Chapter Four: Roses are
Red...but Bruises are Blue
Date:
28th December 2004
Time: 6 p.m
Place: Phuket, medical tent
Mood: enigmatic
Nakusha watched him for
some time. He had collapsed on the floor, when he'd arrived, but the sling on
his shoulder was enough to tell her what was wrong. After all hadn't she
bandaged him up a few hours ago? He was dehydrated. (The irony.) But more than
that, he'd pulled his shoulder, dislocating was an already a correction of a
previous dislocation. She had injected him morphine to ease the pain. But it
had been over an hour now, and he was still asleep. Normally she would wait for
him to wake, but he was talking in his sleep.
"No, leave me"
At first she had
thought he had woken up and so she began to reply back:
"Sir, you're being
treated..." But stopped when he spoke again;
"Dad, please."
Nakusha stopped
talking.
There was no one else
in the tent, they were packing up to move to the east away from the damage,
most people who needed a hospital had been taken, and others had been released.
Only a few doctors had remained back. Nakusha being one of them. He spoke
again:
"My life...live it."
Ok, it's time I woke
this mister, before he starts needing counselling. Stitches I can do but counselling,
no way hose did not sign up for that.' She thought to herself, as she
approached him.
She called out first:
"Sir,"
But there was no
response, she tried again, but yet again he remained oblivious sleeping like a
log. She changed tack; she gently placed her hand on his left arm and shook him
"Sir,"
She saw him jerk, his
eyes slowly opening.
"Sir, you're being
treated, try and not move, you've dislocated your shoulder."
Dutta nodded slightly,
while the doctor continued speaking;
"Sir I need you to take
these:" She handed him two small pills
"They're painkillers, I
need you to take them before I push your shoulder back in."
Dutta didn't move to
take the medication from her.
"Sir."
"Dutta."
"Pardon."
"Dutta, my name is
Dutta, not Sir. Dutta Patil, not Sir Patil. I haven't been knighted."
She gave him a queer
look when he added:
"Yet" and smiled to
himself.
Ok, this guy is
clearly hopped up on pills, let's make this quick.' She thought to herself, as
she put on her sterile gloves. She helped him sit up, and said:
"On the count of three,
I'm going to push it back in."
"Ok." He replied.
"It's going to hurt."
"Ok." He responded.
"A lot."
"Are you trying to
scare me..." Dutta began before screaming loudly and adding;
"ARGHHH, Teri maa
ki...ARGHH"
It was done, the
shoulder popped back into position. Nakusha stepped back, removing her gloves,
moving towards the small table, she picked up some tablets. Dutta who was now
breathing deeply in complete bliss sighed heavily. He was feeling much better.
Nakusha approached him, handing him the bottle;
"Painkillers, take no
more than two, when and if needed. Space the doses evenly."
Dutta took the bottle
from her, having realised what he said in pain, his ears reddened in
embarrassment. All he could hope for was that she didn't understand what he had
said.
"Sorry about the pain.
I find it's easier when the patient is distracted. I had to throw you off base.
It wasn't my intention to scare you."
Nakusha had
deliberately attempted to distract Dutta, she didn't want him to count down
with her and anticipate the agony that he would be facing, it was better throw
him off guard, even if that meant he turned suddenly very Bollywood-villain
like and swore.
Dutta whose ears were
now a deep scarlet muttered;
"Yeah about that, I
should probably apologise too."
"Probably?" Nakusha
amused
Blimey he really is
arrogant,' she thought to herself
Dutta blinked at her, his
mouth slightly open,
Crap, she understands'
he thought.
"It's not every day a
patient decides to attack my mother from beyond the grave, than the more simple
and easier F-you that I get a lot of."
Now Dutta was really
taken aback. Perhaps his shame was festered all over his face, or perhaps she
wanted to end this conversation quickly but before Dutta could respond she
spoke yet again:
"It's ok. Part and
parcel of being a doctor." She smiled.
Dutta was still lost
for words, when a familiar face poked her head round the tent;
"There you are, why is
it every time I go looking around for you, you're on a gurney?"
"Hi Rosie, nice to see
you too." Dutta mocked.
For some unknown
reason, as soon as Dutta had said Rosie's name, he could have sworn he saw Dr
Jain, double take, as though he had called her.
"Hi." Rosie
sarcastically responded, before breaking into a grin;
"Bus is ready, leaving
in 5, how about you?" she enquired.
"Complete bliss now
that Dr Jain here has fixed me up."
Nakusha waved her
efforts off, whispering quietly something about her job, but no one was really
paying any attention. Rosie had begun fussing over Dutta, helping him with his
shirt.
"Purple elephants" she
added in her normal voice, deliberately assuming no one was listening.
"Excuse me?" Dutta
questioned, curious.
Now Nakusha turned a
shade red.
"Nnnothing, I was just
thinking aloud." She replied back, moving towards the mobile sink, washing her
hands, clearly embarrassed.
"Ok, so in 5, we're not
going to wait for you." Rosie warned Dutta as she left, curtly nodding in
Nakusha's direction before leaving.
Nakusha deliberately
took her time washing her hands, she wanted him to leave. But for some odd
reason he was stalling. The silence in the room growing awkward so Nakusha
decided to speak:
"You should keep your
arm in the sling for a week, take it out only to wash and try and keep it on
when you sleep."
"Ok." He responded
observing her closely
"But really there
shouldn't be a problem now, by the sounds of it, it's as good as new. Probably
better." She finished, as she threw the used paper towel into the bin.
"Rainy book." Dutta
responded back;
"Pardon" Nakusha added
confused.
"Oh, nothing I was just
thinking aloud" Dutta winked.
Nakusha half smiled at
him,
The guy's clearly a lunatic'
she thought to herself, as she saw him smile widely as he swung his legs around
and got up from the gurney;
"Well thank you," he
began as he steadied himself, but either it was the effect of the pills or may
be something else, but he felt his legs give in, stumbling he fell back into
bed, with Nakusha by his side.
"Try and not get up too
quickly, you still have a lot of painkillers in your system and the dehydration
is still there. Sorry," she added as she looked at his cannula
"I get it, supplies are
low, and besides the dehydration was my own stupidity." Dutta began as he
scanned the room for a wheelchair.
Nakusha sensed what he
was looking for and spoke quickly;
"Don't have it, nor do
we have crutches or zimmer frames. We're all packed to go, leaving this
evening."
Dutta nodded. It made sense;
the camp was virtually empty now, with a handful of people left behind,
including himself and Nakusha.
"I'm clearly going to
miss my ride." He amused to himself, recalling his wish from a couple of days
ago before the Tsunami when he had wished to stay here longer.
"And that thought
leaves you happy?" Nakusha queried watching his smile.
"Well if you had to
work with my team you'd agree. Slave drivers." He added mockingly.
Nakusha rolled her
eyes;
"I'm just kidding."
"Yeah I figured."
Nakusha responded and added;
"But don't fret; you
can come along with us. I take it your stuff has already gone. I'm sure we can
spare some room for you...up on the roof." She winked.
Dutta narrowed his eyes
at her before he began to smile again, as Nakusha, began to empty the small
table near her, packing the last of the medical kit. Dutta had been watching
her closely, for some reason she fascinated him. He couldn't quite put his
finger on what. Yes she was pretty, heck scratch that, credit where credit is
due, she was beautiful. No two ways about it. She was clearly working those
scrubs that she was wearing too. But Dutta had, had his fair share of beauties
in the past. It was something else. Clearly she was smart, not just book smart
but street smart. Her nonchalance had given that away. But again it wasn't
that. It both bugged and intrigued him, but this Dr Jain was proving to be
quite the puzzle.
Dhoom Machle, Dhoom
Machle Dhoom. Dhoom...' Dutta's phone rang; Dutta didn't even need to read the
caller Id to know who it was;
---------------------------------------------
Nakusha had to control herself;
she had nearly doubled over laughing at the sudden song that erupted in the
tent. It was Dutta's phone;
Really dude, that's
your ringtone, just when I thought you were cool.' She humoured herself.
Indeed there was
something captivating about this rather tall insane person. Ok so he was cute.
No scratch that, if it's an apple, let's call it an apple,' Nakusha thought-he
was hot, so let's call him hot. He clearly had the intense broody thing going
for him, despite the fact that beneath it all he was really just a joker. Now
broody wasn't Nakusha's type, nor was lovable idiot' as Dutta was appearing to
come across as. In fact as this point Nakusha amused herself, what was her
type? For the life of her she couldn't pin it down. Upon such realisation
Nakusha didn't know whether to rejoice at being so open minded or depressed
that she was in the prime of her life and she still didn't know what type of
guy would win her over. She guessed she had better things to think about. Like
being a doctor for one.
But yes, this Dutta
Patil fellow-not Sir Patil, as he had reminded her-was proving to be quite
enigmatic. Something about him was leaving an impact. From the short period
they had interacted, it was clear that he was smart, perhaps obnoxious at
times-but Nakusha mainly-unapologetically-put that down to his gender, rather
than his own fault, but either way there was something there. That something
which at this point, Nakusha couldn't quite understand.
Dutta was on the phone
for a while, despite not being able to get a phrase in edgeways. Whoever was on
the phone wasn't giving him a chance to speak, this Nakusha noted was
irritating Dutta, though ever once in a while, he'd break into a smile, which
he tried to conceal over the phone.
"Hello...yes...haan...par...but...lis..listen...ok...No...I'm
FINE...Baji...wait...BA...ok, ok. Bye."
From the snippets,
Nakusha had deduced it must have been a loved one, but what had peaked her
interest was how she had heard the word Bhau' several times from the other
side.
Now Nakusha wasn't Maharashtian,
but Leela was. More often than not, she had heard Leela refer to her older
brother as Bhau, in fact on the couple of occasions that he'd come down to
visit Leela at university, Leela had insisted that Nakusha call him that
too...well until Leela realised that Nakusha had been harbouring a major crush
on her bhau.
"Ghaddha" Dutta spoke
aloud.
"Must be some intelligent
ghaddha if he can phone you." Nakusha responded back.
Dutta had forgotten he
wasn't alone in the room, hearing Nakusha speak, he shook his head adding;
"No Bajirao is
definitely a ghaddha."
"Vah, naam ho toh aisa"
Nakusha replied.
Dutta couldn't help but
laugh;
"Let's just say, Maushi
is a huge Bollywood fan." Dutta added, suppressing laughter.
Nakusha furrowed her
eyebrows at him and added;
"Still it's better than
yours." She winked, she resumed back to rolling up the opened unused bandages
and placing them in a box.
Dutta was taken aback,
"Is that so?" He
queried,
Nakusha didn't verbally
respond but nodded her head in an exaggerated motion to deliberately mock him;
"Ok then..." Dutta
began before adding slyly;
"...Rosie."
The bandage that Nakusha
had wound fell from her hand, rolling slightly before landing near his gurney.
How did he?'
She was shocked, how
had he figured it out. No it was pure coincidence, maybe she had flushed a
little, and after all it was pretty hot and humid.
She heard him laughing;
"Rosie" he said again,
his laughter and mockery increasing with each repetition.
Nakusha rolled her
eyes, she realised she was never going to live this down.
"Rosie" he said yet
again, as he laughed more, before holding his side that now ached from all the
laughter.
Nakusha who had picked
up her bandage and was aggressively winding it back up, spoke;
"Achaji!" she placed
the bandage in the box and snapped at him;
"Well at least my folks
bothered giving me a forename AND a nick-name..." she paused noting that he had
stopped guffawing. She now had his attention so she continued slyly;
"Dutta Patil. Dutta.
Patil. Two surnames, no forenames."
He narrowed his eyes at
her;
"Is that so?"
She now smirked. Yes
she had definitely hit the right spot. She was unapologetic, if he could dish
it, then he should be able to take it too.
"So what is your
forename, Dr Jain." He asked deadpan.
Nakusha smiled before
replying back unapologetically;
"Nakusha"
She could have sworn
she saw his pupils dilate slightly-being a doctor meant that she noticed these
things-more than most people.
"Do you even know what
Nakusha means? If you did, it'd wipe that smirk off your face." He added coolly
"I do."
He'd barely managed to
complete what he was saying before she responded. Her response or rather the
speed of it shocked him. As far as he could tell-and he prided himself in
knowing that he could read people well-there was no malice, hatred, anger or
even regret in her answer. It was quite passive. It emitted indifference. This
intrigued him.
"You do?" he saw she
wore a poker face;
"Yes, as do my folks,
especially mummy dearest" she responded back.
There, right there, at
mummy' he had detected something. It made him think back to what she had said
earlier;
It's not every day a
patient decides to attack my mother from beyond the grave...'
He was sure he had
sensed some pain. It was suppressed but there was some pain there. But even if
there was it was gone as quick as it came. She had resumed packing her things.
But Dutta was not ready to let this go.
"And they still named
you Nakusha?" he asked more curious than ever.
"Not they, she."
Folding the sheets on the nearby gurney, she added;
"I had'..." she
gestured speech marks with her hands before carrying on;
"...a father...well if
you can call him that, till I was about four. But I don't remember him. Don't
even know what he looks like. Or even his name for that matter."
Again he detected
nothing, as if she was apathetic.
"Mum never wanted kids,
lest of all a girl." Stacking the sheets neatly she added;
"She was always like
that."
"Was?" Dutta enquired.
Of course he knew, he'd
put the pieces together, beyond the grave' she had said, but Dutta wanted to
be sure that the slight fragments of pain he had detected had not been a
figment of his own imagination. That really there had been something there.
Nakusha nodded, turning
to face him;
"She died in September"
"I'm sorry to hear
that,"
"Then someone is" she
half amused.
That made Dutta feel
uncomfortable. He was more than aware that his own relationship with his mom
was patchy-at best but even so the idea that this girl felt completely numb
towards the person who had brought her into this world made him slightly
queasy-well it was either that or the painkillers taking their effect.
"Ok, so it's not my
place to pry..." he began but was cut off;
"Then don't"
But Dutta continued, throwing
caution to the wind;
"...but she was still
your mother, despite however your relationship may have been. She was your
mother."
Nakusha laughed a
little;
"Being a mother doesn't
just mean giving birth."
Upon hearing those
words, suddenly Dutta thought back to the last time he had spoken to his own
mother-
----------------------------------------
"It is your birth
right" she had shrugged, while Dutta had stood rooted on the spot completely aghast
at the nonsense his mother was spewing;
"Birth right...are you
out of your mind, are you even hearing yourself?" He had asked in complete disgust.
"It would appear that
it is you, Dutta, who is out of his mind." She had responded the coldness in
her eyes glaringly obvious now. Dutta did not know what to say, he knew his
parents had always been classist but this was another level. A whole new level
of ignorance;
"I will not be
attending." Dutta had managed.
"I expect to see you
at..."
"Did you not hear me, I
won't..."
"7.30, Don will pick
you up, and that is final." She had warned, completely ignoring Dutta;
Dutta had opened to his
mouth to speak but had been silenced yet again but this time rather than just
words, it had felt as though his mother had taken an icicle and pushed it
through his heart;
"Do not forget I gave
birth to you."
But of course that had
been the problem since day one; he had been born a Patil which in every sense
of the word had been a curse for Dutta.
---------------------------------------
Dutta was pulled out of
his thoughts suddenly as he noted Nakusha stiffen somewhat. Yet somehow,
despite Nakusha being a complete stranger for him, he just couldn't stop
talking. Nor for that matter, for some reason, could Nakusha stop telling him
about her story either.
"You must feel
something."
It was her next
response that bowled him.
"Oh I do, it wasn't me
that felt nothing. It was her." She folded her arms gently and leaned against
the gurney that she had placed the folded sheets on.
"DO you know what she
said to me on her deathbed?" she paused as though she was recalling the moment
before she mocked rather loudly;
"I wish you were never
born."
Dutta could sense there
was something there. Years of repression, pain and regret. He wanted to reach over
to her and to take her in his arms and tell her that it was ok. That she had
him, that she was safe.
But how could he? Who
was he to her? A patient? A stranger? Who she had met today. Heck why was Dutta
even thinking like that? Never before had he felt so touched by someone, or
felt such a deep connection that he did now in this surreal moment. What was
happening? Who was she?
Nonetheless Dutta
couldn't remain silent, he had to say something. Anything. Something. For some
unknown reason he felt as though she was seeking some sort of response, perhaps
a reason, perhaps an excuse for her mother's behaviour. Something anything. And
that something or anything only he could give her.
He said the first thing
that came to him:
"She couldn't have
meant it."
Nakusha laughed. An
actual laugh, the one where your lungs open up and the oxygen around you feels
like elixir, that type of laugh; but even so he could sense that it was a mere
mask for pain.
"I tried to comfort
myself with the same thought, until I realised that was probably the one and
only time I saw her sober." She sighed before continuing;
"The one and only time
when her senses were about her."
She now looked directly
at Dutta, as though she could peer into his soul;
"Make no mistake, Patil
Saab, she knew exactly what she was saying."
For that instant, Dutta
couldn't help but think back to his own family. His own picture perfect family.
She spoke again; but
this time as though she was repeating some mantra. A chant that perhaps she
would say each morning after waking up and each night before sleeping, as
though it was her personal strength.
"That is why you should
live your life alone, be not dependent on anyone. Have no expectations. Que Sera
Sera as they say." She commented.
Her tone now completely
changed, as though she had recharged herself.
As though Nakusha had left the building, Dr Jain had returned in full
swagger.
Nakusha had straightened
herself up, when she misheard him.
Or so she thought;
"You're lying."
"Pardon?"
"You're lying" he
repeated.
Dutta got up off the
gurney, his wooziness having worn off, he felt energised; he made his way over
to her;
"You're lying. You want
it all."
There was barely any
space between them as he began counting off;
"A suburban house,
kids-and plenty of them, a pet or two, and a husband. A partner, your soul mate.
A face that you will wake up to every morning, and fall asleep looking at every
night. You want to fall in love everyday with him. You want routine. You want
comfort, you want to be able to fall back with belief that someone will catch
you. Someone will always catch you. That it doesn't matter how dark or low you
stoop there will always be that one person you can depend on. Nakusha, you want
a home. You want everything you missed out on."
He narrowed the gap
between them, she could feel his breath on her, but more than that and what
both scared and intrigued her was that it was as though he was peering into the
window of her soul. As though he was walking hand in hand with her thoughts. As
though he was there playing with her inner most desires. Ones she was so
certain she had buried a long time ago. Ones even she thought she had long
forgotten.
He spoke again;
"FYI, I totally get why
you're Rosie now." He amused, noting how deeply she had flushed. Indeed she did
have the rosiest cheeks ever.
Dutta wasn't so
innocent he knew the effect he'd just had on Nakusha. He made a lot of girls
weak in the knees and blush beetroot. It was one of his traits, one that his
best friend Bajirao often amused about;
"What with your broody
intense gazes and my boy next door dimples, we have the whole gender eating out
of our palms." Baji would often remind Dutta.
Nakusha suddenly became
aware to the lack of personal space between herself and Dutta, she moved away
from him, perching on the end of the gurney behind her, while Dutta made his
way back to his own, when Nakusha spoke:
"Ok, so Dr Phil, now
that you supposedly know me inside out, it's time for your back story. Let me
guess, spoilt brat seeks bride? Well that's the kinda vibe I'm getting." She
mocked.
Nakusha had tried to be
subtle, she hadn't seen a ring on his finger, but then again he was Indian,
even if he were married it wasn't necessary that his hands would voluntarily
delve that information. More so, wife aside, did he have a girlfriend? Even
just thinking that, Nakusha wanted to kick herself. Why was she even thinking
like that? Didn't she find this guy obnoxious?
"Yes because
volunteering in a natural disaster screams eligible bachelor doesn't it?"
Dutta mocked as Nakusha
laughed.
"Alrightly then, at
least inform me about Mr and Mrs pretentious whom I assume you take after. So
which is it that has the dimpled chin? Or is it neither. Because if not, I've
got news for you my friend, you're adopted." She winked.
"If I should be so
lucky" Dutta replied;
"Ok then Kylie Minogue,
which is it?"
"Ok, so as much as Mr
and Mrs pretentious is their name on their passport. I prefer to call them Mom
and Dad, and if you must know. The dimple comes from dad. Probably the only
thing he gave me that I am actually grateful for."
"What having a
butt-chin?" Nakusha mocked
"Butt..." Dutta
exhaled, clearly he was shocked, the one thing Dutta had come to learn quite
early-and much to his pleasure-was how his chin was quite the talking point
with the ladies. But this was the first time he heard someone speak ill of it.
Collecting himself
Dutta decided to ignore Nakusha's comment who quite clearly had enjoyed having
a dig at him:
"I come from a picture
perfect family"
Nakusha scoffed, while
Dutta continued;
"Honestly, you know
when you buy a photo frame and they usually already have photographs of cute
kids, or pets or couples or families in them?"
"Yeah." Nakusha
responded, unsure where Dutta was headed with this:
"Well if my family
portrait, that hangs in our hallway was taken up, toh hum sab ki chutti
karadey"
"Yeah right. Pride
before fall."
"Seriously," Dutta
replied back as he continued:
"Mom and Dad were the
ultimate marriage, the only children of two leading stock brokers, it was a
match made on Wall Street."
Nakusha couldn't help
but laugh;
"In fact, I remember in
the 6th grade we had to draw a family tree, and after asking Mom, I
realised going back six generations not a single girl had been born in my dad's
family. That was until my little sister came along. I was two."
"So you're the eldest?"
"Yeah and the Patil
heir."
"Jee, could you sound
anymore depressed to be sitting on such a kazana you sona dayney wala murga?"
It was Dutta's turn to laugh now:
"You make it sound so
wonderful."
Nakusha detected
something there. Was he bitter?
"Sometimes I wish Roop
was older."
"She could've have
been, you know there is a 50/50 chance right?" she mocked him
"Not in my family."
Nakusha pulled a face
to which Dutta added;
"The Patil's only ever
produce first born sons."
"Seriously I get you're
a journo, writing is your thing, but this is basic science dude, or did you
never have the talk as a child."
Dutta squinted at
Nakusha while saying;
"HA HA" before he
continued
"Like I said, it is not
an option in my family."
Nakusha groaned,
"SO what about you, tomorrow
you'll have kids, what if your first born is a girl?"
"Not going to happen"
"Ok you're really
testing my patience..."
He cut across her:
"Not going to happen,
because mom needs to find me the perfect girl first and so far no such luck.
And so I decided to Carpe Diem."
"Haan, voh to hoga, jab
potential dulhan ki traits, shopping list jaisa lambey ho." Nakusha laughed. She
noted Dutta had merely politely smiled. As though she was touching some nerve,
it is for that reason she asked;
"Does it bother you?"
"What? The sexism, the
money or the marriage? I need you to be more specific." He mocked
"That your life is
dictated." She responded.
"It would be, if I
allowed it to be."
Nakusha looked
confused.
"I just told you, that
I'm pretty much a billionaire and an only heir..."
"Again with the
modesty" Nakusha interrupted, while Dutta continued, ignoring Nakusha
"...yet here I am mid a
disaster supporting a heroic wound..."
"It's not a heroic
wound..."
But again Dutta ignored
her and continued
"...supporting a heroic
wound, reporting from the other side of the world, are you seriously telling me
Doctor Sahiba that you don't see the missing link?"
He now raised his
eyebrow at her;
"They cut you out." Nakusha
replied, Dutta smirked in response;
"Bingo," he began, but
Nakusha wasn't quite finished;
"They cut you out, so
you could live your life, enjoy your days until the inevitable."
"The inevitable?" he
queried
"The inevitable" she repeated
then added;
"Enjoy your days, while
Mummyji seeks the bakhri that will produce a bakhra with you."
"Beautiful and smart,
two for two Rosie" Dutta smirked.
"But that still doesn't
answer my question" she continued
"What?" he asked
"Your life is planned
out for you, dare I say it since you were in the womb, and maybe even before
then, Mummyji and Daddyji might have unchained your leash-temporarily-so that
you can rebel. You know, get it out of our system and all that, but sooner
rather than later you're going to have to become Mr Patil. The Patil Saab, with
a trophy wife, who parades his first born son, to fat cats in stripped suits
before his very own family portrait hung on your very own hallway of your home.
SO really, who are you running away from? Not them. So yourself? To rebel, to
not take a wife and perhaps raise a baby girl, all while travelling till you're
on your deathbed? Because as much as you like to believe you're a stud, you my
friend don't do lonely. You can't do lonely."
Nakusha paused before
she continued:
"You're going to fall
in love someday and then what? What if she isn't qualified per the list? What
if she doesn't fit into the family portrait? Who loses? Your family or her? Because
from where I'm stood, the only one who seems to be missing out is you. You will
lose, if you already haven't lost."
It was as though she
could see into his soul, as though she knew exactly what he had locked away a
long time ago. Wasn't Dutta aware of this? Didn't he know someday he is going
to be stood at a cross road, where one path will follow his heart and the other
his brain. Did he not know that the day when that comes, he may not be alone
that another life may be attached to his, then what? Hasta la vista baby?
He knew she was right.
That had been his fear. That had been his deepest anguish, that it didn't
matter how well he tried to paint his life, when it came down to it, he wasn't
free. He may never be. What was he but a mere branch on the Patil tree that had
stood strong for so many generations. Roots always came before branches. And
that is what killed him, what ate away at him, what pained him. And it was that
that he had thought he had buried very well. That he thought no-one but he knew
about.
But of course he had
been wrong. Nakusha could see it too.
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*And there you go folks, meeting number one between our Dutta and Nakusha. Hopefully it lived up to your expectations. Please do let me know what you thought but above all, once again thank you for reading :) *
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