To everyone’s relief, after they reached Lonavala, Meenal did not mind getting out of the vehicle.

“Why did she not get down earlier?” Maya asked.

“She feels anxious in unfamiliar situations,” Paritosh explained, “Ms. Banerjee had been preparing her for Lonavala in last couple of days. She had been shown pictures and was repeatedly told that we’d do it. So she is prepared for this place. She wasn’t prepared earlier.”

“I see,” Maya’s voice was neutral enough, but Rupali felt a fresh whiff of antagonism wafting in the air. It hadn’t started well in the morning. Maya had obviously not been happy to see her brothers. And it wasn’t improving as the day progressed. Earlier, finding Paritosh and Rupali sitting in the car with only Meenal for company hadn’t gone down well with her. Paritosh had seemed unaware, but Rupali had been acutely aware of her pursed lips.

While Rupali was still reviewing all the offences Maya would have collected until then, Meenal started complaining, “Meenu tired. Meenu tired.” They were headed towards Bhushi dam and although Paritosh had parked as close to the place as was possible, there was still some walking involved.

Everyone stopped in their tracks.

“Not a good idea, I guess,” Paritosh said rubbing his temples, “We should go to someplace where we can park closer.”

“Let me try, Dr. Khanna,” Rupali said and knelt to be at level with the girl, “Mamma will pick you up. Is that fine, Meenu?”

Rupali could almost feel Maya seething at the word ‘Mamma’, but she could not help it. That was the only way Meenal understood that Rupali was talking about herself.

“Mamma will pick you up,” Meenal repeated the exact words.

“Good girl,” Rupali said and picked her up.

“Good girl,” the child repeated.

Soumitra and Sugata exchanged a quick glance and then Suagta, the more athletic of the two, walked to Rupali, “Didi, I can carry her.”

“No, Pintu. she wouldn’t come to you.”

He looked expectantly at Paritosh. Surely her father could carry her.

Rupali added hastily, “She doesn’t even let Prof. Khanna pick her up.”

“But you will get tired, Didi,” Sugata was calm by his standards.

“He is right, Ms. Banerjee. Let’s just walk back to the car…”

“She is light as a feather, Dr. Khanna. Let’s continue, please,” she turned to her brothers, “Come on, guys. It’s a little girl I am carrying. Not the Christ’s cross. Let’s go, please.”

Once they reached the dam, Rupali settled herself with Meenal at a safe distance from water. Her brothers offered to stay with her, but she persuaded them to go ahead. They changed into the spare shorts they had brought and went into water. Rupali watched on fondly as they climbed the famed steps of the dam and splashed each other with water. She did not notice where Maya and Paritosh went. They must have chosen some other secluded spot. Despite the crowd and noise surrounding her, sitting with Meenal Rupali felt at peace. She idly wondered if she could come back here with Mihir. How much longer was he going to be in Mumbai?

“Meenu water… Meenu water…”

Meenal’s voice broke her reverie. She offered sipper to the girl, but she refused. It took some time for Rupali to realize that the child wanted to go near water. She hesitated only for a while, then holding her tight in her hands and walking carefully, she went closer to water and put her down. The water came upto Meenal’s ankles. She started rocking herself, which was a sign that she was enjoying it. Then she pulled Rupali’s hand, wanting to go further in. Rupali took a few more steps. Meenal was now knee deep in water. Suddenly she bent, scooped up a bit of water and threw it at Rupali. The water missed its mark. Rupali was stunned for a moment and then she laughed. She could feel the child’s joy. She was trying to splash her. Holding Meenal’s hand tightly, Rupali also scooped some water and pretended to splash the girl, deliberately letting most of the water fall before it touched her. Meenal repeated her splashing act, this time with more success at Rupali. Then she tugged at her hand again.

“Meenu wants to go further?”

“Meenu water… Meenu water…”

“Mamma must pick you up.”

“Mamma must pick you up.”

Rupali picked Meenal up and carefully navigated the shallow water to reach the steps. Her brothers noticed and came running.

“Meenal is really enjoying this,” Rupali informed them happily, “Stay around to ensure that I don’t fall. Let me seat her on the steps.”

With her brothers flanking her to support her in case she slipped, Rupali bent down and had Meenal seated on the lowest step. The water was flowing around her and she happily splashed her hands.

“She doesn’t even smile,” Sugata said, sounding skeptical, “How do you know she is enjoying this.”

“Look at her splashing, and…” she suddenly fell silent and smiled, “Everyone has a language, Pintu. When you were a baby, the only expression you knew was crying. But Ma could figure out if you needed to be fed or to be put to bed. Slowly even I started understanding. Despite her autism, Meenal is as sharp as any child her age. She is listening to everything we are saying and she understands it all. And in her own way she expresses herself. I understand her now.”

As if to prove Rupali’s point, Meenal started splashing water on Rupali. Her jeans was already wet at the bottom, soon her top was soaked too. But she did not try to stop Meenal.

“What are you doing?” All of a sudden Maya was upon her, “What do you think you are here for? For enjoying yourself? Or for looking after Meenal? Do you have any idea how we panicked on not finding you where we left you? How could you bring her in water like this?”

Meenal stopped splashing water through this tirade.

“Ma’am,” Rupali tried to explain, “She is enjoying this. She made me come.”

“She doesn’t even speak. How do you know she is enjoying this?”

“She knows,” Paritosh’ voice broke in from behind Maya, “She knows what Meenal wants, Maya. Come on everyone.” He didn’t let Maya speak, “Let’s go back, change into dry clothes and head out for lunch.”

—

To be continued