Chapter 19: The End of Restless sleep
The sky was cobalt blue and adorned with small tufts of white clouds. The sunrays were quiet soothing and the air was fresh after the long monsoon. The trees were green with new leaves. Waves flowed on the paddy field. The air was filled up with the fragrance of festive season.
My slumber was cut short by a sweet aroma. I opened my eyes to find Titli by my side. She had already bathed and was looking fresh as tulip drenched in dew. She nudged me by my shoulder and asked me get up. I wrapped my arms around her thin waist and pulled her over me. She gave me a sweet smile and patted gently on my cheeks. She gestured that tea was ready.
I hugged her tightly in my arms and said, “I am not going to office today.”
“What? Why?” she asked me, “Are you feeling ok?”
I smiled at her and said, “No dear. I have a heart attack.”
“Come on get up you lazy bones. Get ready for office else you will be late.” She pulled me up.
I said to her, “I will get up in one condition.”
“What?” she asked me.
I said to her, “No work and no office today. Let us go out for a drive in this beautiful weather.”
She asked me, “Where to?”
I answered, “Nowhere in particular. Just you and me hit the road.”
She nodded her head and said, “Ok, but not in car. I want to ride in bike.”
I frowned by brows and asked, “Why in bike?”
“The car is quiet big and I have to sit beside you.” She gave me a bashful smile and said, “I want to sit with you and hold you.”
“Hmmm….” I teased her, “I would love to feel your arms around me.”
She pulled me from the couch, “Sure I will hug you. But for that you have to get up and get ready.”
I rushed to the bathroom to have my shower. She was ready with the breakfast. Her face was euphoric. There was twinkle in her big black eyes. I got ready and she asked me to wait in the drawing room.
After quiet sometime, she came out draped in a baby pink saree and short-sleeved blouse. My sight accentuate on her charms. She looked like a fairy descended from autumn clouds. I held her by her shoulder and slowly turned her to appraise her finesse. She gave me a bashful smile and asked me as how she looks. I answered that she was few strokes more than Venus was. I stooped down to kiss her pink glossy lips. She restrained me by putting her index finger on her lips. I felt that I had a heart attack by her actions.
She held me tightly as I raced the bike on the road. The soothing autumn winds engulfed us in a romantic bliss. I asked her as how she was feeling. She slapped gently on the back of head and asked me to concentrate on the road.
Titli asked me as where we are. I smiled at her and asked her to enjoy the ride. My old instinct drove me on the same road to the same place I proposed her. By afternoon, we reached the same place Kakdwip. We took a boat and crossed the river to go to the other side.
We walked hand in hand and reached the shore of the river. The line of demarcation faded. The color of the sky was same as that of the river. We sat beside the river. Tiny waves were crashing at our feet. Cold winds caressing us filling our heart with amorous bliss.
Time was passing very fast. The sun was going down in the west. The orange sky painted the river water with her red colour. She looked at the horizon where the endless river met the sky. I looked at her dreamy thoughtful face. The sunrays painted her creamy cheeks with her colours. She was very quiet and lost in her thoughts. She sat there still as a stone effigy.
I nudged her gently by her shoulder and asked her, “What happened Titli, why are you so quiet?”
She looked at me and shook her head, “Nothing.” Then she pointed to the horizon and showed me something. I looked at the horizon as where she was pointing. I observed that a flock of birds was flying in a line.
I asked her, “Want to go home?”
She shook her head, “No not now.” She wanted to sit there for some more time soaking in her thoughts. I took her in my arms and she rested her head on my shoulder. We sat there watching the sun going down the horizon and only twilight left in the clouds.
I stood up, pulling her along with me. She stood infront of me with thousand queries in her eyes. I gently placed my arms around her waist and pulled her towards me. She flanked her arms around my neck and looked up my face. The reflection of the twilight was glistening in her eyes.
I hugged her tightly with my arms and stooped down to touch her lips. She was breathing heavily. I whispered the same old lines in her ears, “Will you let me kiss your frowned lips as we grow old?”
She looked deeply in my eyes and her eyelids fluttered suddenly. She convulsed and fainted in my arms. I was perplexed. I sat down on the grass with my arms around her. I tried to wake her up by sprinkling water on her face.
After sometime, her lotus shaped big eyes unfurled it lids. She looked at me with glistening eyes and her lips fluttered. It was the music of my life that came out of her rosy lips.
“Aaaa Diii…… I love you…” she stammered. My heartbeat stopped as I heard my name on her lips. “Adi, I kept my word, Adi.”
I could not control my tears and hugged her with all my might. My heart ruptured with emotions. I kept on repeating, “Yes honey, I know. Why the hell you jumped?” I showered millions of kisses of her lips and face.
She kept on crying, “Adi I kept my word……” tears were flowing from her eyes.
Time stood still. We froze there with our arms around each other crying and consoling each other. I sat still with Titli lying on my lap. I was caressing her face and she held my arms across her chest. The sky was becoming dark and the stars began to show themselves. It was a night of thousand moons.
She cooed in my ears, “Honey, hold me tightly. I want to sleep peacefully in your arms.”
I nodded my head, “Yes baby, no one is going to take you away from me this time. You close your eyes honey. I will guard you with my life.”
Night of Thousand moons.
“Honey, what are you doing in this chilled night?”
“Oh! You. I thought you have slept already.”
“(Smile) Hmm... have I ever gone to bed without you?”
“No, baby. I noticed that you were tucking Bappa in the sleeping bag so I thought that tonight also you will be not near me.”
“He won’t sleep till his Titli auntie tell him a story.”
“So the mischievous devil has slept already.”
“Yes he has slept and I have put him in Maam’s tent. (Laugh) Come on, am I smelling a heart burn? He is just a cub. You should not be jealous of him.”
“Why not? (Smile) Since last four days he is sleeping between us like a huge barrier.”
“Today also Aurnavo and Bappa fought like tom and jerry.”
“What was the issue today?”
“(Laugh) Sleeping bag.”
“You are getting too much attached with Bappa. I fear, when he will return to Dhanbad it will be painful for you and for him also.”
“Adi, I have something to say.”
“What?”
“What if, we keep Bappa with us?”
“(Exclaim) WHAT?”
“Just a thought, Adi. He will stay with us, complete schooling and everything from Kolkata.”
“Please Titli, I beg you. Don’t even think of that. I don’t want another Budhaditya in my family, who is bereft of Mother’s love.”
“No Adi, you are getting me wrong. I love him with all my heart, I will love him like Ma’am.”
“I know you love him very much, but you can’t be the substitute of Ma’am heart. Try to understand Titli. I know what it is like not have a mother by your side when you need most. He is safe and secure in Ma’am arms.”
“Sorry, Adi I didn’t mean to dig your pains now.”
“It is ok Titli, now I have everything. We do visit Dhanbad every weekend. What are Ma’am and Aunt doing?”
“They are still awake, gossiping.”
“And dad and uncle?”
“Today I asked Aurnavo to sleep in their tent. I observed that every night they were boozing so I had to pull the reins.”
“You pulled the reins? What about Ma’am, she failed?”
“She was fed up with uncle so she asked me to handle the situation.”
“You are the real queen of the roost.”
“And you are the king of my heart.”
“You are looking too sexy in this jeans, baby. I am really happy that you are sexy again.”
“Ah! Don’t start in this cold night again. Remember I am queen so I have to be sexy.”
“(Laugh heartily) Yeah, baby. The king bows before his queen, my love.”
“Don’t forget that this queen also bows in front of queen mother. No one dares to cross Ma’am decision, not even my dad or uncle.”
“Ah! Lady Hitler you mean.”
“No, she is not Hitler. She is Devi Durga, very dignified lady. She respects other’s decision so everyone respect hers.”
“And you are hers Goddess Laksmi. Aurnavo is Ganesh and Bappa is his mouse. So many deities surround me. (Laugh heartily.)”
“If I am Laksmi, then you are my owl.”
“I am happy to be that.”
“Ma’am is also looking very beautiful in jeans, is not it?”
“Thanks to this bitter cold and trekking that she wore jeans but Lady Hitler has killer looks, she is ...”
“ADI, no more words. Do not start pulling her leg again. By the way what are you doing with camera in this dead night?”
“I was trying to have some pictures of the Akash Ganga constellation.”
“Ummmm..... My darling photographer. So at last you have brought me at the end of the road again.”
“(Laugh) Yes. Don’t you like this place?”
“This place is out-of-the world, honey. I like the place but the twenty-two kilometres of trekking from Gangotri to Bhojbasa has brought havoc on everyone. By the way, what made you to choose such a place?”
“You wanted to goto a secluded place with family, and here it is in the heart of Himalaya in the midst of the Gangotri glacier.
The sky was cobalt blue and adorned with small tufts of white clouds. The sunrays were quiet soothing and the air was fresh after the long monsoon. The trees were green with new leaves. Waves flowed on the paddy field. The air was filled up with the fragrance of festive season.
My slumber was cut short by a sweet aroma. I opened my eyes to find Titli by my side. She had already bathed and was looking fresh as tulip drenched in dew. She nudged me by my shoulder and asked me get up. I wrapped my arms around her thin waist and pulled her over me. She gave me a sweet smile and patted gently on my cheeks. She gestured that tea was ready.
I hugged her tightly in my arms and said, “I am not going to office today.”
“What? Why?” she asked me, “Are you feeling ok?”
I smiled at her and said, “No dear. I have a heart attack.”
“Come on get up you lazy bones. Get ready for office else you will be late.” She pulled me up.
I said to her, “I will get up in one condition.”
“What?” she asked me.
I said to her, “No work and no office today. Let us go out for a drive in this beautiful weather.”
She asked me, “Where to?”
I answered, “Nowhere in particular. Just you and me hit the road.”
She nodded her head and said, “Ok, but not in car. I want to ride in bike.”
I frowned by brows and asked, “Why in bike?”
“The car is quiet big and I have to sit beside you.” She gave me a bashful smile and said, “I want to sit with you and hold you.”
“Hmmm….” I teased her, “I would love to feel your arms around me.”
She pulled me from the couch, “Sure I will hug you. But for that you have to get up and get ready.”
I rushed to the bathroom to have my shower. She was ready with the breakfast. Her face was euphoric. There was twinkle in her big black eyes. I got ready and she asked me to wait in the drawing room.
After quiet sometime, she came out draped in a baby pink saree and short-sleeved blouse. My sight accentuate on her charms. She looked like a fairy descended from autumn clouds. I held her by her shoulder and slowly turned her to appraise her finesse. She gave me a bashful smile and asked me as how she looks. I answered that she was few strokes more than Venus was. I stooped down to kiss her pink glossy lips. She restrained me by putting her index finger on her lips. I felt that I had a heart attack by her actions.
She held me tightly as I raced the bike on the road. The soothing autumn winds engulfed us in a romantic bliss. I asked her as how she was feeling. She slapped gently on the back of head and asked me to concentrate on the road.
Titli asked me as where we are. I smiled at her and asked her to enjoy the ride. My old instinct drove me on the same road to the same place I proposed her. By afternoon, we reached the same place Kakdwip. We took a boat and crossed the river to go to the other side.
We walked hand in hand and reached the shore of the river. The line of demarcation faded. The color of the sky was same as that of the river. We sat beside the river. Tiny waves were crashing at our feet. Cold winds caressing us filling our heart with amorous bliss.
Time was passing very fast. The sun was going down in the west. The orange sky painted the river water with her red colour. She looked at the horizon where the endless river met the sky. I looked at her dreamy thoughtful face. The sunrays painted her creamy cheeks with her colours. She was very quiet and lost in her thoughts. She sat there still as a stone effigy.
I nudged her gently by her shoulder and asked her, “What happened Titli, why are you so quiet?”
She looked at me and shook her head, “Nothing.” Then she pointed to the horizon and showed me something. I looked at the horizon as where she was pointing. I observed that a flock of birds was flying in a line.
I asked her, “Want to go home?”
She shook her head, “No not now.” She wanted to sit there for some more time soaking in her thoughts. I took her in my arms and she rested her head on my shoulder. We sat there watching the sun going down the horizon and only twilight left in the clouds.
I stood up, pulling her along with me. She stood infront of me with thousand queries in her eyes. I gently placed my arms around her waist and pulled her towards me. She flanked her arms around my neck and looked up my face. The reflection of the twilight was glistening in her eyes.
I hugged her tightly with my arms and stooped down to touch her lips. She was breathing heavily. I whispered the same old lines in her ears, “Will you let me kiss your frowned lips as we grow old?”
She looked deeply in my eyes and her eyelids fluttered suddenly. She convulsed and fainted in my arms. I was perplexed. I sat down on the grass with my arms around her. I tried to wake her up by sprinkling water on her face.
After sometime, her lotus shaped big eyes unfurled it lids. She looked at me with glistening eyes and her lips fluttered. It was the music of my life that came out of her rosy lips.
“Aaaa Diii…… I love you…” she stammered. My heartbeat stopped as I heard my name on her lips. “Adi, I kept my word, Adi.”
I could not control my tears and hugged her with all my might. My heart ruptured with emotions. I kept on repeating, “Yes honey, I know. Why the hell you jumped?” I showered millions of kisses of her lips and face.
She kept on crying, “Adi I kept my word……” tears were flowing from her eyes.
Time stood still. We froze there with our arms around each other crying and consoling each other. I sat still with Titli lying on my lap. I was caressing her face and she held my arms across her chest. The sky was becoming dark and the stars began to show themselves. It was a night of thousand moons.
She cooed in my ears, “Honey, hold me tightly. I want to sleep peacefully in your arms.”
I nodded my head, “Yes baby, no one is going to take you away from me this time. You close your eyes honey. I will guard you with my life.”
Night of Thousand moons.
“Honey, what are you doing in this chilled night?”
“Oh! You. I thought you have slept already.”
“(Smile) Hmm... have I ever gone to bed without you?”
“No, baby. I noticed that you were tucking Bappa in the sleeping bag so I thought that tonight also you will be not near me.”
“He won’t sleep till his Titli auntie tell him a story.”
“So the mischievous devil has slept already.”
“Yes he has slept and I have put him in Maam’s tent. (Laugh) Come on, am I smelling a heart burn? He is just a cub. You should not be jealous of him.”
“Why not? (Smile) Since last four days he is sleeping between us like a huge barrier.”
“Today also Aurnavo and Bappa fought like tom and jerry.”
“What was the issue today?”
“(Laugh) Sleeping bag.”
“You are getting too much attached with Bappa. I fear, when he will return to Dhanbad it will be painful for you and for him also.”
“Adi, I have something to say.”
“What?”
“What if, we keep Bappa with us?”
“(Exclaim) WHAT?”
“Just a thought, Adi. He will stay with us, complete schooling and everything from Kolkata.”
“Please Titli, I beg you. Don’t even think of that. I don’t want another Budhaditya in my family, who is bereft of Mother’s love.”
“No Adi, you are getting me wrong. I love him with all my heart, I will love him like Ma’am.”
“I know you love him very much, but you can’t be the substitute of Ma’am heart. Try to understand Titli. I know what it is like not have a mother by your side when you need most. He is safe and secure in Ma’am arms.”
“Sorry, Adi I didn’t mean to dig your pains now.”
“It is ok Titli, now I have everything. We do visit Dhanbad every weekend. What are Ma’am and Aunt doing?”
“They are still awake, gossiping.”
“And dad and uncle?”
“Today I asked Aurnavo to sleep in their tent. I observed that every night they were boozing so I had to pull the reins.”
“You pulled the reins? What about Ma’am, she failed?”
“She was fed up with uncle so she asked me to handle the situation.”
“You are the real queen of the roost.”
“And you are the king of my heart.”
“You are looking too sexy in this jeans, baby. I am really happy that you are sexy again.”
“Ah! Don’t start in this cold night again. Remember I am queen so I have to be sexy.”
“(Laugh heartily) Yeah, baby. The king bows before his queen, my love.”
“Don’t forget that this queen also bows in front of queen mother. No one dares to cross Ma’am decision, not even my dad or uncle.”
“Ah! Lady Hitler you mean.”
“No, she is not Hitler. She is Devi Durga, very dignified lady. She respects other’s decision so everyone respect hers.”
“And you are hers Goddess Laksmi. Aurnavo is Ganesh and Bappa is his mouse. So many deities surround me. (Laugh heartily.)”
“If I am Laksmi, then you are my owl.”
“I am happy to be that.”
“Ma’am is also looking very beautiful in jeans, is not it?”
“Thanks to this bitter cold and trekking that she wore jeans but Lady Hitler has killer looks, she is ...”
“ADI, no more words. Do not start pulling her leg again. By the way what are you doing with camera in this dead night?”
“I was trying to have some pictures of the Akash Ganga constellation.”
“Ummmm..... My darling photographer. So at last you have brought me at the end of the road again.”
“(Laugh) Yes. Don’t you like this place?”
“This place is out-of-the world, honey. I like the place but the twenty-two kilometres of trekking from Gangotri to Bhojbasa has brought havoc on everyone. By the way, what made you to choose such a place?”
“You wanted to goto a secluded place with family, and here it is in the heart of Himalaya in the midst of the Gangotri glacier.