For the next five days, Kalpita attended a seminar on emergency management at the AMRI hospitals.

There were two reasons to it.

One, it was one of the best seminars happening in Kolkata in recent times, with eloquent and eminent professionals as faculties from all over the country.

Second, however, was a very disturbing reason.

Since the night in the pub, and the incidents following the visit, specially the hug that was so pure yet electrifying, and how her mind and body reacted to it, weren't in sync with the life of Kalpita Chatterjee.

The rest of the ride back home was deafeningly silent, because of she, herself. Though Shivaji tried to initiate a little talk, Kalpita didn't reply back, which probably made him believe... it was terrible on his part to suddenly hug her out of the box. His timid self had completely shelled him following that.

From the next morning, Kalpita began attending the seminars.

Throughout, however, she was time and again diverted.
She felt, upon returning home, she could at least clear it out to him, that he shouldn't be guilty regarding the hug.
It was spontaneous and there was nothing wrong in a boy hugging a girl.

But, the problem was, she herself had some growing issues in her mind.

Regarding....him.

She snapped herself and concentrated on the lecture.

Back home on the first day, she had found him in Dad's office, alone, doing some task.

" Shivaji! "

He turned, and passed a faint smile, blinking eyes multiply.

" How was your day? " , Kalpita walked in and stood beside him at the desk.

" Good.
And...yours? "

" Good as well. But very tiring. I'll just sleep soon.

Anyways, I wanted to tell you something. "

Shivaji's face immediately lost colour, that didn't go unnoticed to Kalpita.

" I... Know...

I'm sorry... Kalpita ji..
I shouldn't have  ....suddenly...

Actually I was so afraid of those....goons...but you were so...confident...

I couldn't be more...thankful to you...
Hence.... "

" Oh boy!! 

I knew exactly this. You had misjudged me. Literally not your fault.
Last night after that incident I suddenly started feeling so sick.
I was nauseous and my stomach also started cramping. Hence I fell silent.

And you thought I was angry.

No way!!!!

Hugging the opposite gender might be a big deal to you, but we out here do it randomly. I knew I had to clear this, so I did. "

Kalpita neatly lied with a confident smile on face.

However, it revived Shivaji's confidence. His faint smile grew wider.

" Ohh....
Thank god..... " , he sighed in relief.

The conversation however didn't much ease up Kalpita.

The following three days passed on in a haste, and tirelessly, for her.
However, every evening upon returning she would meet him and ask about his day, about work, if anybody was troubling him, if he learnt new things well.

He would reciprocate in his signature style, with several eye blinks and ten minute long gaps between two words, added to an occasional shy smile.

Today, was the break-even session of the seminar. The closure.

Kalpita returned home, around seven thirty in the evening and saw Devendra gleefully sit on his favourite rocking chair in the living, conveying something to someone on phone.

He dropped the call soon, and with a ear to ear smile, stared at Kalpita.

" Preparations for a celebration's going on in the kitchen. "

" What celebration? " , Kalpita was too tired to return a joyous curiosity, dropping her body on the settee.

" We cracked one of the best deals with the Singhs. A very profitable one.

And, 60% of the credit goes to Shivaji. "

" Whaaat? " , Kalpita straightened.

" Yes. He had been so cordial to the Singhs, so unusually cordial and warm, something which probably they had never close to experienced in this field.

Also he presided over the meeting today, did his short hand perfectly.
The sum-up was so on point because of that. His learning curve is extraordinary.

I'm so glad I found him. "
Devendra grinned.

" Wow wow!!! Slow claps!! How well you took the entire credit to yourself.
What if I didn't convince him on the very first day? " , Kalpita faked anger.

However, she knew she was having butterflies in her stomach.

" Hehehe!!

Thank you baccha!!

Anyways, 'Ilish Macher Sorshe Jhol' is being cooked today. Along with Rice. Go and see, by whom. "

Devendra began swaying back and forth in his rocking chair in excitement.

" Obviously Mom!! " , Kalpita got up and walked towards the kitchen, without looking back.

Devendra sat dancing brows.

Kalpita stopped at the door of the kitchen with her jaw dropped.

Suchandra stood at the counter, and beside her....stood Shivaji, neatly mixing pieces of fish in a huge bowl, with turmeric, salt, and mustard oil.

The maids and chef stood a distance apart doing other stuffs.

The two were exchanging some talks as well, Suchandra looked quite happy, and Shivaji too had a heavenly smile on his lips.

" What's going on???? " , Kalpita almost screamed. She was literally dumbfounded.

They stared at her together.

" Shivaji will cook us an Ilish Mach recipe tonight.

Something that his mother had a specialisation in.
He was initially not ready, but I insisted. I know it'll remind him of his mother, but sometimes, if we keep nurturing our phobias, and shun memories that are connected to something unwanted, we can't survive. "
Suchandra said.

Kalpita was awestruck.

Her mother was literally so amazing, that even her direct words did not bring any negative lines on Shivaji's serene face, as he kept mixing the fish well.

Rather he spoke,

" I will.....only try...

Yes I had learnt it....from maa...and many more recipes....
We belong to the fishes....they were our livelihood....
Hence..

But... I could never....do it like her....back home... "

" Yes, your trial will be enough for us.
We need a change from Lalit.
Not that he's bad though. " , Suchandra threw a wink at the chef who stood with a very sad expression first, then blushed and smiled.

" Wonderful.
All I need is food.
Good food.

Anyways, congratulations Shivaji for cracking the deal. "
Kalpita walked forward and stood beside him.

Shivaji was now getting ready to make a mustard and poppy paste on the mortar and pestle.

He fell from the sky in between.

" Me?
When...did I...crack the deal?

Please... Kalpita ji....!
Don't...embarrass me. "

" Of course you did. Dad told me. " , Kalpita smiled.

" No no.... I just did...my work. " , he began making the paste.

" But your work was perfect so the deal cracked. "

" No no...never.. "

" Yes, it is. Don't act. "

" Arey .... Don't elevate....me... "

" I'm not elevating. Dad tells the truth. "

" Please... Kalpita ji... "

" Shut up Shivaji.. "

The conversation went on and on. With Kalpita pulling his leg and he blushing while mixing stuffs for the recipe.

Here, Suchandra kept observing the process, specially the glitter and affection that oozed from her daughter's eyes and the hearty smile that appeared on her lips while staring at the boy.

Something, which she had never seen till date, as a mother.

Never ever.

______

Kalpita was all set for a meet up with a long time friend today. She got down the stairs, dressed in a very old almost worn out salwar kameez, at nine in the morning.

Devendra was not well.
He was having fevers. Hence he had taken a day off from the office. He had informed the VP, they always handled well in his absence.
He had asked Shivaji to stay back as well. " My PA is my PA, none of other's PA. " , he had declared with pride.

" What are you wearing? You look like a drug addict.
Not even a tinge of moisturizer on face.
Whereas you should have worn some kohl, bangles and jhumkas to compensate this pukeworthy dress. " , Suchandra was waiting for her cab to the university, sitting in the living room. Devendra sat with the newspaper and let out a chuckle.

" Pich.
Thank you. I'm a drug addict. I confess. " , Kalpita hated such 'compliments'.

" I'm sure Ankita will be far better dressed, and you won't even be able to click selfies because of complexes. " , Suchandra never left a chance to pull her legs.

" Oh Please!
Everyone knows who has complexes with Kalpita Chatterjee around. Not she at least. " , Kalpita looked around.

" What self elevation! Waah!
I'm sure you would have won the Nobel Prize for Narcissism if it was ever awarded. " , Devendra pinched.

" Whatever.

Where's Shivaji? " , Kalpita asked Suchandra.

" He needs some personal stuff. So went to the housing market complex to get them. "

" Whaat? Alone? "

" He's twenty four. " , Suchandra began calling the cab driver. Its expected time of arrival showed fifteen minutes on her phone.

" Okay.

Bye. I'm getting late. I'll return in three to four hours. " , Kalpita walked towards the door. She was taking the car, along with Ganesh uncle.

" Why ?

Return in the evening.
Better, tomorrow.
Spend the day and night in clubs pubs and theques. " , Devendra added again, without looking up from the newspaper.

Kalpita rolled her eyes, and walked out of the door.

" What's the commotion? " , Kalpita asked a number of people who were seen in the lounge of the floor just below theirs in the building.

" Someone got trapped in the lift. It has broken down at the fourth floor. " , one said.

Another, a distance away, almost ran towards her.

" Arey, we were coming to you. Your Dad's PA got trapped in the lift down there. "

Kalpita hardly heard anything else. She skipped stairs and almost jumped from one floor to the other, till she reached the fourth floor. She dashed towards the lift, gasping.

A huge number of residents had gathered.

The lift had glass slits through which the insides could be seen.
It had halted almost at the middle of the two floors, three fourth of the lift stuck at this floor.

Kalpita reached.

Shivaji was inside, banging as soon as he saw her, his eyes bursting in sheer terror. His faint voice could be heard, shouting his name.

Kalpita screamed at the surrounding, a few security personnel had gathered too.

" WHAT THE HELL??

DO SOMETHING!!! HE'LL CHOKE INSIDE!!! " , she was herself going paranoid while banging the lift from outsides.

" Madam, calm down! They're working on the power supply. And there are air ducts inside. " , the personnel said.

" SHUT UP!!! DON'T TEACH ME!!!

He doesn't know there are ducts, he'll faint due to panic itself, AND IT CAN EVEN LEAD TO CARDIAC ARREST!!

Bloody fools!!! Can't even service the lifts properly!!!

AND WHY THE HELL ISN'T THERE A LIFTMAN INSIDE???

I need a hammer. I need a hammer right now!!!!!! "

Kalpita exactly knew where she could find it. It was hung beside the fire extinguisher.

Amongst a huge number staring just at her, she picked up the hammer, ran and broke the glass slit of the lift.

Immediately, the lift too came back to life, the door slided open.

Kalpita pulled out a terribly devasted Shivaji from below.

He was shaking, tears trickling down his eyes.

Kalpita Chatterjee, giving a damn to the world and herself, hugged him tight, as if he were a baby, a child in dire need of a pair of strong arms around him.

" Thank you..... Thank you.... Thank you..... " , he kept chanting, cupping his face.
" I..... I..... Th.... Kal...... I.... Thank..... You.... " , he was slowly choking.

" Shhhh!
It's alright. It's alright.

Let's go home. "

Kalpita held him by the hand, grabbed his shoulder , and pulled him up the stairs, to their floor.

However, she was herself, slowly drifting away into oblivion.

A million questions rang through the cords and lobes of her brain and nerve.

Why did....his pleading eyes behind the glass, make her lungs go heavy, as if she was herself choking?

Why did the tears that rolled down his cheeks, felt as if, draining from her eyes?

Why did she momentarily go almost insane, when she was informed, he was in distress somwhere, all alone?? 

Why did she feel things in his presence, she had never felt for anyone on earth, till date?

Why, why even??? 

They reached home, she pressed the bell robotically, the door was opened, and Kalpita got in, as if under a spell. She didn't even look back if Shivaji followed.

" Kalpita... ji.... "

Shivaji called her, as she let go of his hand, and walked to the stairs. Without looking back.

Devendra was still seated in the living room, and Suchandra was tying laces to her sneakers, as her cab was delaying.

They both stared, as their ghost stricken daughter climbed up the stairs to her room, and Shivaji stood, drenched in sweat.

Kalpita heard almost nothing, as she walked towards her room, except for a faint voice of Suchandra...
" What happened Shiva.........
......
.....
...

The world almost disappeared behind her, as she slammed the door to her room.

She slowly dropped her body before the mirror, and stared at her beautiful reflection... for a very very long time..

"Yeh aaina hai ya tu hai
Jo roz mujhko sanware!
Itna lagi sochne kyun?
Main aajkal tere baare..

Tu jheel khamoshiyon ki..
Lafzon ki main toh lehar hoon..
Ehsaas ki tu hai duniya..
Chhota sa main ek shehar hoon..."

Very unmindfully, she picked up the liner, and streaked her eyes.

" Khud se hai agar tu bekhabar,
Bekhabar, rakh loon main tera khayal kya?
Chupke chupke tu nazar mein utar..
Sapno mein loon main sambhaal kya?

Main daud ke paas aaun,
Tu neend mein jo pukaare!
Main ret hoon tu hai dariya,
Baithi hoon tere kinaare! "

She pulled in a bunch of bangles down her wrists, and applied a pink hue on her cheeks.
She tucked in a pair of jhumka.

All in a trance, as if.

" Tanha hai agar tera safar..
Humsafar, tanhaai ka main jawaab hoon!
Hoga mera bhi asar
Tu agar padh le, main teri kitaab hoon!

Seene pe mujhko sajaa ke,
Jo raat saare guzaare,
Toh main savere se keh doon,
Mere shehar tu na aa re !

Ye aaina hai ya tu hai,
Jo roz mujhko sanwaare! "

Kalpita, as if suddenly, got back to her senses, and shot up from the seat.

A lightning strike, almost blew the wires of her brain, and the strings of her heart.

" For real, is it? "

She spoke to herself, after a huge defeaning silence.

" Am I in love with you.....

Shivaji?  "