Chapter 4
"Please sit".
She offered him to sit by directing him towards the sofa with her hand. He moved to the couch just by her side and sat on the sofa. He almost was going to put one leg on the other authoritatively but immediately restrained himself by tapping his leg on the ground and his hands on his thighs.
He looked up at her only to find her looking at him as she gave him a stifled smile showing that she didn't expect his arrival. Moreover, she has a feeling that he is trying to get close to her.
And he understood what she is thinking. Her face is giving colors about what she is thinking. But he came up with a perfect excuse that might change her impression of him .....maybe a little bit.
And he didn't force his total presence on her. He even asked if he could bring her scooter when he is already at her parking space where he dropped her off by his car.
From there she took him to her home as a guest.
And this is how the situation is.
"Thanks for the vehicle". She spoke awkwardly with a smile as her hands mingled with each other in front of her in an obedient way still in the chudi dress from the morning.
"Don't mention it. I got a chance to visit this pretty house".
Saying that he glanced around the house and nodded to himself in approval and he did like her home and the decorated theme.
Though it is old it is very well preserved
"Yes. This is one pretty house. My grandfather's".
"Then where is yours"? And there she became awkward and shy again.
She does have a flat near the office. She always wants to buy some property with her money. Though she couldn't buy property she does buy a flat on a loan basis. But it felt irrelevant for her to give details about her home to him which she isn't even staying in.
Such questions are those that she doesn't want to be asked or want to say particularly to strangers and newbies. She wants to keep herself private mainly her number and address.
Giving a forced smile she spoke.
"I live here. In the same house".
He nodded to her as if he believed her. By her answer, he understood what impression she has on him and understood that she didn't take a fancy to him.
She lied to him not wanting him to know about her. That means she didn't take fancy to him. She didn't like him to an extent. She isn't attracted to him.
His hand involuntary rubbed his chest rubbing away the little. He felt his ego crushed in his heart.
"Oh". He said and looked down casually.
Feeling a little silent and awkward she gazed back at the kitchen waiting for her grandma to bring the juice.
"Are you looking for someone"? He asked her earning a "hmm"? from her looking back at him with surprise.
"Yeah. My grandmother. She said she would bring drinks for you". Adhira spoke as Andrei was fast to reject it.
"No. It's okay. I'm fine. I don't drink anyway".
"I-I m-mean, not that drink".
"Yes. I'm speaking about soft drinks".
"Then what would you like to drink ".
" Nothing. I'll just leave after talking to you for a while ".
Her brows scrunched in confusion about what he wanted to talk with her about.
" What do you want----
"Tea is ready".
Came out the granny from the kitchen with three cups of tea on the tray. Reaching the sofa she put the tray on the tea pie table.
"Take the tea white man". The granny sassed him who looked at her as if it is his first time seeing her. But her words pulled him out of the trance and he refused hesitantly which didn't suit him.
The sofa looked small to the mighty man. He prefers something majestic. But he found the swing which looked like a majestic one and of course that took his interest. Things like unique, old-age, preserved, and ancient attract him a lot and the swing is admirable in his eyes.
The house looked spacious but it is an old nostalgic style in his view where they are trying to keep it as it was before but a lot of new gadgets took place.
The house is so unfamiliar but he can make it if he commits. He is still looking around the house when Adhira's whispers rang in his ear.
"Woh chai nai petey. Juice Laney key liye kahi thi na".
(He doesn't drink tea. I said you to bring juice.)
"Chai health ke liye ache hai. Chahe to decoction bhi lagau?". Her grandmother snapped.
(Tea is good for health. If necessary I will should I prepare decoction as well?).
"Ma. Woh Russian hai".
(Ma. He is Russian).
" Woh India main aya".
(He came to India ).
"Chai peene ke liye to nahi na".
(But not for drinking tea right).
Her grandma was about to counterattack her when Adhira shushed her.
" Now shhh. I will serve him sweet".
Saying that she went into the kitchen while he remained confused and looked down at his shoe, his hand resting on the armrest while his chin lay on his fingers. His leg is itching to put one leg on another in a dominating way so he simply folded his legs formally and sat back. When he looked up he saw the granny looking at him silently and he was hit by the cyclone of awkwardness.
Clearing his throat he randomly jerked his shirt tucking them together and gazing back to the kitchen for her to return.
"You generally wear a suit all the time".
The granny spoke in English with her deep Indian accent adding the uh sound at the end of every possible word. Despite of Indian accent, he was able to understand her words and answered.
"Not always. Only when I feel awkward". He said without any hesitancy.
The granny made a loud grunting sound as she sat on the chair and he took her proper appearance.
Pure white hairs with her back bent a little and a typical saree with hairs tied into a bun. Her face has wrinkles as usual.
Thinking about her granny he made some strategic plans on turning her in his favor.
"Why did you come here. Any work".
"Yeah. I came here to work for a while in Arnold company for the contract from my country".
"No. I'm asking why did you come here? To my home".
As the realization dawned on him he nodded at himself. Leaning forward he casually rested his elbows on his knees where his fingers mingled with each other.
"To return her vehicle and-------
By the time he complete his sentence, she came out of the kitchen with a dish on a plate in her hands.
His head snapped at her side as soon as she came out and his eyes scanned her at how her fragile hands gripped the plate delicately while her hair strands swayed smoothly with the rhythm of her movement. Her hips moved beautifully under the loose dress and her dupatta flying behind her made it more graceful.
His eyes took in her eyes and they are the same as that he imagined all the 10 months. They are big, shining, innocent, and alluring. Her thin petal-like lips is attracting him to taste them. The forces and hormones in him are making him weak but he restrained himself as he closed his eyes and turned back to granny.
His posture immediately straightened after studying the look in her grandmother's eyes. He knows she caught him. It is all evident and he does realize that it's his mistake of course but he just can't ignore them when she is around him.
"Here. This is sweetly called gulab jamun. It tastes nice. You can have them if you want".
She said to him pushing the dish in front of him. Before she put it down he immediately took hold of the plate eventually his fingers brushing with hers as he looked up at her staring into her features from close. His stare pierced her and she felt it as she took a precautionary glance at him and took a step back to her place.
"Thank you". His voice came out manly and gruff.
"You were saying something". The granny again asked as he came out of the trance.
"Yes. I was saying about ------
He put his two fingers on his forehead trying to remember the matter hard as he is nowhere to remember what he was discussing just before she came. She distracted him successfully.
" You came here to give scooty and-------"?
The granny hinted to him and as if the machine was put to work he immediately remembered what he said and spoke.
" And to return this sim card ".
He said taking out a plastic packet from his suit and handing it to her as she took it with her fragile hands. There is a small red color sim in it.
"Thanks a lot". She sang showing her gratitude to him as her brows scrunched delightfully while his eyes didn't miss that cute expression of hers.
After hearing her cooing words his heart melted into a puddle. And now he knows he changed his view of her a little bit. This time her expressions are not stiff but delicately beautiful and real. The way she sang says it all.
Not hearing any response from him she decided to sing some praise for him.
" I almost forgot about it. But I didn't expect you would collect this and give it back to me. That's so considerate of you. Thanks again".
" Don't mention. After all you became a friend in a short while. I can be this considerate...but at a cost".
He spoke as she looked at him further.
" Are you saying that you are being commercial now"? She asked with her brows raised at him. He answered looking at her but there is still that piercing stare lingering on her by him.
" In a way. But I don't want money. I want your time".
" I should've seen it coming. Who in the world does such things freely. That too a foreign man. I thought so highly of you. Poor me". She spoke playfully examining the sim card in her hand not meeting his gaze. She is trying to ignore his gaze and her feeling but he is making it obvious.
" I'm just asking for your time".
" Which is costlier than money".
She concluded. He looked down and rubbed his hand on his face a little bit frustrated. In nowhere she is coming near to the topic he wants to. He wants to confirm their meeting before he leaves or else he couldn't sleep neither he can complete his task after this. He has to leave soon. So he directly proposed.
" Have lunch with me. Place is your choice. And you are paying the bill too".
He spoke to her and she raised her brows at him and opened her mouth about to say something when her granny interrupted.
" Get a seat for me too. Right between you and him".
The granny spoke by which she showed her presence. Her eyes didn't let the man out of her habit of observing a person through their soul. He is very good at hiding himself. But today it looks difficult and he is already doubting if she knows his interest in her. He is confident that the granny doesn't know about his real identity but he is losing himself in controlling his urge to look at her and drink her features. With the old granny's presence, he is being careful and reluctant but he finds himself losing it.
He sighed listening to her words but as a bonus, he heard her sweet giggle and his neck snapped at her. He can't miss a chance to see her many sides. On feeling his stare she looked back at him.
"She is just joking. My granny has a habit of butting in".
"I'm quite surprised that you made a foreign man as a friend this soon Adhira".
Saying that Granny took herself a tea and sipped it as she took pity on hot tea turning cold.
" You too take one". Said granny to Adhira.
Nodding to her Adhira spoke.
" And I don't know too about how I made a friendship this quick. It's quite new to me. I must say he is a friendly person and that is how I got along with him". She spoke taking a sip from the glass.
" I will take that as a compliment then". Saying that he unfolded his legs and was preparing to stand and confirm his meeting when Granny spoke.
"My daughter always praises others. She too can make friends in a snap. That's how she is engaged already".
He froze in his place his hands gripping the armrest and his legs sticking to the floor.