Chapter 15

The picturesque Himalayas beckoned her as she ran through the woods without a care in the world. For once she didn’t have to look over her back to check if someone was following her or if there were any debt collectors… she didn’t have to bother about her father not responding to her mother’s emails or hearing her mother cry every day or her brother scream during his melt down… no one here asked her to be responsible at 9 years… that’s because Maanav made her feel protected. She was like a delicate Himalayan blue poppy while Maanav was like a towering, ancient Himalayan cedar standing tall amidst the rugged mountains. Its strong, thick trunk and expansive branches creating a natural canopy, offering shelter from the harsh winds and heavy snowfall.

While she revelled in the euphoria of the moment a fear gnawed at her insides… what if Maanav left her too or what if he began to judge her? for her absentee father, unpredictable mother and a special needs brother? No… Maanav wasn’t like the others. He stood by her in the camp too though she was a strong girl and fiercely independent. She liked these moments with him, to depend on him. She had sked him just that morning, “Maanav what if someone… like for instance your father tells you not to remain friends with me. Will you stop talking to me?”

He had frowned and given her a strange look. “Nitya, you are my best friend, in fact my only friend. So it goes beyond saying that come what may, I will always be there for you and promise me that you will be there for me as well…”

She had nodded happily.

Right then there was a blast… there was fire all over and suddenly she was in Mumbai in her housing colony and her house was on fire. Oh goodness, Naman was alone at home. She tried to run but was rooted in that spot and she couldn’t move.

“Naman… Naman… somebody help him…” She screamed as fear for her brother engulfed her. She felt guilty for having fun leaving Naman behind. But wait… she was 9 years old, wasn’t she?

“Nitya, wake up… are you alright? Is it a nightmare? Nitya… Nitya…”

Someone shook her and she gasped, sitting up immediately. That was a mistake. A mother of all headaches hit her as she gripped her head and groaned. Maanav was calling her out. Why couldn’t he shut up? Her head pounded threatening to split into a million pieces.

“Nitya…?” His voice softened, and she felt his strong yet paradoxically soft hand rubbing her back. “…Here, have some water…” he held up a glass.

She took it and gulped it. It was a bit sweet. He must have added something. She opened her eyes, squinting at the strong lights and realised she wasn’t in her bedroom. Oh, right, she had fallen right outside. Oh goodness, this was so embarrassing!

But then the last talk she heard came back with a bang.

“Maanav…I…” she looked around clearly now that her vision had accommodated well.

“You should relax, Nitya. You haven’t eaten anything. Your BP was low and I am sure your sugar levels must have dropped as well… I had come to your room earlier to call you for dinner, but you were fast asleep…” He went to his study and placed the empty glass on the tray. It was then she saw she lay a bit, head raised on his enormous bed and next to her was an opened medical kit. The stethoscope and a sphygmomanometer lay open beside it. Did Maanav call a doctor? No, there wasn’t any sign of anyone else…

“… Yes, Nitya… don’t think too much…” Maanav interrupted her thoughts, and she saw him look at her with a strange amusement in his eyes. “… I am trained to handle medical emergencies. So don’t worry… you were in safe hands.” He winked at her and moved to pack up the kit and her heart skipped a beat…. yet again.

He helped her up, and they walked together downstairs to the dining room. He held her arm and she swayed twice. She didn’t realise she felt dizzy and weak, or was it because of his proximity?

He held the chair out for her and helped her sit. He then took out a pan and some eggs from the fridge.

“Maaa… Maanav, are you cooking? You don’t have to do it. I can manage with what’s left.”

He didn’t seem to hear her and went on making quick work of beating the eggs 5 of them… gosh…5? Did he think she was an elephant? But she was too tired to protest and the fresh aroma of the flavours he added made her mouth water. She sat back, watching his chiselled back and choosing to drool over food instead of that piece of work standing in front of her.

Maanav reduced the burner range and turned around. “Nitya, your dinner was so tasty that we finished it in a go… well I am guilty of having the largest portion but…” He ran his hand through his unruly curls. Gosh he should stop doing such things around her. Didn’t he have the faintest idea what it did to her? Nitya wondered even as he continued. “… I never had something so… so very tasty for years. I wanted to prepare something for you in return and came to see you sleeping. I even kept the door to my room ajar so I could hear you if you woke up. And then I heard the thud…”

He turned around to flip the omelette and it was then she realised he had two pans on the burners. Was he joining her too?

Placing the two plates on the dining table he sat opposite her. He gestured for her to eat… but he needn’t have done that, she was so hungry. The appetizing aroma worked instantly and for someone who didn’t relish eggs, she devoured it. Gosh, the man could cook!

She looked up only when she had finished it all and saw him smile. It was the first time she saw him do it. It brightened up his face and the slight glow under the pendant light sent her heart soaring. The rest of the house was in darkness. Naman and kaka must be sleeping for sure, given the excitement of the day.

Maanav immediately looked away and stood up taking the dishes along with him. He put them in the sink and rinsed them too…

She walked to the living room and sat on the couch resting her aching neck on the sofa rest. Maanav switched on a night lamp, showering the area around the couch with warm golden hues. The clinking of porcelain broke the silent serenity of the pleasant air as Maanav placed the tea-set on the centre table. Her heart thudded heart as she watched his movements, careful and deliberate, as he poured steaming tea into a cup. Kneeling beside her, he brought the cup close to her, his eyes never leaving her face. His hand was steady yet tender and her hesitant eyes met his gaze, their fingers touched, a silent exchange of affection and understanding passing between them.

The world around her faded away and all she could see were the sparkle in his beautiful eyes, revealing yet concealing an abyss of emotions and all she wanted was to sink into their depths. The start of a tentative smile on his lips with his now full-grown light beard, her hands ached to touch and feel that unruly mane she wished to run her hands through as she….

The phone buzzed right then and she startled out of her reverie. He seemed to be confused as well as he scrambled around looking for his phone.

“yea… Shadow… what?… where…?” Maanav transformed from a carefree guy sharing food with her minutes ago to an operative. His stance changed and he walked straightening his spine towards the window. It was then she realised all the drapes were drawn and the doors were locked as well.

Maanav pressed a few keys on a panel and continued speaking on the phone. “…its intact… there no sign of intrusion…. a drone? Wait let me check…. they are safe. Don’t worry…yea…give me a minute.”

Maanav held his hand over the mobile and looked at her. “Nitya, looks like there is something I have to attend to. Just stay tight here and don’t follow me, alright? And if there is any sign of trouble… tear the sofa cushion right in the centre and take out a phone. Dial your… birthday and year. The man on the other end will guide you to escape, no questions asked… Just take Naman along with you and if possible, his computer too….”

Stunned, she was about to ask him when he held up his hand to silence her and rushed to switch off the lone luminescence in the room. The room plunged into darkness and it was then she was aware of a buzz… wait was it…. before she could react, she felt him next to her.

“Don’t worry about this buzz. Its our drone… for our vigilance. It detected something suspicious that I need to check from the rooftop. My folks are close by… but you should go upstairs and get… um… dressed. Just in case….”

It was then she realised she was in the bathrobe and her long leg was exposed. Oh goodness… thankfully it was dark.  She stumbled across the stairs with Maanav’s help and soon shut herself in her room. Within a minute, she dressed using the light glow of her phone. And taking the pouch containing Naman’s medicines she slung it across her waist and was out of her room. She rushed to Naman’s room and saw the boy was fast asleep… it was interesting to see him relaxed because he slept without his sleep medication. She smiled as she sat next to him on the bet but he didn’t stir.

After almost half an hour, Maanav knocked lightly and gestured her outside. She came out instantly…

“What happened?” She whispered.

“Nothing to worry… it was a false alarm… some rag pickers. My team is handling them but they seem harmless… don’t worry…” Maanav seemed distracted.  He didn’t even realise he had gripped her hand and Nitya didn’t bother to pry it off. She needed this reassurance too… she needed the calloused warmth touching her. He took her to his room and it was then he probably realised he had been holding her hand… He let it go. “… I…I am sorry, Nitya…” he drove his hand through his hair as he switched on the night lamp in his room.

He had changed into fitting pants and had a jacket too. there was a slight bulge on the right side of his chest and she didn’t have to second guess… it was a gun. She shuddered and looked away. How long would it be before he told her what was going on? She knew it had to do with her and Naman, else they wouldn’t have been here. Despite her emotions running all over the place she had to be practical.

Maanav sat on his enormous bed, staring at the glazed tiles on the floor, lost in thought.

She moved closer to him and sat next to him. “Maanav, can you please tell me now? What’s going on? I know its something to do with that computer or whatever it is that my father made… but that was years ago, so what’s it all about?”

Maanav held her hand as though it was a common reflex. Not that she was complaining. But he was still in a different zone. “Nitya… you probably don’t know but according to our intelligence that computer is a masterpiece made by a genius scientist… your father and Naman is the one who has decoded the mysteriously scrambled codes on it.”

He turned towards her and looked down at her hand in his as he continued. “Nitya, I had given up on seeing you again in this lifetime and… life has come a full circle has it not?”

Nitya was choked with emotions. “Maanav, what do you do exactly? Can you share it with me please? And what is all this about codes… exactly how important is this?”

Maanav let her hand down and stood. He walked along the length of the room as if weighing his words.

“Nitya, do you remember our fathers would meet in that park when we were kids? That’s where it all began…” Maanav struggled with words and Nitya could understand why. He was older at the time and more perceptive. He stood with his back to her as he fidgeted with the edges of his lace curtains and continued. “… I don’t know the intricate details but your father was a part of something important when he got recruited overseas… I think it was a trap and my dad thought as well.”

Nitya gasped. Of all the things, this wasn’t what she had expected to hear. She clutched at her t-shirt as she struggled to breathe. What was wrong with her? Before she knew he was by her side and caressed her back.

“Nitya, are you ok? Are you sure you want to hear this? It can wait…”

“…NO… it … can’t…” She realised she was crying, but she had to do this. “… too many years… know truth… please … Maanav.”

He must have been worried… he gathered her in his arms and for the first time in her life Nitya felt warmth in a hug. She didn’t remember the last time she had something like this… was it from Appa? She didn’t know. Amma never hugged people, she hated it and Namam didn’t like the touch and pressure. But this was bliss. Nitya didn’t even hesitate. The years in between never happened; it looked like. She dug her face into his chest and only felt him tighten his hold as if he were grasping at straws too. What was his story? Would he share with her? did he still trust her? After all they were just kids once upon a time and now there was a lot of water under the bridge.

“Gosh… Nitya. What happened to us? Where were you all these years? I looked… everywhere…” She heard him and the vibrations of his baritone through his chest enveloped her completely. She didn’t want this moment to end. Her breathing paced, but this wasn’t panic anymore. It was her yearning for a man… for Maanav. Years of subdued feelings were competing to jump up to the surface. But she had to reign them in. He was her best friend and probably thought of her as one too… even now. She couldn’t ruin it.

She moved away and straightened her clothes. He didn’t stop her, but she felt him hesitating to let go.

“Maanav, I am tired. Let’s sleep over this. Can we talk tomorrow?”

“Yes Nitya… sure.”

She began to walk towards the door but suddenly halted and turned around.

“Um… Maanav?”

He stood up and walked towards her not letting go of the eye contact. He stood close… close enough that their breaths almost mingled. She cleared her throat and looked away.

“Maanav…” she whispered. “… there is something I need to ask before I go to bed.”

That made him move a bit away and she never hated herself more than that moment.

Rubbing a hand over his face he asked. “What is it?”

“Why are you after that computer…? I mean i know there’s something in it… but why are you so fiercely protective… I saw you protect it. Probably more than Naman.”

He was back to pulling the edges of the curtain. “That’s because I am intricately linked with all this.”

“Meaning?”

He turned and walked towards her, rapidly. Coming close, he held her shoulders.

“Nitya, our fathers had this notion that they could create something and go overboard to protect the nation. So despite everything, your father, even in his death, made that computer accessible only to Naman and then …there was my dad. He left me something I got some years ago…”

“Wha…what did he leave you?” Nitya tried to suppress the panic breathing that reared its ugly head. But she had to face this someday.

Maanav must have sensed it. He pulled her into a hug and she gripped at his lapels as if her life depended on it. “Take it easy Nitya… we are in this together now… we will see this through… together. Don’t get scared, ok?”

“Maanav just say it… whatever it is… I am ok” Her grip tightened so did his embrace.

He rested his chin on her head. He began to say a bit and surprisingly, it began to calm her down. “Nitya, my dad left me a small instrument that looks like a cordless phone. I think your father had made that as well… he left a letter too that made no sense but when I first met Naman and when Kamble uncle happened to tell me about the prototype in your house, I thought there may be a connection….” Nitya was glad he held her else she would have collapsed into a heap right there. Maanav’s voice reduced in intensity further. “… earlier today I checked out my theory and… and… it worked….” He held her away and like a kid who found his lost chocolate he excitedly continued. “…it worked Nitya… your father was a genius… I don’t know it all yet but Naman …. can help us…”

“…Wait a minute…” She frowned, looking into his eyes. What was she searching? She didn’t know. “…you met Naman before all this happened in the morning?”

“Yes. I did.” The look in his eyes disappeared, and he was back into business. Was that all fake? And was she disappointed? Of course, she was!!

She moved further away and crossed her hands against her chest. She didn’t know what she felt right now. Whether it was the subdued emotional surge, her feelings for him, or whether it was the annoyance about him hiding things from her or whether it was that gnawing sense of betrayal that lingered… she couldn’t tell. She raised an eyebrow as she waited for him to speak.

“Nitya, look …” he sighed. “… It isn’t that simple. I had to crosscheck…”

“What did you have to cross-check? Whether I was an enemy of the nation like my late father? Or the reason I was hiding away?” She couldn’t help the hot tears cascading down her cheeks, and she didn’t care.

“No Nitya… its not what you think…” he moved towards her but this time she held up her hand, halting him.

“No Maanav… I can’t just trust people. I have to protect my brother and the very fact that you met him behind my back… it hurts.” The last words were a mere whisper as she struggled to contain her emotions.

“Nitya…please. Let me explain…”

“No Maanav… enough for now… I can’t take it… I need time… you don’t understand… I have lost so much…”

“…No one can understand that better than I, Nitya. I have lost too. I lost my dad; I lost my childhood or whatever was left of it and I… I lost… I lost you…”

©priyanayakgole

(Disclaimer: This is a piece of fiction using the backdrop of the attack that happened and any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. This doesn’t attempt to change history or facts.)