A suitable Man

Chapter 32

Authors note:

Finally I have come to the end of my story ' A suitable man'. This is by far the most longest last chapter I have written. I apologise for being so inconsistent in posting the chapters, but thanks a lot all my dear readers who waited for me to post, who encouraged me to write, who gave a new dimension to my life. In this group of stalwart writers, I tried my hand at telling a story very close to my heart. Thanks a lot my dear TejuSweetyTeja and my dear Mythrii Daisy_ladybird for the lovely feedback and comments.
For me every story has to have an happy ending, if it's not happy then it's not the ending. I pride myself in describing the places of our native villages and places which are never heard of. We South Indians are generally referred to as " Madrasis"( with due respect to all) in India, so I wanted to just break that notion. I wanted to give you all a glimpse of one of beautiful states of South India.
India as a whole is so diverse in culture and that is why I wanted to put a light on the different communities we have in Karnataka. I hope I did justice to the story.

With this last chapter I would like to ask your honest comments for the first work of my life. These comments would remain an integral part of me for life. I would be honoured to know your views on this story.

And lastly Thanks a lot for your patience and your encouraging words that kept me going. Thank you with all my heart. I shall be back with another Pranushka story again.

Chapter 32.

Smriti just hid her mobile in her saree pallu from her father. She was about to switch it off when he looked back at her and said, " Did you by chance hear my conversation? I mean I was just talking with my long time friend. He had come back to Kumta that's why!!! Padmakar was trying to gauge what Smriti might have heard, and he knew Smriti would never lie to him. She was too innocent to have heard anything at all. He didn't want her to know she was not his daughter, else he would lose control on her. He had all these years manipulated her and Sumitra to his advantage. He was not going to let it off so easily.

Smriti didn't show any of her feelings on her face. There was a seething hatred under her countenance. But she had to carry on with this facade. She again assured Padmakar that she was busy working in the garden when he was talking and she could not hear what he was saying as she didn't pay attention at all. Padmakar was relived to know this. He went back to the house asking her to serve him dinner. Smriti agreed, " You go ahead Appa, I shall feed Ganga and serve you in a minute". She said.

As Padmakar closed the door behind him, Smriti quickly picked up her mobile and typed a message to Mahendra. " Cant talk shall message only, do lookout for something suspicious at the Malpe Port". She then put her mobile on silent and headed back to the kitchen. She served him food, had dinner herself and went to sleep.

Koppa, Tea estate

Sheena arranged a wheelchair for himself, stained his teeth, grew a beard and wore thick glasses. He hunched while sitting in the chair so as to hide his tall frame. He was almost unrecognisable in the attire he had worn. But the problem was he needed an escort. He couldn't go unaided in this condition, let alone to a port. Sheena's accomplices also could not be called as police would be alerted. He needed someone naive enough, not to be held by the police. Once he secured himself at the port he would blow off his disguise and then go far east to Malaysia.

He sat in the wheelchair and dialled a number, Ranga would always help him out. Ranga informed him that one of Padmakar's cousin stayed in Udupi who would help him go to Malpe. His name was Jayaram Bhat and he worked for a government agency. Sheena thought, taking Jayaram would be good enough as the man would not be suspected. He would pay him handsomely. It was just a matter of a day or so. He called up Ranga again, he delegated the work on his secret phone number. It was decided that Jayaram would come and pick up Sheena from Koppa and then escort him to the Malpe port. The Malaysian ship would come off coast and his friend of many years, whom he had supplied sandalwood, Kuan Tarag would arrange for his smooth departure.