More than just Feluda (Fanfic)

Award

1975:

The door-bell rang and Srinath went to open the door. Him, Tapesh and Lalmohanbabu came in together and settled on the sofa. Lalmohan babu asked Srinath as he brought them glasses of water, "Is our Didi not home?"
Lalmohanbabu always called her Didi even though she was much younger than him.

Sindhuja came down the stairs just then. 

Lalmohanbabu immediately announced. "Didi, we need an awesome cup of tea made by you today!"

"Why? Is there something special?"

"Special? Ask what isn't special!... Your husband has been announced an award for social work by the Calcutta foundation for his remarkable work in cases over the years like Kailash temple and the old Cemetry... He's going to be felicitated in the Mahajati Sadan auditorium in the yearly foundation-anniversary event, coming next month. Not to be mentioned, It's a very prestigious thing to be recognised there..."

Sindhuja smiled bright looking at him. "Really?"

He curled his lips up to return her smile without saying anything.

Tapesh spoke up now. "Yes, we're just coming from Mr. Ghoshal's house... He's the foundation chairperson."

"Oh my, Congratulations! I'll quickly make tea and something nice in snacks with it..."

Lalmohan babu concured with her. "Oh please do! We were going to go to the city hotel, but then thought what would be better than your extra-ginger tea to celebrate it; and extra sugar perhaps for today..."

"Surely!" She disappeared into the kitchen.

1975:

The event was over and they all returned from Mahajati Sadan. As everyone went to sleep, they both sat together on the porch by the backyard. The both of them were spending time together like this after weeks or months maybe.

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Kaka was so proud of you. And Kaaki too; she probably wouldn't be mad at you for leaving the bank anymore..."

He looked at her and grinned, once again taking her complete form in. She was looking flawlessly beautiful in the light pastel-green saree that he had forced her to buy from the shop specially for today, despite her protests that she had good enough ones already. Her little gold earrings studded with a pearl each, dangled down her ears and matched with both, the short pearl necklace around her neck and the longer mangalsutra. With some light make up, her red bindi and hair tucked up in an elegant low bun behind having two roses fit in, he knew he was going to remember this as one of her finest looks.

She noticed him staring. "What?"

"You're looking very beautiful."

"You've told me three times over the evening already."

"And I still can for atleast ten times more... In fact, you stay here..." He got up and went upstairs, returning with his camera. 

"Oh my! Pictures right now?"

"I couldn't take them before the event, so yes, now. Just keep sitting there, and look this way."

She sighed and followed the instructions. He loved taking her pictures in the camera ocassionaly like this, sometimes even without any good reason. 

She soon grew tired. "That's enough now, please."

"Alright, just the last one..." 

He kept the camera aside and they again sat on the porch like before, gazing at the stars above. "This feels like a dream."

He agreed, "Hmmm." 

"Do you remember our conversation having a walk on the street that night ten years ago, when you talked to me about taking up this profession?"

"Yes, quite clearly." How could he ever forget the night he fell in love with her?

"It was just like this one. The same clear black sky, the same moon, the same stars... And the same two of us. Over these years it feels like things have changed a lot, yet everything is the same."

"True. Back then I was uncertain about everything; my dreams, this new idea, about us... Today it's all crystal clear. Everything's fit in place."

There was an eerily quiet pause. She lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him. "Everything?"

He also looked at her, understanding what she was talking about. That topic again.

"Life can't be completely perfect any time, can it? If you think about it, something will always be missing."

Her eyes shone as she looked away. Not like when she was glad, but like when they were moist. "Anyways I don't want to ruin the mood today. We can talk about this later."