THE CLOUD'S CHARM

CHAPTER 28 - part1 - THE LADIES IN HIS LIFE

For a wistful moment, she imagined a strange glint in Mohan's eyes, possibly looking her as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world. It was that feeling that urged her to continue pestering him about the same topic. And the poor man finally blurted out that she was beautiful than a Barbie doll because she was a live human being.

Megha couldn't help laughing out loud at his choice of compliment, but his next words sent a strange thrill through her body and were enough to make her blush to the root of her hairs... sonnets praising her doe eyes and long black tresses?

But it was not this moment either which made her feel vulnerable: it was when her caring and thoughtful friend remembered about a gloomy Nanhi waiting for them at home, a fact that has slipped her exhausted mind. He placed the order for the takeaway and it had all of Nanhi's favourite dishes plus a tub of her favourite ice cream.

It was that seemingly simple gesture, his concern for a little girl he has known just for a few months, which affected her the most. She wished for a fleeting moment for someone like him in her life; someone who could be her support when she was down, someone who would think sanely and be the voice of reason when she's in a bad temper, someone who could disregard people's opinion and like her despite her many shortcomings, someone who could be gentle, yet strong, someone not possessive or over-protective, yet caring, someone who would listen to her and respect her opinion, yet wouldn't think twice to scold her lovingly for her careless mistakes, someone who would like her just as she is...

Even now, she could feel the goosebumps on her skin... Megha took a deep breath to shake her out of the strange fluttery feeling she was experiencing. Having received no respite, she collapsed into the balcony chair and hugged herself, not to escape the cool sea breeze, but to halt the shivering of her limbs due to the strange, new feeling.

She had never been so much influenced by a man before. Majority of them in her age she had met has been selfish, inconsiderate ones, who just wanted to get married so as to use the dowry to buy their dream car or house. When she met Rajeev, she had felt that he was different for a while. But the ugly, yet unbeatable truth finally came to the surface and she had realised how wrong she was about him...

Then came Mohan, turning her world upside down. He has upset her life more seriously than just mess up her garden during their first meeting. She couldn't help a small smile that was creeping up her face as she reminisced about her initial encounters with Mohan...

The dark clouds that covered the moon were finally drifting off. The earth finally began bathing in the cool moonlight. Just like that, her initial misconceptions about Mohan which had developed during their first couple of encounters have left her mind by now, letting her mind to revel in the soft glow of his true nature.

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Indu was waiting for her younger son's usual call at night. After Rashmi's visit to him a few days before, he never neglected to keep her posted on his well-being. He was not pleased with Rashmi's interference just as she thought and even instructed her to tell his Dad to stop sending spies after him, which she didn't, of course.

It's natural for parents to get worried about their children, especially if they show tardiness in replying to their calls. Why don't the children these days realise it?

The good thing that turned out of it was the regularity of his phone calls, apparently fearing more spies, which eased her tension to a considerable extend.

Of all the days, he chose to be late today, when I have something important to share.

She checked the clock in the living room for the umpteenth time : he was nearly one hour late. Having lost her patience, she reached for the land phone receiver. At the exact moment, it rang, its high pitch shrill enough to reach the next room to her husband's waiting ears also.