by Varsha Dixit
“You are eager to go with him!” Hans muttered in a sullen manner, portraying brotherly protectiveness as old as the Neanderthals.
Danika gave Hans a look as if to say, ‘Now don't you start!’
“So where are you guys going?” Anya asked.
And of course Kiran rushed to answer for it was probably the only thing Anya had spoken which had something to do with him. “The sandwich shop some distance from here.”
Danika watched the surprise on the faces of all the gathered.
“What are you in high school?" Anya's expression was horrified. Anya's dates always treated her to over the top restaurants and retail experiences.
The earlier confusion between Noah and Kiran, her own anxiety at meeting Noah, Anya and Simi’s reaction to Kiran, and to top all that Kiran's nervous tic - it all became too much for Danika. And in such situations Danika did the thing she usually did when things became complicated- she found humor. Self-depreciating humor!
It began with a startled laugh and then transformed into genuine mirth. Danika started laughing and waving at everyone as she walked away uncaring whether Kiran followed her not. He did.
Chapter 18
Noah watched Danika walk off with the tall and gangly man who touched himself more than the dog licked its balls. Probably Tourette's syndrome! The doctor in him made the clinical observation. He tried to focus on the beautiful woman in front of him but his ears were still full of the infectious sounds of another woman’s laughter.
In a situation so weird nearly every woman he knew would have either pouted, complained or sulked, Danika had laughed. Sweet infectious chuckles that had made even those who had no understanding of the undercurrents, smile, albeit grudgingly. With that laugh she reduced me to an insignificant speck in her universe. Noah struggled not to be impressed.
“Will you stop worrying? She is a grown up!” Simi's words caused Noah to glance at the couple. Dr. Hans was typing on his cell.
“I'm just letting Dani know that if it gets late she should not take the bus. I will drop her home.”
“How late can she get? The sandwich shop closes at ten!” Simi rolled her eyes. “We are getting late. They will give our reservation to someone else.” She began to walk towards a black car that was parked in front of the house.
“Dani lost her job and got into an accident on the same day!' Anya sighed and shared with Noah as they fell in pace behind Hans and Simi. “She has had a rough couple of weeks.”
Noah paused mid step. “Job and accident?”
Hans spoke up. “Yeah, Dani's douchebag boss hijacked her project, took the credit and fired her. If that wasn't enough, some jackass caused an accident that had caused Dani to rear end him.” Hans opened the car door for his wife. Noah did the same for Anya. “Till she finds a decent paying job she is working several gigs. Today after ages Dani goes on a date and the guy is taking her to a blasted sandwich shop.”
Noah sat inside the car, his face somber. He turned his head and looked out of the window. Fuck! Wish I had known all this before. I wouldn’t have teased her.
“Poor Dani!” Hans started the car. “She did not have much growing up. My family was middle class and patriarchal so I got the good education and everything else. She just got the leftovers. Dani-”
“Can we not start the evening talking about depressing things that happened in the past?” Simi interrupted. “Lets talk about something else please.”
Noah didn’t feel like talking much after that. By the end of the dinner Dr. Noah Collins earned two new titles from his immediate neighbors - 'best listener in this side of the town' and a 'man of extremely few words'.
Chapter 19
Next day late afternoon
Spice and Rice
“I will kill you Param!”' Danika entered the store. Her expression did not match her threatening words.
“What happened sister?" Param got off the stool behind the cash register. Today his sleeveless vest was neon orange in color.
Danika came around the counter. A couple of customers were ambling around the counter that served fresh lunch buffet.
Param lowered his voice. “So why are you going to kill me?”
“Kiran has a medical condition!” Danika mimicked the very same words Param had said to her.
Param bent over and began laughing.
Tapping her foot, Danika waited for him to finish.
“Oh that was funny!” Param straightened, wiping his eyes. “Thank you...now I owe you big time.”
Danika shook her head as she took her place behind the cash register. “Kiran should see a doctor its damn weird.”
Param shrugged his shoulders. “Kiran hasn’t stopped smiling since last night. His mom told my mom.”
“I don’t care how much he smiles. I’m not going on a second date with him.” Danika folded her hands and raised her eyes to the sky.
“Last night Kiran joined tinder, eHarmony, match.com and shaadi.com.”
“Thank goodness and ewww!” Danika muttered.
Param chuckled and was about to say something when a customer called out to him.
Grabbing a worn green cloth kept under the register, Danika started dusting the counter behind her seat, which housed some forgotten directories, a coin dish and an old-school rolodex. “Ssskk!” The duster in her hand hit the top of one of the directories and the converging dust flew off it and straight into Danika’s nostrils.
Just then the bell on the door rang. A customer was walking in. Danika pivoted to utter the customary 'welcome to spice and rice' greeting even as an oncoming sneeze tickled the back of her nose. She froze on seeing Noah standing a few feet from her. A powerful sneeze was building up behind her nose and the first thing she could grab to cover her nostrils was the dusty green cloth. The first sneeze rolled into another and another and her eyes watered.
'Achoo! Achoooo! Achoooi! Achinnk!
Noah hurried to the counter. “You are about to sneeze out your brains!” His tone was teasing even as he watched her concerned.
Glaring at him, Danika turned her back on him even though the avalanche of sneezes continued to shake her. Thank god for panty liners!
“That cloth against your face isn’t that the duster?”
Damn! Tossing aside the cloth, Danika pulled and tugged at her nose, sniffed and wiped her eyes. What the heck is he doing here? Please let him be gone now. Please!
Danika turned around. Her prayers had been ignored.
Noah stood there watching her. His slightly narrowed eyes and the tiny lines on his forehead could be mistaken for either concern or irritation. “Are you okay?”
“No one sneezes out their brains.” Danika shot back even as she rubbed her nose, which continued to tingle.
Noah did not challenge her.
Danika flipped the end of her ponytail off her shoulder and sat back on the stool. She grabbed a tissue from her purse and wiped her nose studiously ignoring the man in front of her. His dark gaze was fixed on her and under it she felt like a St' Bernard who had stayed out in sun for too long - hot and uncomfortable!
Noah quietly studied the woman behind the register, the one who seemed to be giving him the silent treatment with her clenched cheeks and pursed mouth and lowered eyes. She was pretty in a quiet sort of way. A smooth forehead, dark eyes fringed with long eyelashes, a short nose that was currently red at its tip, mouth fleshy and small. Her cheeks were round at the top and a tiny mole sat at the point where her left cheek merged with her upper lip. Danika was a quiet beauty not the kind that grabbed your attention in one glance but the kind that grew on you.
Even as he studied Danika’s face, Noah was trying to figure out a way to apologize. Since finding about out her troubles on the day of the accident and after, he had experienced plenty of guilt.
Danika looked up and showed him her most riveting feature: dark, shining, almond shaped eyes that probably never knew a word like 'dull' existed.
“You work here?” Noah blurted the fi
rst words that popped into his mouth.
“No, you are in my house. I live here.” Danika went back to staring at the register not before she rolled her eyes at him.
Noah tried smiling but Danika did not spare him a glance. “I'm here to shop.” He waved a green lattice basket.
“Enjoy!” Danika kept her focus on the receipts she was organizing with much frenzy.
The bell at the door rang again. “Hi Danika!” Called out the neighborhood busybody, Mrs. Garth, as she entered the store.
Realizing his apology to Danika would have to wait a little longer, Noah moved to the nearest aisle.
Thank you for taking the hint, finally. “Hi, Mrs. Garth. Out of tea again?” Danika greeted the sixty seven year old retired elementary school teacher. Mrs. Garth in her flower housecoats, puffed silver hair and bright lipsticks was a familiar sight in the area as she often walked her three brown poodles. Mrs. Garth had a fetish for Indian black tea.
“Yes dear!” Mrs. Garth parked herself near the counter. “So Danika, heard your brother has a new neighbor, a doctor I heard. Quite handsome. I saw him today morning as he was putting out some boxes.”
Danika grunted. What is it with this handsome tag?
“You should say hi to him, he’s right there?” Danika pointed to where Noah was standing.
“Aha! I will. Thanks Danika.” Mrs. Garth turned around walking over to Noah.
Danika turned her back on the two and acted as if she was straightening something on the shelves.
Noah was all charm as he chatted up the older lady and nodded appropriately even as his eyes kept darting to the woman who was arranging and re-arranging shelves with gusto. He noticed her moving essentially the same objects repeatedly. He smiled down at Mrs. Garth but he was thinking of Danika. All her attention is here. He felt the devil spur him. “Danika and I know each other from before.” He saw Danika’s hands still and her shoulders stiffen.
“Danika, do you know Dr. Collins from before?” Mrs. Garth was always game for more information.
Danika tossed a look over her shoulder. “Barely. I just bumped into him yesterday.” She wanted to bite her tongue. Why do I keep saying bump, again and again?
Noah's eyes glinted. “Well, ya she did!” He goaded quietly.
Danika gritted her teeth and faced him. Her eyes were stormy. “Obviously did not bump hard enough. You are still walking.” She colored on noticing the manner in which Mrs. Garth was watching them – with more than a healthy dose of curiosity.
Noah grinned.
Danika crossed her arms and pressed her lips as she addressed Noah. “You got what you wanted?”
Noah’s smile just widened. “Not really. I have this recipe, I want-“
"PARAM!” Danika yelled out.
Chapter 20
“Oh my!” Mrs. Garth murmured putting a hand on her chest.
“Yes sister!” Param came running, his expression puzzled. “Where’s the fire?”
“This customer needs help!” Danika pointed at Noah. “Help him.”
“Hey Mrs. Garth how are you doing!” Param greeted the older lady.
“Now please!” Danika ordered.
“Okay! Okay!”' Param reacted going toward Noah. “How can I help you Sir?”
"Thank you for the help!” Noah made it a point to address Danika, his brow raised.
Danika ignored Noah and started chatting up Mrs. Garth who only waited until Noah disappeared to lean over and ask. “Is there something going on between you two? It’s about time Danika. You are such a nice girl.”
“Good Lord! No, Mrs. Garth.” Danika grimaced. “He has met Anya.”
“Oh!” Mrs. Garth nodded, her expression pondering. “You know my ex-student's father got recently divorced-“
“Mrs. Garth, please!” Danika protested mildly. “What do you think will be Diane Keystone's reaction to Doctor?”
Mrs. Garth chuckled. “Diane will go nuts over this one.” Diane Keystone lived at the end of the street and spent most of her time in gym or at the cosmetologist. All in preparation of the next man to put an expensive ring on her perfectly manicured finger. She had recently divorced her fourth husband and was yet to hit her thirty-second birthday, or so she claimed. “Do you know if he is single?”
“I think he’s widowed. I heard it from Anya.” Danika was quite curious to find out how Noah's wife died. She had her theories.
“I better get my tea quickly and spread the word about the how handsome and maybe single the new resident of our neighborhood is.” Mrs. Garth winked at Danika and went into the aisle where the tea was stocked.
Danika sighed and retrieved her cell waiting for the next customer. She shied away from gazing at the black and white monitor showing live CCTV camera footage of the store. One camera seemed to follow Noah and Param exclusively.
Few minutes later, Danika noticed Noah coming toward the register, his basket loaded.
Danika scrambled and grabbed a basket with a broken handle, stuffed random things from around her and placed it on the counter in front of her, just as the Noah appeared from the aisle.
Noah was about to put his basket on the counter when Danika stopped him, “There is someone ahead of you. She is just coming. You will have to wait.”
“Sure!” Noah obliged and stepped to the side. He smiled at Danika but his smile went unreciprocated.
Danika went back to updating the excel sheet of things that the store needed to re-stock.
Noah retrieved his cell from his pocket and busied himself. Noah and Danika both stood next to each other not saying a word yet acutely aware of each other.
“I'm done!” Mrs. Garth said, waving a red and green tea packet in her hand.
“There's a line.” Noah informed her.
“She has only one item. I can ring you up.” Danika said. Waving quick goodbyes, Mrs. Garth exited the store.
Danika was quick to lower her face and resume her work on the excel sheet.
“So how is your day going?” Noah attempted some casual conversation.
“It was going good!” Danika remarked not looking up. She was thoroughly enjoying making Noah wait.
“This is a nice neighborhood.” Noah tried again.
“Was.” Danika hit the keys harder.
“Your family is nice.” Noah baited her.
“Wa-” Danika looked up. She refused to soften to the humor visible in his gaze.
Just then another customer came to the counter her basket had a few things.
“There is a line-“
Danika cut Noah off. “Her basket is practically empty. No worries.” She checked out the woman's items with quick efficiency.
“Are you sure you didn't imagine this customer?” Noah said as Danika put the broken basket back on the counter in front of his face.
“So now I’m crazy?” Danika shot back. “Straitjacket delusional perhaps?” She purposely used a word Noah had used for her earlier.
Noah had not forgotten that he was here to make amends. He backed off raising his hand appealingly. “No. Absolutely not! I will wait.”
Danika kept ringing every other person who came up to the register on some pretext or other. Noah made a point to chat with all of them, especially the women, the pretty ones. He even handed some of his cards out.
Loverboy! Danika gritted her teeth watching Noah work the customers. “Fine! I can ring you up now.”
“Me? Are you sure?” Noah asked her straight-faced. “Just half an hour wait time? I was ready to wait five.”
“I wasn’t!” Danika grumbled shoving the basket aside. She roughly took out the items from his basket and started lining them on the counter.
“So can you tell me the price of each item as you ring it?” Noah asked in a mood to provoke.
“Really?” Danika gave him a hard smile.
“Yes please!” Noah nodded. He was enjoying needling Danika. Who knew grocery shopping could be so much fun?
“I’m not going to call the price
out. You can read it on your side of the register.”
“I think you have a lovely voice.” Noah persisted. He was sure Danika had muttered a cuss word under her breath.
“Can’t say the same for you.” Danika shot back ringing Noah’s items. Danika saw the woman behind Noah study his backside like she was writing a paper on it.
Noah glanced over his shoulder and saw the woman. His smile was friendly. Too friendly! Danika wanted to dent the side of Noah’s head with the can of garbanzo beans in her hand. An idea struck her. The mischievous kind! “Would you like to subscribe to the monthly newsletter?' Danika gave Noah her finest smile.
Noah blinked. Danika’s eyes gleamed and the sweet curve of her mouth warmed him. Her smile was stunning.
“Do you want to subscribe?” Danika repeated completely oblivious to the effect of her curving lips. “All I need is your cell number and email.”
“Sure!” Noah cleared his throat and nodded. He gave her his personal information.
Noah did not see what Danika had written down. His cell number! Just his cell number. “Thanks. $56.00 is your total. Debit or credit?” She kept the smile.
As Danika processed the transaction, Noah tried not to stare but Danika’s smile was just too beguiling to look away. It made her eyes sparkle, plumped up her cheeks, showed her fleshy lower lip and neatly aligned perfect teeth.
“Have a nice day!” Danika handed Noah the bags with quick efficiency and waved the customer behind him. “Next!”
“Okay then!” Noah felt hustled as he walked out with his bags. He did not get far.
“Howdy new neighbor!”
“Hi!” Noah greeted the woman with the stylish braided blond hair, makeup that brought out the best of her blue eyes, petite nose and wide coral colored lips. She wore a tight sleeveless tee and calf length tights, an outfit that showed a voluptuous body.
“Diane Keystone, I live at the end of the street, just a few houses down from you.”
“Noah Collins.” Noah nodded his head, returning Diane's frank gaze with one of his own. “Nice to meet you. I would shake but my hands are kind of full.” He raised them to show the grocery bags he was holding. “Sorry!”