Under The Mango Trees

Chapter Nineteen : In Between Truth And Dare

We had a lunch consisting of dry prawns, a coconut-based fish curry, rice, papad, rotis, dal, cucumber, onion, tomato salad, and instead of buttermilk, all of us drank solkadi. The mahogany dining table which could accommodate six people was in an inviting corner of the living room, surrounded by lemony yellow-coloured walls on three sides and giant glass, sliding doors with access to the backyard. Paintings of smudged flowers and leaves hung on the walls, similar to the ones that I had found in Lila's apartment back in Mumbai. The airy, high-ceilinged living room had sloping, white ceilings with a direct view into the landing of the first floor. There were a six-seater wooden sofa, an ochre wicker chair and a mahogany coffee table in the middle of the living room facing the 40 inches television (the sticker of 40 inches still wasn't removed). There were two bookshelves on either side of the television which consisted of few magazines, a stack of newspapers, some best-selling novels of commercial Indian authors that vendors sold on streets and gadgets like charger or remote kind of things. I was certain that the cabinets didn't contain any objects in an orderly fashion either.

After we finished eating, I sat there by the table peacefully while others had gone to play some boardgame. The housekeeper's wife cleaned the floral, white table cloth and engaged me in a cordial conversation about Tarkarli, the weather, the food, all in Marathi. She had a coy smile which naturally revealed her crowded teeth that I was accustomed to seeing every time I talked about my hometown being here, spending every summer vacation here and my family's mango orchards.

I heard the faint clanging of the utensils being washed by her as acceptable as the chiming of little bells. I sat alone, drinking another glass of cold solkadi and watching the green leaves outside rustling by the wind. When I finished savouring the drink, I wiped the curd moustache with the back of my hand and stepped out into the backyard. There were saplings and plants in tiny pots everywhere with the larger trees protecting them from the strong, harsh rays of the sun. The cobblestone ground underneath my feet was still a little damp. The quietness of afternoons like today was pleasurable, lulling me into a nap-like mood with the sound of the waves for a lullaby. I had never seen so many prospering plants in one place and I bent to touch a delicate leaf when I felt something hit the back of my head and roll on the ground, followed by a string of childish giggles.

I instantaneously looked up to find Lila giggling so hard that her knees were weak and she had to take the support of the balustrade of the balcony.

"Check what the dice says!" yelled Raul, appearing behind Lila.

Sighing, I searched for the thrown dice and found it near a black, plant poly bag. "It says, six!"

"What?"

"I said, six!"

"Oh my God, Tulsi, I love you!" Lila shrieked in delight and I momentarily looked up, she was giggling with her mouth covered in front of Raul's grim face, both of them disappearing into the room.

I was about to pick up the dice when I spotted a silver Chandbali earring coated with mud, tucked securely between two saplings of plants. After extricating it, I forcefully rubbed the mud off it. This couldn't be Lila or her mother's, they would never wear cheap earrings like this one. The housekeeper's wife also donned gold stud earrings, but I could still ask her. I dropped it in my pocket and headed inside, towards the echoes of Lila and Raul fighting over the game.

* * *

"Truth or dare?" Raul asked as the empty bottle of the cap was pointed towards Lila.

She titled her chin up defiantly. "Dare."

He declared with his chest all puffed out, "Kiss the person you love the most in this room."

To his chagrin, she puckered her lips like a fish without the slightest hesitation and kissed her palm. "So easy!"