by Collen Houck
India.
I zipped open one cellophane bag in the closet and was amazed to find a silky violet-blue Indian-style dress. It was detailed with tiny silver teardrop pearls all over the skirt and bodice. I felt a strong desire to try on the beautiful costume and rushed to the bathroom with it.
Pulling the skirt over my head, it slid down my arms smoothly and settled at my waist, fitting snugly at the
top of my hips. From there, it fell to the floor in swirling, heavy folds, heavy because of the hundreds of pearls clustered at the bottom hem. The bodice was cap sleeved and copiously beaded with pearls. It fit tightly and ended just above my belly button, which gave me two inches of waistline exposure all around.
Normally, I would never wear midriff-exposing clothing; I thought it showed poor taste, but this dress was stunning. I twirled around in front of the mirror feeling like a princess.
Because of the dress and its influence on my mood, I decided I would make the effort to apply makeup today and work on my hair. I retrieved my seldom-used compact and brushed on blush, some darker than usual eye shadow, and blue liner. I finished it off with some mascara and a pink tinted lip gloss.
Then, I pulled out my braids from the night before and finger combed through the locks of hair, arranging
them in soft curls down my back.
A sheer violet-blue scarf came with it, and I draped it around my shoulders, not really knowing how to arrange it. I hadn’t planned to wear the dress during the day, but once I had it on I wanted to keep wearing it.
Because none of my shoes would have matched, I just went barefoot and sashayed down the stairs heading to breakfast. Mr. Kadam was humming while reading an Indian newspaper, and just like a man, he didn’t even bother to look up.
“Good morning, Miss Kelsey. There’s breakfast for you on the kitchen island.”
I flounced over, trying to get his attention, picked up my plate and a glass of, I think, papaya juice, then conspicuously arranged my dress and sighed dramatically as I sat down across from him.
“Good morning, Mr. Kadam.”
He peeked at me from around the side of the newspaper, smiled, and then set the paper down.
“Miss Kelsey! You look charming!”
“Thank you.” I blushed. “Did you pick it out? It’s lovely!”
He smiled at me with twinkling eyes. “Yes, Dhiren wanted you to have some more clothing, and I purchased it while in Mumbai. He asked me to acquire somethingspecial as well. His only instructions were beautiful and blue. I wish I could take all the credit for the selection, but I had a bit of help. Nilima helped me.”
“Nilima? The flight attendant? Is she your…I mean, are you…?” I stuttered, embarrassed.
He laughed at me. “Nilima and I do have a close relationship as you have guessed, but not the kind you’re thinking of. Nilima is my great-great-great-great-granddaughter.”
My jaw hit the floor in shock. “Your what?”
“She’s my granddaughter with several greats added.”
“Ren told me that you were a bit older than he was, but he didn’t mention that you had a family.”
He folded his newspaper and sipped some juice. “I was married once, a long time ago, and we had a few children. Then they had children and so on. Of all my descendants, only Nilima now knows the secret. For most of them, I am a distant, wealthy uncle who is always away on business.”
“What about your wife?”
He lost his smile and became thoughtful. “It was very difficult for us. I loved her with all my heart. She began to get older, and I did not. The amulet affected me profoundly in ways I didn’t expect. She knew about my past and claimed it didn’t bother her.” He rubbed something under his shirt, which I assumed was the amulet. Seeing my interest, he pulled it out and looked at it for a moment. It was attached to a thin silver chain and was made of some kind of green stone. He seemed to have the curved top piece portion, and he showed me the outline where you could just make out a tiger’s head. There was writing or glyphs along the outside circle, but he said that he could only read part of one word.
With melancholy, he rubbed the amulet between his fingers. “My dear wife became old and very sick.
She was dying. I took this amulet from around my neck and begged her to wear it. She refused, wrapped my fingers around it, and made me swear to never remove it again until my duty was fulfilled.”
A small tear slipped out of the corner of my eye.
“Couldn’t you have forced her to wear it and maybe take turns?”
He shook his head sadly. “No. She wanted to follow the natural course of life. Our children were married and happy, and she felt it was time for her to move on to the next life. She was comforted knowing I would be around to care for our family.”
He smiled sorrowfully. “I stayed with her until she died…and with many of my children and grandchildren after that. But, as the years passed, it became harder for me to bear seeing them suffer and die. Also, the more people who knew Dhiren’s secret, the more danger he would be in, so I left them. I return to visit from time to time to check up on my descendants, but it’s…difficultfor me.”
“Did you ever marry again?”
“No. I seek out one of my great-grandchildren to work for me every once in a while, and they’re wonderful to me. Also, Dhiren was a good companion for me until his capture, but I have not sought out someone to love since then. I don’t think my heart could take saying goodbye again.”
“Oh, Mr. Kadam, I’m so sorry. Ren was right that you have sacrificed many things for him.”
He smiled at me. “Don’t feel sad for me, Miss Kelsey. It’s a time for celebration.You have come into our lives. And you being here makes me very happy.” He captured one of my hands in his, patted it, and winked at me.
I didn’t really know what to say in response, so I just smiled back at him. He let go of my hand, stood up, and began to wash the plates. I got up to help as Ren padded lazily into the room yawning widely as only a tiger could. I turned around and patted his furry head, only a little awkwardly.
“Good morning, Ren!” I said brightly, and then spun around to show off my outfit.
“Thank you so much for the dress! It’s quite beautiful, isn’t it? Nilima did a great job picking it out.”
Ren, abruptly sat down on the floor, watched me twirl in my dress for a moment, then got up and left.
“What’s up with Ren today?”
Mr. Kadam turned while drying his hands on a towel. “Hmm?”
“Ren just took off.”
“Who knows with tigers? Perhaps he is hungry. Excuse me for a moment, Miss Kelsey.” He smiled at me and left.
Later, we both settled down in the lovely peacock room, which housed Mr. Kadam’s amazing book collection. The books were stacked carefully on polished mahogany shelves all around the room. I picked out a book on India that was full of old maps.
“Mr. Kadam, can you show me where the Kanheri Caves are?”
He opened the book and pointed to a map of Mumbai. “In the northern part of the city is the Borivali National Park, which now is called the Gandhi National Park. Inside this large park, ancient basaltic rock
caves have been discovered with ancient writing chiseled on the walls. I have been to the Cave of Kanheri to visit, but have never found an underground passage. Archeologists have been studying the caves for years, but still no one has yet found anything such as a prophecy written by Durga.”
“What about the seal that Phet spoke of?”
“The seal has been in my care all of these years. I keep it safe with many of Dhiren’s other heirlooms in a
bank vault. In fact, I must leave now to retrieve it. I will bring it to you tonight. It might be a good idea for
you to call your foster parents today and let them know you’re alright. You can tell them you are staying on in India through the summer as my apprentice in the business, if you like.”
I nodded. I really did need to call them.
“I must also gather a few things from town that you will need to take with you on your journey to the cave. Please make yourself at home and rest. There is a luncheon and a dinner already prepared for you in the refrigerator. If you go for a swim, please wear sunscreen. It’s kept in a cabinet near the pool, next to the towels.”
He got up, and soon after, I heard a car start in the garage. I went to the window to watch him drive off.
I found my cell phone left on the dresser in my room.Nice of him to give it back after the jungle incident. I
sat down in a velvety golden easy chair, called my foster parents, and had nice long chat about the traffic,
the food, and the people of India. When they asked about the tiger reserve, I evaded the question by saying that Ren waswell taken care of . Mr. Kadam was right…the easiest way to explain my staying in India was that I was offered a position working as an intern for Mr. Kadam through the end of summer.
After I hung up with them, I located the laundry area and washed my clothes and my precious blanket.
Then, having nothing else to do, I explored every part of the house. The entire basement was a fully appointed gym, but not with modern exercise equipment. The floor was covered with a black cushioned mat. It was a daylight basement, so half of the room was built underground in the hillside and the rest was
open to the sunlight with large floor-to-ceiling windows. A sliding glass door opened to a large deck that led out to the jungle. The back wall was paneled and smooth.
There was a button pad by the door. Out of curiosity, I pushed the top button. A section of paneling flipped out to reveal an assortment of ancient weapons such as axes, spears, and knives of various lengths hanging in specially made compartments. I pushed the button again and it flipped shut. I pushed the second button, and it flipped another section of wall that contained swords. I moved closer to inspect them. There were many different styles ranging from thin rapiers to heavy broadswords and one that was specially encased in glass. It looked like a samurai sword that I’d seen once in a movie.
Wandering back up to the first floor, I found a high-tech home theater with a state-of-the-art media system and reclining leather seats. Right behind the kitchen was a formal banquet-style dining room with
marble floors, crown molding, and a glittering chandelier. Off to the side of the peacock library, I discovered a music room with a shiny black grand piano and a large sound system with hundreds of compact discs. Most of them looked Indian, but I also found several American singers, including Elvis Presley. A very old, odd-shaped guitar was hung on the wall, and there was a curved black leather couch set in the middle of the room.
Mr. Kadam’s bedroom was also on the main floor, and his room looked a lot like the peacock room, full of polished wooden furniture and books. He also had a couple of nice paintings and a sunny reading area. At the top of the stairs on the third floor, I found an inviting loft. It had a small set of bookshelves, two comfy reading chairs, and overlooked the sweeping stairway.
I also found another large bedroom, a bath, and a room for storage. On my floor, I found three more bedrooms, not including mine. One was decorated in rose colors for a girl, which I thought might be for Nilima when she came to visit. The second appeared to be a guest room, but the colors were more masculine. Most of the rooms had private baths.
Stepping into the last room, I saw glass doors that led out to my same veranda. The decoration of this room was plain in comparison to the others. The furniture was dark polished mahogany, but there were no details or knickknacks. The walls were plain and the drawers empty. The thought crossed my mind that this might be where Ren slept. Spotting a desk set in the corner, I approached it and saw thick, cream-colored paper and an ink well with an old-fashioned pen. The top sheet had a note in written in beautiful calligraphy:
Kelsey Durgaa vallabh
Bhumi-ke-niche gupha
Rajakiya Mujulaain Mohar
Sandesha Durgaa
A green hair ribbon lay next to the ink bottle.Huh…I wonder if that’s one of mine. I peeked in the closet
and found nothing—no clothes, no boxes, no possessions. If thiswas Ren’s room, Mr. Kadam must care for everything of value. I went back downstairs and spent the rest of the afternoon studying Indian culture, religion, and mythology. I waited until my stomach growled to eat dinner because I was lonely with Mr. Kadam being gone all day and I hoped for some company. There’d been no sign of Ren either, not that he talked back to me, but at least I wouldn’t feel alone.
After eating, I decided it was time to change into my sensible clothes or maybe go for a swim before bed. I went upstairs and opened my door to see Ren standing on the veranda again, looking at the sunset. I approached him shyly and stood behind him.
“Hello, Ren.”
He turned and openly studied my appearance. His gaze drifted ever so slowly down my body. The longer he looked, the wider his smile got. Eventually, his eyes worked their way back up to my bright red
face.
He sighed and bowed deeply. “Sundari.I was standing here thinking nothing could be more beautiful than
this sunset tonight, but I was mistaken. You standing here in the setting sun with your hair and skin aglow
is almost more than a man can… fully appreciate.”
I tried to change the subject. “What does sundari mean?”
“It means…most beautiful.”
I blushed again, which made him laugh. He took my hand, tucked it under his arm, and led me to the patio chairs. Just then, the sun dipped below the trees leaving its tangerine glow in the sky for just a few more moments.
We sat again, but this time he sat next to me on the swinging patio seat and kept my hand in his.
I ventured shyly, “I hope you don’t mind, but I explored your house today, including your room.”
“I don’t mind. I’m sure you found my room the least interesting.”
“Actually, I was curious about the note I found. Did you write it?”
“A note? Ah, yes. I just scribbled a few notes to help me remember what Phet had said. It just says seek Durga’s prophesy, the Cave of Kanheri, Kelsey is Durga’s favored one…that sort of thing.”
“Oh. I…also noticed a ribbon. Is it mine?”
“Yes. If you’d like it back, you can take it.”
“Why would you want it?”
He shrugged, looking embarrassed. “I wanted a memento, a token from the girl who saved my life.”
“A token? Like a fair maiden giving her handkerchief to a knight in shining armor?”
He grinned. “Exactly.”
I jested wryly, “Too bad you didn’t wait for Cathleen to get a little older. She’s going to be very pretty.”
He frowned. “Cathleen from the circus?” He shook his head, “You were the chosen one, Kelsey. And if I had the option of choosing the girl to save me, I still would have picked you.”
“Why?”
“A number of reasons. I liked you. You were interesting. I enjoyed listening to your voice. I felt like you
saw me…saw through the tiger skin to the person underneath. When you spoke, it felt like you were saying exactly the things Ineeded to hear. You’re smart. You like poetry,and you’realready very pretty.”
I laughed. “Okay, Prince Charming, you can keep your memento.”
“Thank you. Now, Kelsey, tomorrow we’ll be going to the cave. During the day there are many tourists, which means we’ll have to wait until evening to walk in. We’ll be sneaking into the park through the jungle and traveling on foot for a while, so wear your new hiking boots that we bought for you.”
“Are they the ones in the box in my closet?”
“Yes.”
“Great…nothing like breaking in new hiking boots on a trek through the hot Indian jungle, I always say.”
“It shouldn’t be that bad, and even new hiking boots should be better on your feet than your sneakers.”
“I happen to li
ke my sneakers, and I’m bringing them along just in case your boots blister my feet.”
He stretched out his long legs and crossed his bare feet in front of him. “Mr. Kadam will pack a bag with
things we might need to bring with us. I’ll make sure he leaves room for your sneakers too. You’ll have to drive us to Mumbai, to the park. I know you don’t like the traffic here. I’m sorry that you’re burdened with this.”
I muttered, “Not liking the traffic is an understatement. People don’t know how to drive here…they’re crazy.”
“We can take back roads with the least traffic on the way, and we’ll be driving only to the outskirts of Mumbai, not through the city as before. It shouldn’t be too bad. You’re a good driver.”
“Huh, easy for you to say. You just sleep in the back the whole way.”
He touched my cheek with his fingers and gently turned my face to his. “Kelsey, I want to say thank you,
Rajkumari . Thank you for staying and helping me. You don’t know what this means to me.”
I mumbled, “You’re welcome. And Rajkumari means…?”
He flashed me a brilliant white smile and deftly changed the subject. “Would you like to hear about the seal?”
I knew what he was doing, but acquiesced, “Okay, what is it?”
“It’s a carved rectangular stone, about three fingers thick. The king always wore it in public. It was a symbol of the duties of the royal family. The Seal of the Empire has four words carved upon it, one on each side:Viveka ,Jagarana ,Vira , andAnukampa which translated loosely means—Wisdom, Vigilance, Bravery, and Compassion. You’ll need to bring the seal with you when we go to the caves. Phet said it was the key that would open the passageway. Mr. Kadam will put it on your dresser before we leave.”
I stood up, walked to the railing, and stared up at the budding stars. “I can’t imagine the life that you came from. It’s so different from what I know.”
“You’re right, Kelsey.”
“Call me Kells.”
He smiled and approached me. “You’re right,Kells . Itis very different. I have much to learn from you.