Sonia’s heart was thumping. Varun Thakur - The Owl - was right before her. It was as if her earlier thoughts of him had conjured him out of the blue. Tall, handsome, with thick brown hair ruffled with the wind, he seemed to have materialised out of nowhere. She must be dreaming!
She finally found her voice. “Varun, why didn’t you tell me you were on the train?”
“Because I didn’t wish to interrupt one of the most eye- opening analyses of horoscopes and people I’ve ever had the good fortune to hear. Not to mention the fact that my presence would have interrupted a larger cause. That of revealing the double standards of behaviour and unmasking the societal facades of people.”
The whistle hooted, indicating the departure of the train. “The train’s leaving,” she remarked, unnecessarily.
“Go on. I’m not taking it.”
The Deccan Queen began moving but Sonia remained rooted to the spot, feeling hypnotised by the affectionate gleam of blue-green eyes.
“Why are you here?” she asked.
“Personal business. Had a burning desire to meet with you!” He grinned. “You better hurry if you want to catch that train!”
He nudged her slightly and she jerked, as if out of a trance. She turned quickly, matched her steps with the moving train, and jumped in through the open door. Once inside, she leaned over for a glimpse of The Owl.
Varun Thakur stood on the platform, staring at her. “I’m proud of you, Sonia,” he called. “Keep it up.” His deep voice rang with sincerity.
The train picked up speed, chugging rhythmically out of the station. Varun remained on the empty platform. Despite the fast-increasing distance between them, the warmth of his gaze reached and cocooned her heart. Mist swirled around him, forming a luminescent aura. He lifted a hand and waved, and then the mist enveloped him in a cool embrace and he vanished from her sight.
CHAPTER V
The Horoscope Trap
The narrow road - part tar, part mud - curved, crested, and dipped in an uneven and unpredictable manner. But that didn’t prevent the two cars from speeding, racing. Pankaj drove more carefully, since Tina, his young daughter, was in the car with him. The child was jumping with joy, shouting loudly, “Faster Daddy, faster! Mummy can’t win!” Pankaj smiled indulgently at her, but did not dare speed up. Besides, his wife, Anju, was safely behind them. But at that very moment Anju flashed by, waving and blowing flying kisses. Her bright purple scarf fluttered in the wind.
“Faster Daddy! Mummy’s gone ahead!” Tina yelled.
Pankaj saw Anju’s car swish up the rise, round the corner at breakneck speed, and tear down the slope. And suddenly the sound of the crash rent the air.
“Anju!” he gasped.
“Mummy!” Tina’s young voice held pure terror.
With a heart bursting with pain, Pankaj jerked awake. His face was bathed in perspiration. He lay in bed, frozen in time. Eleven months. He was caught in a time warp. The eleven longest months of his life. The incident branded on his brain like a permanent scar. But it was better this time. At least he had not dreamt the images of the car hurtling over the cliff, bursting into flames. Perhaps he was beginning to heal? Yes, perhaps he was, thanks to Sheetal…
The pristine beach wound like a pearl ribbon along the grey- blue, white-topped sea. The waves peaked in foamy surf, as if some giant was playing with soap bubbles. Clustered pine and fir trees led to hilly mounds. At the foot of two sand dunes, a rickety bridge joined two shallow inlets of the sea. A little away from the bridge stood a beautiful two-storied house. A rock- cut wall surrounded a sandy, coconut tree-lined garden. Seven stone steps led up to a grand porch, resting under teak wood pillars and a sloping red-tiled roof.
Five-year-old Tina lay on her stomach on the wooden swing, drawing cartoons on paper. Her pink dress was soiled and her drawing material was scattered all over the garden. Sheetal - her governess - rested against a jute armchair. Attired in a light printed blue cotton Salwar Kameez, she watched the child with a fond expression. What a pretty girl Tina was, Sheetal thought. And so intelligent. The child understood every word spoken to her. Not only was she mature for her age, but she asked curious questions and ruminated over each answer, taking her time accepting it. Perhaps that was best. The girl would surely have loads more questions when she grew up. And someone had to answer them to her satisfaction.
Pankaj stood at the bedroom window which overlooked the garden. He watched the two most important women in his life, and a pleased smile played upon his lips. What could be a better omen than this? His daughter getting along so well with Sheetal! The battle for the custody of Tina and the accusations flung at him by Ketki’s parents had left a very bitter taste in his mouth. The fact that he had won the case had helped to dim the pain. But it was Sheetal who had finally erased that blinding hurt and changed the entire course of his life. Sheetal with her bright smile and sensitive nature…
Now was the time to pop the crucial question, he decided. But he hesitated nevertheless. And he knew why. Sheetal’s obsession with her longtime college friend Jeetu worried him. She never stopped talking about him. She took advice from him on every single issue. What if she told him, Pankaj, that she needed to consult Jeetu before committing to him? A shard of jealousy ripped through him, taking him by surprise. My God! He was jealous of the guy! Which was not a good sign at all! Pankaj shook his head. No, it was now or never. With sudden resolution, he turned from the window and opening the door, clattered down the stairs towards the garden.
Sheetal glanced up in surprise at Pankaj’s abrupt appearance.
“Hello! I thought you
