Mitali Jain

For years our family had a trend like any other family would have during summers. But many other families in Mumbai had something which would involve long vacations to different parts of the country, some who had home or knew their natives would land up there and the lucky or well planned ones would be on a flight by the third week of May.

But for us we had something completely different. Ours would include going out to the farm house of ours that was about 2 km away from the boundaries of what people called Mumbai, and Geographically outside Palghar or Thane district.

All in all this place was something, where we would end up for a long vacation, that would start off from Friday evening, with me and my mom sitting out in the garden, basking in the cool winds, blessed by the canopy of trees that was spread around the whole premises and the sweet and enticing smell of the wet soil.

This was pretty much what we would do the entire weekend, and finally return back home.

Hence when that weekend, when I was finally and officially introduced to them by my brother, it was conflicting to decide what kind of people they could possibly be.

The place and the weekends of summers were so private affair for me that, to share it with someone whom I was meeting for the first time was something really disturbing. But Adjusting was something which I was told, I should learn.

It had always made me wonder, if my mom would have known of my dilemma, if not for my perfect pretence of acceptance she would have surely said,

"The power of being girl is, you don't live just one life, in this life... you are a mixture of many roles and hence posses so many abilities, and for the right role, it is what the time and your wit will decide automatically for you."

Hence that weekend, dressed in my Capri a loose t-shirt, with my hair tied up in a bun, I met him again. This time though, I knew his name, what and who he was.

"Why is it always that you forget to greet me? It somehow wounds me Mitali!" Daksh stood there in the verandah of our farm house, His features so different from the ones back in Gallery.

"You guys know each other?" my brother butted in as the other companions stood there with their eyebrows raised.

"Daksh was there at the Gallery during the week." I informed and then looked back at Daksh. His eyes still strained at me as if he was trying to decode something.

"I hope you got the list of the artists?", his head tilted a bit while he leaned on the bars that held the extended roof of the verandah.

"Yes, I have forwarded it to my boss, once I decide for the paintings I will mail you the price as well."

"Meet me and give it to me."

"Huh?" I asked taken by surprise again. This person seemed to have surprised me by his words not just once, but a number of times and it somehow made me laugh.

" You know if you wouldn't have been as decent as you were on our first meet, I would have taken you to be some sort of pervert." I retorted quickly, my voice came out that of like an offended person.

For a long time, I was called to be one of those who didn't had any bone in their tongue, though there isn't one, but that was a phrase which my mom had always pulled up on me when I just couldn't point out when to say what.

But the way on that humid afternoon everyone had stood their gob smashed looking at me with their eyes wide, my mom ready to bash my head in anything that was nearby, though I came to realization that I really needed to work out on it, I saw him.

Standing as far as possible from others, with his eyebrows raised at its highest peak, a faint smile approaching his lips, as his head shook in an almost unnoticeable shake.

I felt my forehead creasing, not from embarrassment, but at the person who stood there, not at all bothering to introduce himself, and with his clothes that made me sweat just by looking at them.

I looked at the sun outside small verandah and back at him, as he stood there comfortably in his thick Jacket and tee-shirt.

'So much for a small vacation!', I reckon and lifted my head to look at my Mom who had that pointed look still on her face. It was then that I realized, more than worrying about the comfort matter of an unknown person, I had a Man to apologize to.

My eyes quickly darted to Daksh, who still stood there, not saying anything, just looking at me, and just as I had said earlier, truly if he had been someone practically unknown for each and everyone present here, I would have really taken him for a pervert.

"Ohh God, I am really Sorry Daksh, I ... I just had –"

"Its fine, I just didn't know my actions could as well mean something like this too someone, but if it really makes you relaxed, than I must say, you are an interesting person..."

He then walked back to a small cot that was kept on the other side of the verandah and sat on it with his right leg on his left and his hands resting at the back on the cot as a small smirk made its way on his lips.

"And trust me I am really happy to have at least someone in my group with brains."

Though it was supposed to be a joke, but as any friend would have minded, the three other men, including my brother walked up to him, taking it as my clue to leave, I waved at him and began to walk inside with my words hopefully reaching out to the poor victim,

"If you survive Daksh, you can ask my brother where to find me, I have a place that I am sure you would love."

***********************

People could be deceiving, but there are many things that had never deceived you. Nature for me was one such thing. The first time that I and brother had came here; we were just on our high spirits of exploring and full into the TV show called CID and discovery to find something that not many knew about.

At one time we had even thought to start our own channel on YouTube and may be a show or something. But the later had surely not come from Dora the explorer even though my brother was a huge fan of it.

Nothing was much special of this place, until the sun was to set. With the sun about to hide behind the Rocky Mountains, who embarked the banks of the river, it was something so beautiful.

It had always given me a feeling of content. But the best part of this was something else.

As the time ticked by it made me worried if Daksh would be here on time or not. Certain things couldn't be repeated, even if we wanted them to; it was once in a life time moment. Surely this could be seen every time, but what's the use of just getting a glimpse and than passing by with a hope to see it again later.

Yes you would get a whole view of it... but the satisfaction, I presume would be lost.

My wits had almost given up on the hope that Daksh would be here. It was strange, the way I wanted him to see the place, it was as if I was a child once again wanting its parents or siblings to see a particular thing, and understand the meaning of it. And somewhere, after my brother if anyone could ever understand what it meant ... than I was strangely aware that now I had a name and that was Daksh.

When that evening I had glanced back for the 100th time towards my watch, and saw that it was almost 5:30, I had fairly given up and decided to have a look once again all alone when I heard the loud curses followed by a few chuckles as I heard my brother's voice, "trust me, you will love me and my sister when you will see this."

I couldn't hear what Daksh had said to it, but I could hear a different and new voice that surely sounded amused.

"Your sister is one amazing person, I mean she surely has got guts to call out on Chauhan, I am glad it wasn't me, and none of my guards were as well there to see it."

My brother, good for his well being, didn't retorted back, but I was now surely curious to know who did that voice belonged to. Though my bets were on the uncomfortably clothed person, but still it seemed better to wait and find out.

"Mitali !" my brother called out to me, as they approached the almost clearing, with his companions standing there rooted, awed with the view in front of them.

I so wanted to give them some kind of action that would have conveyed my message ' I aren't that stupid.' But my thoughts stood rooted for a while, as I saw a very much blindfolded Daksh struggling to be let be.

"Bhai, I guess you need to let Daksh see.", realizing their friends agony, they quickly moved to help him, but as they worked on the knot in an agonizingly slow speed, my wits began to shake.

I wondered if he would know what I wanted to convey, or would he as well be interested in topics as such.

As I saw, the other two people who had come with my brother walking towards me, I decided it was better to turn around and look at the scene. With my hands clasped together, I stood there awaiting... my ears strained at the back, my eyes though looked straight at the setting sun, my thoughts, mind and attention was all strained on what was Daksh's reaction to this.

"This is so beautiful!", one of the two people who had been with my brother said, as he stood right beside me, his hands in his pockets, his eyes gleaming in astonishment and a grin that of like the Cheshire cat as described in the Alice in the wonder land.

"ohh! hey, umm before due to that ignorant friend of ours we couldn't introduce ourselves." He let out his hand to me, not to shake rather the way one would ask for a dance, as he bowed down in the royalty manner and said,

"so, let me introduce myself, I am the Price of Jodhpur, Prince Veer Pratap Singh."

The first time that I had came to know about how the world was round, it had got me so fascinated that I used to go look for some kind of curve that would prove it for me. When I was taught about the gravity, the best thing I used to do to make myself believe that it was true, was – I would jump from the highest platform and count the numbers to know how long I would be afloat in the air.

So to sum it all, when things those were unbelieving, I had always had to make sure that they were true. But then again, I had never come upon things like this.

It was so difficult for me to breath for some time, I had my eyes wide such that I could feel them tearing up, my mouth had began to dry up, and then it made me realize I was gapping at him.

And finally my brain questioned, 'did he just say he was a prince?"

"umm Mitali are you okay?" the, said prince of Jodhpur asked, walking even closer to me. With his words finally settling in my system, my limbs began to work again.

Yes I was acting a bit dramatically, but surely, if I am not wrong than this whole thing had lasted till long years, there was not supposed to be any such thing now.

"I thought you guys had gone broke during the wars of independence." Words flew out off my mouth without even spending a time of leisure, in the process of thinking.

Though, I was lucky that the prince was really a nice guy, now that was because he didn't got offended, rather he guffawed, while his other friend walked closer to us.

"Yep, they were supposed to, but our buddy here somehow has leisure of that title... by the way I am Jai , Jai Kapadia... the owner of Kapadia industries."

Holllaa!!

Just yesterday when i finished the first 6 chapter of this story, i was thinking how difficult it is going to be to actually say whom do i love the most... Jai, Daksh or Veer? 

i haven't found my answer yet... but you guys tell me ... any favorite yet??? 

do not forget to share the story around... also, 

be a sweet heart, spread your love to our cutipies and vote and comment on the chapters?? *winks* 

happy reading 

Cuteminger a.k.a Yadni