THE DOOR Durai pulled up at the driveway of the Sheraton Hotel with a screech. Having just attended a speech by the chief minister, he was clad in a well-tailored dark business suit and a light pink shirt. He slipped off his Valentino tie, flung it into the back seat of his car, handed over his keys to the valet and dashed into the hotel.
As he undid his top two buttons and loosened his collar, his cellphone rang. It was Dilip, a visiting former classmate from Bombay whom he was to meet for dinner. Dilip was calling to say he had been delayed at a business meeting and would take at least another half hour to reach the hotel, where he was staying.
Durai decided to wait at the restaurant. As the waiter was about to lead him to his table, he spotted a familiar figure sitting in a quiet corner with a lady whom he could not place from her back. He realised the man was Bril, who had hitched a ride with him some weeks earlier. Durai recalled his investigators reporting that they had seen Bril frequently in the company of Sivaraman and Sangkarapandian. That raised a red flag. He decided he should suss out Bril for himself and walked towards him. Suddenly, he froze.
He felt a surge of jealousy gripping every limb, every tendon, even fibre of his being as he caught a glimpse of the woman sitting before Bril. She was wearing a black silk saree with a slim gold border. Her skimpy matching blouse unveiled skin so smooth and soft that he wanted to smother with kisses, that he wanted to possess for himself, that he wanted none to see. Her hair was well coiffeured, obviously the result of a couple of hours spent in a beauty saloon. She had a radiant smile on her face, which, however, turned into a frown when she saw him. Durai's face reddened.
"Hello, Mr A. C. Duraay Sir! I am Bril. The one you gave lift to. What wonder to see you here. I am so delight," said Bril, his affected American drawl barely concealing his fractured English.
"Er, ... hi, Bril. How're you? I hadn't expected to meet you here," Durai stuttered as he reached out for Bril's outstretched hand while continuing to stare at Priya.
"Oh, allow me to introduction. Preeyar, this is Mr A. C. Duraay, Assistant Commissioner of Police. Mr Duraay, this lovely lady here is Miss Preeyar, PA to Madam Chaarlaater of L & P Trading. You must be hearing of that company?"
Durai was still in a state of shock and could only manage a "hi". Priya too muttered a "hi" and pretended to study the menu.
"What bring you here, Mr Duraay?" asked Bril, a broad grin appearing on his puffy face, which Durai felt like smashing into smithereens. He clenched his fists to contain his anger.
"I was to have met an old classmate here for dinner. But he has been delayed."
"Why don't you sitting down with us until he comes and having drink?" suggested Bril.
"He may want to spend time by himself," Priya interjected quickly to Durai's exasperation. He stared at her grimly for a moment and then turned to Bril with a strained half smile. "No, that's OK, Bril. I will wait at my table. Good meeting you," Durai excused himself reluctantly, still eyeing Priya.
The waiter allowed Durai a choice of tables and he picked one that gave him a good view of Priya. Bril had his back to him. He glowered as Priya and Bril engaged in animated conversation. He strained his ears in a desperate attempt to hear what was being said but the tinkling of the piano keyboards and the chatter of the other diners drowned out their voices. Everytime he caught Priya's eyes she would quickly avert her glance and smile coyly at Bril, to Durai's annoyance. He picked up the small card on his table marked "reserved" and began fingering its corners lightly for a while. Then he folded the card into two, then four. Next, he rolled the card and began wringing it out of shape as he gritted his teeth in fury. Soon, the card lay in a heap of tatters in the ashtray. All the while Durai's eyes remained trained on Priya. In the meantime, he also downed two glasses of red wine and his face was flushed with anger.
It was nearly 9.00 when Dilip arrived and the two friends got reaquainted quickly after 12 years. Dilip noticed that Durai was restless and sensed that something was amiss.
"Hey, Durai. I am sorry about the engagement that didn't take place. I hope you aren't still smarting over it. Are you seeing anyone else now?"
Durai grimaced.
"Come on, yaar. Get a life. I sense you're still thinking about her," said Dilip.
"You bet, Dilip," replied Durai. "She's just sitting across from us at that table there."
Dilip turned back and caught a glimpse of Priya. "Wow! What a beauty!" Dilip whistled softly. "I can see why you're upset."
"Yes, I am upset. And, not just because she's a beauty but because she's sitting with a beast. That man is a scoundrel, I suspect."
"Hey, chill, Durai. You're just jealous. And with good reason too."
"Yes, I AM jealous, Dilip. You're damned right. I am VERY jealous indeed. You see, I thought there was hope of reconciliation a week ago. When I last went to her house .. you know she lives with some friends of mine. When I went to her house last week, she gave me a half smile and even offered to make me coffee. That was a radical change from some months ago, when she wouldn't even look at my face, let alone speak to me. So, I had hope. But this ... this date with this Bril guy sets my hopes back light years. I don't think she will ever change her mind about me."
"Hey, hey, Durai, take it easy ..."
"I can't, Dilip. And it's not just for selfish reasons. The guy she is with is up to no good. He's been regularly seen in the company of two of the most criminal minds that my department is tracking and I am suspicious of his background. I have a very queasy feeling, Dilip. Even if Priya doesn't change her mind about me, I don't want her unknowingly teaming up with a bad hat and getting hurt later."
"Well, you'll have to warn her, then, Durai," said Dilip.
"Yes, I do intend to. Even if she thinks I am driven by a vested interest."
It was almost 10.30 when Bril and Priya stood up. Bril headed towards Durai's table. Priya moved on and stopped at a potted plant, pretending to examine it. "We're going back, A. C. Sir. Good meeting you again," said Bril.
"How's Miss Priya going home. It's too late for her to ride home on her scooter. I can drop her home." Durai couldn't restrain himself from speaking even as he knew how badly he was coming across.
Bril was puzzled. "How did you know Miss Preeyar is having scooter? Besides, I gave her lift here and I can give lift to her home again," he insisted.
"I knew Miss Priya's late brother well. And I also know Mr and Mrs Karthik, with whom she is staying now," Durai stumbled over to explain his familiarity with Priya.
"Oh, Preeyar didn't tell me that. Anyway, no worries, Mr Duraay. I will drive her home safely, trust me," said Bril with a wink and led Priya out of the restaurant.
For a few seconds, Durai gaped helplessly as the couple left the restaurant together. Then, collecting himself suddenly, he apologised to Dilip for cutting short the dinner and hurriedly got up. As he rushed out, he stuffed several thousand rupee bills into the hands of a surprised waiter and instructed him to keep any change.
Bril and Priya were nowhere to be seen at the hotel driveway. Durai handed over his receipt to the valet, threw his jacket on his shoulder, and paced the length and breadth of the hotel porch impatiently as he waited for his car to be driven up. Minutes later, the valet drove out his Suzuki from the garage. Before the car came to a halt Durai grabbed open the front door, muscled out the shocked valet, stuffed a couple of 100 rupee notes in his hand, took the wheels and revved the engine. Driving at breakneck speed, he reached Shanthi's home in no time.
He parked his car some distance away from the house and walked up to the watchman, who recognised him and saluted him dutifully. Durai discovered that Priya had not returned yet. He told the watchman that he needed to speak to Priya urgently and would wait by the door. He also got the watchman's commitment not to reveal to Bril that he was waiting by the door and then slipped past the gate and hid behind an overgrown bush.
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Durai glanced at his watch. It had been 20 minutes since he had taken up his position and there was still no sign of Priya and Bril, much to his consternation. He wondered where Bril had taken Priya to. Mosquitos were beginning to feed mercilessly on his blood as he lay in waiting. Finally, at 11.50, a car pulled up in the darkness. He was certain it was Bril's car. He strained his ears to hear what they might be saying but he could hardly hear anything apart from the chirping of crickets.
Priya placed a hand on the door handle and demurely said, "Thanks for the lovely dinner." Bril looked at Priya intently. Then he grabbed her by the waist and tried to force himself upon her but Priya ducked in time. "No, Bril!" she remonstrated angrily. "I am not ready for this." She got out of the car hurriedly and slammed the door shut. Bril got out too. "Hey, Priya, wait!" he said and raced after her. "Hey, Preeyar, it's just a kiss." His voice broke the silence of the still night.
Durai felt as if blood would burst from his veins as he heard Bril's reference to "just a kiss". He rushed out from behind the bushes and felt a sharp pain in his arm as he stumbled over the rose bush and fell headlong on the grass patch. His shirt was torn and blood was beginning to ooze from the gash in his arm.
As he nursed his arm and struggled to get up, he heard the watchman explain away the rustle in the bushes. "No, Ma'am, it's just a cat."
"Bril. I am sorry," Durai heard Priya's stern voice. " Tonight's dinner was just meant to be a casual one. I can't think of you as anything more than a friend. You probably aren't aware that I was about to be engaged to someone else. The engagement didn't take place because of some unfortunate events. But I still can't get him out of my mind, much as I want to. I am not ready for a deep relationship with anyone else at this time. I am sorry. Please leave now!"
Seconds later, from where he lay on the grass, Durai saw the contours of Priya's frame as she made her way through the gate. He was thankful that she hadn't seen him in the dark. She rushed into the house and slammed the door shut.
Even as he lay wincing in pain, Durai felt light in his heart. Priya had shut the door on Bril. But Durai knew that she was keeping the door to her heart slightly ajar for the one love of her life.
Edited by Bonheur - 17 years ago
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