Anikaa & The Mystery of the Painting

12. The Research

On her way back home, Anikaa drove mechanically. Her mind was absorbed with the strange happenings, Jiyu and his story about Himkhasa tribe, Agung, gems. When, she reached home Bahadur was circling outside on the huge porch with a phone in his hand.

"Mam, thank god you are here. We were so worried," whimpered Bahadur rushing towards Anikaa as she entered the parking.

"Stop worrying Bahadur and get me a strong cup of cardamom tea and a healthylicious breakfast," instructed Anikaa.

As Anikaa, entered the main hall, she saw Rachel talking on phone, giving some kind of number to the caller. Oh! It was the scooty's number.

"O...here you are...," screamed Rachel, putting her phone down and rushed towards Anikaa, hugging and almost stumbling her with all the force.

"Rachel...I am fine, hope you haven't called the military yet," teased Anikaa, briefly hugging her.

"Where were you...?"asked Rachel with anxiety.

"Just went out to enjoy the weather," winked Anikaa.

"Why do you always pull up such stunts?" asked Rachel still reeling with tension.

"I am not able to keep up with your mercurial mood swings which are on real high these days," added Rachel waspishly.

"Oh come on Rachel, this is not the first time and it will never be the last. I am like this. And, I know you are concerned but sometimes, I just need to be alone. I feel zoned out," stressed Anikaa on the word uncomfortably.

"Until, I phone you I am not in trouble. Remember that, it's a golden rule," added Anikaa and went upstairs to her room.

Rachel knew about Anikaa's 'zoned out' inclinations and she failed to understand them. It was the time when she would distance herself from everyone- emotionally and sometimes physically. Nobody- in her family or friends could guess anytime what's going on in her mind. Though Anikaa could easily perceive other's feelings, she hid her own emotions under several wraps.

Her attitude of 'keeping your stuff to yourself' added an extra layer of enigma to her. Relieved but a bit saddened Rachel went to her room to get ready for breakfast.

After a quick shower and breakfast, Anikaa decided to work on her painting. She asked Bahadur to remove the Jiyu's canvas painting and put up a fresh one for her. She started with dark colours, slowly adding brightness, sunlight, reflection and water to the painting. She finished her painting in next two hours- painting of a fisherman waiting in still water. She regarded the painting and related it to the ongoing bizarre events. Still waters are deep and so is this mystery of Jiyu, gems and Shalini's disappearance. The fisherman depicts me who is in the middle of this mystery. But, to catch the fish a fisherman needs patience and focus. Focus!

She signed the painting at the bottom and kept it aside to dry down. She was about to leave the balcony when she saw the other easel on which Shalini's vase painting was placed. Slowly, she walked towards the painting.

"There is something weird about this painting. I am not able to understand," she mused.

She carefully looked at the painting again, turned the canvas around and found it absolutely normal.

"Maybe it's just one of my feelings," she said and sauntered out of the room.

Anikaa went to her library where Rachel was working on her Ipad.

"Anything important, Rachel?" she asked.

"Yes, mam. Mr. Mansukhbhai Patel wanted to speak to you, he will call in half an hour and Vinod was requesting for a conference call."