Benign Flame: Saga of Love

Chapter 14 - Veil of Fate

"This is Roopa, my treasure," said Sandhya to him, patting her friend while she herself panted,

"He's Raja my beau."

'Anyway you look at it, it's a privilege to possess," he said to Sandhya extending his hand to Roopa.

"What's that?" said a perplexed Roopa.

'That I'll tell you later but now take his hand to cement our friendship," said Sandhya.

Roopa didn't need any further persuasion to recapture the thrill of the past moment.

"If you feel I'm your better half, I may say she is my other half," said Sandhya to her beau, lacing Roopa.

"What a value addition that's going to be?" he said meaningfully.

"No less for us, you being our friend, philosopher, and guide," said Sandhya taking Roopa's other hand.

"What a pleasurable role to play," he said to Sandhya even as he tightened his grip on Roopa's right hand.

"I'm fortunate to be part of both of you," said Roopa dreamily.

In time, called by Kamalakar, all three went down, the sprightly bride leading and the enamored souls falling behind.

"I suppose you're finding it tough grappling with our coastal humidity," Kamalakar greeted Raja Rao.

"Short of altering the climate, sir, you've done everything for us. Thanks a lot," said Raja Rao warmly.

"What do you say about your honeymoon at Kodaikanal?" said Kamalakar to Raja Rao.

"I've my Kothalanka in mind, that is if you agree," said Raja Rao looking at Sandhya. "You could enjoy the scenic beauty of Konaseema, and for me it would be like starting our life where I came into being."

"I love that for I've heard that Konaseema rivals Kerala for its landscape," said Sandhya, seemingly excited.

"If it suits you both, it's Ok with us," concurred in Kamalakar.

"Looks like our purohit is missing me, I better get going," said Raja Rao as someone came to fetch him

While Sandhya saw him off with an endearing look, Roopa seemed lost with a forlorn feeling, and after he went out of sight, Sandhya led Roopa to her room for exchanging notes.

"Won't you find him handsome?" said Sandhya excitedly.

"He's better than my dream man," said Roopa inciting Sandhya to kiss her in response.

"Now I've to leave as Chandrika wants me for some purchases," so bluffed Roopa gripped by an urge for solitude.

However, Sandhya, who wanted to share more about her beau with her mate, tried to hold her longer, and Roopa, after spending some time with her mate in her absent-minded state, could eventually persuade her to let her go.

"Go now but tomorrow I won't stir from my bed till you come," said Sandhya, reluctantly setting her free.

'Don't worry, if you don't show up in time, he would come to drag you all the way to the altar," said Roopa as though attuning her mind to Raja Rao's proclivities.

'Isn't he the one?' thought Roopa, closing her eyes as if to hold him in her mind's eye. She felt as though the man she vaguely craved all along came in his form and as though infatuation itself was enamored to feel the pulse of their love in tandem, it induced Raja Rao into reverie to review his feelings.

'Oh, what a face and the figure to match it, as well!' he thought excitedly, 'a woman with a woman's body, as Dostoyevsky put it, is she not? And what about that bewitching smile, well, what a fascinating woman she is!'