Sea Mist

Chapter 9

KHUSHI sat in Sheetal ice cream parlour, savouring the delicious taste of the gud bud ice cream. Though the name had sounded funny, the ice cream itself tasted heavenly with scoops of butterscotch, vanilla and strawberry flavours, layered with nuts, dry fruits, bits of soft candies of tutty fruity, topped with honey and a sugary rose petal preserve locally known as gulkhand, served in a tall glass. The others had ordered single scoop of their favourite flavor making Khushi feel she was a glutton but she didn't care. This ice cream was to die for.

The parlour with its walls painted green, was a small space with just about six modest looking tables, but the glass wall on side saved it from being claustrophobic. The parlour owner had almost closed the store but had made an exception and obliged for their sake.

"Why didn't you bring Sanvi?" Khushi asked Rashmi seated next to her.

"She was very tired with all the activities since morning," she said, "I sent her home with mom. Moreover, I don't let her eat ice cream in this weather. She falls sick."

Arnav seemed to be engrossed in talking to Manav about some business-related topic.

"This saree looks great on you Khushi," Rashmi complimented her.

Khushi turned to look at her. "Thanks. It was a gift."

"Wow, that person must really love you." Rashmi quipped.

Khushi almost choked on her ice cream. "Why?" she managed to ask.

"This saree costs anywhere between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000 these days."

"What?" Khushi looked at Arnav in horror. Some of the silk sarees she had worn earlier were old ones that belonged to her mother and strangely, her mother hadn't owned a single Mysore Silk saree. She had no inkling about the price of those sarees and she had been too preoccupied to ask the salesman.

"I love the design on the blouse," Rashmi observed, "I am going to get one like that. Where did you get it?"

"I think it was at Jayalakshmi Silks."

"Why did you let your hair down?"

"My hair was coming undone," Khushi said looking at Arnav recalling what had happened after they started to walk from the banyan tree.

Arnav had stopped suddenly, turned her around, and unraveled her braid, his fingers brushing her smooth back like feathers of a butterfly.

"What are you doing?" Khushi demanded in protest.

"Shhh –" he whispered softly, "Your hook snapped."

She suddenly remembered the safety pin in her pleats. "I think I have a safety pin." But after trying to unpin it she began to struggle. "Ah it is stuck."

"Let me try," he came around and stood in front of her.

"I don't think you will be able to do it." Khushi said, "I – I will try again."

"Look Manav will be here soon, don't fuss."

The back of his fingers sent small jolts of electricity as they touched the already sensitive skin of her stomach.

"Stop fidgeting." He handed her his phone, "use the torch – I can't see clearly."

To her consternation, he kneeled. His fingers continued to create havoc on her insides.

"I got the pin out." He stood up and came around to her back.

He gently moved her hair out of the way and began to attach the pin to her blouse, his fingers once again making her go warm all over.