Kissing the Sunshine - Part I

There's Mehndi on her left hand. It's acquired a lovely reddish-brown hue. She can't hide her surprise and thrill at the Mehndi acquiring this shade. For one, it means her hemoglobin count must still be pretty high, nothing for her mother to worry about. And of course, all those girlie myths about the darkness of the Mehndi being an indication of a spouse's love just add to the thrill. She giggles. The smile on her face is soon replaced by a lost look and dreamy eyes. Myriad thoughts try to squeeze their way into her brain which has been slightly numbed by her aforementioned glee.

Following a particular train of thought, she remembers, "You look real pretty when you smile", "You have perfect teeth, you should show them more often when you smile" - did he mean that? Or was that a compliment any guy pays to any girl? Oh all those ridiculous photographs she's sent him, most of which he's actually appreciated, saying she looks amazing, saying each photograph brings out a different aspect of her personality. The old smile returns. She remembers the teeth and flashes them at the mirror and bursts out laughing. She remembers the most recent of all the promises she's made him. "Be like this only, for me" (with reference to her smiling and laughing and kissing the sunshine) She shakes her head in mock disapproval, her amusement growing with each memory thats races through her head. As is customary, she gestures wildly with her hands, a sign of her mock frustration and sets about getting ready for the evening. "Which do you think he'll like most with this outfit, the bronze ear rings or the terracotta ones?" She laughs at herself for being so vain and dismisses it all with the thought, "Who doesn't like to be appreciated? Umm..flattered too!"

She's kept him waiting as usual. Whatever happened to the punctuality she prided herself on, she wonders. Never mind the time spent, the silent, lingering look confirms that the terracotta ones she chose were indeed perfect. She smiles secretly to her cycle and her eyes rest on the handbag she's carrying in the carrier of the cycle. "Wonder how he's gonna make fun of it?" She's sure he's going to joke about it, she doesn't have to wait too long for the first jibe. He dismisses the bag saying it's 'purely for decorative value'. He's not way off she muses but nevertheless puts up a defense. That's what they have the most in common, a love to argue on pointless matters for the sole purpose of arguing. The mock disapproval again, she smiles. Kissing the sunshine, yeah, that's a good way to describe how happy she's been.

They walk on the narrow pavement. He tries to walk alongside her initially, letting her walk on the pavement while he takes the road. Her heart skips a beat every time she hears the honking of a large vehicle coming from behind till she finally asks him to walk ahead of her. "Closing time Saar," the guard informs them when they reach their first stop for the day. "Oh goodie," her mouth waters at the prospect of another debate as to who's responsible for the delay but the sweet idiot that he is, he apologises. "Whatever's the matter with him? What happened to my friend?" She gets a much delayed response later on in the night when she finds herself blushing at things he says. She's kissing sunshine again, well after the sun has set. That tiny voice in every science person's head every time you make a non-scientific statement like the above starts to clear it's throat. Poetic license she screams to it and in a tearing hurry rejoins him in the present. The urge to pick his hand, lock fingers and just walk aimlessly catches her and she's lost again. This time she shakes her head visibly to get rid of all those voices, returns his questioning look with a smile and starts to analyse him. "Well, it's inescapable, right? If he's standing right in front of you, what else do you do?"
"Talk to him, you idiot," the voice replies.
"Aah, yes of course."

They start off towards their alternate destination. "I helped decide? We're going to where I suggested? I, despite my reverie, suggested? And suggested a place where he might not mind going?" The questions are soon replaced by alarm at his nonchalant way of walking on the road whilst she walks on the pavement. "Guys!"

P.S. Written around the time of Adieu- incomplete and much delayed.