Whispers of the Heart

Chapter- 5

Somewhere on National Highway- 44, State of Jammu & Kashmir

Veera's backside was numb. And the screeching was a little annoying if, not scary enough. It had been 40 minutes since she sat on the straw filled back seat and felt the persistent attack of the springs in the seat literally be a pain in her backside. She held the side bar and hauled herself in an erect sitting position. Temporarily providing relief to her aching backside. This way, her backside would be all black and blue by the time they'd reach Srinagar. The flattened straw filled seat jerked forward with a screeching sound as she lifted her weight.

"Oh Jesus! I hope I wouldn't be thrown against the wind screen?!" Veera exclaimed as she rather grudging planted her bottom back on the godforsaken seat. She purposely moved the seat with her backside while also holding the side hand bar. She ducked her head below to check the movement of the seat. The seat was loose from the hinges that connected it with the jonga's iron floor. That's what was causing the screeching noise whenever the jonga hit a broken patch of road.

"No no! It's very safe Maidam!" His driver O.P Yadav answered for Nihal. O.P Yadav was a tall and rustic guy in his late forties from Haryana. He looked like an astute driver because while his eyes were on the road, his interest was in Veera. He was thrilled to have Veera in the jonga. He had been chatting with her a nineteen to a dozen since he established that she was Nihal's wife and was soon trying to charm her with bits of information about Udhampur, Srinagar and the Army.

"Remember Saab?" He asked Nihal, "...the left tire came off the wheel when Basin Saab was in the jonga?" He asked Nihal gaily enjoying his enrapture audience.

"Oh my God!" Veera exclaimed looking a little sick.

"Yes, and Basin Saab said that the tire traveled along side the jonga separately!" He laughed softly as Nihal turned his face side ways to grin at his driver.

Veera didn't know whether Nihal and O.P Yadav were telling a true incident or making fun of her naivety. She decided to ignore them and find a solution to her uncomfortable seat.

"Do you have a towel or a blanket, handy?" Veera asked Nihal.

Nihal turned around to look at her. "Why? Do you need one immediately?" he asked her.

"Yes... actually, this seat is uncomfortable. My back has already begun to hurt." She said apologetically.

"Oh!" Nihal glanced at the seat and gave her a slow smile. Veera's heart melted, he looked so handsome as he smiled. It relaxed his face and gave his face a youthful continence.

"Yes, it looks rather uncomfortable. I think I have a towel in my bag. O.P, you kept my bag at the back?"

"Yes, sir. The bag is at the back. It's at the top. Should I stop the jonga and retrieve it?"

"No. That will not be necessary." Veera said as she had already turned around and realized that a few bags, including his, were within her reach. She only had to stretch her hand to retrieve it.

"Which color is it?" She asked Nihal.

"The dark blue one. The towel will be on the top."

"The one with the 'USA' printed on it?" She asked him again.

"Yes. That's the one."

Veera pulled the bag closer to her. She opened the zip and immediately felt like a trespasser. This was Nihal's personal bag and though she caught sight of the towel immediately, she also saw his neatly folded clothes including another set of his uniform and his white crisp vests. She put her hand on the towel to pull it out, it felt so intimate to touch his things; the clothes were laden with his scent. It smelt just like Nihal- leather and woody.