Ash pulled the door open and nearly did a double take at the unexpected visitor.
“Hello, Sir.”
Wow! Seemed like he was in trouble alright! Sanjana’s Old Man was here to give him a dressing down. His survival instinct kicked in and he grabbed at Dumbass’ collar just as the dog seemed ready to launch into the air and perform his lickety-spit act. That was all he needed: if her father was scared of dogs, he would probably think the dog was attacking him!
Dumbass was struggling against being held tightly under Ash’s arm.
“Hello Ashwin,” said Mr. Kale with a sheepish grin. “I was wondering if you could help me call a cab. I’m not too familiar with apps.”
He waved his smartphone at Ash who breathed a huge sigh of relief.
“Of course, Sir. Please come in. And I will call a taxi for you.”
He gave Dumbass a wary look and stepped inside.
“Thank you. My daughters have gone shopping and I thought I could go and meet up with an old friend.” Pointing at Dumbass he said, “Hope he doesn’t bite.”
Ash laughed. “His lick is worse than his bite.”
Mr. Kale smiled nervously. “I’ve never been comfortable around dogs.”
“Give me a minute. I’ll just be with you.”
He walked into the kitchen to snatch up dog treats before setting Dumbass loose in the bedroom with his treats. Closing the door behind him, he looked around to find Mr. Kale was browsing through his bookshelf and sitting right there under his nose was the dratted earring! Did he look at his daughter’s bling carefully, he wondered? And he prayed that even if he did, he wouldn’t recognise it as one that belonged to her.
“You’re a sci-fi fan like me,” Mr. Kale said. “You even have a copy of Asimov’s Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids. I never could find a copy of that in Nagpur.”
Ash took out the hardback copy gently as if he was handling the most precious item in the world. “It’s a first edition copy.”
They were soon engrossed in a heated discussion of Asimov’s books. On Ash’s recommendation, Mr. Kale agreed to check out a book store in Colaba which kept second hand copies of all of Asimov’s books.
“If you wish I can call up the owner and ask him to check if they have Lucky Starr…”
“That would be much appreciated. And since I’m going to my friend’s place, I can pick it up on my way back.”
The call was made and while the store didn’t have a copy of the book, the owner said he would source it and send it to Nagpur. The Ola cab was booked and as they waited for the taxi to turn up, Mr. Kale looked at Ash gravely and said, “It was nice to talk to you.”
“Likewise, Sir. I don’t remember the last time I had a discussion on Asimov.”
“Sanjana was perhaps right to come to Mumbai. Her confidence has grown by leaps and bounds. It’s just that as a father one tends to worry.”
Ash was at a loss for words, not knowing how to react and simply said, “I think she is smart enough to know what is right and wrong for her.”
“Yes, I think I’m beginning to realise that.”
Mr. Kale’s phone pinged and he smiled at the text which informed him that the cab had arrived. “Ola tells me to enjoy my ride with Pintoo Gonsalves.”
He walked to the door and his eyes strayed to the earring on the shelf. “Youngsters these days are even more forgetful than us oldies.”
Ash gulped nervously. “Umm. Yeah, I think she may have dropped it when she was playing with Dumbass…my dog.”
Mr. Kale’s eyebrows lifted skywards as he said, “What was that quote by Asimov…about being obvious if you have a reputation for subtlety.”
With that, he walked out of the door, leaving Ash red-faced.
Loaded with purchases from a marathon shopping session, Sanjana and her sisters staggered into a Linking Road café and collapsed into the plush seats. While they ordered refreshments, she braced herself for the inevitable interrogation. Meghna had diverted Gauri’s persistent questions about Sanjana’s whereabouts the previous night by talking about the stuff she wanted to buy and insisting on checking out the shops on Google before stepping out. But the missing earring popped up again, like a bad penny. Gauri wanted a pair exactly like the one Sanjana had been wearing. When she asked to see them, she was intrigued as to why one of them was missing.
Meghna saved the situation by rushing them all off for shopping. But knowing Gauri, Sanjana was sure that her elder sibling would not let it rest. Right enough, as soon as she had taken a long sip of her cold coffee, she brought it up. “You can’t be so careless about your stuff, Sanju. I know the earrings are not very expensive but the point is that you are now on your own and you need to take care of your things.”
Wiping the edge of her lips with her napkin, she exchanged a look with Meghna. “I left it behind accidentally at Ash’s place.”
Stunned silence greeted her statement. Meghna was bouncing a leg next to her in anxiety and stirring the coffee as if her life depended on it.
Gauri’s voice had a hint of steel in it. “How exactly did such an accident happen?”
She took another long sip before replying, “I spent the night with him.”
There! She’d done it—stated it as baldly as she could. The gasp from Gauri was enough to tell her that she’d rocked her world and it would never be the same again. She wondered if her sister was more horrified that her kid sister had premarital sex or that she had admitted to the fact.
Meghna jumped in to do damage control. “Our little Sanjana is a consenting adult and as long as she…” She turned horrified eyes at her, “You did use it…?”
She stopped short of saying the dreaded C word.
Sanjana stifled back a hysterical giggle and nodded sagely, “Yes, of course, we used protection.”
Gauri slowly lost the dumbstruck look. The censure in her eyes was replaced by acceptance and even grudging admiration.
“When Aai passed away, you became a shadow of the spirited girl you used to be. Before our eyes, you turned from a spoilt brat into a timid, reclusive girl.” She ignored Sanjana’s loud snort and continued, “It was as if my kid sister had been replaced by a lookalike who was nothing like the brat who gave me hell. I thought it was the shock of Aai’s passing. But you simply withdrew into yourself. I missed the naughty sister…the one who always had a smartass comment to make, who would always defy my orders to leave my stuff alone but would come crying to me when she lost a basketball game.”
Meghna nodded her head vigorously and dashed a fist at her eye. “Yeah, me too.”
Gauri stretched out her hands towards them. They sat clasping their hands together. “Yesterday, at the restaurant when you told Chetan off, I was happy to see my kid sister had turned into a confident, independent woman.”
Sanjana swallowed the emotion that was lodged at the base of her throat as she tried to translate it into words and failed.
Meghna whispered conspiratorially, “Sex on the beach! That’s the secret, right?”
They all burst out laughing at that silly comment from Meghna and the intensely emotional moment dissolved into warm, fuzzy sisterhood bonding. By the time they left the café, they were teasing her mercilessly about Ash and she was vowing undying revenge for years to come.
The day had turned out to be one of the most enjoyable for her. It was as if for the first time she was being treated as an equal, an adult by her older sisters. Like she had suddenly crossed some kind of threshold—and she revelled in it. But every once in a while she caught herself thinking about Ash—dreaming about cuddling with him and giving in to his caresses.
Right on cue, her phone pinged and she glanced at the text bubble that came up with his name.
“Missing me?”
“Mmm… a little bit,” she typed quickly, biting back a grin.
“Ouch! That hurt.”
“Your ego is too fragile. By the way, what are you up to?”
“Getting ready to go in for a
meeting.”
“On Diwali Day?”
“Yes. This client believes that Diwali is an auspicious day for everything…including work….so what’s the plan tonight?”
A thrill of anticipation ran through her. “Will be doing dinner with my family.”
“And after that?”
“What did you have in mind?”
“Want to go dancing?”
“Dancing?” she typed, her heart beginning to do a little jig. “Like on a date?”
“Gosh, what’s your problem with a date?” came back the instant reply.
“I just don’t like the sound of it.”
“Okay…so we don’t do date. We just dance! How’s that?”
“Where?”
“Let me surprise you.”
She signed off as Meghna yelled to her that the cab had arrived.
By the time they got back to Bombay Heights, they were arguing about what to order in for dinner. She wanted pizza, Meghna, Chinese, and Gauri voted for handi biryani.
Meghna pitched in, “We can go on arguing about this till the cows come home. So let Pappaji decide.”
Gauri and Sanjana quickly agreed to that. Turning the latchkey, they walked in to an empty apartment.
“Where’s Pappaji?” Meghna and Gauri asked almost simultaneously.
Throwing her handbag on to the couch, she darted to the kitchen. “He must have gone for a walk on the beach.”
Gauri was already punching the keys of her smartphone. “His mobile is switched off.”
Almost two hours later Meghna was beginning to panic, Gauri was anxiously pacing and Sanjana was wondering aloud if they should call up the police. Just then the doorbell rang.
In walked Pappaji with a beatific smile on his face and a large bag full of books. “Why are you girls staring at me like that?”
All three of them burst out at the same time.
Gauri’s steel-tinged voice demanded, “Where have you been?”
Meghna’s anxiety found an outlet with, “Pappaji! We nearly called the police!”
Sanjana’s “Why was your phone switched off?” was the most sedate.
Pappaji plonked himself on the sofa and beamed at them, “Oh, I had the most wonderful day today. First, get me a glass of water.”
Sanjana rushed off to the kitchen and was back in a flash with ice-cold water. All of them waited with bated breath while he drank up and sighed. “I met an old friend whom I haven’t seen for the last twenty eight years. Can you imagine!”
“So where did you meet him?” Sanjana asked.
“In Colaba.”
“And how did you get there?” Meghna piped up.
“By cab, of course. Sanju’s friend Ashwin called one for me on my phone.”
“Oh! You met Ash?” Sanjana had started worrying her lip with her teeth.
“Yes…and guess what, he is an Asimov fan. He even told me of this bookshop in Colaba which keeps the rarest of books. I have got some wonderful volumes.”
He started pulling them out of his bag and piling them on the coffee table. “Which reminds me, Sanju, you were looking in the wrong place for your earring. I saw it on his bookshelf.”
All activity stalled and they gawked at Pappaji who was now carefully uncovering a first edition volume of one of Asimov’s books.
The silence stretched as they all waited for him to say something. He finally looked up at Sanjana and said, “He mentioned something about you misplacing it.”
She simply nodded and said, “Pappaji, I…”
He raised his hand. “I know it’s difficult for you to confide in me. You girls always did that with your Aai. She was the pivot around whom our lives revolved. And I could never quite take her place. In that sense I have failed as a parent.”
Sanjana shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. Gauri inched closer to Pappaji and took his arm while Meghna simply stood at a distance, tears threatening to well over.
Pappaji continued with a smile. “Meghna, I know you have forgiven me but I was too proud to say sorry. I should never have insisted that you go back to that abusive man you once called husband.”
Tears were now rolling down Meghna’s cheeks as she came forward and stood behind Pappaji. Then she bent down and hugged him, kissing him on the top of his head. He simply stretched his hand up and patted her cheek in acknowledgement, a sad smile on his face.
But he wasn’t done yet. “Your Aai was a brave woman. She was the one who never hesitated in taking risks. She once told me, ‘Dilip, we have given our values to our girls. We have hopefully taught them to distinguish between right and wrong. Now, we need to step back and let them learn from their own mistakes’.”
He let out a sigh—which was drenched with the sadness of his loss and love for his wife. “She was right. And I couldn’t help thinking of what she’d do last night at the restaurant…”
He looked at Sanjana. “If I’d not pushed you towards Chetan, perhaps if I’d taken the risk of letting you choose for yourself…”
Sanju came forward and sat down on her haunches, facing him. She took his hands in hers. “Pappaji… you did what you thought was best for me. I also failed you as a daughter. I should have talked to you, trusted you to bat for me. I’m sorry.”
The loving smile on Pappaji’s face was enough to tell her that they had turned a corner in their relationship. Gauri’s lips wobbled at the emotion of the moment. Meghna was dashing her fists at her wet cheeks. The sound of the latchkey as it turned filled the room and then there was a breezy shout, “I’m back, Sanj…did you miss me?”
Sanjana got up and rushed towards the Pink Tornado, catching her in a bear hug. Three pairs of eyes watched them do a strange ritual which involved hugging, air kissing and squealing.
Breathless, Sanjana turned to her goggle-eyed family and said, “My roomie—Pinky.”
Meghna’s instant retort, “Who would have guessed?”, was met with much hilarity by the proud possessor of the name.
In minutes, the apartment was humming with laughter and chatter. Even Pappaji couldn’t resist chortling at her antics. Dinner was a mish-mash of everything from masala chowmein to biryani and pizza. Sanjana texted Ash to join them, and he turned up with a huge bouquet of flowers, a bottle of red and a winning smile. “Late to the party—I hope I’m still welcome!”
He was promptly dragged in by Pinky by his arm. Sanjana got him a plate of eats and Gauri opened the bottle of wine. Meanwhile, Pappaji showed off his acquisition of sci-fi novels and in minutes the two were engrossed in a lively discussion of Asimov’s books.
Sanjana felt something twang in her heart at the cosy scene and she settled down on the couch next to Ash with her glass of wine. She sent a prayer and thanks up to Aai, knowing that her mother was there in spirit with them all.
Chapter Fifteen
After the tables were cleared up and Pappaji and her siblings had left for their guesthouse, Ash wrapped his arms around her and tugged her to his chest.
“Ready to go dancing?”
She looked up at him and those dark eyes with the slight hint of kohl in them, gave him a high.
“I have something to tell you.” His lips took hers in a slow, sensual kiss that had her leaning into him.
Seconds later, she was pushing at his chest with her hands.
“Tell me, now!”
He simply shook his head, “Uh-huh.”
She puckered her lips in a pout that he found too hard to resist. Pulling her to him, he plundered her mouth and groaned at the mewling sounds she made as her hands sneaked up under his T-shirt.
He slammed her against the kitchen wall and buried his face in the crook of her neck. He rained kisses on her and she arched into him, pressing her soft body into his.
“Please, Ash,” she whispered.
“Please, Ash, what?” His brain felt muddled and incapable of processing thought.
“Tell me…”
“You’re driving me crazy,” he breathed into her cle
avage.
He had now pushed up her blouse and his hand was fondling her breast, teasing her nipple into a tight bud.
“Is that what you wanted to say?”
She writhed as she arched into him. All the blood pumped into the lower part of his torso.
“Much more than that...”
Suddenly a loud gasp emanated from the other end of the room followed by a squeal of, “Get a room, you two!”
Some of his ardour cooled at Pinky’s shout. He grabbed Sanjana’s hand and strode out. As he reached the door, she stopped.
“Where are we going, Ash?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Gimme a sec. I’m a mess.” She straightened her blouse and her hands reached for her tousled hair.
“You want to take the trouble?” he laughed.
She glared at him. “You want me to go like this…”
He whispered in her ears, “I’d prefer if you went just in your body suit.”
He laughed out loud at her horrified look.
He gave her hand another tug and soon they were out of the apartment.
At the lobby, he punched the elevator button, and said, “Now, keep your eyes shut, will you?”
She looked at him, mystified. “Why?”
“Just humour me, please,” he groaned.
She dimpled and complied with his request. The doors opened and she cracked open one eye. He glared at her and she mumbled, “I don’t want to fall flat on my face.”
“I won’t let you.”
His soft dreamy whispers made her close her eyes and lose herself in his arms.
“So, no peeking,” he said, pulling her into his chest and wrapping his arms around her.
The elevator stopped. And without further ado, he picked her up in his arms. The action made her laugh out loud and grab his shoulders, her eyes flying open.
“I said I won’t let you fall.”
She looked deep into his eyes and found them aglow with an emotion that warmed the deepest corners of his heart.
“I trust you,” she said, resting her head against his shoulder. She was happy to go along with whatever he wanted but she was curious as hell too.
A short walk down the corridor, a few steps up and he pushed open a door.
Bombay Heights- Sleepless in the City of Dreams Page 14