My Favourite Dream

6. The Girl He Never Noticed

Two months later

"Bhaiya I won't buy this if you don't sell this to me at 50 rupees per killo." Taran argued, examining a little onion in his hand, the onion price hike has shocked him to his guts and had definitely turned him into a "miser" who keeps on bargaining untill satiated. It was a Sunday and Taran was finally happy to be at home and help his mother through the household cores. She should rest and he should shop for her, he suggested an hour ago. He loves doing that for his mom and would love to do the same for and with his wife.
Though shopping grocery and food times is really a tough job.
Taran's fingers were paining with all the shopping bags which were dangling in them, when he saw someone.

The girl was dressed in a simple black kurti, which had intricate cream coloured pattern embroidered on it, paired up with the same shade black stockings. Her forehead having the tiniest, hard to see bindi, pink tinted lips made her face look pretty. Taran wasn't gazing at her so intimately untill she faltered in her steps, her shopping bags were almost in air and he saved her from falling though their bags, were now lying here and there on the road. He was holding her in place by her arms, which got replaced by his hands moving slowly, unknowingly around her petite waist. The girl didn't utter a word, she just kept on looking at Taran, for a moment he felt as if she's examining him the same way he was doing with the vegetables.
Have they met before? Having her locked in his little embrace he thought to himself.
Had he seen her before?

"Doctor Taran?" To his surprise, the girl uttered his name with her sweet crackling voice. It's a mix of two.

"Yes do I know you?" He said with cluelessness evident in his facial expressions.

"I have had an injury and you were my doctor." She said as she realised he doesn't remember her. Afterwards she cleared her throat, making him realise their position in the middle of the road, she was still in his hold, his hand firmly placed on her waist, their bodies plastered against each other and she was clearly uncomfortable. He should leave.
"Oh I am so sorry." He left and apologised immediately. To avoid the awkwardness between them, he began picking up their bags, shopping items at a good pace. The girl also bent and sit down, helping him.
"It's okay. You saved me." She sounded genuine and not offended. He was happy with that.

"You have too many polythene and shopping bags. should I drop you?" Taran offered in a sincere voice.

"No it's completely alright."

"No I should. Infact I am dropping you your home. I have car with me, take it as my apology. I should not have held you like that." Taran was sorry for the awkward situation and that she knows him, he should drop her, it's basic courtesy.

"You needn't to -"

"Please!"

"Okay!" The girl finally gave in and they both walked towards his car silently. Taran was very conscious of himself for the first time in front of a woman like this. Generally he's very active, confident but today he was a bit hesitant in expressing himself. The girl put her bags in the backseat and closed the door of the car when he asked her with a shaking voice.
"Where's your house?"

"Sunrise apartments, it's just half a kilometres away." She placed herself in the passenger seat beside him and she couldn't deny the fact that despite of nothing jittery, there's some heaviness in the air between them.

"Yeah ofcourse I know where it is." Taran smiled.

"Okay."

"So you said you have been my patient once?" The drive was silent and that silence was killing Taran. He finally decided to break the ice, also he was curious about her.