Mukundo found Mohima waiting for him in the hall.

“You are still awake, Ma? I had told you I will be late. Why didn’t you go to sleep?”

“You were with Piyali, Mukundo?”

Her tone didn’t bode well and he hadn’t wanted anyone to know. But he spoke with outward calmness, “Why are you asking that?”

“I saw her leaving with you.”

“Okay, so?”

“She was with you since afternoon?”

“Yes. She was. What’s wrong?”

“You tell me. What’s going on?”

“Ma! You know her. It’s not like she has any friends here. Or anywhere for that matter. I am the only one she even talks to. I have tried to include her in my social circle. You saw her here the other night too–”

“Why did she lie about it then? Why did she tell Debangi that she was with some – imaginary I believe – friends?”

Mukundo was trapped. He cursed himself inwardly for being careless, then slumped down on a chair.

“Ma! I was hoping to bring this up later – at a more suitable time. But you have been spying!”

“Oh, shut up, Mukundo. This is not a scandal we can afford.”

“There is no scandal unless somebody wants to deliberately see one. I want to marry her.”

“What?”

“I said it, Ma. I want to marry her.”

“You. Want. To. Marry. Who? Piyali?”

“I want to marry Piyali. Yes.”

“Since when?”

“What kind of a question is that, Ma? I don’t know since when. But right now, I want to.”

She shook her head, as if to shake away her confusion. “I mean, you two are what? Like dating?”

“Trying to. But looks like we got caught before we got anywhere with that.”

“So, you are going to marry her.”

“If she also wants to.”

“What does that mean? She knows you want to marry her, right? That’s why she went out with you.”

“Yes, she knows–”

“Piyali? Really, Mukundo? When did that–”

“Oh God, Ma! Do you have any objections?”

“I don’t know. I never thought about it– Will her parents agree?”

“You don’t seem to have much faith. Am I such an ineligible groom?”

“But they don’t even know. They must be told–”

“No. No, Ma. Stop there. They can’t know. Not yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because she doesn’t know what she wants, Ma. Not yet.”

“It can’t go on like this–”

“Ma! There will be no scandal. Either she will agree and we will marry. Or she will disagree and everything will remain as it is. Okay? Please Ma. Until then don’t interfere.”

Mukundo was this close to being sure that Piyali would say ‘yes’. But he wasn’t confident enough to assume it. He himself was restless and had to summon all his will power to stop himself from rushing her to a decision. The conversation with Mohima made it all the more difficult. Now he will have to figure out a way of keeping Piyali away from Mohima too. He texted her that she should meet him next morning in the library and not come to his room.

“Is something the matter?” came back her anxious reply.

“Nothing is the matter. Some guests are expected at home and I don’t want too many prying eyes.”

—

His mood lifted on seeing her the next day. She looked radiant. One’s state of mind definitely affected their physical appearance. Without even a drop of makeup, Piyali looked even more beautiful than last evening. She was happy, and it showed. And he felt proud of himself. For bringing her this happiness.

He smiled at her and pulled her in a hug. She came willingly, it felt just right. She had just washed her hair. It was wet and smelled of a fruity shampoo. He inhaled deeply. He planted a kiss on her forehead before releasing her. She went still and didn’t step back.

“Piyali!”

She rested her palms on his chest and looked up at him. He knew instantly what he saw in those eyes. Love! “There is something I have to discuss with you before I can give a final answer to your proposal,” she said, “But before any of that, before anything else happens or doesn’t happen, I have to tell you something.”

“Say it,” he said, his voice hoarse.

“I love you, Mukundo Babu. And I want you to… kiss me.”

Which man wouldn’t have gone senseless on hearing that? He did. Before she was even aware of finishing her sentence, she found his lips on hers, invading and demanding. It took her a moment to understand and then respond. Then she welcomed him. Her first kiss. Her first love! By the time he withdrew, he felt himself close to fainting. He could hardly imagine what her condition was. But at that moment both of them could have died and so long as they were in each other’s arms, he wouldn’t have cared.

“So, this isn’t a ‘yes’ yet?” he asked after he had caught his breath. He still had her face cupped in his hands.

“I can’t talk like this,” she said, panting, “Let me step away.”

He chuckled and released her. She literally took a few steps back before she started talking.

“Can you really marry me?” she asked.

What a weird question. He raised his eyebrows, but she looked sincere. So, he had to ask, “What on earth do you mean by that?”

“I mean, it’s not just about you, right? Would Kaku and Kaki agree? Family, relatives?”

“Your parents?” he added, smiling.

“For them I have a different worry…”

“What?”

“I don’t see why they would disagree, but if it all came out, and Kaki and Kaku didn’t like it, my parents will feel humiliated and they… They are so grateful to your family. For everything. They would be miserable if it came to that. And–”

“And?”

“And I would be too.”

“You have thought through the worst. But stop worrying. Nothing that diabolical is going to happen. This is not a Hindi movie. We are not living in a feudal society.”

He, then, told her how his mother had found out about them.

“And she looked surprised, but we have surprised even ourselves, haven’t we? She wasn’t offended at all,” he concluded.

That brought a smile to her face. “But you must talk to Kaku and Kaki and get their approval before ever talking to my parents or making it public.”

“Anything else? Is that a ‘yes’ yet?” he chuckled.

“No. First talk to them.”

“Oh, you little minx,” he almost pounced on her as he pressed his lips to hers again. But she started laughing and the kiss went nowhere. He laughed too.

As he held her close, and watched her laugh, he felt an almost paternal love for her. The sight was heart-achingly beautiful. Here was a young girl, happy with her life, laughing without a care in the world. Just the way she should be. Even in her younger days, when she hadn’t yet given up on the world and sent herself in depression over the lack of meaning in life, when he was awed with her self-sufficiency and maturity, this wasn’t a Piyali he had ever seen. He would imprint this scene forever in his heart and he would always remember that this was what they were together for.

She became aware of his gaze on her.

She stopped laughing, but continued to smile and asked, “What?”

“Nothing,” he shook his head and pulled her in a gentle embrace, “Just stay happy like this and all will be well.”

—

To be continued