HEART IN THE HIMALAYAS

CHAPTER 6

"Dadi you were absolutely right about the place. In fact, this place has something special....I...I don't know how to explain it. Thank you so much for sending me here." Ansh blurts out all this on the call with extreme excitement.

"I had told you. My tangled life found most of its solution there...."Dadi seems to relive moments from her life while taking a pause and then she continues realizing its time to focus on Ansh "I know you are worried, i know something is wrong..."

"Dadi I am fine, i just wanted a vacation..." Ansh interrupts her trying to convince his Dadi, who interrupts him and continues.

"Anshu can you please not do that to me. I am not forcing you to share anything so you better not deny my intuition." Dadi states so quite firmly, so Ansh is left with no other option to "hmm" in response.

Ansh and his Dadi had very special relationship. Both of them hardly hid anything away from each other and if one did the other one always realized so. But they never forced or questioned the other. Dadi has always been his secret keeper and safe place and Ansh intended to keep it that way his entire lifetime.

"Anshu its already the third day of your holiday and you haven't been to my friends house..." Ansh was told many times by Dadi to visit her friends house that was in ROOHTAL, a small town in the foothills of Himalayas in Himachal.

"Dadi Roohtal is so beautiful, i don't think i am returning soon so i will visit your friend before my return..."Ansh says so explaining his plan but he gets interrupted by Dadi.

"I had clearly told you i want you to stay with them..." Dadi reminds Ansh.

"Dadi...but as much as you explained me that place seems more like Ashram than a house. Five to Six old people in one house..." Ansh tries explaining his situation and thoughts when a offended Dadi interrupts him.

"Old people? So that is the reason you are avoiding the place..." hearing so Ansh realises the disappointment in Dadi's tone so he tries to explain further but Dadi continues not allowing him to speak. "Forget it Anshu i expected better from you. As much as I know you, I can assure you that house is just for you. But anyways its up to you."

Ansh feels slightly guilty as he knows avoiding company of elder people is completely wrong and especially saying it aloud to your grandmother must hurt her. So he pouts with guilt and tries apologizing "Dadi i seriously did not mean it like that. Anyway I am sorry..."

"If that's what you seriously think than don't apologize. But just because someone is aged that doesn't mean their personality is not interesting or entertaining. Look at the difference between your father and me. He is such a bore and i am so cool" Dadi ends her words with a slight laugh while Ansh chuckles at her words internally agreeing with her.

Soon their call ends and Ansh keeps sitting on the bonnet of his car gazing at the sunset at a distance. The peaceful aura around him didn't seem to reflect on Ansh's face. He clearly was restless, he knew that but he didn't know the reason for it. At some point even if his heart tried telling him the reason, Ansh would wave it off. He knew what happened a year ago was not his fault, at least that's what the practical side of his brain told him. But whenever his emotional side took charge, Ansh would be in immense guilt.

Ansh takes out a diary from his backpack, which had a beautiful cover with doodling on it and the cover had RYTHM'S DIARY written on it in block letters. Ansh caresses the block letters delicately while his expression had guilt, anger and disappointment written all over them. "Get over it Ansh" a faint voice echoes in Ansh's mind and soon he keeps the diary in his backpack. Keeping aside the diary Ansh picks his camera up and starts going through the pictures he clicked today, when he sees Aarya's only picture that he clicked secretly.

"Should i look for you? I like you that's obvious but should i do something about this feeling.... especially when i still have the guilt of past?" Ansh questions so internally staring at Aarya's picture. But it was obvious he was not questioning Aarya, he was questioning himself rather he was warning himself of the situation he would be in future if he continued to feel guilt towards one and likeness towards the other simultaneously.

"For now lets find Dadi's friends" he whispers so to himself and heavily sighs trying to forget the baggage and enjoy himself.

Ansh was now right in front of the house, that apparently was his Dadi's friends house according to the address he had with him. He had asked around and had finally reached the house, which seemed to be a little far away from the rest of the town. Ansh hesitantly scans around when his eyes falls on the name engraved on the wall next to the grill gate.

"Eli's Home" Ansh whisper reads the engraving and smiles with satisfaction knowing he finally did reach the right place. He gets out of his car and walks near the gate still scanning the area and the house, which was huge opposite to what he had imagined.

"What do you need?" A young man, who was almost the age of Ansh, questions him in a threatening tone from behind the bars of the grill gate.

Ansh gets startled and screams"OHH...FUCK Man...you scared me."

The young man remains unfazed and stares at Ansh with his stern gaze while scanning him from head to toe. "I asked what do you need?" the young man repeats his question, his tone clearly indicating his lack of interest to entertain Ansh or anyone else for that matter.

"Uhh...my Dadi's friends live here...they were informed of my arrival...actually i was suppose to reach a few days ago..." Ansh tries explaining the scenario but gets interrupted by the man in front.

"Come tomorrow, everyone is asleep." The young man makes sure to say his words in a tone that there is no option left for Ansh than to retreat.

Taking the signal Ansh decides not to argue anymore and return later on. He takes a step back and was about to turn when he hears a young feminine voice from a distance"Who is at the door, Shaan?"