In Search -Powder FF (Epilogue up) (Page 16)

Chapter XII

Brinda removed her glares slowly. The world around her was a technicolour movie, the colours brighter, the sounds jarring, a slight wind, hair flying and she would never admit she could hear strains of some song in the background, everything in slow motion.

Mahendra took one long, piercing look at her, searing her very sould. It had been years she hadlast seen those eyes. Then his face relaxed into a slight, hazy smile and the intensity in his eyes seemed less penetrating and more warm. At the same moment, Brinda remembered their parting. It had been difficult, but necessary. Ill timed to something that may have come out of the tentative friendship. Brinda hardly dared hope that something may come out, even now.

He turned away from her, and walked towards Usmaan Sir. He was standing oddly, his face a mixture of disapproval and pride, relief and happiness.

"Kaise ho Mahendra?"

Mahendra coloured at the tone of the words and looked down at the toes of his boots. Usmaan sir cared about his team deeply, and in return, they had given him nothing, but strife and anger. And a way to Ansari.

He lifted his head and said softly, "Bas, chal raha hain."

There was a hint of the old carelessness in his voice, and it brought a smile on Brinda's face.

Usmaan Sir grasped the proffered arm and then let go. Shiv and Mahen shook hands. Then he turned to Brinda.

"Shiv, jara gaadi nikal…Mahendra ka samaan aata hi hoga. We don't want to be late," Usmaan said, grabbing the upper arm of the young officer and steering him away from the two. Shiv hesitantly allowed himself to be dragged away from the duo.

They stood looking at each other for an awkward moment. She went in for a hug and he offered his hand, and they ended up in a half embrace and half handshake. Brinda extracted herself with a blush and a smile.

He stood looking at her – her hair was awry, the same luxurious curls he had dreamed of, her face was bronze under the Mumbai sun and her eyes were moist with unshown emotions.

After some moments of debate, Brinda smiled.

"Kaise ho?"

"Theek," he smiled back lazily. Life had suddenly turned brighter for him and he wanted to enjoy every moment of the ride.

Both shuffled their feet. After waiting for this moment for two whole years, suddenly there was nothing to say, and at the same time, so much to say.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. She looked up to see him staring.

"Errrmm…..Kaam kaise chal raha hain?"

She closed her eyes in defeat and groaned mentally.

"Kaam…acchaa…bahut acchaa…Si-Siddiqui sahib aur Ashwini bhi aana chahte the…par…"

He looked up sharply, "Ashwini?"

"Haan par…" she left the sentence hanging in midair.

He looked away at the people streaming in to the terminal.

"Aur Jugdale."

"Theek hain. Bas, kuch waqt pehle baahar aaya, par suspended hain."

"Hm."

A silence fell. It was not one of those never wracking, iuncomfortable one, but one of the toe-curling, warm from the heat of harmonious feelings.

By this time, they had taken his bag and were at the entrance of the airport. There had been silence for the past few minutes. Mahendra looked at her earnestly. The sentence he was now about to utter had been practiced countless times in front of the mirror and in moments of solitude, but he meant it from the bottom of his heart.

"Brinda, jo us din tumne kiya…I'm-"

The horn of the Swift tooted.

"Chalo, we are getting late," Brinda replied, wrapping her glares around her eyes, receeding into her persona once again.

He looked at her transformation, surprised, but efficiently masked his emotions.