A Pocketful Of Peace

16. Unpleasant Interactions

By the time the bus made its way through the town and reached the outskirts, Aman was engrossed in day dreaming. Strangely enough, he didn't imagine strangling his sworn enemy... ahem, I mean his uncle. Instead, he was busy fantasizing about mesmerizing brown eyes, long black pleated tresses dancing on a slender waist and flowy ankle length skirts! He was missing her. He had started missing her the moment he had stepped on the bus. But he couldn't turn back. He was sure that she would also be feeling as miserable as he was. They had that sort of a two-way communication channel between them. Telepathy, is it? He could almost see her fuming at her beloved Katti Appa. As that thought came into his mind, the corners of his lips, on their own accord; turned up in a smile. Pleased to have her as his feisty friend for life, he dozed off to sleep even as the bus raced on to the highway, taking him closer to his destination with each passing mile.

Long after the bus had moved out of her eyesight and the dust had settled, Sandy blinked. She had been routed to the same spot for a very long time now. She was not motivated enough to shift an inch from her place. His warmth still lingered where Aman had last held her... as if, he was still holding her. In due course, another bus came and people started getting off. Her trance was broken as a random tourist brushed shoulders with her. As she was brought back to the present, her heart sank, for she had truly come to terms with the gravity of the situation. He might never come back! As if mechanically, her feet carried her back in the direction of home.

It was already nearing 8:00 pm. By now customers would have started trickling in for dinner. But she had no inclination what so ever to go and attend to total strangers and a few mere acquaintances. She did not want to hear Katti Appa scolding her for not preparing the meal tonight. She did not want to see him scowling down at his staff including her, for their tardiness or their laxity. If anything, she wanted to lie down on her bed and drift to sleep. She was bone tired and the last thing on her mind would be an altercation with Katti Appa. If he would have been just the strict disciplinarian, she would have had no problem coping up with his demanding nature. But he was on a different level altogether. He was whimsical. One moment he would be considerate and the next he would do a complete 180 degree turn and not care at all! She had always insisted that Aman try to understand him and behave when dealing with his uncle. She was not sure anymore. Day by day, her patience was wearing. Things were difficult to manage with her mother no longer present by her side. How she wished that her father was here with her, but he was always away on duty. For him, his duty came foremost. Even at the cost of his family. Not that she had any fond memories of him, though. She didn't even remember seeing him even once but she had vivid recollection from her past, of the joy her mother used to feel when his letters came. There always used to be a money order and a note stating for her mother to buy anything that Sandy wished for. She had taken pride in that fact, since her mother was fiercely proud of her husband. But ever since she passed away and he didn't turn up, Sandy had had a change of heart... of sorts.

She had frantically tried to get in touch with him, posted letters to the last known address in the hope that he would come and meet his ailing wife. He didn't come to see her even once! Neither when she was on her death bed, nor for the cremation. What she received from her father was a note stating that he was sorry for the loss and that he wouldn't be able to come. Along with the note, she did receive the usual money order. Sandy didn't feel like taking the money and since that day, the money kept on accumulating at the post office. That was two months after her mother had passed away. Soundarya Prabhu had herself performed the last rites of her mother under the watchful guidance of Katti Appa. She had come to respect him for the solidarity that he had extended in the times of need and out of that respect for him, she had pushed Aman to take interest in the diner. But in hindsight, it had been a big mistake since Appa had behaved in his typically unpredictable ways and berated Aman for doing something that could have been very good for their business. Appa's business to be precise, for she was a mere employee. Now, she knew exactly how Aman felt in his uncle's company... frustrated and dejected. Not that she didn't know beforehand but now she was definitely experiencing it first hand.