Chương 13: I Don’t Forgive Betrayal
Next morning, the entire house echoed with squealing laughter of Madhavi as Nihaal sat in the verandah deliberating over the newspaper. Failing to concentrate as Madhavi’s chirpy voice floated out of Suhasini’s room every few minutes, he decided to visit her daughter hoping to make her contain her excitement.
*****
Suhasini’s room seemed to be decorated with shades of yellow as the streaming sun fell on almost everything in the room. At the foot of the bed sat Madhavi, joyous and bubbling with excitement as the three puppies laid in a basket lined with a blanket. ‘Thank you for the blanket, Sudha’, said Suhasini. Sudha smiled, ‘ofcourse madam, I had to help, these poor creatures are so beautiful and helpless’, she said. Suhasini picked up a puppy as she agreed with Sudha, they were indeed beautiful. The one in her hand was a grey colored pup with a white colored heart on his back while the one that gently licked itself was of black color with specks of white on his ear. Madhavi squealed with laughter as the third puppy – a ginger colored one with patches all over his body licked her hand.
‘I am glad that they have survived the night’, Suhasini looked up and saw Nihaal at the door. She smiled, ‘yes they did! They are a brave lot, Mr. Nihaal’, she added proudly like a mother.
‘What should we call him, papa?’, asked Madhavi as she showed off the ginger puppy to her father, her eyes bright with eagerness. ‘Should we call him ginger?’
Nihaal was quiet, he looked at Suhasini as if reminding her of her promise and his rule – I don’t allow pets at home.
‘I’ll call him ginger’, announced Madhavi holding the puppy with gentle care.
‘But is not ginger a name better suited for cats?’, asked Sudha with a smile. Madhavi looked concerned for a moment and then conjuring confidence from her little person, decidedly said, ‘no, I like ginger, we will call him ginger’, she said. Sudha giggled at Madhavi’s adorable expression but Suhasini could clearly see the increasing grimness on Nihaal’s face.
‘I don’t think you should name them anything, dear’, said Nihaal. It was as sudden as ripping off the Band-Aid and before Suhasini could speak up Madhavi had burst into tears. ‘Why papa? Are we not keeping them? But you got them home, papa?’, she cried as her questions tumbled out of the small mouth. Nihaal stood looking guilty but the look he gave to Suhasini was not of guilt but of accusation. Not giving attention to Nihaal’s accusatory look Suhasini picked up Madhavi and kept her on her lap, patting her, ‘sweetheart, I know you love dogs but we can’t have them’, she said. It only added to Madhavi’s misery. ‘Madhavi, darling, imagine that you have a dog and you have named him ginger and you love him, he’s your friend’, Madhavi stopped weeping and listened to Suhasini carefully. Nihaal too listened wondering that how will this help Madhavi? Suhasini continued, ‘now my dear girl, imagine that you lose ginger, won’t you want it back? Won’t you want the person who found your ginger, bring him back to you?’, she asked sagaciously. Madhavi’s eyes widened at the thought, she put in all her intelligence and pondered. After some deliberation, she nodded, ‘I would’, she said.
Suhasini lovingly said, ‘we too found these puppies my dear, they must belong to some little girl like you and she must be crying for them, so we need to give them back. We cannot keep them.’ Madhavi sat quietly at her lap for a few moments and then like an adult nodded understandingly. Suhasini hugged her while Nihaal stood in awe.
*****
It was four in the evening; the sun was setting behind the eucalyptus trees as Nihaal and Suhasini sat in the garden, sipping evening tea. Nihaal stole a few glances before he spoke, ‘it was really nice of you to cajole Madhavi the way you did in the morning. I was dreading the unstoppable tears and days of outbursts but you worked a miracle’, he added. Suhasini sipped her ginger tea before she said anything, ‘Mr. Nihaal, Madhavi is a lovely girl, completely obedient and understanding. I believe kids are never unreasonable so I knew I will be able to reason with her’, Nihaal nodded with a patient smile. Suhasini continued, ‘and as I had said, I’ll find homes for those puppies. I have asked Sudha to ask around…’
Nihaal shifted a little in chair before speaking but was interrupted by the light tone of Shekhar, ‘did someone say puppies?’ Suhasini looked at him with a bright smile which made Nihaal’s mouth twitch, she said, ‘yes, would you like one?’
Shekhar sat next to her, his smile warm, carefree and young as he said, ‘I would like two of them.’
‘Really? That’ll be just so great, Shekhar’, she said and gently put her hand on his arm, a gesture that didn’t escape Nihaal.
‘And why would you need two puppies, Shekhar?’, asked Nihaal slightly disgruntled.
‘I am going to Nainital, to meet my sister after the New Year’s party and I am sort of infamous for giving unexpected gifts to my niece and nephew. And what can be more unexpected than puppies?’, he said with a hearty laugh. Suhasini reveled in his jovial laugh while Nihaal sat displeased wondering why getting rid of those two puppies didn’t make him any relieved.
Sudha brought out another pot of tea when Shekhar said, ‘oh no…no Sudha, no tea for me.’ Nihaal irked said, ‘why not?’
‘You know how invigorating the coffee is at the Gentlemen’s club and the club sandwich is just delicious, I don’t want to ruin my appetite’, he said with a teasing smile. He swiftly turned to look at Suhasini and asked, ‘would you like to come with me?’
‘To the Gentlemen’s club?’, asked Nihaal wryly even before Suhasini had a chance to respond.
‘It’s not the 18th century Nihaal, women do come to these clubs and there are many amenities they enjoy. I am sure Suhasini will enjoy the coffee and love the library’, he said in a flattering tone. Suhasini smiled and for a moment Nihaal felt a cruel churning in his belly as he deliberately spoke, ‘Madhavi wanted to go out and…’
Suhasini spoke instantly, ‘Mr. Nihaal Madhavi has gone for her dance practice, her school’s annual day is approaching.’
Nihaal fell silent, Suhasini’s words felt like a lash, her eagerness to go with Shekhar made a stabbing sensation in Nihaal’s belly.
‘Well that’s even better, we can bring Madhavi home on our way back, right?’, Shekhar asked. Suhasini readily agreed when a man walked up to Nihaal, ‘Choudhary saheb?’, he said.
‘Mr. Rekhi?’
‘Choudhary saheb, we have a problem’, the man added grimly. Nihaal asked, ‘what is it?’
‘Choudhary saheb, I think someone has been stealing tea packets from our office and selling them outside’, Mr. Rekhi added.
Nihaal looked shocked, ‘what? Stealing? Surely not!’
Mr. Rekhi looked certain. Nihaal was visibly upset as he paid his people generously – too generously. Shekhar concerned asked, ‘Nihaal this is serious, we should do something.’ Nihaal diverted his attention to his friend, ‘oh don’t worry, you both please carry on with your plan, I’ll handle it.’
Suhasini looked unsure but on Nihaal and Shekhar’s insistence she left for the club.
Nihaal watched Suhasini and Shekhar walk away on the gavel pathway as he grimly added, ‘well, Mr. Rekhi, if your suspicion is true then this must be dealt with, as I don’t forgive betrayal.’
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