CHAPTER 14
Ranima bent and kissed
her favorite grandson’s forehead, “No, Raju…not strange at all. That’s the
all-encompassing emotion that only true love can put together. This feeling of
belongingness defines you…the feeling that you are finally home.”
“Home.” Raj whispered,
“Exactly nanisa. That’s how it feels. After years of living life on the edge
and feeling like a nomad, I thought I had finally come home when I came to
Palampur this time, but...,” he looked up with shining eyes, “now I know why the
feeling was so deep. It’s because Naina was the first person I saw when I entered
home. It was as if…as if…”
“As if it was meant to
be. She was meant to be.” She ran the tips of her fingers over his forehead,
“It’s all written here Raj. Destiny. Fate. Some people meet their destinies
straight away…and some go through life’s detours before they do, like you and
Naina. You were fated to meet and come together after walking through your
respective tests of fire, because your souls were seeking each other.”
“But nanisa, you are
overlooking something. This is something only I feel, and I am not going to
impose my feelings on Naina. I won’t risk the friendship we share. For me that’s
enough. I want to see her happy, and I will go to any lengths to ensure that.”
“You don’t think she
has feelings for you?”
For a moment, Raj
recalled the interlude outside the dining hall. Naina’s eyes had looked at him
with such longing that his heart still throbbed at the memory. Is it possible?
No, couldn’t be. She had opened herself to someone for the first time…let him
in. She was still not herself after their talk and just needed her friend to
lean on to. He shook his head, “I don’t know nanisa. And I hope she does not. I
don’t want her to.”
“What? Why?”
In answer, Raj extended
his left leg and lifted the trouser. “Look at me.” He clarified sadly, “You
forget I am not whole. I can’t offer this to her, nanisa…Naina deserves better.
She deserves to be happy with someone who is not broken…a complete, healthy
man…who is her equal in every way. I am not good enough for her.”
Ranima got up in a
swift motion and pulled him up by his wrist, “Come with me.”
She dragged him to her
room and made him stand in front of her husband’s portrait. They looked up at
the lifelike image of the handsome Sumer Singh. Her eyes took on a far-off look
as she reminisced, “Take a good look at your nanasa, Raj. He was a zaildar and
I was the princess…but that didn’t stop us from falling in love with each other
and making a life together. I knew his status in court would never allow him to
express his feelings for me. So I went to him and told him I loved him and that
he was the one I was going to spend my life with…that he was the only one who
could give me the happiness I needed. He tried to reason with me…saying how he
was a lowly officer and not good enough for a princess…that I deserved
better…that I deserved a prince. I listened to his prattle and just asked him
one question.”
She looked at Raj then,
who was listening intently. He waited for her to elaborate, which she did, as
she turned back to gaze at her husband, “I asked him whether he really wants
me to be happy.”
“Of course he did! He
was a man in love, and he wanted only the best for you. That’s why he wanted
you to marry someone…..” Raj broke off as something dawned on him, and looked
perplexed, “Nanisa, what did he say?”
“Nothing. He kept quiet
and just stared at me.”
Raj still looked
confused. Nanisa smiled, “You didn’t get it, did you? He couldn’t say Yes
because saying that would have meant saying Yes to my proposal. I had already
told him that he is the only one who could make me happy.”
“Gosh, that must have
put him in a spot!” Raj ran his fingers through his hair and chuckled.
“Yes it sure did.”
“Then what happened?”
“Oh, I just needed to
work on him a little after that. Don’t ask me what I did.” She winked and chortled,
“Well…the rest as they say is history.”
“And the moral of the
story is….?”
“The moral of the story
my dear Raju is that it is the lady’s prerogative to decide what she wants.”
Raj smiled but still
looked apprehensive as he looked down at his leg. Nanisa kept a hand on his arm
and urged him to look up, “Tell me something Raj…if tomorrow you come to know
that something very ugly happened to Naina in her first marriage, something
that left her emotionally and physically scarred, will you stop loving her?”
“Of course not! My
feelings are not so shallow.” His face hardened and his jaws clenched at the
very thought.
She smiled and then
turned serious, “Raj, you cannot decide for Naina. Her feelings are her own…you
cannot control them. If she loves you, do not let a non-issue like a physical
handicap come between you. If you do, you will only be insulting her decision.”
Raj looked at his
grandmother with consternation, “I didn’t think of it that way nanisa. You are
right.”
“Trust me on this Raj.
I haven’t seen Naina this relaxed and this secure with a man before. You have
broken through her barriers. You make her happy, son. She cares for you. It’s
much more than Karuna and I had hoped for.”
Raj looked at his
grandmother incredulously, “Why do I smell a conspiracy? Dear God, you two have
been matchmaking, haven’t you?” He turned full-on toward her; hands on hips he
angled his head to regard her with narrowed eyes, “Hmm…I remember you were so melodramatic
when you came to Devisar to insist that I move here and take over the business.
What was that? Yes…“Raju, I am old and
lonely. I cannot carry on alone anymore. The mahal seems so big and empty
and haunting. Please Raju…I need you. Please come to Palampur. Make this old
woman’s last years happy. Please Raju…please.” ” He rolled his eyes, “God,
nanisa, you had me mentally packing my bags by the second Please. I should have known there was something cooking in that
impish brain of yours. You wanted me to come here and meet Naina. You knew I’d
fall for her, didn’t you?”
She grinned widely,
“Well, I won’t lie that I did harbor such a hope. Naina is a lovely girl. I
love her. She is perfect for you. And after that farcical marriage with Shilpa…,”
she scrunched her nose, “I wanted you to settle down with someone you love.”
“And you decided that
love was Naina.”
“Like I said I hoped. I
know you…I know Naina. Let’s just say it was a matter of time. I meant it when
I said it’s all ways of destiny. I just gave a nudge.”
He shook his head and
laughed aloud. He then grabbed his grandmother in a tight hug, “Oh nanisa.
What a royal meddler you are! I love you.”
She giggled like a
schoolgirl and tilted her head to look at him, “If I could drill sense into my
Sumer, you stood no chance my boy. I admit you had me worried in the beginning
when Karuna called up and told me how you and Naina started on the wrong foot. I
had other plans on my sleeve.
“I am sure you did.” He
pressed his lips on her forehead and wished her goodnight, still chuckling.
*******************************
Raj woke up to his
phone ringing. Naina’s name flashed on the screen. “Good morning Naina!”
“Did I wake you Raj?”
“Umm…not really. I was
about to get up. You alright?”
“Yeah. I just wanted to
thank you for last night. I…I needed that talk. I am sitting on the swing with
my cup of tea and thinking about similar mornings in Nainital with my family.
And I am able to do this because of you. Thanks Raj.”
“There’s nothing to
thank me for Naina. I am glad I could be of some help. They were happy times
for you…Why run away from their happy memories? Any time you need to talk, I am
here.”
“Thanks.”
“What are you doing
today?”
“Mmm…I have to make a
few calls, to musicians and DJs for Ranima’s party this Saturday. After that
I’ll be taking beeji to the flower show in Hotel Palam. Adi will be at the
academy. Some state cricketers are coming to coach them. After that they are
going to have lunch there only. From the hotel beeji will be going with some
friends of hers for lunch and saree shopping.”
“And you?”
“Oh, I’ll come back
home. I have some schoolwork to catch up.”
“No. You won’t.”
“What?”
“Change of plans, ma’am.
Nanisa is inaugurating the Spring Festival in Hotel Palam. The flower show is
part of that I believe. I have an appointment with the Chef of that hotel for
catering for the party. Once you are done with the flower show, we’ll have
lunch in one of their restaurants.”
“Why?” Naina bit her
lip.
“Did you just ask me
that? I am deeply hurt Naina. Can’t I have a relaxing lunch with my friend without
her questioning my motives? It’s indeed a sad day for me.”
“Raj!”
“Naina!”
“Cease the theatrics.”
“Yes ma’am. And the
lunch?”
“Only if they have
Chinese.”
“The best in Palampur.”
“Right then. See you.”
“Counting the hours
already.”
“Raj”
“Naina.”
“Stop flirting. Bye.”
God he loved her! She
made him grin like a teenaged lovesick idiot. Still smiling he reached for his
prosthetic.
Naina stared at the
phone. She shouldn’t have called him so early. Raj knew her too well. What if
he gets a whiff of what’s going on with her heart. Yet she couldn’t help
herself. One moment she was thinking of papa, ma, and Milli and the next moment
she was dialing his number, desperately needing to hear his voice. This won’t
do. She had to be careful. The fact that she loved him with every breath of her
body should be buried deep inside her heart and not allowed to jeopardize the precious
friendship they shared. Raj trusted her. He would be very disappointed if he
realized she had feelings for him, not to mention embarrass him.
She took a sip from her
cup and sighed. Suddenly she remembered overhearing Ranima telling beeji last
night that how she wished Raj married again…not only for Tanu but also for
himself. Naina closed her eyes as emotions churned in her. Raj didn’t lack
female attention. She had seen how women ogled at him. He was a good man. He deserved
to be happy with someone he loved and who loved him back. He deserved someone
to love him and care for him for who he is. He deserved someone with a good
family background and a clean past. He deserved someone who was untainted, body
and soul.
She could never be that
person.
**************************************
The flower show was
held in the hotel lawns. Beeji was soon surrounded by her friends. Ranima had
left for another appointment after the inauguration of the Spring Festival. Halfway
through the flower show, Naina said goodbye to beeji and went inside the hotel,
hoping to meet the manager with regard to bringing her school children to see
the flowers.
The manager was busy so
she went to the washroom. She was washing her hands when two young women walked
in chatting. Her senses went on alert when she heard a familiar name being
uttered.
“Did you see how that
Vimi was hovering around him?”
“Yeah. She told me she
was going to marry him and that her parents will soon go to Ranima with her
proposal.”
“She is delusional if
she thinks Raj is interested in her. Why would he go in for spoilt goods when
he has flocks of nubile beauties fawning all over him?”
“Whatever. But gotta
say he is one breathtakingly handsome prince. Not to forget stinking rich. I won’t
mind trying my chances with him.”
Naina didn’t wait to
hear more and rushed out. She didn’t know what she would have said to those
gossipmongers if she had stayed longer. At the moment she was feeling
irrational and jealousy gnawed at her. The mere mention of Vimi had sent her into
a fuming mode. She walked the corridors briskly looking here and there. Where
the hell was the Casanova? Wait till she caught hold of him. Through the glass
doors, she spotted him in the main lounge chatting with a man and two women…the
latter she recognized as Vimi. Naina stood rooted as Vimi laughed and hooked an
arm through Raj’s elbow. Her entire being urged her to rush in and pry the hand
away from her man. She took a step and stopped with her hand on the door as she
realized what she was about to do. She reminded herself of the resolution she
had made herself. Through a green haze she saw Raj hold Vimi’s wrist and extricate
his hand free before stepping away from her. At the same moment he looked up
and his eyes met hers through the glass.
Naina turned away and began
walking toward the lawns when she heard Raj call out, and then his hand was holding
hers, “Whoa! Wait Naina. What happened? Why didn’t you come in?”
She took a deep breath
and turned with a smile, “Nothing happened Raj. I just remembered I had
something urgent to tell beeji. I was hoping to catch her before she left.”
He frowned, “Is that
all?”
“Yes Raj. What else
could it be?”
“Well, I wondered
whether seeing Vimi there upset you.”
“Raj…please. What you
do with your gaggle of admirers is your business. Why should it affect me?”
“Methinks the lady doth
protests too much.” Raj muttered under his breath.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing. Just that I
think our table is ready for lunch. Come.” He took her hand and guided her toward
the The Oriental Room. They crossed the two ladies Naina had encountered in the
washroom. They stared at them and then their handhold. Raj didn’t even look at
them.
Inside the restaurant,
the manager welcomed and escorted them to their table. Raj pulled the chair for
Naina and then sat opposite her. The waiter gave them the menu cards and
stepped back to stand at a distance to await them to decide on their order.
They enjoyed a
leisurely lunch, talking, teasing, and talking some more. Raj couldn’t get
enough of Naina. Among all the plastic, painted faces of the girls who swarmed
him whenever he was in public, Naina stood out like a chaste, innocent angel.
She was perfect. Beautiful and perfect.
He reached out to tuck
a lock of hair behind her ear as she animatedly explained her next project for Asha Deep, “We are going to ask
vocational consultants to visit and tap the talents in the children. We can
then guide them toward the profession they are most likely to excel in. We have
arranged for a small get-together when they visit. Children are going to dress
up as the people they want to mold their life after.”
“That’s a wonderful
idea, Naina.”
“Tell me Raj…if you had
to mold yourself after a person, who would he be?”
“Not he…that would be a she.”
“Really? Who?”
“You.”
“You are being funny
now.”
Raj straightened and
took her hands in his, “No Naina, I am perfectly serious. You are kind,
generous, and brave. Even though your heart bleeds from innumerable wounds of
past, you still care for everyone with all of you. You have not a single
cynical and mean bone in your body. You are like a ray of sunshine in everyone’s
lives you touch. Everyone is so happy around you. And that my dear Naina is a
rare trait. If I have even a fraction of those qualities, I’ll be a better man.”
Naina was so
overwhelmed that she could only look at him. Raj’s phone rang at the same time as
her phone beeped for an incoming picture message. He left her hands and mouthed
a sorry before picking up the phone to see who it was. He then glanced at Naina
to tell her that he had to take the call, but stared in horror at her face. She
had gone white as she stared at her phone.
*********************************************
To
be continued………
