Yes? No?

BETWEEN THEM
Part 54

Was it all going to go this way?

Unexpressed?

It was a revelation to himself.... That he had more to himself than he had cared to know all along. That there was a part of him that surprised him and made him reel with shock.

That he wasn't himself when he was with her.... near her.... thinking of her....


The drizzle of rain was getting heavy... Was it going to pour? What sign was it all?
The windshield was getting spattered with those tiny drops... meandering meaninglessly in front of him... more confusion to add to it all...


Why do you hurt me so Shriya?

There was something that evening that wasn't right.... Nothing was... Why should he try to make sense of what was happening?

He must forget it all.... She had... After all...

Or had she not? Every fibre of him told him that she was still aching... still in pain.... untold... telling him that he should get back to her right then. to make things clear.... to just be there.... forever....

He shook that feel away... If anything, meeting her now would be the silliest thing that he had ever attempted.... And he was not even sure that he had the guts...

But then she was going to get out right? Get out to Chennai....

Whatever.... Let her go....

Someday she will be back... No....

He had a better idea... As it formed... He smiled.... Through his fading pain....

Someday, Shriya... Someday..... He promised... Not to her... not to him... to them.....



And a few kilometres away, all she could keep asking, staring at the photo in her hand was...

"Why Krish?... Did you have to hurt me so... to have me accept that I loved you?.... Hurt me beyond reprieve? "

A Confession And A Dismissal

BETWEEN THEM
Part 53

He started early..... Now all that he needed was to go meet her....

If only it was all this simple...

He was scared... For the first time in his life, Krish Shanker was scared of the consequences of his decisions... however impulsive they were....

He was driving into Benson Town... Near her apartments.... He parked by the corner.... And walked down to her flats...

His pace slowed as he reached the gates... And walked through them.... Up to her floor....

He knocked the heavy brass knocker.... hoping she would not hear... he did not try the door bell...

The door opened and she stood there... hair disheveled... an apron dangling loose around her neck...

"Shriya... Hi"

She just opened the door wider and let him walk in... She walked off into the kitchen...

He was already nervous.... He followed her in... And left the front door open...

It somehow seemed stupid to try to close it after him.... He paused by the kitchen entrance and cast a glance at the room beside it.... The photo frame was not there....

She was rolling out chapathis... he watched her work hard at it....

"I never manage to get them a perfect round"

"What! Oh.... "

"Anyways... Practice makes perfect?"

"Hmm..."

It was getting stupid.... Why was she not lashing out at him? Did she not know yet? Was he screwing up things again?

"You met Rajeev yesterday?"

Atlast....

"Yes"

"Where?"

"Here"

"Here?.... When"

"I came over to meet you and then saw him outside.... You weren't home then... He was waiting too"

"So.... You told him that we were going to get engaged?"

Was it going to be this simple? He breathed out.....

"Yes... I mean...," he stopped.... What was he going to say?

"Yes... What do you mean?"

"Shriya... Look... He told me that he was going to ...."

"Going to marry me?" She was still at the rotis, concentration on her face.....

"No... Well... "

She looked up at him and stopped her work....

"Go on, Krish"

He caught his breath... There was something different about her now... Something that exuded anger....

"Might marry you"

"And you told him that it was stupid because we were going to marry each other right? Hell!"

It would have hurt him less had she shouted at him... Called him names...

It came out too slow and in a quiveringly low pitch....

It was just then that he understood that she was just like him when it came to anger... Low, well versed sarcasm... that could spew venom....

It was going to be tough.... Maybe time to tackle it straight....

"I just don't realize how you agreed to marry that jerk," It was a mock... Meant to accuse her....

"He isn't a jerk... He is one of the most successful young lawyers here... And in case you don't know... he was in love with me"

It hurt....

"I did not know that until today... Did not even know that they had planned it all... I wasn't told a word... They meant it to be a surprise"

His snigger faded... It had backfired.....

"And well now that you know it all... Just go ahead and marry him...."

"After the drama you staged? What will I tell anyone now"

"Tell them I was joking"

"What are you going to tell me Krish?"

"I was joking"

"What a smashing sense of humor"

"Yea I know"

"No you don't....... You just don't understand what you landed me into... They all are going to be waiting... "

"Waiting? For what? For you to marry that jerk?"

"No .... Waiting for an engagement that will never happen.... Waiting to look at someone who will never be there.... Waiting and watching"

He was quiet....

"Tell them that you are not ready yet"

"Why the hell should I tell them lies?"

"Look I am sorry"

"So much to get this out of you.... Know what... You are the jerk... Not him"

Maybe it was anger that rendered him speechless...

"Just two days back you asked me to get lost... Give me a chance... I will.... "

"Meaning?"

"I will get lost Krish... Just as you wanted..... Out of this place... This rat hole of a city.... Jerks like you"

"Shriya...."

"No... Don't say a word.... I have had enough... More than that"

"Shriya you have a job here... a career"

"No more... I resigned today"

"What!?"

She calmed... out of sheer frustration....

"I wanted to come over and search for you and yell at you... Just get the anger out of my system... But I decided something Krish.... I don't want to tell you this.... But I have to say it out now... Get out if you do not want to hear it"

He was quiet... rooted....

"I have had enough... Strange place... Damn lonely... Hateful days and nights... And now they think that they can get me alliances... Crap... Am not someone who is hunting out guys... I... I have just liked one person throughout... And...."

She coughed... And continued....

"It has been you... For ever till now...."

He knew it was coming... He knew he should move over and hold her.... Just to tell her it was the same with him....

She sat down at one of the metal chairs nearby.... And spoke silently...

"I just realized am nothing to you Krish"

"No Shriya.... You got it all...."

"Wrong?.... I know... Maybe I am someone whom you can play around with... A forgotten old classmate..."

He was quiet...

"And maybe someday you will invite me over to your marriage with her... Preetha or whatever... and being the good old silly soul that I am, I will come over and wish you... over my silent tears"

"Preetha? And Me....?... What crap"

"Whoever... Preetha...Rithi.... I don't care"

"You got it all wrong...."

"Yes.... I got everything wrong.... Now just let me do the right things then"

"Shriya... Listen...."

"Let me go"

"Shriya...."

"Get out Krish...."

It was one of those moments when there could be nothing done with reasoning... without solid proofs....

He tried... A last time...

"Shriya... Please... Let me say what I want....."

"Out, Krish... Get out of this place...."

He walked out... As he crossed the hall to get to the door, he saw the empty photo frame on the couch... The photo was nowhere to be seen....

She locked the door behind him... And collapsed on the couch... It was then that she started crying....

A Shock

BETWEEN THEM
Part 52
Shriya was stunned.....

"Am really sorry Shriya... I did not expect it... Actually I did not believe Rajeev initially, but then it was when he reasoned out with me that I accepted... It was silly of me to try and fix you two without asking you...But you were like just right for Rajeev and he really liked you... Guess we need to back out now....," he sighed... "gracefully."

It wasn't making sense.... Shriya stepped out of Eashwar's cabin...

On her way back to her desk, she bumped into Rajeev....

"Hai... Shriya.... sorry .... I met Krish yesterday...."

"What? I don't....."

"He told me everything.... Congrats again"

"Everything? He told you just what Rajeev?"

"He told me that you were getting engaged yaar.... Congrats.... What's the guy doing by the way?... Just curious...."

"Krish told you.... Hey... I am taking half a day off.....," she yelled out to a colleague.... "Bye Rajeev"


The steps blurred.... It was chaotic... Her mind....

She stood in the street....

His home, His office, On the roads....

Now where the hell was she to head in search of him?

Cupids and Roses

BETWEEN THEM
Part 51

It would be far better to get to work and stay there the whole day.... maybe the whole night.... maybe forever....

Just to escape from his guilt trap....

Just to escape the chance of meeting her sooner than he was prepared for....


He knew he had screwed it up... Big time...

Krish sighed.... He planned the day.... He would get to work... spend the day there, start early and drive around.... and meet her....

Maybe at her apartment.... safer than in public..... And it would be a surprise visit.... He did not even have her number yet.... No possibility of informing....


He was at his desk earlier than usual.... There was some animation stuff to be done... He was filling up for a friend who was on some emergency leave ... He looked through it...

Some regional movie... and a duet between the lead pair...

He groaned... They wanted cupids shooting arrows every time the lead pair hugged each other... And that was one time too many.... And then some roses falling down on them... Some kind of grace!

What stupid ideas! If film producers and directors could ever get some sense in their heads!

He set about making the cupids fly around.... He had already created them the previous day.. Now all he had to do was set targets...

"Krish? So early? Already working?"
It was Shashank... his sub...

"Hey... Yes... Was up early today.... Did not have anything better to do... Though I would not call this stuff that am in for now as anything glorious"

"Yea, it's the movie rite? You should see the other scenes... fights, especially... What kind of stunts they wanted.... I would never in a day get out to watch it.... You wanna look through them?"

"Spare me.... Tell me... However did Faisal ever do this stuff.... A day into it and I hate it already... No I detest it"

"He must have hit the bottom... No wonder he took off... Heard he is on vacation... No kind of emergency... You know... He faked up an excuse"

"And left me with this stuff...."

"You know what Krish? I don't think they will be very pleased with that now"

"Hmm? Which?..... Oh... ," he laughed loud... A particular cupid was aiming its arrows at the hero's rear.... To which the guy was dancing undisturbed....

"Trust computers to get crazy"

"Hey it does look good man... Saving grace, I would say"

"Yea... But well.... I better change it... Though it's against my will...."

He set about straightening the coordinates of travel for that cupid....

"Why do these kind of movies choose rhyming names for the lead pair?"

"What?, " he was now concentrating, the mouse moving about the screen setting up right shades of colors and hues....

"No... I mean... The heroine is to be called Raji... and the guy Rajeev.... I guess they all are at creativity's end.... Guess I must get back now... Have a nice time man... Maybe now you can try aiming the arrow up front.... Through his heart... Would look nice..."

"The guy is called what?"

Shashank had just walked out...

The mouse moved over the screen... Sharpening down the arrow head till it glistened with wickedness...

Krish set the song in rewind... with the animation partly finished....

Maybe now the computer would go crazy again... with the arrow finding its way back at "Rajeev's" rear.....

Together? Or Not?

BETWEEN THEM
Part 50

There was no one around.... The cold night air bit into her very self... She shivered against her will....
He was standing by her... His face turned away....

"And what the hell were you thinking?... Telling Rajeev that we were engaged? Great joke"

"What was wrong with that?"

When Shriya looked up at him, he was staring at the stars, the moonlight reflected in his eyes and her face....

"You said?"

"Maybe we will get engaged"

"Krish?," it was a whisper....

He took her hand in his.... It was warm....

She shuddered.... "Krish"

He moved closer.... There was a silence between them... The road was lonely... It was like an ethereal barrier was cast around them then that protected the moment from any intrusion ever possible.....

"No..... Leave me.... Let me go.... Please"

"Say not a word Shriya"

It was a tentative hug.... They broke away from each other almost immediately...

Their eyes never left each other.....

"Let me drop you home"

She did not refuse now.... It did not seem to matter....



It was just then that Krish heard his grandmother calling out to him to wake up......

Dreams were frustrating?

Yes.... They were.... Because they weren't real..........

Lies

BETWEEN THEM
Part 49

He was hesitant...

It was evening, and a gloomy one at that... Bangalore evenings were always silly... They seemed to cooperate a lot with his moods... instead of cheering him up, today it was all adding to the general idea of futility.....

Of course, Krish could not expect her to welcome him in with cheer....

Not after his downright cheap dismissal of her yesterday....


He was into the lift... and with growing doubt he pressed the button....

Up to the twentieth floor.... He was in the open circular common corridor there between the two houses.... The one to his right was hers....

He stopped.... Someone was leaning over the rails there... looking down....

The man turned... He must have been Krish's age.. somewhere in his mid twenties...Handsome in a scholarly way, tall and of wheatish complexion......

Krish ignored him and went up to the door.... It was locked... She wasn't back yet....


"You waiting for Shriya? Me too"

Krish stared.... Could the guy be her brother? Not that she had one....

"Yes...."

"I think she will be here in a few minutes.... It's about time anyway"

"You are her cousin?"

The man laughed... A deep throaty sound....

"No man.... Am a friend of her's... Supposed to be...."

"So am I"

"No... You see... Well.... Let me tell you... But you must keep it to yourself"

This sounded plain kiddish..... Krish suppressed a laugh.... He nodded, a smile spreading on his face....

"I am a nephew of Mr. Eashwar Iyer.... Know him?"

"No..."

"He is a partner of the firm"

"Oh.... You mean he is a lawyer"

"Yes.... obviously.... I am one too"

"Fine... And you are here to meet her"

"That is because he wants me to marry her......., " he laughed...


The smile froze on Krish's lips....

"Am here to meet her for that.... You know... Just introduce myself and talk to her.... If I like her and she likes me...."

"Actually we are going to be engaged"

The man stood still... "What?"

"Yes."

"We did not know this... I mean... It's embarrassing"

"Well... Now you know... So it's good right?"

"Er, Yes.... Sorry... And congrats... I guess I will apologize to Shriya tomorrow"

"You don't need to.... And thanks"

"I guess I will leave"

"You never gave me your name"

"Oh... sorry... I am Rajeev... And you are?"

"Krish"

"Fine... Krish... nice meeting you.... see you again sometime man"


Krish watched the lift close behind Rajeev...

If anything, what he had just done was plain crazy... and evil....


He wanted to leave the place... He could meet Shriya tomorrow....

Not today, with guilt and trickery writ bold on his face...


His car left the place a long time before Shriya entered her flat, tired after a particularly hectic day.... A sense of permanent sadness adorning her.....

Emotions

BETWEEN THEM
Part 48

Even when the silence broke, they were unaware of it....

The girl in chiffon nudged Shriya.... Kamala was asking her something....

"Have you met Krish before?"

It was Krish who answered....

"We were schoolmates....."

Kamala looked confused.... She turned to Shriya... "But you did not tell me you knew him when you saw the photo"

"I did not recognize," Shriya was wishing Krish would look elsewhere... anywhere.... His eyes were boring into her....

"You mean you did not recognize me?... Maybe you should take something to help your memory, we just met last month"

"No... I mean... I thought it might be you..."

"Oh... You could have asked my gran... She would not minded that question.... Might be you thought she will"

People were staring....

"No... Look, I was not very sure... And I thought I will ask later...."

"I guess you did not even recognize my mother"

She had forgotten about that.....

"I did.... Even spoke to her"

"I think she too was in the photo.... You saw me, her and Aakash and still maybe you did not recognize which family this might be"

"I did not take a very good look.... And when I saw your mother, I knew"

"Knew what? That you were indeed in my house?.... And ......."

"That's enough Krish.... Get in now.... You look like you are tired"

He gave a mock laugh and went in....


She was happy it was over... She knew she had something in her hand... some kind of customary take away articles that they give at Dussera time....
Gauri was right next to her, trying to keep pace with her as she hurried out the door....


"Shriya... Wait... I will have you dropped back home.... Its late enough"

"No... please... Its fine... We will take an auto"

"Maybe you will forget your way back home.... Or maybe you will not be very clear about it....,"Krish was standing by the door, hands folded across his chest, with that mock tone breaking through that cold air.....

"I will not, and anyway Gauri is with me"

"Really?.... And Hi Gauri.... We met... remember?"

"Of course"

It was not the moment to be puzzled over this... Shriya was getting apprehensive....

"So do you always have this kind of weakness Shriya?" He pronounced her name with a careful snigger.

"Weakness?," she was flaring up, "It just happened"

"Yeah... And does it always "just happen" ?

"My grandson is trying to be funny," It was Kamala's turn to be embarrassed....

"No.... Am just trying to be polite"

"We are getting late"

"And you know to read time? Or do you confuse time zones and ....."

"That's enough Krish... Anyone who doesn't know you will think that you are drunk"

"We really need to be going... Thanks a lot for today."

"Yes.... And no problem dear.... Krish can drop you two and another of Preetha's friend"

It was no use protesting.... Before she knew it, Gauri and Sandhya, Preetha's friend, were seated in the back seat....


She sat next to the driver seat.... Next to Krish.... Not a word was uttered after that...

Ominously, It was like all four of them were strangers, and no one bothered to break the silence....

It was evident that even Gauri realized that something was wrong....


It was after the other two got down that Shriya panicked...

He had stopped by her apartment gate and was waiting for her to get down... staring straight ahead with his eyes fixed on the road.....

"You had to do it right?"

"What?"

"You had to insult me that way.... In front of everyone.... "

"Insult?"

"Even more than that... You made me feel down right ashamed"

"Really?"

"Don't answer my questions with questions"

"Look.... Am having enough of all this"

"It wasn't me who started anyway"

"I guess not... After all, all you did was give us the least respect by pretending we were all strangers"

"I really did not know it was your grandmother"

"And you do not know me too"

She was silent...."I wish I did not"

"No wishing.... Its simple.... Get Lost"


She was out of the car when she heard him say it...

He was gone before she walked down to her gate...


The watchman stood puzzled as he saw the girl enter and walk on in a daze... tears streaming down her face.... She did not even bother to wipe them away....

He shrugged and walked around the apartment at his usual slow sluggish pace.....

When destiny smiles...

BETWEEN THEM
Part 47

She was dressed in a simple pink saree.... The white glassy crystals added more to a dressed down effect.... They were nothing flashy.... After all, all her dresses were anything but flashy...

Shriya waited at her apartment... Gauri would be there any moment.... She wished that this was something she didn't have to be doing.... She was still apprehensive about the invite..... I

It was sometime before she and Gauri could reach the temple.... Shriya even hoped on the way that the woman would have forgotten all about them and would not be there....

Bad.... She was waiting in the temple.... And she smiled when she saw them there...

"Sorry, we are late"

"Doesn't matter... I just arrived here myself. Shall we go?"

"Yes," Gauri interjected.... Shriya was quiet.

The drive to wherever they were going was filled with animated chatter from Gauri... The old lady was all smiles and talk... and Shriya was quiet throughout, looking out through the car windows, her thoughts far away enough to not catch onto whatever was happening...

She realized they were in Jayanagar, just as the car took a turn into a side avenue....


They were soon inside the gates of what Gauri would later describe as a "simply stunning house".

There must have been a lot of people invited, for the driveway was right then accommodating a half dozen cars....

They followed the woman in....

"Hey, I want to walk right away from here.... Gauri, please am feeling real nervous"

"Nervous? You are supposed to be a lawyer... and nervousness shouldn't be defined in you"

"Stop it.... Whatever... Make the whole thing short.... Let's get out of here as soon as we can"

Gauri's reply was lost on Shriya.... She was staring fixed at the enormous family portrait that adorned half the wall in the living room....


Mrs. Shanker was smiling benignly out of it.... With the old woman seated in the middle... flanked by Parvathi and her husband....

Shriya did not rise her eyes to look at the two men standing behind them... She was beyond shivering now.... beyond normality..... If anything, this was the extreme end....

"Shriya?"

The old woman was looking at her strangely..... Shriya was staring at her in a new light.... In a daze....

"That's my family.... We took that photo around three years back when Aakash wasn't married... He is my older grandson.... Krish is the younger one"

Shriya did not know whether to tell her that she knew them... Knew one of them more than she cared to reveal...

She just nodded....


She was led into the inner hall, and stopped near the door, the lights in there blinding her.... The whole place was lit up brilliantly, with yellow lights... and colored lights reserved for the corners....
There were more people in there than Shriya had imagined would be...

She thought she saw Gauri somewhere... And headed there....

"Shriya! Where did you go?"

"I should ask you that ..... Why did you leave me alone out there?"

"Sorry... But you see, I was introduced to Aarthi, she is the daughter in law of this family, and was talking with her.... "

"Great, now come on... Lets finish up with this and go.... Gauri, am really feeling....."

Someone touched her shoulder... Shriya turned around.... It was Parvathi....

"Shriya? .... Isn't it? What a surprise.... How are you?"

"Fine... I was invited over here by..."

"I know, child.... she told me... Nice of you to come over... Wonder where Krish is...."

No... tell me he is not home.....

"He has gone over to a friend's place... I guess he won't be returning for now"

The Gods are real happy with me... Thanks!


"Come over... Sit here....," She showed Shriya a couch by the wall.... Shriya pulled Gauri over next to her....

They were hardly seated before Parvathi left the place to attend to someone else....

"You know her?"

"Yes.... She was once a teacher of mine... Long back...."

"Great... Now I guess you feel comfortable..."

"Very".... So comfortable that I want to race out of here... Maybe perform magic and disappear... Wonder what spell I can use.....

She did not have more than a minute to think up anything... Someone offered juice.... Shriya smiled at the girl....

"Hi... you must be the lawyer...."

"Yes... How do you know?"

"I was told.... I am Preetha... Aarthi's sister.... Did you meet Aarthi?"

"No..."

"Oh.... I will be back... I wanted to talk to you"

It was her.... Krish's future fiancee....

Maybe this is where I make an escape.... Or maybe I can stay back and ask her what she wanted to talk to me.... About legal issues concerning the Hindu Marriage Act?

She set the glass down.. Gauri was talking about how the couch would look perfect in some politicians public relations office..... "Made of that formality right?"

"Hmm"

"They are calling us..."

Shriya got up with Gauri... They sat down with the other ladies near the doll stand... It was a massive arrangement with more than a hundred dolls spread over 15 steps...

It painfully reminded Shriya about the celebrations back home.... She had always been there to decorate... and this year she couldn't....
She remembered telling her mother about this invite in the morning.... Her mother had said she could go.... but her asked her to be extra careful with strangers....

And she realized that they were all, after all more like strangers.....
Except the one who wasn't there...

Many of them were singing and she noticed Gauri making an attempt to sing... Shriya couldn't help laughing...

Gauri had this base tone and sounded odd among the high pitched others....

Gauri caught her eyes and blushed... Shriya smiled broader and shifted her eyes......

The door from the living room opened and someone walked in.....

Shriya stiffened.... The smile died on her lips... She bent down and crouched behind a girl dressed in golden chiffon.....
And hoped that he would walk away.....

Krish hardly looked at the group of females.... He walked down the wide hall... Shriya realized that he had entered just to cross over to the set of rooms at the other end....


The song ended.... Krish was almost gone....

"Shriya why don't you sing?"

Krish froze.... So did Shriya....

He turned around and looked at the group.... And their stares caught across the space between them....

It was like the wide gap was closed shut in it... And time and space held out muted cries of defeat.....

Everyone was staring at the two... And they were oblivious to it all....

The Gods and Goddesses were standing testimony to something that had been long pending.... It was like they were smiling from the stands.....

A Hope a day.......

BETWEEN THEM
Part 46

Needless to say, the atmosphere at the Shanker household was negatively charged.... There was a prevalent silence, and not even the effervescent Aakash tried to break it....

Preetha and Aarthi hardly spoke to each other.... When they did, it was not about anything that had something to do with themselves....

Krish was almost absent from the house.... He told no one where he was going or when he would return...

Only his grandmother was given the privilege of his confessions.... She said nothing when he told her he spent his free hours at Cubbon Park.... walking along or simply relaxing...

And staying away from a potential dynamo that was his home....

It was Mrs. Shanker who was the epicenter of this.... She had realized that Aarthi's idea of having her sister over in the household had something more to it, than the mere excuse of her staying with family.....
And Parvathi was more worried than she cared to show.... She kept a constant watch over Krish and made sure Preetha was well away from him.... all through the day....

With all the toys dusted and placed in their shelves and stands, what remained unsettled in the household was peace, and everyone there was secretly hoping that soon things would fall right....

Except Krish, he was hoping for elves... and angels.....

Time For Celebration

BETWEEN THEM
Part 45

September was fading away... but in the hue and color that was always so resplendent of it....

Dussera time....

The market was all crowded.... Gauri was shopping hard.... Color streamers and electric lights and the ubiquitous dolls...

"Hey, hand that over to me... I am just carrying my handbag and can help you with that," Shriya nudged her... "Am anyway getting bored of tagging along watching you shop shop shop.... Come on Gauri, I want to have a strong cup of...."

"Coffee.... I know.... Heard that a million times at the cafe,"she laughed...."Here... Hold this .... And yes.... next stop will be that corner coffee outlet fine?"

"Thank you, honor!"

The two of them laughed their way across the road....


And then Shriya slowed....

It was the same old woman she had met in the temple, almost a month back.... She was walking towards them, a smile lighting up her face....

"Are you Tamizh?"

"Yes...."

"I thought so.... Remember me? We met at the temple...."

"Met" was a rather elaborate usage.... "Saw" would have been better......

"Yes... I remember...."

"I wanted to ask your name then... Bangalore isn't the place where you find girls dressed up decently and praying at temples.... girls your age....."

Shriya laughed... So did Gauri, who was listening in with growing interest....

"I am Shriya... And this is my friend Gauri"

"You settled here?"

"No...ma'am.... I work here... Am a lawyer... at a private firm... Living alone.... Hometown is Chennai"

"No formal stuff now... We are tamizh too.... Well... We celebrate dussera the usual tamizh way... And would like to have girls like you over.... Would you two drop in tomorrow?"

Gauri looked at Shriya....

"I have a client meet tomorrow.....," Shriya was wondering how she could ever refuse this woman....

"We will come the next day...., " quipped Gauri, even as Shriya looked at her with reproach....

"Fine.... You two come over to the temple... I will have you home from there...."

This surprised Shriya more than she could believe....

They wished her a respectful goodbye....


They did not speak about it till they were settled with their coffee in the cafe....

"Gauri... Isn't it ...."

"Strange? Of course it is.... I mean she walks up to you and calls you home for a festival celebration? Of course... Dussera is all about socializing.... but with a complete stranger? Even if it is one who looks docile.."

"Yes... And also...."

"She offers to pick us up and take us to her place.... When we could very well have found our way had she given us the address.... Why are you quiet now?"

"Because you are saying whatever I wanted to"

"Fine... Now you say it all over again....."

"Oh... Gauri.... Please.... Its strange..... And I feel real awkward"

"Well... We will go and see what it is all about"

As they left the place and walked back, all that occupied Shriya's mind was the woman's smile and her familiarity....

And of course.... The weirdness of it all...

Smiles exchanged

BETWEEN THEM
Part 44

Strange things happen....

There is no reason as to why certain people extract certain reactions from us at certain times... They just do....

And it is these that make us all believe in miracles....

It was by chance that Shriya met her in the temple... A frail old lady with short hair.... primed and all white.... And the simple cotton saree was draped in the most prudent manner around her slim limbs...

She was all alone... And seemed to be a regular to the temple....

When their eyes met, Shriya gave a shy smile... There was something commanding in the woman's eyes.... yet when she smiled back, she looked distinctly familiar... and elegant....

That was all... It was their first meeting.... A few seconds....

But then, it was a start... And a silent one at that....

And yet as Kamala returned home, she could not ignore the nag in her heart that there was something strange that had happened in the temple....

And she was sure it had something to do with the girl...

She pushed away the thought as Krish smiled at her as she entered his room... He was looking tired.... And Kamala knew that the tea she had made for him would cheer up her grandson.....

Manners withheld

BETWEEN THEM
Part 43

Dreary day....

The pain was bearable.... and Shriya did not want to let it stop her routine....

Back home.... She tried to cook herself a decent dinner.... She was feeling unusually hungry even with the headache....

She ate a lonely meal standing by the kitchen table... looking out through the window at the black sky.... It was getting cold....

It was still early and she could do with a walk... She took a different route and walked on at a slow pace...

It was a still night, with not even a rustle from the trees on the sidewalk... The avenues and cross streets were all deserted.... The houses had bright lights shining through the windows.... They made her feel an extra shade lonelier....

She decided to buy some aspirin... and walked up to the small pharmacy at a turning a couple of streets away from her residence.... Maybe a whole strip would last the rest of the month....

"Shriya...."

Shriya turned around, it was Krish.... standing by his car...

"Hi"

"How are you? Pharmacy?.... Ill?"

"Not really.... Just a headache...," she sighed... "How are you anyway? What are you doing here?"
The last line came out harsher than she had intended.... If he was hurt, his eyes did not reveal it....

"Fine... I was returning home... And stopped when I saw you enter that shop.... " he pointed at the pharmacy....

"I had just taken a walk around...."

"Felt lonely?"

She had hoped that she would not have to have Krish ask such things.... But the question was hanging there between them...

"Yes... lonely... But then I think I don't mind"

"Maybe you should drop home sometime Shriya... Mom would like to have you there.... She told me she met you in the airport a few months back...."

"Drop by?... yea sure... someday...." And yes, I will meet that future fiancee of yours and have a ball of a time planning how your reception can be held...

"You sound like you don't want to.... Look what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong... Am feeling real tired today.... I don't want to be standing here and trying to make conversation"

He looked at her for a long time...

"Shall I drop you home?"

"No...."

"I live in Jayanagar..... 8th block, 36th cross... 14...."

"I got to be going now... "

"Meet you later then... "

She just turned and walked away... Hugging the sleeves of her sweater around her... She looked back when she was near the corner....

He was still standing there hands folded across his chest.... looking at her....

She turned the corner and walked out of sight......