Song of the Firebird

Seventeen

Burping heavily, Jay pushed past the door to his lodging. One look around the hall and the balcony, he could figure that Jeeva had moved all his belongings from the guesthouse, starting from furniture, television, books and CDs to the last piece of his underwear. The husband and wife didn't bother to care about his privacy. He was beyond amazed when he found that the arrangement of the books was intact on the shelf, lined according to his most read ones in the middle. Dragging his baggage from near the three-seater black leather sofa, he moved past the hall to the room at the right corner, adjacent to the balcony.

Jay rubbed his fingers on the door knob for a long time. Giving himself a minute to compose himself, he walked into the room. His eyes scanned the place - a black teak four poster bed with floral drapes on three sides and a table beside the bed housing a small vintage lamp - two male peacocks dancing around a peahen in its shade. Hand-painted. He knew exactly who was responsible for that craftsmanship. He fought back a tear and stormed out of the room and checked for portraits or any form of photographs. He rummaged through the entire floor and failed to find the portrait of his mother that he drew. If things had been exactly placed where they were, he could not figure the location of that particular pencil sketch. He made a mental note to ask Mandhira about its whereabouts.

Jay moved to his bed and began to remove the floral drapes. Scoffing at the not-so-manly design, he folded them and placed them in the farthest space in his closet. He let his exhausted self sprawl across the king size mattress. His eyelids began drooping and his dreams pulled him to Natasha's place.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Jay stirred.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Jay opened his eyes and groaned, 'What is it?'

A voice behind the door answered. 'Madam wanted to tell you that the lunch will be served in half an hour, Paari Sir. She also said that you can touch the food only if you shower.' Jay swore at the man's statements.

Jay shouted back, 'Oh, yeah! Tell your madam that I am not satisfied with her coffee making skills! You are dismissed!' His ears perked up for the residual sound outside his door. When he found none, he groaned. 'Like mother-in-law, like daughter-in-law!'

His limbs demanded a workout which he decided to postpone till the next week. Twirling his trolley near his bed, he began the unpacking task. When he was satisfied with the temporary arrangements, he took a long cold shower and wore a white sleeveless vest and navy cotton trousers. He descended the stairs to the common kitchen. As he walked along the corridor, a maid came towards him, carrying his coffee.

Jay thanked her and took his energy drink. And, he spit it out by the next second. Salted dark chocolate tasted way better than the salted coffee.

A girly voice giggled behind him.

'Amma, uncle Paari spit coffee in the corridor that was just cleaned!'

Jay turned around and smiled at his niece. 'Thank you, Poorani. Your mother must be proud of her upbringing.'

The girl smiled, showing off her recently broken front tooth. 'In case this happens, amma asked me to tell you that a washcloth is in the kitchen, so you can clean the mess. Ouch! I forgot to deliver these! See you later, uncle.' Poorani chirped and set off in the blink of an eye. Shrugging, he hummed an old tamil song and strode to the kitchen to make himself a coffee. He took not more than two steps, while he heard someone scream from the backside. It came out from the pavilion and it belonged to Mandhira, without a doubt.

Jay threw his coffee over the sink and ran to the pavilion. He saw Mandhira standing below the steps, frightened. With her hand covering her mouth, her body trembled and she looked like she might fall if she continued to do so. Though not from the shortest distance, he could see tears moving beneath the hand closing her lips. Jay rushed to her side and looked in the direction where her eyes were settled before.