FOUR
Lightning had started flashing fiercely in the afternoon along with stormy wind and torrential rains. The evening sky became very dark.
Urmil was swaying slowly in a cane swing fixed in the balcony… she was thinking about her previous life in the mountains.
Navya was not at home.
Urmil came back to reality at the sound of the door bell. She looked through the magic eye on the door and saw Sanjay standing.
Urmil opened the door hesitantly and smiled… she acted like a fool to say "Navya is not at home."
She forgot that it was Navya's house and her relatives might drop in anytime.
"May I come in please?" Urmil felt embarrassed by Sanjay's sarcastic words and moved aside meekly to let him in.
"I am so sorry. Please come in."
Seeing Sanjay soaking wet, Urmil couldn't understand what she would do... how would she offer him a change.
"You are wet…" Urmil said, holding a towel in her hand.
After wiping his head dry, Sanjay entered Navya's room and went to the bathroom with Navya's pajama and T-shirt to change.
Urmil entered the kitchen to make tea.
She came back to the drawing room with a cup of tea, some biscuits and placed the tray on the centre table… she looked at Sanjay hesitantly.
"I have heard that you grew up in the mountains… where are you from?" Sanjay smiled.
He had a bottle of whiskey in his hand.
"I am not a stupid to drink tea in this sexy weather."
Sanjay winked.
"Please give me a glass, tumbler, will you?"
Urmil handed over a glass tumbler and said "I grew up in an orphanage at Solan, Himachal Pradesh."
Urmil picked up the cup of tea and went back to the kitchen.
The residents of the hills generally have a dislike for the people of the plains. Mother Sebastian and Patricia had cautioned Urmil several times before she came down.
Urmil didn't like Sanjay's sinister look. God only knew when Navya would return!
"Urmil Kumari… where are you?"
Sanjay's mischievous words reached Urmil's ears.
How long could she stay hidden… she had to confront him anyway!
Urmil entered the drawing room and sat across Sanjay who lay on the divan comfortably.
"People of Himachal believe in Ayurveda… right?" Sanjay was eager.
"Poor people can't afford to visit the doctor so often… and Ayurveda is a science!"
Urmil looked annoyed.
… Faults are thick where love is thin...
Sanjay nodded in agreement.
"I believe that too. People visit Hazrat Nizamuddin to see a Pir Baba who cures all types of diseases with Ayurvedic medicines."
Urmil was curious.
"I have heard Navya suffers from insomnia and requested her several times to visit baba but she didn’t care. Do you have any health problems Urmil… want to accompany me?"
"No, I'm fine still. The mountain dwellers generally keep good health and don't fall sick easily but as I am no longer in the mountains and the city is so polluted... I will tell you if I feel like going." Urmil was curt.
The sound of the door bell rescued Urmil and she opened the door to let Navya in and went back to her room.
