Next day, Saturday, a holiday, Ramya always been eagerly waiting for. Because, she could spent enough time with her daughter that rejoices her soul, she wanted to savour each and every moment of it, in her heart.
Of course, there were lot of house hold works, to be taken care of, cleaning house, laundry, preparation for the next week, buying groceries, vegetables etc.. it's not at all a problem for her, as she trained well her mind and body for this life for the past 1 year, designed her daily routine, life goes on in an orderly manner without any chaos..
Before 2 years if anybody had said that, your life would going to be like this, she never ever believed those words, as she was entering into her college life then.....
'No Ramya..' she shut down her mind from thinking about the past, she diverted her thought to the present, she saw the lift is going to close, with groceries in one hand and veges in other hand, as she was returning from the market just now, she quickly approached it.
Already half closed door, started to open again, somebody made it for her, She stepped inside hurriedly, while doing so stumbled on a stool which was placed near the operating keys, as a result her veges bag dropped from her hand, scattering the potatoes and tomatoes in the lift floor.
"Woof.." she let out a small sigh, knelt down and started collecting her things, when she about to put them on the bag, she noticed a hand also came along to put the tomatoes inside the bag, a hand with long slender fingers and neatly trimmed nails ,appeared so pure, color of them challenging the colour of tomatoes, the hand waited a minute in order to avoid collision with her hand, she looked up to see who's that, while dropping her items inside the bag.
Her breath hitched for a second, it's the guy....who helped her yesterday in her hurry, and whom she was thinking about yesterday night before sleeping...Her head automatically went down when the thought came.
He didn't even take a glance at her, after dropping the items in her bag, he walked past her, out of the lift casually as the lift stopped in their floor by the time.
Ramya collected her things, came out of the lift, and started walking towards her flat. She felt quite surprised, the guy didn't try to talk with her, like others always do unnecessarily. Not even a look, Was it his nature or was he acting like a 'so called' good guy?! Ramya's girl mind started analysing...
******
Next day Sunday, a bright sunny day in Chennai, time being afternoon past 2, Adhira was taking her afternoon nap, Ramya almost finished all her house hold activities, took her class children's 1st term exam papers, sat beside her sleeping baby for doing correction.
The day was so hot, she was feeling a mild headache from the morning itself, before starting her work, she applied some pain balm over her forehead, some what managed with that, but now after correcting 2 or 3 papers, the pain started throbbing her head.
She wanted to take a nap, but then the paper correction work will go for pending, which she can't do it in week days. Ramya took one tablet, she thought fresh air could bring some relief, that's possible only in terrace in such a climate, she decided to go there, it will take minimum an hour for Adhira to wake up, so without hesitation Ramya started with her items.
When she reached there, the terrace door was open, who is here at this time, while thinking she entered and got the full view of open space, she stopped short on seeing him.....
The same guy.....he was standing in water tank's shadow with folded arms across the chest, eyes closed... his face was so calm and quiet. It looked like he was completely enjoying the faint breeze which was ruffling his hair like a pet.
Not very sure, whether she was startled or surprised, as a result her hand grip got loosened, the papers, she was having in her hand started flowing, at the same time the wind got strong a bit more, in a single blow it took the papers far away from her. Ramya started catching them hurriedly....
One of the papers, exactly hit his face, distracting him from his meditative state, he opened his eyes and caught the paper, and saw Ramya was collecting the papers sincerely, he also found some of the papers near his foot, he bent down, took them off, collected some more here and there, and started towards her. Ramya was busy in collecting the remaining papers, then he noticed her exam pad was kept on a slab, he reached there, clipped the papers which he collected on it and descended through the steps.
***********
It's past 8 in night, Ramya finished cutting the vegetables for tomorrow use, packed them in a box covered with lid, and kept them inside the fridge. She started closing the door, before going to sleep, as she would always go bed early in order to wake up early, She saw the artificial river pebbles then, some 10 or 15, placed in a small basket which she barrowed from chitra sister a month ago for her class project, "I forgot to return I suppose", she thought and took the basket, went to chitra's house to give them back.
The door was wide opened in chitra's house, she was preparing dosa in kitchen, chitra's husband Ram in bedroom doing some office work. Vijay was sitting in the dining table and watching some news channel in TV.
Ramya entered inside, calling "chitra sis....", she straight away headed towards the kitchen directed by the cooking smell.
In middle of her way, she saw "that guy.." whom she met for the first time in her life only a day before yesterday morning, since then happened to see him again and again, and dropping something what ever she was having in her hand at the time, Ramya felt ashamed, in the process of thinking, she didn't notice the bean bag which was there in the middle of her path. She stumbled on it, and somewhat managed from falling down, but dropped the pebbles from the basket which she held in her hand to the floor.
All the pebbles scattered on the floor with a noise. Vijay turned around to see where the sound was coming from, she saw Ramya with empty basket in her hand and the pebbles on the floor, 2, 3 of them at his feet. He raised an eye brow, as he was seeing her at the third time in the similar situation, a cute smile started appearing in corner of his mouth, but he engulfed the smile by folding the lips inside and bent down to collect the pebbles which were present at his feet.
"Ouch...... Ramya.....you idiot, stupid girl...what happened to you?! Acting clumsy on seeing him all the time.....are you mad?! what will he think about you?!....", Scolding herself inside, Ramya started collecting the pebbles.
"If somebody else was there in his place means, definitely they would be laughing at you, passing a teasing comment.... but this boy said nothing, also he suppressed his smile...such a genuine person...", She thought herself and started searching for the one which has gone beneath the sofa by bending down completely to the floor, before doing so, she felt awkward and once again glanced at him, he was watching the TV quietly as though nothing has happened just before here.
Chitra came out of the kitchen, placed the dosa plate in front of him, saying "leave it Ramya...I ll look into it afterwards, why you brought them? you can keep it with yourself, Aadhira loves to play with them".
"That's the problem sis, she used to put them inside her mouth, there's a chance of swallowing it accidentally, so I kept them out of reach for her, then I forgot.. now only I saw them and returning it... Please don't allow her to play with them", Ramya said in a bothered tone.
"Ok..I will...", Chitra reassured, Ramya nodded and left the place.
"Inspite of many difficulties, she's keenly taking care of her kid..", chitra admired.
"Where is her father, the little angel's? I haven't seen him yet in these 3 days, gone out for work?" Vijay asked casually while eating the dosa.
Chitra raised an eyebrow in surprise, because Vijay is not "inserting nose in other's life" type of personality, but she saw in this 3 days, the attachment he showed towards the baby.. that's the reason for his question, she concluded.
"He is no more.." she let out a sigh in grief..
"What?!!...." Vijay was completely taken aback, as he didn't expect it...
To be continued......
