"Oh God, where's my head? Of course! Write it down. It's _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Okay? I'll see you in like half an hour. And call me if you need anything."

I returned the phone to the guy and thanked him for the phone. I walked out and sat in this large square space in the middle of the mall. I peered into my bag and found my lunch box looking back at me. With a small smile, I pulled it out. I was feeling rather low, Pat. I had managed to lose a new phone and my wallet with my cards and identification. I didn't even have the means to deactivate my cards immediately. And it takes so long to get new identification cards made, especially the driver's licence. Sigh. But I can already hear what you're going to say. That they're all material things and it doesn't matter. Chin up and smile.

Also, my heart was racing. I felt really embarrassed to call Tanmay. I know it shouldn't matter so much but I had only just met him and I was already asking for favours. I felt...sheepish. Sigh, I need a hug, Pat!

I opened my lunch box and sat there in the middle of the mall and ate the chapati with bhindi, observing the shoppers walk by with huge, yellow H&M bags. I turned around and noticed the giant H&M store behind me with people milling all around it. The light of the day dimmed as it became darker. In the hustle bustle of it all, I felt a sense of calm arrive upon me.

Then I saw him make his way into the entrance of the mall. He was dressed casually in blue jeans and a black t-shirt, his hair a little windblown as though he had rolled the windows down. His eyes were scanning the crowds in search of something. He looked down at his phone and raised a hand to the back of his neck. He was trying to figure how to spot me and had no idea how to get in touch. He raised his gaze once more and his eyes found mine as I looked straight at him.

Sigh. Pat, he really, really has a camera-flash for a smile. It appeared so suddenly and so surely that I automatically felt like saying cheese and smiling right back. I'm telling you Pat, this crush is going to get me into trouble one day. But for now, I was having so much fun basking in the sunshine of his smile.

He made his way towards me and looked down at me as I sat swinging my legs with a lunch box on my lap. He looked at the box and said, "Well, it looks like I came in time."

I looked up and smiled to ask, "What do you mean?"

He pointed at the box and replied, amusement heavy in his voice, "Well, the bhindi isn't keeping you company anymore. It's my turn."

I laughed and shook my head. I shoved the box back in my bag and hopped to my feet. I took a step ahead and he fell into step with me. I caught a faint whiff of his cologne and smiled, unknowingly.

He looked at me and asked, "What?"

I am such a doofus. I shook my head and replied, "Nothing. You're really kind to come this far because I lost my...well way back."

He rolled his eyes and said, "Please. Don't worry about it. In fact, I was getting bored at home. It's my day off and I was getting restless at home with nothing to do. So if anything, this is a welcome change. You know? Stepping out and doing nothing for a bit. I haven't done that since I moved to this city."

As we made our way out of the mall, I asked hesitantly, "Um...when did you move here?"

He replied, "Uh let's see...a year back? Yeah, I think so."

I then asked, "Um, have you always lived at the guesthouse?"

He smiled and replied, "No. I crashed at a cousin's place for a little bit. Then I found this guesthouse. Since originally I had no idea how long I'd be here, I didn't look elsewhere. And it just...worked out I guess. I know I have a lifelong friend in Dada."

I smiled and looked at my feet as walked. I said, "He speaks very highly of you."

I could feel his gaze on me as he asked, "What did he say?"

I looked up and replied, "He says you're a great kalakaar!"

He threw his head back and laughed at that. My stomach invited the entire planet's population of butterflies for a tango lesson.

He laughingly replied, "Ah Dada and his golden words. Priceless."

I wanted to know more about his career, Pat. So I asked persistently, "So...you're an actor?"

He slid his hands into his pockets and shrugged at first. He then said, "I guess you could say that."

I rolled my eyes at that. Without being able to resist, I said, "Oh come on! I know about the three plays. I know Agyakaari went housefull. I know you wrote it and the one that comes out soon. So spill!"

He looked at me with a barely contained pleased look on his face. He asked, "How do you know all of this?"

It was my turn to shrug, Pat. I replied, "Like I said, Dada speaks very highly of you."

He nodded and smiled. He ruffled his hair slightly and made it messier than before. After a moment's thought, he replied, "I loved theatre in college. Where I studied, they had a wonderful theatre club with acting coaches and all. The teams would win awards all the time. They were known for their stellar writing, their powerful cast. When I joined, it was my dream to become a writer for them."

I asked curiously, "And did you?"

He nodded, "Yeah...It took me all of three years to get that position though. I worked on a lot of plays till then. I acted to my heart's content. It was...amazing."

Sensing something, I asked, "But?"

He laughed at that and looked at me. He then said, "But then life took over. It's not like someone told me to stop. No parent holding me back or society telling me what to do. I just followed the herd. Because I thought that's what I had to do. I didn't know any different. I was too young to know that you can actually choose to do whatever you want."

I was so involved in his story that I automatically asked, "I'm guessing something happened to make you see that."

He shrugged again and said, "Life has a funny way of shaping your story. But I'm glad it happened anyway. It brought me here...to this day." With that, he looked at me and broke into a grin.

I hadn't even thought about it until then. How little incidents in our lives bring us to where we are. If I just took today for instance, the lost wallet and phone had brought me here, walking right alongside Tanmay on a crisp evening in Mumbai. I realized that I hadn't felt bad about it since I had clapped my eyes on him. But remembering it again, I felt low. I then nodded my head and said, "I guess you're right."

He looked closely at my face. He then noticed something change in my expression. He then said, "So, have I ever told you about the time I fell in dal?"

I was so startled that I looked up and sputtered, "Ba...what????"

He chuckled and turned sideways a little so that he could look at me and talk at the same time. Pat, this gesture kinda warmed my heart.

He said, "So...I was 3 and we had all gone to attend this housewarming ceremony. My sister and I were upto our usual antics. She challenged me to game of catch. The 3-year old me was unable to resist."

I noticed how his eyes lit up and his face became so animated as he told the tale. It was so easy to understand why he was such a good actor. Even an inane tale from his childhood, he told with so much colouring and detail, that I couldn't help but listen with rapt attention.

He continued, "But you know who my worst enemy is?"

I shook my head and tossed my eyebrows in question.

He replied, "The stairs! The number of times they've decided to greet my butt..." he shook his head recounting the times.

I laughed so hard at that, Pat. Oh God! This boy was a closet dork. The crush was intensifying. :S

He then said, "But then the 3 year old me didn't know this. When my sister, 3 feet taller than me, mind you, ran ahead of me on the stairs, I didn't think twice about it. I just ran right after her. And guess what was kept at the end of the stairs, ready to welcome me???" He asked, his eyes dancing, alight with mischief.

I couldn't contain my smile as I replied, "Dal?"

He shook his head and held up a finger to correct me.

"A bucket of dal! While my sister conveniently dodged it, I stepped right into it."

Eyebrows raised, I asked with concern, "Were you alright though? Was the dal hot?"

He shook his head and held a hand to his chest as he said, "Thankfully not. It was barely warm. I was drenched in dal though. But the cherry on top of the cake was my ridiculously cool mum!"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He replied with a smile, "This grown-up found me bawling my eyes out and took me to her. She actually held me in front of my mom and said..." he cleared his throat and adjusted his voice to a slightly feminine one to say, "Tara...take...We found your son in dal."

I burst out laughing and doubled over. He continued to say, "My mum, the ever-cool lady, had a spare outfit as well, knowing her son very well."

I held a hand up and gasped, "Hahahahahaha! Stop! My stomach hurts."

He looked at me and laughed himself. When I caught my breath and gained some control, I burst out laughing again.

He shook his head and looked down at his own feet as we continued to walk. He then looked up and spotted something in front of us. He perked up and pointed at a stall ahead and said, "Hey, look! Want to have some cutting chai?"

Saturday looked up again, Pat. :)

Much love,

L.

P.S. The chai and the view were amazing. :)

Author's Note: I hope this chapter made up for the incomplete letter and day long break. I also hope this letter helps you understand why this character is and will always remain one of my favourite characters ever.

It's been a looong week and another loooong one awaits me, to be honest. But this story keeps me company in times when I need a welcome break and I'm so grateful for that. :)

Looking forward to hearing from y'all.

S.