The Unventured Passions

Remains of Love Tornados

Confusion is the time that the brain spends processing. It's a fog that would eventually clear, but in the meantime would blow the mind away, along with it the senses too!
Batuk was standing infront of his uncle, dumbfounded, his feet tapping in nervousness, and his hands tucked inside his pockets, unable to fathom what to do or say next.

The elders were talking, laughing, but not a single word felt familiar to him, it was as if their lips were moving, a constant beeping noise muting the rest of it.
"Where were you this morning, son? Calcutta?"
Abinash Lahiri was asking him, but he just saw his lips move, for his words weren't getting registered to his mind.

"Batuk... Say what he's asking!"
Trilochan's loud voice however was successful in shaking him out of his trance, as Batuk finally cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows at the man.

"What?" His lips just murmured.

Abinash Lahiri was smiling.
"I said, were you in Calcutta this morning? Because we too came from Calcutta, and..."

"Yes." Batuk responded abruptly, without letting the man complete, and Abinash Lahiri nodded his head in approval.

"Umm... Where again... Have you been to the north of..."

"Central Police station."
Batuk had interjected again, cutting the man's words with his monosyllabic responses.

"To meet Davidson?"
It was Trilochan's turn to ask questions, and Batuk nodded half-heartedly.

"So? Did you do what you had gone for?"
Trilochan asked again, and in response, Batuk nodded exactly like before.

"Davidson?" Lahiri had widened his eyes, and Trilochan chuckled in response.

"Yes, Davidson, that's officer Davidson, he is my eldest nephew's friend from England, and since his transfer Batuk has been helping him with a few enquires." Trilochan smiled at the man, as Abinash Lahiri widened his eyes futher in pride at the young man, gauging him, gawking at his suitability to become the perfect British friendly son-in-law he had been searching for.
However, what they all didn't notice was how Mahamaya's expression had changed during the exchange of this little conversation.

"Maha, would you like to speak to Daktar babu alone?"
Trilochan had gestured Abinash as the latter asked his daughter, proclaiming his open minded thoughts about progressive marriage culture.
He had very well remembered how Trilochan had frowned at his actual ideas about women and their opinions on choosing a husband during their last meeting, and on this one, Abinash Lahiri was determined to impress the old Zamindar at any cost.

"If you would permit."
The girl had gotten up from her seat, her head bowed down, and her hands fidgeting with her magenta silk saree, a little bright for the eyes.

Batuk gulped, and looked helplessly at Trilochan, as the old man nodded his head at him, as if in a command and Batuk looked away at once, his eyes somehow threatening to burst out into tears.

"Kaka... Can I talk to you please... Once."
Batuk had neared his uncle, leaving the girl stranded, and Trilochan frowned in displeasure at him.

"Go and show Mahamaya the house, the study... she is standing Batuk..." He rolled his eyes at his nephew.
"We can always talk later."
He tried to feign a smile, chuckling awkwardly, but Batuk cut him in the middle.

"No Kaka... Now... It's urgent."

Trilochan smiled uncontrollably at Abinash, a little edgy, and got up from his couch slowly, clutching on his stick, and Mahamaya lowered her face further, sitting down quietly beside her father.

"What's the matter with you Batuk? Why such indecency? Didn't I ask you already before inviting them?"
Trilochan had pulled his nephew away inside a room, as the duo engaged in a hushed discussion, one sided till then.