Harsh And Divine

Chapter 14

Vidhushi stood beside her guide as they both stared at the car that decided to stop right in the middle of the road. She wondered if Dr Nambudiri will cancel their little trip to the conference. It was in the other city, not very far from where she was currently dwelling. She really wanted to attend the conference, not because it was her first time; no, she had attended numerous conferences; but this one was on her favourite topic. And the delegates were honourable scientists.

She felt sad for being unable to go because of a car!

"Well, what should we do?" Her guide asked her as if she would know the answer.

"We could call for a cab, sir." She suggested.

"It's another city, Vidhushi! No cab would agree to go that far."

Both waited to think of something. Both didn't want to lose hope.

"Okay, I can think of only one way. I'll call my son and he will drop us off at the conference." He said.

"Umm...okay, sir." She answered, not knowing he had a son. Hence, she sat inside the car waiting for him to call his son.

After about thirty minutes, a black car slowed down in front of them. Dr Nambudiri, who was standing outside the whole time, signalled Vidhushi to come out and enter his son's car.

She came out, carrying her backpack with her. She wondered who'd take care of her guide's car once they go away leaving it behind.

She walked towards the new car. But, because safety comes first, she managed to walk behind the car so that she could take the photo of the car's number plate, just to ensure her safety. She didn't know this new guy, so, better take precautions first. She was busy sending the photo to her mother as she entered inside and sat in the backseat.

'Mumma, Dr. Nambudiri's car had some issues. So, we are going with his son. This is his car plate no.. I'll call you once I reach there.'

She texted her mother.

Finally, she closed her phone and looked up to greet the new person. She gasped in surprise as her eyes narrowed.

'Advith!' She mouthed but he wasn't looking at her. He was busy in his phone.

It all confused her. Dr. Nambudiri was going to call his son and turned up calling Advith instead. But then she recalled him one day calling Advith as son.

So, he must have been referring to Advith when he said that he was going to call his son. But then she wondered why her Guide didn't call his own son? Does he not have any son? Or daughter? Then she realised that he didn't keep any family photos on his desk, unlike other seniors in the laboratory. She shrugged off the thoughts claiming it to be a mere coincidence.

As soon as Dr Nambudiri entered the car, he handed over the bill to Advith. Advith chuckled.

"You are so misusing your authority, uncle. Asking your nephew to pay the bill for your own car is real mature." He commented in his native language as he kept the bill in his pocket.

Of course, Vidhushi didn't understand their native language and she wondered why all of a sudden he switched to his mother tongue. He never talked in Malayalam with his uncle before...not in front of her atleast.

That made her self conscious. Was he talking about her in his native language so that she doesn't understand their conversation.

She looked out of the window, completely ignoring them as they continued to talk in a language she didn't understand.

After a while when she started feeling sleepy and she had almost closed her eyes, a blazing ear piercing music startled her. She was wide awake in an instant with her eyes scanning whatever was happening.