“You are not well enough. You should not be coming to the station with me,” Piyali argued. It was time for her to head back to Delhi.

“I am not driving, am I? Nor will I help with your luggage. I am well enough to sit in the back seat with you,” Mukundo was insistent.

“If Kaki argued otherwise,” she said in a lowered voice, “And you insisted, she may know. I have a feeling she already does.”

“Let me handle that. May be a day will come when I will start taking your presence in my life as granted. But right now, it still feels like a dream and I can’t miss even a moment of this.”

“You will spoil me.”

“Well, the result will be mine to bear. I don’t mind it at all.”

Mohima, however, didn’t murmur even a word of opposition and pretended that it was the most natural thing to happen. That Mukundo should drop her off at the station. Debangi expressed concern about Mukundo’s health, but Mohima brushed that aside.

—

The driver helped Piyali settle her luggage beneath the seat and left the coach. Since there was still time before the train would leave, Mukundo sat down beside her.

“I so regret that I left Kolkata,” she said.

“It’s just another year. Then you will be back. Savor it, Piyali. Some day we will get used to each other. This is the time to want and desire each other. And don’t forget that I will be there soon enough. One of these Saturdays.”

“You must wait until you are fully recovered.”

“I’m fully recovered,” he said as he took her hand in his, “I will wait only long enough to not arouse anyone’s suspicion.”

She smiled.

Neither the car, with driver’s presence, nor the crowded Howrah station had afforded them much privacy. All Mukundo could do to convey his feelings was a quick, desperate kiss on her hand.

It brought tears to her eyes.

“Since when have you started crying so much?” he teased her to distract her. But she became embarrassed.

“I am sorry,” she said, as she wiped her tears, “I don’t know what has happened to me?”

He pretended to think for a moment, then said, “Perhaps you have started feeling that it is all right to cry before me.”

She gulped hard.

Then he broke into a smile and said, “And guess what. You are right. It’s all right to cry before me. If that’s what you need.”

She heaved a sigh of relief. “You—Mukundo Babu, you had me so worried just now. That was so mean of you!”

“Sorry,” he mumbled while grinning, and caressed her cheek.

Just then her co-passenger entered the compartment and they heard the engine’s whistle. Mukundo had to leave. Neither of them managed to utter another word. On the way back, Mukundo wondered how soon could he take a Saturday break!

—

Two weeks down the line, Mukundo decided to make his first Delhi trip official. A conference again! That would allow him to stay on Sunday too. Mohima didn’t ask him anything about the conference even for formality’s sake. She merely asked, “Does Piyali need anything? If so, remember to carry it.”

“You can ask her, Ma. I will carry it,” he pretended nonchalance.

—

Piyali’s attempt to wear makeup and look mature was so obvious and comical that Mukundo stopped himself from laughing with some effort. He embraced her warmly and asked, “How have you been?”

“Not well!”

“Why?” he became concerned.

She chuckled, “All those late-night phone conversations! I am barely sleeping. Or rather sleeping in classes.”

“That’s not right,” Mukundo was not amused, “We need to be a little disciplined about it.”

“I don’t care.”

“Well, I do, Miss. Your studies must not suffer. We need to stop acting childish.”

“Okay, okay. We will see about that once you leave. What do you want to do today?”

“I want to get you a gift and take you shopping.”

“I don’t need that.”

“Well, I do. What do you want to do today?”

“I want to give you a tour of the university. Today it will be practically empty. The buildings are beautiful when not crowded.”

“All right. Let’s go.”

—

“Mukundo!” A familiar voice and figure approached them at the university, “What a surprise! What are you doing here?”

“Alka!”

She gave him a friendly hug and asked, “What’s up?”

Mukundo introduced Piyali, looking somewhat flustered, “You remember Piyali. My neighbor.” Damn! Was that the correct introduction? Should he have called her his girlfriend? Fiancée?

“Hello Ma’am.” Mukundo couldn’t judge from Piyali’s countenance if she was uncomfortable.

“Piyali? Is it? I remember you talking about her. But I don’t think I have ever properly met her? You were not in my department, were you? Physics?”

“Maths.”

“Ah! Nice to meet you.”

“She is studying here now,” Mukundo interjected, “She was giving me a tour of the university. Are you working here?”

“Just joined. Or re-joined. I was on a sabbatical last year. I was travelling.”

“Free spirited, as always.”

“Are you staying overnight? Why don’t you come home for dinner?”

Mukundo laughed nervously, then said, “I can’t this time. But I will visit again. I will call you. Give me your number.”

Alka looked surprised by his refusal.

Just then Piyali’s phone rang. She excused herself and moved away from them to take the call.

When she came back, Mukundo was alone. “Alka Ma’am has left?” she asked distractedly.

“Yes. Who was it?”

“Who was what?”

“Who was on the phone?”

“Oh! Nobody. A friend. We are doing a project together. You will go to your hotel now, won’t you?”

“I am not going to my hotel until night. We are going shopping and lunch, don’t you remember?”

“Oh, right. Yes.”

“What has happened, Piyali?”

“I think I am not feeling well. I need to sleep.”

“What happened?” he immediately felt her forehead to see if she had fever. She didn’t, but he got worried, “Should we see a doctor?”

“No!” Inexplicably her eyes flooded with tears, “I just need to sleep.”

Mukundo was baffled. “Why are you crying? Let’s take you home.” What had come upon her? Until few moments ago, she was fine.

She stopped him from getting out of the taxi at her apartment.

“You should go to the hotel, Mukundo Babu. I will be asleep anyway.”

Mukundo felt tongue-tied. Why was she suddenly pushing him away?

“Piyali,” he spoke with difficulty, “If you are unwell, I would rather sit beside you than sleep in my hotel room. I am here only for you; don’t you know that?”

She could not reply to that. Silently, they got out of the taxi and took the lift up to her apartment. She lied down on her bed and he sat down beside her.

“Won’t you tell me what is wrong, Piyali. Shouldn’t we see a doctor?”

“I will be fine. But you shouldn’t… Alka Ma’am had invited you, right? You should go and see her.”

“How can I leave you behind in bed and go see somebody else? Why are you being so daft—”

“Mukundo Babu, please! I just– I just want to be alone.”

He felt paralyzed. He could not make sense of what was happening. Why was Piyali suddenly hell bent upon hurting him? The insult was so potent, that despite all the love in his heart, he could not have stayed. He got up and slowly retreated from the room.

—

To be continued