Nimi looked up from the pages she
was trying to memorize, her eyes pensive. She sighed. Tomorrow was December 28,
her fourth wedding anniversary. The thought did not make her feel glad. The day
would be spent as any other day, rushing to her medical college and back home
again, exhausted, the long drive back depleting all her energy.
She sighed again. She was only 26.
She felt 96. Weary in spirit and weary in bone. Her no-nonsence, functional
handset beeped, cutting into her thoughts. Kaaya gushed on at the other end, “Hey,
Nims, what is your plan for tomorrow? We can steal away to that Scottish Bakery
in the afternoon, and eat ‘Honeymoon Rhapshody’, that new cake-icecream
concoction in the menu? And Hey! Wear that new salwar suit your aunt gifted you
last month! No saree at least tomorrow! Nims are you there?” Nimi laughed into her mobile, saying, “of
course, but where do you let me speak as always? No fear, I will appear as you
desire. OK? The phone went dead. No doubt Kayaa was off to chew up somebody
else’s ears. Thank God for Kaaya; thought Nimi. She keeps me sane. Otherwise I
would have sunk into my misery so much that I would be disassociated with the
world around me.
She put her book away and got up to
have her bath. The maid servant was clattering away with spoons, cups and
plates as she washed them inside the kitchen sink. A horn tooted outside the
gate. As the maid hurried to open the gate, Nimi hastily grabbed her towel, an
old pair of pyjamas and rushed into the bathroom, bolting the door behind her.
Naren strode in, frown lines
marring his otherwise handsome face. Coming home felt like a punishment. Dejection
settled on him like blanketing veil of early morning Madikeri fog. He threw his
briefcase and file onto the teapoy and settled into the armchair, switching on
the T.V. as he did so. Gouramma brought in black tea and Marie biscuits on a
tray. He sipped at his tea desultorily, scanning the news paper with a
practised eye. He listened moodly as the sound of running water in the bathroom
stopped. He looked at his watch. Ten minutes more for her to emerge from the
bathroom. He got up briskly, unbuttoning his shirt as he went into the bedroom
and towards his rosewood wardrobe. He pulled out the first T-shirt he set his
eyes on, pulled it over his head and shut the wardrobe with a bang. Five more
minutes she calculated inside the bathroom as she went about towelling herself
dry, unhurriedly. He splashed water over his face in the sink, next to the
dining table, patted his face dry with the towel hanging (neatly as far was
able by Gouramma) in the towel ring, and picked up his car key on his way out
of the front door. Hardly had the Silver Verna 6578 purred out of the front
gate, when she emerged from the bathroom; pale and clean smelling. Their routine
was well orchestrated and ran like clock work since the past one year. She
could not pin point exactly when they started avoiding each other. Gouramma’s
voice reached her ears, “Avva, I’ve kept the dinner dishes ready on the dining
table. Shall I go?” “Yes, go. Please come at 6am tomorrow. You know I leave
early on Tuesdays.” Gouramma’s non-committal grunt mingled with the shutting of
the door.
Now she was alone at home. She felt
at peace. Nobody to disturb her till 11pm when he would return. She would be
sound asleep between the sheets by then or pretending to be. Quickly she took
out her file and started working on her case. The presentation on juvenile
diabetes was at 12pm. Her Head of the Department Mr Johnson would be in his
seat at 12pm sharp and ready to start. She
would reach the mini-theatre at 11.45am and set up everything. Fif teen minutes
would be enough.
Finished with her preparation, she
quickly set out the pink and gold salwar suit Kaaya liked so much which she
said made her appear chic and sexy. Nimi smiled inwardly. Kaaya and her
remarks! Quickly setting her mobile alarm for 5.30am, Nime switched off her
bedroom light. There was no fear of Naren disturbing her as invariably getting
in late; he would crash out on the settee in the den. Settling down into her
warm bed, Nimi grimaced unhappily. How things have changed. We were so happy
when we got married. Now we are like two strangers sharing the same house. Nimi’s
eyelids grew heavy and her thoughts drifted off.
“Avva, someone has left these rose
flowers on the doorstep.” Gouramma’s voice broke Nimi’s concentration as she was
carefully attaching the screw of her delicate pearl ear-rings that matched her
exquisite salwar. Certainly Tinky aunty has taste! Breaking off her thoughts
mid-stride, Nimi turned to Gouramma, only to spy a dozen gorgeous, dewy red roses, glistening in the nest of lush green ferns, dotted with tiny silver hearts. Nimi’s
heart thudded loudly and then sang in full crescendo as she beheld the velvety
maroon card on which was written just three words “to my love”. Nimi’s face
flushed and she snatched away the bouquet as if Gouramma could read the words
and censure her. The silent admirer never forgot her b’day and sent her a dozen
red roses every year. Gouramma had already turned away and was near the door. Thanking
her stars that she was spared any explaining, Nimi hunted out her special vase.
Roses now bloomed in the Belgium crystal vase, kept on the window sill, against
the backdrop of maroon curtains, lending the room an intimate touch. Let Naren
see it and understand, thought Nimi as she happily set about tiding her room
while munching on the cucumber sandwiches Gouramma had brought in on the tray
with the roses.
It was already 8am. Time to go, if
she were to attend her morning class by 9am. Also, Naren would come in only
after she left. They never ran into each other or appeared in front of the
other. Their egos took precedence.
Presentation was a breeze with her
happy frame of mind. Nimi glowed in the praise of her H.O.D but the real glow
was from the memory of those red roses. Kaaya was ecstatic when she beheld Nimi
in her chic avatar. Dodging others’ admiring but questioning glances, Nimi
escaped to their hide-out with Kaaya. The warm, cosy ambience of the Scottish
Bakery made Nimi mellow. Kaaya’s good natured ribbing didn’t make a dent on her
composure. “Tell me, Nims, what is the high point of your b’day? What present
did Naren give you?” Nimi deftly changed the track of the conversation with the
ease of a practised player. “Hey! Kaaya! You were just telling me your little
secret?” Kaaya giggled, distracted, sidetracked, went into details of her
secret crush on her cousin Devs. Nimi smiled- how easy it is to manage Kaaya. If
only I could manage my mind so easily. There was a niggling disquietitude at
the back of her mind, which she could not pinpoint.
Back home, Gouramma welcomed her with
a steaming cup of coffee and pakodas just the way she liked it; crunchy on the
outside and soft and fleshy inside; combined with mint chutney, it tasted
divine. “Mmmm, nice; thanx Goura” said Nimi smilingly as the phone rang
shrilly. Who could it be? wondered Nimi. Pops and Mamma, Arjun and Mimi had already
wished her in the morning. Even otherwise, her close friends called her on her
mobile and not on the landline. The shrill cry of the telephone sounded
ominous. Lifting the receiver to her ear Nimi listened to the police at the
other end. “Mrs Chengappa? Does Silver Verna 6578 belong to your husband Mr
Naren Chengappa? Nimi was surprised. “Yes, Inspector. Is anything the matter?” “Would
you call Mr Chengappa online please?” “He is not home at the moment” “Please
relay my message to him as soon as he comes.” “Yes, Inspector! Good day!”
Nimi turned to Gouramma standing
quietly in the background. “Didn’t Aiyya come home yesterday?” “No, Avva!” “Why
didn’t you tell me?” “You never ask me about him!” “It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t
tell me!” The servants’ eyes never miss any discord between husband and wife,
thought Nimi resignedly. “You may go now” Gouramma beat a hasty retreat. “She
didn’t ask me if Aiyya had not come home like this earlier too. I thought he
will come home in the morning as usual.” muttered Gouramma to herself in the
kitchen.
A niggling worry kept Nimi on tenterhooks
the whole day, especially after her Dad informed her that Naren’s car was found
abandoned on the road side, leading to his estate. The locked car was not
damaged in any way. The family was worried about its missing son-in-law. Nimi
gently turned down their suggestion of coming over to stay with her until the
situation resolved itself. She would not be able to bear the dissection of what
could have happened? Didn’t he tell you where he would go? Why don’t you keep
track of him? Did you both quarrel? and other similar accusations that were
bound to come up. How ever well meaning the parents are, the hurt, the wound is
your own. You cannot share it with your loved ones and give them pain. They
would be devastated to know that their daughter and son-in-law were living like
strangers. Never! I will never give them that pain, vowed Nimi.
Naren, where are you? What happened
to you? Are you alright? Nimi was shocked at the turn of events and more
shocked at the way she was reacting. It was not the guarded reaction of the
wife wanting to show the expected wifely accord to the world. The churning
emotions in her mind overwhelmed her. Is my feeling for Naren still intact? Do
I care for him? Yes. You do, shouted back her mind.
That night Nimi could not sleep. I
will never forget my b’day- the happy beginning and the horrific ending. How
did I forget Naren’s gentleness, his generosity? Why couldn’t I overcome my ego
and made the first move to reconcile? How much we loved each other. Earlier we
couldn’t bear to be apart even for a minute. We don’t know when we drifted
apart. He was busy with his practice and I with my work. Oh! Naren! Where are
you? wept Nimi’s mind. If only you come home safe, I will tell you how much I
care for you. I will not let my ego come between us ever again.
The police had wild theories. Some one
might have kidnapped him for a ransom. They might call you shortly or he might
have absconded because of financial worries. “Does he have any worries?”
queried the Inspector. “No! Inspector!” snapped Nimi angrily. On the one side, keeping
the curiosity of the relatives at bay, on the other, trying to put her families’
mind at rest, in-between co-operating with the police in answering their
questions was too much for Nimi.
The dam finally burst. “Oh, Please!
Come back Naren!” sobbed Nimi into her pillow. She felt Naren’s arms around her
holding her tight and warm. “Don’t cry Nim, whispered Naren’s voice in her
ears. You know I will always love you. I never stopped loving you.” Nimi sighed
happily. Naren was back and her world was alright once again. She opened her
eyes. It was already day-break. She looked anxiously at his side of the bed.
The emptiness there mocked her. What did her dream mean?
The insistent knocking on the front
door made her run to the door in her night dress.Naren is already here. I am
not even dressed. No matter! Nimi opened the door happily.
The Inspector stood before her. “I’m
sorry Mrs Chengappa, to have come at this early hour”, said the police
Inspector gravely. “We discovered Mr Chengappa’s body by the side of the creek
in his estate. What surprised us, he looked as if asleep, holding a bunch of
red roses in his hand!” He could see shock; a dawning realization and then
emptiness cloud her eyes. He was unprepared when she slid to the ground, never
to get up again!!!
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