Chapter 11
COME RIDE WITH ME
WHERE THE SKY MEETS THE SEA
AND WE WILL LOOK FOR A RAINBOW!
December 18 , 8 a.m.
Kripa woke up with a feeling of great excitement! She was going on the trip with Angad to the hilltop village!
She told Mishti about her trip to the fishing village up north; Mishti asked her to take her mobile with her so she could call and check up on her. Mishti assured her that she would tell Naina that Kripa had gone shopping with some friends of hers. She warned Kripa to return before dark. When Angad came to get her, Mishti cleared all things with him too! He promised to take care of Kripa and return her safe and sound.
Kripa was wearing a yellow salwar suit today, with her hair tied back securely and dupatta looped around her neck. Angad looked admiringly at her, this was the first time he was seeing her in Indian dress and he liked how graceful she looked.
Kripa also secretly admired Angad's dashing looks in a black sleeveless jacket and pants with sunglasses accentuating his sharp nose!
Angad took Kripa to the dance studio first…..it was in the gymnasium behind the Beach Club. It was a long, low building with a huge exercise room in front housing all kinds of exercise equipment and also saunas, jacuzzis and changing rooms. At the back of the building was the dance studio with its own entrance and exit. The studio was a long room, mirrored wall on one side, and non-slip floors!
Dance music was playing loudly, about 7-8 girls were practicing to the music. Simone dressed in tight black leotards, was showing them the moves!
She greeted Kripa: Welcome to the Simonettes! Since you are a novice, u will learn after the morning class gets over, so tomorrow come here at 11 a.m. ……Oh ! And wear tight-fitting clothes. Do u have leotards?
Kripa shook her head, Simone: Do u have fitting T-shirt and sweat pants? Kripa nodded.
Simome: Good, so wear them tomorrow with sneakers and tie up ur hair, Okay, see u tomorrow at 11 then…..she went back to her students. Kripa was quite excited about her dance classes now!
Angad and Kripa took the shuttle to the main gate of the resort. He asked her to wait just outside the gate.
As kripa stood there waiting, she heard a VRRROOOOMMM! It was Angad on a gleaming black Yamaha motorcycle! Kripa was thrilled and amazed……" You have a bike? She asked
Angad: Yes, Maam, at your service! Cmon lets go, peechhey baith jaao aur zara kaskey pakadna, mountain roads hain, kaafi khatarnaak hain…….. be careful, don't let go!
Kripa got up on the bike side-saddle and put her arms around his waist and held tight!
Angad's bike roared off. They left the resort and town behind and went on to curving mountain roads. There was mountains on one side and steep drop on the other down to the sea where the waves crashed against the rocks below! It was a road both gorgeous and dangerous!
Sharp wind whipped across their faces and hair; Kripa clung to Angad's back, resting her head on his broad shoulder from time to time. Angad grinned in delight, feeling her head on his shoulder and her softness pressing against his back!
After about an hour, they arrived at the village of Morjim! It was perched on the hillside with white buildings, churches, shops and bistros flanking both sides of the narrow, curving road snaking up and down! From every corner in the village, there were magnificent views of the sea from sea-cliffs and overlooks! Angad stopped his bike at all the best overlooks and Kripa got down and took pictures of the gorgeous views with her digital camera. She was very excited and thrilled with the natural beauty of the place. Angad enjoyed her appreciation of the scenery …… her enthusiasm was infectious and charming!
She snapped pictures exclaiming loudly at the beauty spread out below them, then she took pictures of Angad posing on his bike..…..he in turn took a few pictures of her against the backdrop of sea and hills!
He took her to a small white church in the village…..it was cool and peaceful inside! Candles flickered at the altar of Mary and Jesus, silent pews awaited devout knees, sunlight filtered in rainbow colors through stained glass windows and doors! Angad kneeled at a pew and Kripa followed suit…….she stared at him as he made the sign of the cross and prayed silently with folded hands ……she copied his action but a dozen questions raced through her mind!
As soon as they came out of the church, she said: Angad, Can I ask u something? Are you Christian?
Angad smiled down at her: My mother was a Catholic!
Kripa was surprised……if he was Christian why was his name Angad? She asked him : But your name is Angad….
He laughed and said: Yes, my name is Angad…….Angad Khanna…..my dad was a Hindu, my mom a Christian! Actually my full name is Angad Andrew Khanna!
Kripa looked at him, amazed at her new discovery about his identity. Angad leaned towards her and whispered dramatically: You can also call me Andy if u want to (he laughed, teasing her)
Kripa : Andy….hmmm, nice name, I think I will call u Andy from now on (she teased him back)
Angad: Chalo Kripa hum lunch per chaltey hain…..I will take u to Martha's Bistro for lunch!
Kripa : But arent we going to meet Stalin?
Angad: After Lunch……lagta hai tumhey Stalin se milney ki bahut jaldi hai? (he teased again)
Kripa : nahin wo baat nahin, I want to see his paintings……then she laughed and added : and also what he looks like, Stalin sounds like an interesting person!
Angad: Haan wo to hai, hes a complete Bohemian! Don't be shocked by anything he does or says!
Angad took her to a small bistro, a restaurant hanging near the edge of the cliff! He took window seats, overlooking the sharp drop to the sea, kripa was rather scared to look down the window.
Martha was a plump, motherly woman who was delighted to see Angad: Andy my son, you are here??!!! After such a long time, what happened? You forgot ur old Auntie Martha? And who is this pretty young lady? Your girl-friend?
Angad introduced Kripa to Martha and said : Of course I didn't forget u Auntie! How can I forget ur shrimp pancakes and lemon fish? He kissed Martha affectionately.
Angad ordered his usual favorites there….shrimp pancakes and lemon fish, Kripa ordered a sandwich!
Angad asked for two glasses of Feni! When the drink arrived, Kripa asked: Yeh Kya hai?
Angad: This is Feni…..famous drink of Goa, c'mon try it…..he coaxed her
Kripa : Noooo Angad, u know I don't drink alcohol
He laughed: Feni alcohol nahin hai…
Kripa pouted at him: Now don't lie to me, I know Feni is alcohol, main nahin peeti yeh sab!
Angad: Kripaaa, mainey kaha na sab kuchh try karna chahiye…..c'mon just taste it, if u don't like it, don't have the rest!
After a lot of coaxing, Kripa finally took a sip of Feni…..it was strong but didn't taste bad…..she decided to have the rest just to prove to Angad that she wasn't a wimp!
They chatted throughout the meal, Angad telling her about where he grew up and about the village and his old friends there!
Kripa unconsciously sipped the Feni till it was all gone!
Angad: So Kripa tell me about yourself now….
Kripa started telling him abt her parents, her dad's and mom's businesses and Mishti's career
Angad : Wo sab toh theek hai, lekin ab batao TUM kya karna chahti ho
Kripa told him she was a 2nd year Art student with architecture and sculpture as minors.
Angad: Aur iskey baad kya karney ka iraada hai?
She said she wanted to be an Art teacher: Mujhey bachchey bahut pasand hain isliye main teacher hi banoongi shayad!
Angad smiled wickedly and muttered to himself: Hmmm she likes kids, Good to know for future reference….
Kripa: Kuch kaha tumney?
Angad: Nahin kuchh nahin, so u like kids, do u?
Kripa looked suspiciously at him, thinking he was teasing her: Yeahh I like kids, I think I can be a good teacher!
Angad brushed her fingers with his: Will you be my teacher? He winked at her naughtily.
Kripa blushed and said: Tumhey teacher ki zaroorat kya hai? Tum to har kaam mein expert ho.
Angad's eyes gleamed devilishly at her unknowingly provocative comment; he was going to retort wickedly when Martha came and started talking to him about old days again! As Martha reminisced about his mother, Kripa noticed that Angad became emotional …..he was trying to change the subject again!
She vaguely wondered why Angad was so tight-lipped about his parents?? Then her mind started wandering!
She was feeling rather strange and sleepy, as if the voices were floating from far away!
She looked at Angad sitting in front of her, there were 2… then 3 Angads floating in front of her eyes, then the room started spinning dangerously……
She cried out: Angad, mujhey bahut chakkar aa rahey hain
Angad: OH NOOOO u finished all the Feni already? I told u to sip it slowly!
He jumped forward to hold her as she tried to stand up swaying from side to side ….she clutched his shirt tightly in her hands as the whole restaurant swam in front of her eyes!
She cried out again in fright as she felt like she was on a rollercoaster and the whole place was diving down into the sea below…..Angad held her in his arms and tried to talk to her but she fell in a dead faint in his arms!
He picked her up in his strong arms easily, he was worried and upset….he shouldn't have forced her to have the Feni…..she had never had alcohol before!
Martha and some other people came forward, concerned about Kripa! Martha said: OH Poor Girl, Feni ki aadat nahin lagta…..ab usey tum kaisey le jayega?
Angad realized he couldn't take her on his bike in that condition……he made up his mind, he said : Main usey paidal hi le jaaoonga, don't worry Martha Aunty….. Stalin ka ghar zyada door nahin yahan se"
He held her up in his arms and walked out with her into the village streets! Martha sighed and said to herself : Andy Son, u are in love with that girl, I know" … she had seen love in his eyes.
Stalin's house was about a mile from the bistro, Angad walked all the way there carrying an unconscious Kripa, glancing worriedly at her inert form frequently! She lay in his arms like a doll, eyes closed, her long lashes lying on the creamy skin of her cheeks!
Dammit,… he mentally cursed himself again…..Why did I make her drink the Feni? I hope shes alright, he thought tensely!
Stalin/Arvind lived in a 3 room flat in a little white house further inside the village. He opened the door to Angad's knocks, looking scruffy and sleepy,( he was taking a siesta)…..he was a tall, thin bearded man wearing his usual loose T-shirt and baggy trousers, both stained all over with paint (looked a lot like Kunal Kapoor)
He looked incredulously at Angad: ANGADD??!!! Tu yahan kya kar raha hai? Aur yeh ladki kaun hai?
He looked with astonishment at the unconscious girl in Angad's arms.
Angad said : Batata hoon, …he carried Kripa to Stalin's bedroom and laid her down on his untidy, unmade bed. He tenderly removed Kripa's dupatta from her neck and wiped the sweat from her brows! He took out his handkerchief and wetted it in a jug of water by the bedside and gently wiped Kripa's forehead and cheeks with the wet cloth.
Stalin watched his tender care of the girl on the bed with some interest and amusement! After a few minutes of wet compress, Kripa moaned softly and turned her head a little, her lips quivered a slightly. Angad was immensely relieved…..she was alright!! recovering her consciosness!! Kripa's eyes fluttered a little, then she fell into a deep slumber. She was alright, Angad thought happily…….now she just needed to sleep off the effects of the alcohol!
He got up from the bed and observed her ….Stalin asked him about the girl again……
Angad told him: Her name is Kripa, Resort mein rehney aayi hai, main usey village dikhaney le aaya tha, she had Feni and passed out"
Stalin looked with male appreciation at the girl's beautiful face and slender curves as she lay on his bed sleeping…she looked like a sunflower in her yellow salwar, her chest rising and falling with deep breaths.
Hmmmm, he said …."Not Bad at all…..bone structure achhi hai…(he tilted his head this way and that)…she has a nice body too….achhi model hogi" he said with artistic appreciation of her beauty!
Angad laughed without humor, then grabbed Stalin's neck in a friendly manner, and growled warningly:
Don't even think about it, Buddy! She's MINE!
Stalin looked astonished: REALLY? Hmmm interesting…..By the way tera is ladki ke saath irada kya hai? One –Day international ya Test Match ya Test Series? (meaning short-term or long-term relationship)
Angad said seriously : Till Death do us Part!
Stalin looked at Angad with shock: WOWW, I cant imagine it! Tu aur yeh Little Ms. Innocent! Yeh teri type ki toh nahin lagti"
Angad asked him mockingly: Toh mera type kya hai?
Stalin: Tera type? Wo college mein Rita thi ya Maya…..waisi koi ladki ….
Angad: Wo sab sirf girl-friends the, ships that pass in the night, college khatam aur rishta bhi khatam, lekin yeh ladki meri destiny hai…..he said with great confidence.
Yes, Angad knew it in his heart…..he couldn't deny it….he was in love with this girl….with her innocence, her simplicity, her purity, her love for nature and beauty and her tender heart! From the 1st time he laid eyes on her, he knew she was meant for him and he was hers. He had never believed in Love at First sight…..TILL IT HAPPENED TO HIM!!
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Pallavi
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