4: Mesmerised

I stood near the temple waiting for Khushi to grace me with her presence. I tapped to the tea stall beside me to give me another cup of tea . It's essence was worth a rebirth .

It was 7 o' clock right now and I know my lazy girl like the back of my hand. She might not have even got up  from her sleep by now. The detectives had told me that she wakes up at 5 am but I think that must be only and only due to the Diwali preparations that she might have been forced to get up so early. I know Khushi , she spends hours to wake up and it was almost impossible to wake her up. She would take hours bathing too. When we were young she told me that she dances in the shower. I always told her that was sheer waste of water but Khushi , she was always very inconsiderate of others. She would say that there are gallons of water in the ganga so it is okay if she showers a bit more.

She had extremely curly hair , just like maggi noodles, however these days they seemed to be straightened. Again she would take hours to comb them and finally would tie them into hideous plaits . I didn't ever like plaits so I would unwind them making her very cross with me.

I again looked towards the road which led to her house to see if she was coming . I sighed at her tardiness , some things never change do they?

Suddenly I heard the small tinkling noises of someone's anklets coming towards me. I thought to turn thinking that It might be Khushi but then almost all women in this city wear anklets .So I didn't care to turn. But I started to feel her presence , a sensation which I can never fail to recognise.

It was her gorgeous self , dressed in emerald hued saree which she had wrapped round her shoulder , given how cold this morning was. Her silver earrings and shoulder length jhumkis swayed along with her straight hair , which she had left open. The silver and blue bangles on her hand which matched the border of her saree clanked as she moved her hand.

Wait , what !? Is it that what I see ? My mother's ornament! It was a ring attached to a wristlet which had peacock  embellishments on it in pure  silver . It was the ornament which signified that she was the bahu of the Kashyaps.It was a family heirloom. And she was never ever married to me or any other Kashyap from my family in that case. The liar! The cheat ! She didn't even leave the dignity and the significance of the ornament at least .

This is pretty and so one day I shall take it from you for sure maa!

I remembered her words in childhood . My mother had laughed heartily on her determination and already decided that she would surely give it to her someday.

" Hello !" she greeted with a hearty smile. Her black , dark black heart.

"Hi ! You are late and you were asking if I would be able to make it .?" I said to her while walking with her inside the temple.

"I am not late , actually I forgot to tell you where to meet me , I just realised that . I was sitting in the temple office since 6 am , I completed the morning aarti and then waited for you a lot of time there. When I came out and saw you on the gate strolling , then I realized that I never told you where to meet .I am so sorry." Khushi gave a cute smile.

I pinned her by the wall .

"What? what are you doing leave me.!" She struggled to free her hand from my hold and looked in all directions . There were not many people around as the aarti had finished a long time ago and people had proceeded for the Prasad collection.

"Every time I think , I know you , I understand you show me a new shade of yours , my colourful chameleon aren't you?" I pinched her nose.

"You ?....You know me? But how ...........You just came here right ....." her speech stuttered.

I left her hand and proceeded towards the temple edifice.

"Arre , aise kaise jaa rahe ho?" she came behind me.

"I don't have much time miss Khushi , you need to show me around the temple."

"But...."

" Please show me the temple faster dear ....." I said as I pulled her ahead while she was yet so confused.

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"This wall , it is made of granite and so are all walls of the temple so that they don't get eroded quickly and neither discoloured due to the turmeric or milk or herbs put on it during abhisheka. Each wall has inscriptions in form of figurines which depict a story , like this one here talks about the churning of the ocean of milk to obtain the divine elixir and the evolution of shree ( another name of goddess of wealth , Lakshmi)." Khushi narrated running her hand on the cold surface of the stone wall. How boring it felt to hear something you already know? I always had a keen interest in architecture , my father used to carry me on  his shoulders and explain me everything when I was six.

So instead of listening to her I stared at her , puberty had done many things to her , hadn't it?

In way of speech , she sounds more graceful now although I would prefer that playful 12 year old who would laugh like a bellowing buffalo.

Bodily, her hair were better kept now and so was her dressing . She used to try to put her mother's makeup and as a huge failure in that she used to end up becoming a red monkey. Now toh her makeup is also done quite well , even though as she claims she woke up at 5 am .

She was flat and thin like a stick , a wood plank . but now she looked uh ...........to put it in respectful words ......more ....uh having more volume ...if you know what I mean;)

Nevertheless I was completely mesmerised by what she has grown up into .Not that I was less mesmerised in childhood.
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