Sati

The Awkward eye-contact

Manav returns from the party, getting out of the car he sees Aashima getting down the stairs, Manav walks towards the stairs, Aashima stops and says "Sir, everything I cleaned and arrange. I come tomorrow in morning". Manav smiles and nods his head saying "Thank you".  Aashima smiles back at him and walks away while Manav looks at her walking towards the road and looks at the dark road ahead, thinking she might have to go too long, thinking of offering her to drop to her house Manav says "Should we drop you?", Aashima turns and smiles  to to say no by nodding her head. Manav says "Aashima driver is there he can drop you", Aashima "I will go sir, I have practice" and starts walking along the road. Manav looking at her calmness and unwillingness towards his help, he climbs up the stairs to go to his house.

Morning sunshine shining through Manav's room window, the railings forming shadow on the wall beside his bed; Manav not completely out of his sleep hears a constant sound coming from somewhere, opens his eyes and rolls over to edge of the bed and raises the curtain and steps out to see where it is coming from. He stands up and goes near his room's door, pause and listens carefully, a voice and the door knocking sound coming the main door, he hears a childish voice shouting something resembling to 'mona'.
Manav makes haste and opens the door to see a young boy around four years old. Manav nods his head upwards to trying to ask him what he was there for; The kid holds up a glass of milk and shows it to him and says "Bōna āmākē dudha ānatē balala".
Manav unable to understand anything he was trying to say, but guessing that he was speaking in Bengali, gives him a confused look and looks around to see if anyone there to translate it for him. Manav goes down the stairs to look for Sujoy who always stays around near the guest house. He sees at the corner of the road Aashima coming towards the guest house, hoping she could help him, he signals his hand to come near him quickly. Aashima walks fast and reaches near him, Manav leads the way to the boy who was still waiting at his door. The young boy looking at her gives the milk bottle to her and runs away.
Manav "yeh kya bol raha tha pata nahi, issliye tumhe bulaya".
Aashima saying "sir dudh lekar aane boli thi. har subha ayega", bends to pick up newspaper near the door.
Manav "mona mona karke kuch bol raha tha".
Aashima "bona hoga;"
Manav "what?"
Aashima while bending to pick up the newspaper puts her head up to see Manav's face and says "Bona sir", gigles "Bona means sister in Bengali";
Manav noticing her perfect round dark red bindi on her forehead; not too far; not to close to the her hairline, says "oh bona ok".

Aashima picks up the paper and walks inside the house. Manav stuck in his thoughts of how well the bindi fits right to her round face, walks in and sits on the chair near the piano. Looking at the piano he remembers what  Mrs.Bakshi had told him last night that Aashima knew few publishers in Calcutta. He opens the newspaper to read it but still thinking about how to give out such intimate matter to some person who he had met a day back. Aashima holding a tray with kettle and a cup comes out of kitchen and keeps it on the table near the window right next to the piano. While Aashima is about to pour milk into the cup,
Manav "no, no I drink black coffee".
Aashima lifting the kettle back "sir I don't know how to make it".
Manav folding newspaper "come I'll show you", leads the way to kitchen.

Manav in the kitchen trying to find a vessel to boil water, looks around and giving up looks at Aashima, Aashima analyzing his gaze, "what do you want sir?"
Manav "kettle to boil water"
Aashima "we use this", hands him a round vessel.
Manav fills up water from the sink and keeps it on the stove to boil and turns towards her and looks at her wondering how to approach the matter he had in his head, Aashima looks at him  making awkward eye contact smiles at him and looks away.

Manav "after the water boils, filter paper dalke, one spoon coffee powder and hot water dalo, bas hogaya".
Aashima "sir no filter paper", Manav realizing filter paper might not be available near by also sighs and says "acha chai banado".
He smiles at her and walks near the kitchen door pauses and turns towards Aashima who walks near the stove to make chai. Aashima turns around to see him standing near the door itself looking her and not going out, she again smiles awkwardly and turns to make chai.
Manav smiling back at her tries to start conversation, "Mrs.Bakshi told you know few publishers in Calcutta..."Aashima adding tea leaves to the decoction pauses without looking at him says
"no sir just one person. He is my friend. I meet him sometimes when I go to the library"
"oh which library do you go?"
Aashima trying to avoid awkward eye contact "public library sir"
"oh he comes there is it?"
Aashima "yes sir, he has his own library also, but he chooses public library I don't know why".
"where is his library? what is his name?"
"Amar Mehta sir. his library is just few distance away from public library. once I had went there for  a book" turns and shows sugar box to him; Manav shows two fingers.
While Aashima turns towards the stove he notices a mole near her cheek. Little far from her cheek bones, nearing her ear, a round mole significantly visible from her left side of her face.

Manav distaracted by the mole, steps out if it and moves near her and stands beside the slab on which stove was kept and looks at her. Aashima finds Manav strange who keeps on looking at her for no reason, she smiles at him awkwardly again and looks back at the boiling decoction and add milk to it.
Manav "uh could you introduce him to me. I want a book so..." looks at her again in an intriguing way.
Aashima "book name sir? I can bring it for you if you want. I have public library membership"
Manav "no. Just some book I was searching for. I don't think it is available in public library, not much of a famous book", puts his hands in his pockets and shrugs his shoulders.
Aashima saying "I thin sir, there is nothing like famous or not famous book. Books are Books. Reader should decide" turns to her right to filter the chai to a cup.
Manav thinking about what she said, nods his head slightly in realization and asks "well then will you introduce me to him?"
Aashima "sir I go very rarely. If you go near public library in Calcutta and ask anyone around where to find Amar Mehta's store, anyone will show you direction".
Manav nods and before she puts the cup in the tray he takes the cup and says thank you.
He goes near his room door and asks "other than him do you know any library or any publisher?"
"I go to another library. its very far from here sir. You should pass Calcutta and go about 50 kilometers. Its a small library. But original copies of many books are with him there"
"Him who?"
"Everyone calls him Parsi Dada"
Manav laughs and "Parsi Dada!?" in sarcasm raising his left eye brow.
Aashima "yes sir. Old man. He is always angry. But he has good books"
Manav "this Parsi dada, what's his real name"
"don't know sir, people usually call him like that"
"then how can I search him, ask people where can I find Parsi dada?" he giggles in sarcasm and looks at her for answer.
"Yes sir, everyone knows him by that name"
Manav sips his last drop of tea and puts his hand forward to indicate Aashima to collect it.
She takes it from his hand.
Manav "achha at least help me with your Parsi Dada"
Aashima "sure sir but Amar has lots of books, he knows other publishers also. He's a good boy he will help you"
Manav nods his head and says" I'll shower and come for breakfast "
Aashima nods her head at him while Manav closes his room door, as the door closes slowly she sees him take off his light grey kurta at once, she also notices his watch's glass shining when his window's light falling on it.
The door shuts, she turns around with embarrassment, some what catching herself gawking at him; She goes to kitchen to make breakfast for him thinking of how many times he made it awkward by simply looking at her.