A suitable Man

Chapter 18

Hosamane, Urkeri

Smriti was lonelier than usual today, it was almost a fortnight she hadn't seen Mahendra, spoke only twice. She wanted to buy a new mobile but she thought of waiting for Mahendra. She was ready for school but she had to feed Ganga before that, so she went to the cowshed. The house was almost empty at this time in the morning as all the house helps were busy in their respective works. Ganga was her usual ruminating self when Smriti walked in.

" oh madam, good morning.... what are you thinking of!!!!! Day dreaming always.... Don't be jealous of me na!!!! Your hero is my hero now....so what!!!!! If this hero of yours would have been a minute late na.... you would be in that Vishwanaths house now with lots of oxes around ogling at you..... just like their owner.... dirty old man" Smriti shrugged....

" And what an entry of our hero, Ganga..... he called Appa by his name, "Padmakar Bhat stop this wedding now""........Smriti was imitating Mahendra.. " Arey Ganga, you should have seen the look on Appa's face, I felt like clapping and whistling at our hero..... what a performance"  Smriti continued imitating, " then he said, Come with me Smriti" Smriti imitated Mahendra's voice, " Come we are going to Kateel, and he took me to Shree Durga Parmeshwari temple there, Ganga, I could have gone anywhere with him, anywhere. There also na.... your hero na.... the priest asked him to come inside only after having a bath..... but your hero is an hero after all.... he came wearing only the mundu and dripping wet.... Oooohhhhh Ganga, my jaw dropped to the ground looking at him..... after that what that priest was chanting god only knows, I was looking only at our hero......... Ganga.... he sees a lot of English films...... and is trying to copy their style..... Smriti again imitated and laughed as Ganga mooed cheerfully.

Smriti broke out in to the most grating song anyone had ever heard. It was so un-melodious that even Ganga shook her head in agony. But even this discordant tone was melodious to the one silently observing the entire scene with folded hands and restrained mirth. He tip-toed towards Ganga and gently tugged at the pallu of Smriti's Saree. Smriti was lost in her song so much she didn't see him coming, and as she felt the pull of her pallu, she just berated Ganga, " Leave me Ganga, I have to go to school, I know you are enjoying my song too much and you want me to sing again, but madam, I have work to do... now leave .... and she whirled around to free her pallu only to see Mahendra holding one end of it in his hand. He pulled it hard and Smriti tumbled in to his arms, she was flabbergasted as he smiled at her looking in to her eyes, " So smriti madam, I am copying English films eh???? Saying thus, his open mouth sought her lips, parting them twisting, burning, devouring, slanting across them as if he could not get enough of the dewy sweetness. Their breaths merged and became one. Smriti lost her last touch on reAlity. Her world careened crazily beneath the urgency of his demanding kisses, and she was swept along in the storm of his passion. Ohhh!!! He had missed her too much. He had returned home in the morning to see the house empty, it was almost a fortnight he had not seen Smriti. He had searched everywhere for Her only to find her animated in the shed. He didn't call her at once as he feasted his eyes on her. She was wearing a dark red saree and had left her hair open..... what a sight she was.... The way she imitated him, the faces she made.... He was falling for her all over again. He slid his hand through her waist, pulling her more closer. She shivered as his mouth left hers and traced a path over her cheek, her brow and then paused to press gently against the fragile eyelids. He nuzzled aside the sweet scented tresses and, finding her ear, touched it lightly with his tongue. She gasped for breath, then as some semblance of reality returned, she pushed him away a bit. " Smriti.... My lovely Smriti......How you pluck at my hearstrings...I want you so badly....you belong to me.... Why do you run away from me..." he said.

Smriti was breathless, " I..... er...... I .... Am yours Mahendra.... All yours... but... give me some time..... I want to talk to you... want to know you more... I want to tell you so many things..... can we have that before we actually..... er...