The lectures were over for the day and Nandini, Nishi and Vrinda were on their way back home, walking slowly towards the place where Nandini's cycle and Nishi's car were parked. Vrinda travelled with Nishi in the car, as their houses were close to each others.

Nishi's cell phone rang. She looked at the number and told Nandini, "It's your mother," and then answered it.

"Hello...hi aunty! How are you...I'm fine. Yes, we both will come to visit soon. And we'll stay over too. She is with me...yes, just a minute, aunty."

Nishi handed the phone to Nandini.

Nandini took the phone, a little mystified. It was her daily practice to call up her mother in the afternoon from the public phone in the college, just to know - and let her know - that all was fine.  Her mom didn't usually call on her friend's cell phones as she felt she would troubling them unnecessarily, even though they had assured her numerous times that her calls were always welcome.

"Hi maa, is everything okay?" Nandini asked, feeling worried.

"Nandini, Garewal uncle had called. He is in town for the day and is coming over to visit," her mom said happily.

"He is?" Nandini squealed in excitement. "Don't let him leave until I reach home," she instructed her mother urgently.

"You don't need to worry about that," her mother said laughing, "He has said he won't move an inch from here until you serve him lunch, dessert and evening tea."

"I'll be there in half an hour," Nandini said. She cut the call and handed the phone back to Nishi, and told them both hurriedly why she had to rush. She ran to her bicycle and set off, thrilled about the prospect of meeting one of her favourite people after a long time.

Rajesh Garewal had been Shamli's biggest and richest businessman. He'd had very good political connections too. He had also been among her father's closest childhood friends. The families had always been close, but when the Garewals had remained childless after many years of marriage, he and his wife had become even more attached to Nandini and Prakash. 

They had moved out of Shamli to a big city two years ago. But even after the shift, they kept in constant touch through the phone. Nandini wondered what business had brought him to Shamli for such a short visit.

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


Nandini hurriedly got off the cycle, parked it by the side of the house and rushed into the house. Rajesh Garewal had been sitting on the sofa in the drawing room, Prakash by his side, chatting with her grandfather about the city and his business. The second he heard the sound of the gate opening, his face lit up. He immediately stood up and walked over to the door to meet her midway. His face split into a wide smile when he saw her. Nandini almost ran to him. She touched his feet, and he gave her a one-armed hug. The rest of the afternoon passed in a happy flash.

After lunch, they all sat together in the veranda.  Rajesh was seated on the sofa, Bhoothnath in his favourite armchair and Sarojini was standing next to the chair. Nandini was sitting cross legged on a straw mat in front of the sofa, with her right arm around her little brother's shoulder.
 
Everyone was somber because Rajesh had just told them he and his wife were flying to the US for three years to advance his business. Nandini was most disappointed of all, but tried to pretend that she was glad for him because she could tell that he was feeling guilty about it.

"But there is a good news too," he added hurriedly. "I have found tenants for Ayodhya" he smiled, referring to the big house adjoining theirs which also belonged to their family.

Nandini exchanged joyful looks with her mother and grandfather. They had been trying to find someone to rent it for years now; the money, however little, would be really useful.

"Sumer Singh, a close friend of mine. He and his nephew need to move to Shamli for a year or two....and I suggested this place. I've known Sumer for a couple of years now and you will not find a more decent and respectable family," he declared.

"When are they coming?" Sarojini asked anxiously.

Rajesh looked a little guilty as he said, "They will arrive the day after tomorrow."

"So soon," Sarojini said, worried. "We need to tidy up that house immediately. We haven't cleaned it in a month or two."

"Don't worry, maa," Nandini said reassuringly. "I'll call Vrinda and Nishi home tomorrow and we three will clean it up. And this hero will help too," she added, indicating Prakash.

"I will?" Prakash asked, horrified, and was answered by a firm nod from Nandini.

Rajesh continued with the details. "Sumer was with the armed forces. He has retired now.  But they belong to an old and wealthy family. The boy is very advanced in his studies for his age. Some kind of genius apparently. He is just 19 but has already completed his masters, and is studying further."

"What happened to the boy's parents," Bhoothnath asked.

"They died when he was a child. Sumer has brought him up. They don't have anyone else as family."

"The poor child," Saroini exclaimed sorrowfully. Nandini looked at the stricken look on her mother's face and knew that she was already preparing to smother the orphaned boy with motherly affection.

Rajesh also apparently came to same conclusion and seemed to become a little alarmed. "You don't need to feel so bad, bhabhiji. He led a happy and secure childhood on the whole. He is just 19, but is already very confident and capable."

"But he must surely miss a grandfather's love," Bhoothnath said. "The unfortunate fellow has missed all the story telling that only a grandparent can do." 

Nandini could see her grandpa's eyes gleaming with enthusiasm at the idea of getting brand new audience for his very long tales.

Rajesh looked more worried than ever, and said in a strangely embarrassed manner, "I think perhaps I should have mentioned this earlier. You see...both of them, especially the boy, are extremely reserved and dislike socializing. So, they are looking for a very quiet place."
 
Bhoothnath said with great determination, "Of course, they'll get a peaceful home...we will ensure that other people don't trouble them with their company." Sarojini also nodded innocently.

Rajesh Garewal looked even more uncomfortable and he started to say, "That's not exactly what I meant - " 

He was interrupted by Bhoothnath, who timidly said, "Anything your friends give us would be a great blessing...but we just wanted to know...."
 
Nandini and her mother looked at each other apprehensively.
 
Rajesh Garewal smiled at the genuine innocence behind the question and quoted an amount. Sarojini sat down on a chair, overcome with relief and happiness – the money would go a long way in solving their financial problems. Nandini walked over to her mother and hugged her tight, while her grandfather pulled up uncle from the sofa and squeezed the life out of him with a bear hug.

Once they had all calmed down, Rajesh tried to explain again, "That is why they are willing to pay so high a sum, because they want a quiet place..." 

But his audience was lost, as Sarojini and Bhoothnath had begun discussing all the arrangements to be made for their stay.

Nandini had listened to the whole exchange in silence and realized that she was the only one who understood what Rajesh was trying to say....that her family was also among those who would have to leave the new family alone.

While Prakash was sulking over the next day's planned activities, she walked over to the sofa, kneeled down before uncle, and whispered with a very grave expression and twinkling eyes, "If they wanted to go to some quite place where they would not be disturbed by noisy, nosy and obnoxious neighbours...then you've shown them the wrong house uncle." Rajesh Garewal gave a sigh of resignation.

"Sumer uncle and his nephew are going to get a readymade family, whether they like it or not," she announced with a mischievous smile.


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

It was already evening and Nandini came out of the house with two hot cups of tea and found Rajesh Garewal sitting in one of the two cane chairs permanently placed in the little courtyard outside their house. He was gazing at the rose plant in their garden, looking troubled and lost in thought.

"All problems can be solved with tea, my child,"

He came out of his reverie, and looked at Nandini who was standing with a cup in her outstretched hand with an exaggerated motherly attitude, and laughed. "Sit down mother," he said, patting the chair next to his. But she sat down on the ground near his feet, with her arms around her knees, and grinned up at him. He chortled again, "That's exactly what you used to do as a child too. You would come and sit in between your father's and my feet whenever and wherever we were sitting together."

In an instant, the afternoon's gaiety was forgotten. Nandini looked down at the grass near her feet to hide her suddenly damp eyes, and memories that were simultaneously beautiful and painful came rushing into both their minds. 

After a few minutes, Rajesh placed his hand on her head and said gently, "He is still here with all of you, Nandini. I don't think you realize how much you are like him in spirit. I feel his presence in you....in your compassion, your smile, your warmth and your ideals. Every time I see you, I feel like I am meeting him in essence."

Nandini squeezed her eyes shut, and let the tears fall. His words were bringing comfort to wounds that had not healed yet. 

"He was my moral anchor when he was alive. He kept me on the right path when my other friends were selling their principles for wealth and they wanted to drag me down too. He always refused to take a single rupee from me or anyone else...no matter how many problems arose. And even after his death, all of you have kept his values alive. Until a few years ago, whenever I had to choose between principles and money, I would think of your father, and the decision would become clear. Now, instead of his image, I think of his daughter's face.....and my daughter's too," he said, his voice sounding a little choked.

************************** 

Rajesh Garewal was leaving. He and Nandini were standing by the car that would take him to the station. Her mother was packing some eatables for his journey, and Prakash and her grandfather were gift wrapping some of Rajesh's wife's favourite sweets.

"Your aunty was so desperate to meet you. If she had been feeling even slightly better, she would have come," Rajesh said. "She cried when I was leaving. Oh I almost forgot. She gave me a letter for you." And he pulled out an envelope from his pocket and handed it over to her. Nandini took the letter and ran her fingers fondly over the words on the cover - 'For my Nanhi.' Nanhi...it was aunty's exclusive pet name for her.

"I don't know what is in the letter. She didn't let me see it," Rajesh said chuckling, then paused, and said seriously, "I have told your mother and grandfather all that I know and believe and was told to convey about the guests.....however, there was something else that I wanted to tell only you. There is no time now...but, if I know my wife at all, then I can tell you that the letter in your hands says exactly what I have in mind."

The others were coming out of the house now and walking towards the car now with broad smiles.

Rajesh said in small voice, "I know no one can ever take the place of your father. But sometimes, if you feel like talking to him, give me a missed call on my phone. I'll call you back. Even otherwise, I hope you will at least call for this old man and his wife, who are lonely in a faraway land."

Nandini didn't trust herself to speak without crying, and she only nodded tearfully.

All the packages were handed over to uncle. He took leave of her mother, touched her grandpa's feet, kissed Prakash on the forehead, stroked Nandini's head lovingly one last time, and got into the car. Nandini waved till the car was lost from view.

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

Suvek Gujral was confused. It was late evening and he was sitting alone in one of the comfortable chairs in the exclusive club that Nandini had declined to join. And that was precisely why he was confused. 

Why had she refused? Any other student would have jumped at the chance. And there he had hit another roadblock – Nandini wasn't any other student, she was very special, to him at least. He almost regretted that he was a year older and so couldn't be in the same class as her. That would have made it so easy for him to interact with her and become friends. Now he had to come up with good reasons to talk to her, because it was not Suvek Gujral's style to approach other students for anything....they came to him.

And Suvek was not being too vain or arrogant in thinking like that - he knew for a fact that lots of girls had crushes on him. He had always been very good at both academics and sports, was always polite and courteous towards others. All students either loved him or envied him, and his teachers and professors had upheld him as a role model for other students for as long as he could remember. His good looks were only one more reason for his popularity, and he knew for a fact that he had at least one secret fan club in the college consisting of a minimum of 30 girls.

Nandini too was always very friendly and nice towards him. But she was like that towards everybody. There was none of the blushing or flustered looks that he was used to when dealing with other girls. He found that very puzzling....and ironic as well. Nandini was the first girl ever on whom he had had a crush. 

He had first seen her at the fresher's party seven months ago, and had immediately been attracted by her unusual loveliness, with big, black and extremely beautiful eyes, delicate and perfectly shaped nose and lips, a clear and glowing complexion, and lustrous long black hair. Suvek knew the infatuation would have waned over time if the only reason had been her looks, because he wasn't a shallow person at heart. But as the months went by, his interest had only deepened as he saw the genuine warmth that seemed to radiate from her, her cheerful nature and her infectious smile and laughter. In fact, a couple of times, he had incredibly and uncharacteristically found himself fumbling for words when he looked into her eyes.

And so, after a lot of thinking, he had decided very rationally that as he was finding it difficult to ignore his feelings and they were not going to simply go away, it was time to do something about it and take the first step towards starting a meaningful relationship with her. His invitation had been the first step - it was not mere chance that the club had decided to include first years from this year on. It had been his suggestion and, little by little, he had convinced the other members that the rule must be changed. And he'd had only one intention. He'd wanted Nandini to join the club. He was confident that as she spent more time with him, she too would begin to return his feelings. But all of his planning had gone to waste, and now he would have to find another way.

It was disappointing that the only girl he liked was the only one who didn't think he was special.  But Suvek was not one to give in so easily, he would find another way. It was just a question of how long it would take.

There was no need to hurry or be concerned, he comforted himself. Nandini wasn't going anywhere, neither was he. And no one was coming to stake a claim on her or anything.

"Stake a claim," Suvek thought distastefully, "It was such an archaic expression. You couldn't stake claim on a human being."

He got up from the chair and looked down and admired his reflection in the glass covering the conference table...

No one was going to come in his way, and no one was going to stake a claim on Nandini, he thought self-assuredly and smiled smugly at his handsome reflection. 

Who would dare...

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