Hide & Seek

Retrouvailles

Did I went to ghost hunting? I did. And how did it ensued? Terrible. I ended up with a fever. Maa rebuked while baba sat by my bed and perched over on the shelf, Reya laughed.
"Oh, god, that was a skeleton cat. You shrieked as if you have seen a zombie." She burst out.
"There was a zombie." I muttered.
My mother narrowed her eyes at me and pushed a thermometer into my mouth and I vowed I would never, ever visit a ghost house again. This stretched for two days. I missed a very pertinent debate discussion, well, honestly, Rishi's mimickry of teachers in school, classes, kathak practice and of ocurse, Nicholas. I mean, talking with him (not like 'miss-miss', just missed it....okay, whatever). I'd settled it, if I was going to be near him, I couldn't avoid him anyhow.

On the third day, maa said I should take a walk. Reya, assited by her vital desire of fresh air with orchids in her hair steered along but halfway drifted off to this guy at a cafe. She was a total pervert. Dev was dubious of the weather so, he had handed me an umberella which really turned handful, for while returning the rain started and midway it was a barrage. I stood there on the path for a moment, comtemplating. If I get a fever again, maa would kill me! I could do with being late but not dead. I ploded a little further lookong for a shelter and then someone called.

"Hey, fishy!"
I stopped. What the heck!
I turned and there he was. Nicholas, running towards me, soacked.
"Do you know what retrouvailles means?"He asked as he stopped in front of me. Rain drop dumpling over his face. His hair was stuck flat over his forehead.
"What?" I had to raise my voice over the shower of rain.
He smiled. "It has a wonderful meaning, google it."
I nodded, not knowing what exactly he was saying. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to meet Miha, the cocoa shake is famous in this neighborgood but she stood me up. She never showed up and then I saw you."
"And why don't you have an umberella, Nicholas? You are socking wet."
He shrugged, which was funny under the downpour. "Couldn't do much about it."
I don't know why I said it, but I just did. "Why don't you come with me. I live just about the block. I could lend you an umberella."
He considered it for a moment then started shaking his head. "I don't think-"
I didn't let him finish. "Come on, then." And started walking. He didn't have much choice but to follow me.

Baba had taken a leave from his office and was at home. He was banker. Large. Small brown, thin, subtle and a pudgy nose. And he had this look. Firm. Banker look. He had it as soon as we walked in. He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and regarded Nicholas with cold eyes.
I cleared my throat. "Baba, this is Nicholas...."
"Hello, uncle."
"Hello." My father's voice was low gruff.
"He is wet-"
"The rain." Nicholas put in.
"He's my class mate-"
"Its heavy." He interupted again.
"Will you shut up?" I muttered quietly.
"Sorry."
"Baba..."
"I think he doesn't approves of me being here." Nicholas said as I walked further into the living room. I ignored him. I didn't know if Nicholas was really insecure  or just trying to be funny. "Baba.....what?"
For moment I sensed danger and suddenly he shrugged. "He's shivering, give him a towel."
I heaved a sigh of relief. "Dev?" I Yelled.
"Hein?" His voice came from somewhere updtairs.
"Get a towel. Huge!"
Few seconds later he yelled back. "You brought a dog again?" Baba snorted and I saw Nicholas suppressing a smile. Oh! This brother of mine.
"No!" I yelled as he came running down the stairs. "Shut up!"
He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and regarded Nicholas with the same look baba did.
"So, he's the dog."
"He's a boy." I glared at him. "Towel." I stretched my hand. But he ignored me and passed it to Nicholas.
"Tell me you have a future plan?" Dev asked him.
Nicholas stopped wipping his neck and he looked so.....nevermind that. He frowned. "Uh...I do...?"
"Awesome." My brother wooped so loudly we all three flinched then he pointed a finger at me. His face blank. "She doesn't."
"Hey!" I pointed upstairs. "You are done here. Off you go." Dev stuck out his tongue at me, gave Nicholas a pat and ran upstairs. The most surprising thing was he had been comfortable with Nicholas. Wow. An unlikely view. My little, to put relatively, is shy.
Two people were absent. Well, technically one ghost and one person. Reya and Maa. When I asked baba he said she was off in the neighbourhood. The rain must had stalled her. I gestured Nicholas to chair opposite and went in the kitchen.

Fifteen minutes later when I entered the living room Nicholas had moved from the chair to baba's side on the sofa and they both were staring intently into the laptop. What did happened in the span of fifteen minutes that baba was patting Nicholas on the shoulder as I put drinks and snakes on the table, I did not know.
I handed Nicholas cocoa shake. His eyes were gleaming. Baba took his tea and stalked to the rim of the room muttering in his phone.
Nicholas leaned forward and wispered. "Your father is amazing!" Okay. What did baba say Nicholas to make him say that? See, baba, compassionate. Kind. Friendly. Sweet. He cooks great. But he is strict as well. Extremely. Amazing doesn't strike it. Normal fits. Like as normal as a person would be wholove Salman Khans Dabangg and Sharuk Khans Zero. No offence. He's not the type of person to impress others. He would go grocery shoppong wearing shorts, t-shirt and a cap. A perfect volly ball coach look. So, 'Amazing'. Nah. He definitely said something to Nicholas. Something errie.
I sat on the chair opposite them with my cup as they discussed numbers. Wait. Numbers! Yes. That was why my father was regarded 'amazing' by this physics freak.
God!

Looking at them, I lost my taste of chocolate. They both looked like a perfect son and father duo. I couldn't believe my baba was laughing with some other boy than Dev or me.
I glanced out of the window the rain had stopped to slow dripping. Abruptly, I stood and pulled Nicholas to his feet.
"Okay, Nicholas. Time to go. The rain has stopped."
Baba raised his eyebrows. "Shona..."
"No baba. He lives far on the south. He must go now. It'll soon be dark. Come on, there Nicholas." I dragged him to the door as baba and he shouted 'goodbyes' to each other.
I had him in his shoes in mere seconds and was pushing him out of the door thrusting an umberella in his hand.
"Hey, hey." He grabed my hand. "What gotten into you, so suddenly?"
I opened my mouth but couldn't speak. I didn't know myself why I suddenly wanted him to go. I shook my head.
"Its late. Your parents would worried."
He pursed his lips. "Right. Thanks, then." He pulled the umberella over his head and walked backward, smiling. "See you tomorrow."
I nodded and soon he was gone.

In the kitchen baba's eyed followed me as I put the cups in the sink. He wanted to say something I know, he had the air urgency around him. I sighed and glanced at him "I know. I shouldn't have brought him. Just like that. But friends remember. He didn't even had an umberella....."
"Its okay shona, sit down now." I did.
"He's a great kid." He said. "Really, well behaved and good with numbers. Now, you've grown up. Ofcourse you are going to take your decisions on your own....."
I tilted my head not knowing where this conversation was going.
"You are young," he continued. "He's young. But, you must remember that you ought to maintain some distance, you know..." he did this weird thing with his fingers together and my eyes widened.
I groaned. "Oh, god, baba. It's nothing like that. And I don't need that talk with you." I stomped out the kitchen.
"Okay shona. You are pretty smart yourself......" Baba yelled as I ran upstairs tripping on the landing and stumbled into my room where Reya was perched on the windowsill.
She raised her brows. "You went to do the ring-the-bell without me!"
"What- No!"
I flopped down on my study chair and tuned out Reyas bawling. First fever, then Nicholas, my father and now her; I couldn't take this much jumble in a single day. I was already tini-tiny bit embarrassed of how I threw Nicholas out. Oh, God!

It was late at night that I googled his word- retrouvailles; the happiness of seeing someone again after a long time, and calculated that I had seen Nicholas today almost after a week. Was it me? Or him?