Rama

Chapter 20

"This is not done. Absolutely not done ... ". Preet kept on pacing the floor with her hands resting on her hips.

"... How many times have we practiced this moment during our sessions, Rama? That, one day, if Prakash decides to reappear before you, you will not panic and will deal with it without any melodrama. And what did you do today? Just the opposite. Kya hai yeh?" She continued without showing any detectable signs of calming down. In the absence of any explanation that even remotely appealed to my own conscience as meaningful or sound, I chose to sit in the middle of the group, totally clammed-up.

"Are you PMSing?" Ela spoke for the first time since my return from the Paltan Bazar and her bizarre question halted Preet's marathon march completely in one shot. She was lying on the sofa with her head placed on my lap and since her face was turned away from me, it was impossible to gauge if she was indeed cracking a joke.

"What?" I decided to start with monosyllables, in order to keep things short and not irk anyone anymore, especially Preet.

"No. I am serious. Hormones are deadly. Like, right now, I feel like stabbing Prakash if he comes knocking on the doors". Ela said while patting her belly, almost like a sign of commendation.

"He looked older and frail ... as if he has been under the weather or something". I babbled inaudibly.

"He was ALWAYS ill ... at least from the time I knew him". Ela blurted unemotionally. Although I knew that this was not entirely true, there was no point in defending Prakash at this juncture.

"Hmm. So, he was looking sick and still, he sprinted off before you could catch him by his collar?" Divya's question, albeit logical, was enough to turn everyone's attention off me for the time being, and provided me the much necessary respite. While Ela and Preet argued with Divya over her "super-smart" questions and the rationality behind them, I checked my mobile and wondered the reason as to why Ambika is not back yet.

"What took you so long?" I asked as soon as Ambika stepped inside the room.

"Nothing. I double-checked the entry points and made sure I haven't forgotten any locks. A loony is on the loose, after all". Ambika chuckled.

"Ams, you are laughing? Thank God Prabhas was there. Nawab's narration of Rama's little adventure was so damn scary and I am sure he had underplayed it by quite a few notches, just to save his favorite Tai from our wrath. Good that Prabhas slapped some sense into her". Divya said in an almost prophetic tone.

"I think he was shocked too when he saw me". I said while trying to replay the moment I noticed Prakash for the hundredth time in my mind since its first occurrence.

"Who? Prabhas? Or, Prakash?" Ams questioned while settling herself, cross-legged, on the floor near my feet.

"Prakash. I think he didn't expect to see me". I said.

"So, you are saying that this is just a mere coincidence. What is he doing in Dehradun? Vacationing with his second family?" Ela smirked and turned her face towards me – maybe she wanted to see the reaction of her caustic sarcasm on my face firsthand.

Ambika took my hand inside her folded palms and said "It doesn't matter, Rama. You are very near to getting him out of your system, both legally and emotionally. You can't afford to ruin it now ...".