THE CLOUD'S CHARM

CHAPTER 28 - part1 - THE LADIES IN HIS LIFE

CHAPTER 53 THE LADIES IN HIS LIFE

It was way past Nanhi's usual dinner time when Megha picked her up from Ruchi's home. Still, Ruchi's efforts to make her eat something had been in vain. Before Nanhi could start her rant for leaving her alone with Ruchi so long, Megha carried her off to the kitchen along with the takeaway Mohan bought for them at the restaurant. As her favourite dishes and a medium tub of icecream were lined up on the dining table, Nanhi's frown turned into smile. Megha laid the plates for the two and served without further ado. Nanhi ate enthusiastically, but halfway through her icecream, she began nodding off. Megha hurriedly left the kitchen with Nanhi in her arms and tucked her in carefully. She cuddled with her for sometime, but got up eventually, to finish the day's chores.

After clearing up the kitchen, locking the doors and switching off lights, Megha returned to check on Nanhi. She was fast asleep. Megha changed into her night wear and joined her. She lied there, tossing and turning, as her mind refused to calm down from its strange condition. Finally, accepting defeat, she quietly climbed out off the bed and opened the door to the balcony.

The sea breeze was cool against her cheeks as it passed by, leaving a slight salty taste on her lips and playing with her long loose tresses. The sky was inky black with just a few handful of stars sprinkled on its velvety curtain, behind which, the moon was playing hide and seek. The silence which blanketed the night was broken only by occasional cries of cricket, the darkness which threatened to envelope the earth was kept at bay by streetlights aligned precisely on both sides of the road below.

It was in precisely the same atmosphere, a few weeks ago, that she found Mohan inebriated. That sight and the following discovery about his private life had helped her greatly in understanding him on a deeper level. She had felt important and needed as he clung to her for support that night. There was so much of vulnerability in his face as he slept on that she had longed to be his support, his friend for the rest of the life.

Today again, a similar moment occurred in her life; the difference was just that now she wished to be supported instead of being the support.

The first shock of the day was Shilpa's confession. Luckily, the logical part of her brain took adequate steps and called in Mohan. Once she made them meet and succeeded to calm her down her a bit, Megha felt relieved. But the day was not yet over...

Then came the second shock of Rashmi being Rajeev's fiancee. Meeting his parents were bad enough, but fate just had to make her meet Rajeev himself. She knew the meeting wouldn't be a pleasant affair, but she had expected at least civility from him. But alas! The fates taught her again not to expect much from people like Rajeev.

She knew she did not fit the society's concept of ideal beauty as perfectly as Rashmi, but Hell would freeze over before she admit it to Rajeev! She didn't hear what her dear friend-in-need said to Rajeev which made his face white as paper, but she enjoyed every moment of his stuttering and widened eyes. It was not then that she wished to be supported; no, she could've easily given Rajeev a piece of her mind and left the place with dignity.

Then, her understanding friend, having recognized her uneasiness to drive at night, offered to drive back quite graciously. Her emotions and thoughts were in a turmoil then and she snapped at him unnecessarily during the return. She did feel better on knowing Mohan's opinion about Rashmi, but couldn't help comparing herself to Rashmi even for a small period of time... They were really incomparable...

Then came her loyal friend's explanation on how she's much better than Rashmi and his quirky definition of beauty...

"I think beauty is not in the colour of our skin or the style of our clothes. It's revealed in your actions... When you smile back at a small child in a queue staring at you curiously, when you offer your seat in a bus to an old lady, when you carry your friend's heavy bag without his or her asking, you become beautiful forever in their eyes."