Desert Rose

Chapter 2

KHUSHI and Payal arrived at Bikaner early in the morning. The travel agent in Delhi had informed Khushi that they would have to take a bus to Bikaner which was the nearest city, as there was no direct transport to Raisar. He also told her that she would have to stay at a hotel in Bikaner.

Hotel Sagar was small, spic and span but quiet basic in its amenities. They had been lucky to get this room at the hotel as January was the time of the camel festival at Bikaner and almost all hotels were fully booked.

Khushi looked at Payal lying down on the simple but clean bed. They had showered and had some breakfast in the room. She was beginning to feel the effects of her pregnancy and had been miserably sick on the bus trip from Delhi to Bikaner. . The temperature in Bikaner was pretty warm and she had agreed to Khushi's suggestion that she should rest and leave the initial enquiries about Akash to her sister.

'Khushi, why don't you let you hair down and take off those glasses? You are not going to work.' Payal said.

'That's ok Jiji, I am not going to a wedding or anything,' said Khushi as she looked at herself in the mirror. She had put on a lemon yellow chikan suit with a knee-length kurti which was thin and comfortable for this hot weather. She had tied up her thick long hair in a bun and fastened it with a hair stick. She had applied some light kajal to her eyes and brown lipstick on her lips. Khushi had started dressing like this to add some age to her face so that her clients would take her more seriously. This look had also helped her in keeping eve teasers at bay.Now, she was just used to this look. She adjusted her glasses on her nose and picked up her handbag.

'You get some rest ok? I will be back soon.'

Khushi had been tempted to cancel this whole wild-goose chase after she had made a call to Palak's cousin in Jaipur. She had explained without going into detail that she was trying to find someone called Akash Raizada belonging to a town called Raisar near Bikaner.

'Raizada?' Across the distance, she heard the sharp intake of breath. Then, 'I am sorry, I cannot help you Khushiji. I would advise you not to proceed further in this.' A pause, 'I am serious.' After he had rung off Khushi was left with a host of unanswered questions. Why had he reacted like that on hearing the name?

She had been warned off, she realized uneasily. She could only hope that Akash wasn't some kind of a criminal. Maybe he wasn't even in Raisar, but in jail somewhere.

But could she tell Payal her suspicions, and burst the bubble of optimism and anticipation which encircled her? Maybe she just had to let her find out for herself, she concluded resignedly.

But how on earth was she going to start her search? Khushi thought as she reached the reception.

'Khamma Ghani madamji.' Bhairav Chauhan, the hotel's burly manager greeted her, 'Can I help you with something?' He had a thick black moustache and a booming laugh but the warmth of his welcome had been quite honest. His hindi had a Rajasthani touch to it and Khushi was intrigued by its exuberance.

'As a matter of fact, you can,' she said carefully, 'would you by any chance know a family called Raizada ---- with a son named Akash?'

The genial smile vanished as if it had been wiped away. He looked startled, and almost apprehensive, 'Why madamji?'

She said lightly, 'Oh our families used to be -----acquainted. I believe they come from here, and I would like to see them again. That's all.'

There was silence, then, 'Raizada? Bhairav shook his head, 'I don't know the name madamji. You have come to the wrong place.'

'I don't think so.' She gave him a level look. 'Are you sure you haven't heard of them?'

'Absolutely.' He paused. 'You are on a holiday, madamji. You should relax. Go and visit the palaces and temples. Don't waste time looking for these people.'