Virat Sir!”
“Hmmm?”
“If you are free, can I talk to you?”
Something was wrong. The GC tigress was asking for permission? Since when? Generally she stormed her way across. Snatched the book from his hands even. And now…He marked the page of the book and closed it, placing it neatly on the side table.
“Of course. Go on. What’s the matter?”
“You remember, a few months back, you had met the trainer who advises Pakhi Didi?
Virat frowned at his memory.
“Ahh yes. So what?”
“Can you recollect his name? any other details?”
“It was Shivakumar. Nothing more…I don’t know where he came from…”
“Ohhh…” Just the name was not sufficient. How many Shivakumars were there in Nagpur?
“You should be asking Jeeva all this!”
“That’s the problem. He doesn’t want to…” Sai decided it was time Virat knew about the problem faced by his Jeeva. Whatever she knew, that is. But the problem was, she didn’t have the full picture.
Virat listened to her carefully as she narrated the whole observation at the dinner table and afterwards.
“So that’s it?”
“Yes…”
“But Sai, it could be anything. Even unrelated…so why do you want to interfere?”
“This is not interference. And it is not unrelated. It is helping your Jeeva out..”
“Did he ask for it? You are just jumping on the moon…”
“Everything doesn’t have to spelt verbatim. Somethings can also be felt!”
“That’s what you feel. According to me it is interference! And if things go wrong, you will land up in a mess. And I cannot defend you anymore!”
“Have I ever asked for it?” Tempers were rising and Virat ultimately, as usual, gave up.
“Ok, fine. Do as you want. Why do I even get bothered with you Bappa knows!”
Sai stormed her way to the balcony. Typical of her husband to brush his hands off the matter when it became difficult to handle.
No problem. She could find out her own way. She reached out for her phone.
“Hi…I need your help!”
----
Next day saw an interesting development.
The alarm shrilled its way to the sleeping ACP. Darn it. Shut it off. He inched his hand across to feel for the alarm and then jerked awake. Sai was missing from her side of the bed.
Now what.. where has she gone? A quick check of the bathroom revealed that she was not there. Wait. He suddenly remembered the night before. His last memory before sleep consumed him was her standing in the balcony and talking to someone on phone.
He sat up fully. If he knew her even to a miniscule percent, she would be head on in her search for the trainer. But how? He shook himself. Maybe he was making a fuss out of nothing. She might just be in the kitchen making tea. He rose and made his way down to the kitchen.
She was not there. The gas flowmeter was off indicating that the kitchen had not started for the day. Then where was she? The door was open. He peeped outside. There she was. In the patio.
A slow knowing smile crept on his face. She was waiting for the trainer. Ah, there he was. The gate clanged open. Mentally wishing him all the best, he tiptoed back to his room. He had an early meeting today.
“Excuse me…” Mr Shivakumar was startled to the least at the voice that appeared to come out of nowhere. The he saw her as she straightened near the bush.
“You?” He frowned in recollection. She was known to him. From his Gadchiroli days. But what was she doing here?
She walked up to him.
“Of course I know you. We went to the same school in Gadchiroli!”
“Sai Joshi…” He recollected her name finally. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh come on. I live here. This is my home!”
“Actually I was asked by Mr Samrat to help his wife. You are related to him?”
“Yes, He is my elder brother-in law..”
“Ohhh I see. Now, may I go inside? Pakhi Ma’am would be waiting for me!”
“What’s the hurry? I am meeting you after such a long time. Let’s catch up!”
“Some time later. Right now, I am on metered time!” Better escape her presence as fast as possible. Till your sanity was intact, that is. But it was not easy to shake her off.
“I won’t take long. And how is it that your name is Shiva Kumar? It was Sadashiv, once upon a time. We all called you Sada..”
“I said, later!” Shiva practically ran up the steps to the makeshift gym that Samrat had set up for his wife.
Sai was a bit dejected at the avoidance. Why was he so keen to escape her presence? They were school mates in Gadchiroli. He was a couple of years elder, a known fitness figure in the local populace. Very popular with the girls, who hero worshipped him. All was hunky dory and he had disappeared overnight. Nobody exactly knew why, a few rumours were that he had landed a better job at Nagpur. All that was fine. But why the name change?
And he had said Pakhi. That was an informality known only in the family. Very few people called her that, apart from her parents, herself, and of course, Virat.
She jumped out of her skin as someone tapped on her shoulder. It was Virat.
“Can I get my breakfast a bit early? I have a meeting..”
She nodded absent mindedly and went off to the kitchen. Virat pretended not to have noticed anything. Something was bothering her. Would she would sort out everything on her own? Or make a mess? Hope not! And whom did she call the previous night?
He decided to keep an eye on her. Just in case.