*** Dil ne jise apna kaha ****
Part II
She stood behind the door, frozen, as she strained to hear the faint conversation between her father and a stranger she had seen at the beach the other day. It was hard to believe, but her father had lost big money at a poker game and in return he was promising her hand in matrimony. She could only catch certain parts of the conversation, but it was clear, her father was in trouble and with this he was dragging her into it as well. She stared in stunned disbelief, she did not want to marry, anyone, never thought of such a future prospect having seen marriages around. Evening would be another tumultuous one when her mother returned, she waited for the men to leave, took her kit and walked down towards the sea.
The wide stretch of sandy beach was her home, the screeching seagulls, the vast expanse of the sea, the raging waves her companions. Having grown up in a tenement bordering the sea, she loved the smell of the sea and the salty tang of breeze that blew from it. As a child she was terrified, fear soon turned to a strange obsession as she grew up, the rendezvous sitting on the rocks with the waves as they hit the shore and receded back was hauntingly beautiful. She often felt the tides beckoning her, arms open, as they came and hit the shores.
Only boys go to school, her mother had told her when she was young, so she spent her time managing the house while her mother went out to work. She grew up to be a good looking girl and that worried her mother - 'a good looking face is a curse in the basti' her mother would often tell her. Her mother ensured that she dressed up shabbily, the clothes her hair everything about her, reeked of an ugly girl no one bothered to give a second glance. Behind her shabby unkempt exterior was a beautiful young girl, who yearned to shed off her crude look and dress up like the women in movies, she occasionally got to watch.
Her creativity baffled her own self at times. She loved to capture life around her in sketches, the sea in its various moods were her favorite themes. Whatever little money she got from her mother, was saved to buy pencils, charcoal, color pencils, and Sethji helped buying stuff she needed for her pastime.
She shivered, the cold breeze biting into her, clasping her forearms she rubbed her hands over the goose bumps. The conversation she overheard scared her, she drew her knees together resting her chin on them looking out into the sea, senses and mind numb. A strong gust of wind blew away her dupatta, as she ran to get it back, she saw a man standing at a distance looking at her. He was with her father earlier in the evening, his watchful eyes, dark and sinister, looked dangerous. He made her uncomfortable with his disgusting gaze, angry at herself for looking at him, she gathered her stuff and walked back home.
Morey became a regular visitor and she would often find her father trying to pacify him in low muttered voices. One evening, she was getting ready for bed, when Morey came up all drunk, started shouting and abusing her father, he even called out to the others gathered around that he would take her away by force if his money was not returned. Her mother was her only savior, she had sworn to Bappa, she will never let her daughter into the clutches of rogue Morey. The rift between her parents turned out to be a nightmare, every evening. She and Sethji would sit out in the darkness on the beach until one of them gave up the spat and went off to sleep. She would then bring Sethji back home, serve him food and put him to sleep.
Sleepless nights of worry ended one day when some people informed them Morey and his men were beating up Ganpat. She followed her mother and what followed was an ugly brawl on the beach. However much she had despised her father and all that he stood for she could not see him getting beaten up. An utter feel of defeat passed through her, as she stood terrified where all this would lead to.
It was a dark night; the deserted beach gave her the jitters. The cold breeze bit her face as she looked around for help. She saw a figure staggering down towards them and walking away nonchalantly. He looked drunk and continued walking towards the street. Without realizing what she was doing she called out ' Saab'.
'Saab' did someone call out to him? Ignoring, he continued walking.
'Saab' he heard the voice again. Something made him stop.
'Mujhe bacha lo Saab' he heard the voice just behind him, turned to see a girl run up and hold on to his arm. He jerked his arm off without looking at her.
'Saab mujhe bacha lo' she clung to him again. This time he looked at her, staggering, and saw a puny girl with wide doe eyes looking at him. The scared imploring look hit him as he shook himself to look at her again. Her eyes were glued to the crowd, which had slowly started moving towards them. He tried shrugging off her arm, but she clung on to him, her eyes never leaving the crowd.
He looked at the crowd who was closer now. They stopped in front of him and looked at each other. One by one everyone folded their hands and bowed down. She saw them and turned to look back at him mystified. One of the women from the crowd came up and pulled her away from him. 'Yeh Bhau hai, Dutta Bhau'. She told the girl. The girl folded her hands and bowed down.
'What's the matter ? Why the commotion?' His voice resonated around. The men looked at each other, no one dared to speak. 'You tell me Maushi' he looked at the lady.
Hands folded, she narrated, one of the men in the crowd, Morey wanted to marry her daughter, pointing to the girl with her. Ganpat, her husband, had accepted some money in return and now this conflict. She did not want her daughter to marry Morey, her voice quivered, he was unemployed and a drunkard. Dutta looked at Morey who was completely sloshed and shaking in fear. 'Don't you dare force the girl into a wedding that she does not want to. Is that clear ?' His tone was hard and firm.
Everyone in the crowd nodded and Morey stammered 'But Bhau my mo'money ?'
'You will get your money back' he said after checking where they lived, as he turned to walk away. He turned after a few steps, raised his hands threatening 'No forced wedding.' The crowd stood folded hands nodding. After a swift glance at the girl he quickened his steps towards the jeep.
Life had changed after the incident, Morey never came back to shout at her father, much later she heard he had left the place for greener pastures. Saab kept his promise.
In spite of the set pattern that resumed, somehow life did not seem real anymore. There had to be a reason and she was afraid to find out what it was. The incident came back to bother her more often than she desired. She often closed her eyes, trying to recollect that night, she had run out to seek his help, and he tried to shrug her off at first. Later he had looked at her with those deep soulful eyes. That moment she knew he would not fail her, he would not hurt her.
She had seen him walk to his jeep and drive away.
One evening she drew up her sketch book and sat on the rocks gazing at the sea trying to think of an image to capture on her canvas. A gentle smile lighted up her lips, and she found her heart racing.
The next few days went working on the sketch. She gave the final touches to her sketch and gave one last look to make sure everything was perfect, satisfied at last she scribbled Nakku on one corner, the only thing she could write.
It was a very gloomy night, dark clouds blanketed the sky threatening thunder and rains. She collected her stuff and walked back home when she saw a jeep far away on the streets. As if drawn by some strange power she started walking towards the vehicle.
She stopped dead on the tracks as she saw him
'Saab' she called out and waited for him to turn.
He turned and stood looking at her, it was raining harder as she raised her eyes, looking straight into his hooded dark eyes, her gaze holding his for a moment before lowering.
Slowly she lifted her chin and started walking towards him, her umbrella beating about madly in the torrent.
She stopped just a few feet away from him. Something stirred deep inside her, she wanted to reach out and touch his face and feel the fine strong jawline, make sure this was no dream. His gaze was inscrutable, even by a flicker of emotion did not reveal what he was thinking or feeling. As she gazed back, the strange old feeling that had been with her from the first time they met, returned back in flood. Finally she broke the gaze, dipped her head and fished out a sheet of paper from her bag.
Her heart was pounding so hard she feared he would hear the beats, handing the folded sheet gingerly she turned to walk away.
He stood there rooted to the ground, in the shadows cast by the dark night, the heavens pouring out, celebrating their meeting.
He opened the folds of paper she handed over, and saw his own image smiling back at him.
And thus began the journey to a beautiful life.
Edited by Lekz - 12 years ago
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