don’t over do it, Lavanya, when you can’t handle it!” He looked at her glass.  She looked at him sheepishly. 

“ASR! I don’t know what to say… but sometimes I keep thinking about our future..!” she said dreamily.  He stared unfocused.

“I mean… its so weird…. I just can’t cope up with all those people… Nani, Mami and all.  But sometimes I feel… I should learn their way…I “ She went on. 

“ASR, are you listening?” she spoke little loudly.  He dialed the number.  It was not picked up.  He clenched his fists in rage.  “How dare she!” he muttered.  

“What?” Lavanya asked looking suspicious.  “Nothing!” he dismissed her doubt.

She went on talking about her future plans holding the glass of wine.  He glanced at her.

“Lavanya, stop! Order lunch and we are leaving..!” he had cut her short.  She frowned.  

“Did you even hear, what I was talking?” she asked feeling hurt.  “Yeah!” his monosyllable answers were back.  She understood.  They had their lunch quietly.   When they came back he brought out his laptop and pulled the cane chair in the verandah! 

“ASR!” Lavanya was thoroughly hurt.  “Let me finish my work, Lavanya!” he said calmly and engrossed himself in the work.  Lavanya sat next to him whiling away time plugging the earphones and listening to music.  As the time passed he grew restless, clenching his fists.  He lost his focus.  

“Lavanya, call her!” he ordered.  Lavanya couldn’t hear him.  He pulled the earphone and spat

“Call her!”  She looked at him and took out her phone. 

“Call is not getting through!” she looked helpless.  He dialed with his phone.  Same!  He got up restlessly. 

“This girl will drive me crazy, one day!” he muttered dialing a number!

“Raizada here… I want the list of people on the excursion…!” he ordered over the phone to one of the organizers.  He listened to the members names… 

“I knew it!” he banged his fist on the wall in rage listening to Ramanand and  Waldemar Abendroth among the others..!  He was pacing restlessly.   With every minute passing, his rage saw no boundaries.

“ASR!” Lavanya tried to pacify him changing the subject.  She held his hand and brought him down to sit on the cane chair next to her.  His eyes spat anger.   The long shadows were hinting at sunset.  

*********   ***********   ********

Khushi  stared unblinkingly at the sunset standing on the sunset point.  The sun set and the darkness started engulfing the peaks, the mountain, the valleys were already in dark! Slowly the world around her went into darkness and she shivered.  She wanted to go back.  She was uneasy…!   

With the nightfall she became sentimental… “Do you even know.. how worried I was…?” someone whispered in her ears and she turned with wet eyes.

She desperately wanted to go back…!  She suddenly fell silent on her return journey to the cottage. 

She saw the bright lights illuminating the cottage and her spirits lifted up.  She started gathering her shopping bags…! She was back…!

**********   **********   **********

“ASR! Please… !” Lavanya was morose.  He  felt sorry for her for a moment and wrapped his arm around her.  

“I am alright, Lavanya!” he said in a soft tone making her sit beside him.  She rested her head on his shoulder putting her arms around his tummy.  He smiled faintly and gazed into the darkness.  

“Lavanya go to your room…!” he said in a deadly voice, hearing the brakes of the excursion busses.  He saw her figure at the entrance and as she approached, he got up clenching his fists…!

“Go to your room, Lavanya!” he ordered straightening himself up in a stiff posture…!  Lavanya gaped at him with fright but didn’t move.  Khushi saw Lavanya in Verandah and grinned.

“Lavanya ji….!” She called out laden with her shopping bags.  She had a cane shallow basket in one hand with two earthen potted plants in it!… a huge plastic bag and numerous smaller bags all over her hands and shoulders.  She climbed the stairs excitedly speaking animatedly…!