Ember and Jack sat in a herbarium, under a marble dome-like shelter where a small, rounded glass table adored the marble chairs. Ember took a sip of his lavender tea while Jack looked around at the growing floaige, "I see Loraine still likes studying plants and all,"
"He's just eccentric,"
Jack laughed, "Surely, he has some old soul interest. Piano and plants,"
Ember nodded as he he took another sip and kept the cup down, "Remember that time I got my surgery done?" He looked at Jack.
"That isn't very easy to forget. Your conversion disorder, huh?"
"There wasn't anything physically wrong with me, I just felt like there is, but all the tests said otherwise,"
"But we fixed you," Jack smiled.
"You did," Ember smiled, "But, it has come back. You told me it'll come back,"
"Mental disorders tend to come back when something triggering happens,"
"I do not know what triggered it but," Ember looked down at his fingers, "It's starting to hurt again,"
"Your stomach?"
"And my legs too this time,"
"Oh, it has spread," Jack said.
"Yes, it seems so," Ember laughed, "I can't do normal everything things comfortably anymore,"
Jack looked at him,
"Can you make it go away again, Jack?"
"Therapy should do it, but I can't say anything before examining you,"
Ember smiled, "It's the same problems coming back to me,"
He looked at his watch,
"Oh, time for class!" He got up and Jack looked at him,
"Class?"
"I attend an economics class nearby,"
"Why?"Jack laughed, "You've already finished your schooling, you don't need it,"
"I do, actually, I like going there,"
"Why? Some crush or something,"
"You know me too well,"
He laughed, "Okay, wait, I'll accompany you. I want to see her,"
"Sure,"
Ember and Jack got into the car and Chuck began driving. They were sitting and chatting when the car stopped at a traffic light and Jack looked outside. He saw an old in white kurta and dhoti, a colourful turban and walking with a stick in hands, following a flock of sheep.
"Wow! Ember what is that?!" Jack asked as he tucked Ember's shirt.
"It's called a turban. It's an article of traditional clothing in India, probably Rajasthan...I'm not sure," Ember explained.
Jack got down and ran off towards the man wearing the turban.
"Oh, God! This idiot!" Ember got down the car and followed him, but he was surrounded by sheep. This is what happens when every species falls for you. Jac went ahead smoothly, but the sheep won't let Ember pass.
"Namaste~ How do you do?" Jack said, in his native Miami accent. The man just nodded his head. He had a timid frame and brutally tanned skin. He was surrounded by a drove of sheep, a shepherd maybe. He had a big moustache and no beard.
"Sir, can you tell me where I can get that thing on your head?" Jack asked.
He just smiled and nodded his head.
"Wonderful! Where can I get it?" Jack asked and Ember reached closer to him by then.
"He can't get what you're saying. He doesn't understand English,"
"Should I talk in Hindi?" Jack asked.
"You know Hindi?" Ember asked.
"Thora thora, I know. Excuse me, kahan can we k-kharrid this haiwan like aap?"
Ember laughed as he covered his mouth. The man seemed angry and said something to Jack. After he was gone, Jack asked Ember what he was saying.
"In short, get lost, cunt" Ember laughed as they moved back towards the car.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"You wanna know? You just asked where can we buy a demon like him,"
"Hindi fails, warning; sexy! Cops called!"
"Your Hindi is pathetic, especially the grammar. Don't you know? In Hindi, we put the verb after the object"
"What?"
"Yeah, like, if you wanna say- Can I eat the dinner, then in Hindi, the order changes to 'Can I dinner eat?'"
"This is so damn confusing! And if I wanna say 'you look sexy'?"
"Sexy is 'Kamukh' in Hindi or what people usually use is 'patola' but that isn't a Hindi word," Ember explained.
"Can you wait here again?" Jack ran back towards the shepherd. Ember sat inside the car and after a while, Jack ran towards him.
"Start the car!" Jack shouted from a distance. Chuck started the car and Jack jumped into the car through the open glass window. His legs were still floating outside when Chuck began driving.
"Woah! What are you doing?" Ember asked as Jack got into the car "Saving myself from 'Desi maar'" He replied and presented a turban before him.
"He gave it to you?" Ember asked.
"No, I took it,"
"Could you please elaborate?"
"I snatched it away from his head. Man! It was really difficult though. I was pulling for at least one minute to get it off his head. I even tore away some of his hair,"
"You-"
"Don't worry, I'll keep this as a memento from India,"
"I'd appreciate it if you don't,"
"Ember, do we have a sketch pen with us?"
"Are you sure you're not overworking with mental patients nowadays?"
October was slowly ending with the festive season on the peak. The weather is much cooler and bearable. The sun was shining brightly and everyone waiting for that one shower of rain that would bring Autumn. Rhea was walking towards a shop to buy some paint, her hair and skin were dripping wet from all the sweat. She was leaning forward and stifling to live. As she looked ahead, she saw a man dressed up in a black Kurti and pyjama.
"Isn't that guy feeling hot? Don't tell me it's Shah Rukh Khan doing that cooling powder ad. What am I even saying?" Summer sickness had taken over her. A little more and she'd even start looking like labourers working in an iron furnace. Meanwhile, he got closer to Rhea and she looked at him. He was wearing a turban over that black kurta pyjama and had drawn a black moustache over his face with black and golden sunglasses over his eyes.
"How do I look, meri jaan?" He asked as he spread his arms.
(Tn// Meri Jaan means my dear. Typically my life)
"Who the hell are you?" Rhea asked in informal speech.
(In Hindi, if you need to address someone formally, you use 'aap' (meaning 'you') but among friends or in an informal conversation, it changes to 'tu'. This difference can't be seen in English language)
"Have we met somewhere?" He removed his glasses and looked at her.
"Yeah, and that's why I don't go there anymore" It backfired.
"Hey!" Ember shouted. His T-shirt was drenched with sweat and he was breathing heavily. His blonde hair was shining under the bright sunshine, almost hurting the eyes.
"Where did you run off to! Chuck is waiting! Oh! Hi Rhea," Ember smiled. Sweat rolled down his white nape as he gave off his brilliant smile.
"Get away golden boy. You're hurting my eyes," Rhea covered his eyes, "And who is this white creep? You're filling India with white people, are you planning to open the next East India company?" Rhea asked.
"Hey, I'm not British! And him, he is my childhood friend, his name is Jackmequin S-"
"You can call me Jack," Jack shook hands with her.
Rhea looked at him, "Cultural appropriation,"
"Gimme a break, I'm tryna enjoy Indian culture, just let me be, man!"
"You look like a gawar" Rhea said.
(Tn// Basically illiterate)
Ember laughed and quickly covered it with a cough.
"Tell me what you honestly think about me. I know I'm hot," Jack said.
"You're crazy"
"I want a second opinion."
"Okay, you're ugly too,"
Chuck reached them with the car by then, "There you are sir,"
Jack ran into the car and pulled the glass down, "I-I'm going home! You both are meanies and it's too humid!"
He decided to leave for home while Ember decided to stay back and cycle to the crash course centre with Rhea. But, Rhea just walked with her bicycle beside her. She told him the things that had been going through her head. How she decided to paint again but it wasn't working out. However, she had been working on herself. She hadn't given up yet. Ember just listened as they walked, constantly looking ahead.
"Inspiration doesn't seem to hit anymore. I'm like dust now," Rhea stopped speaking after that. Ember opened his lips next, "Dust settles," He looked into her eyes, "You don't,"
"I suppose so,"
Walking with him on empty streets like those, surrounded by Eucalyptus trees and the voices of birds felt calm. It felt comfortable. His lips stopped moving and he looked ahead again. It was quiet. She could walk in that silence with him for the rest of her life and it would mean more than a thousand words with anyone else.
Rhea held gently his hand and he looked at her, "I need you to paint,"
"Come again?"
"I mean," Rhea smiled, "I can depend on you so easily,"
His smile faded away, "Of course, you can, Rhea. But, should you?"
-To be continued
Ember Helberg
Can't I Touch Your Heart?