Broken Hug

At Peace

“Well, we’ll have to see then.” He smiled. “It’s not as easy as it sounds.”

The taxi came to a crossing. Fai told the driver something in Thai, pointing to the left ahead near the petrol pump. The taxi slowed down and came to a halt at the lane after it. Rohan peeped out. They came out, paid the driver and walked down the lane and stopped at the gate of the second house.

“The domestic help comes in the evening, so no one’s at home,” Fai said as she inserted the key into the lock.

They stepped into a small yard. There was a sitting room with a T. V. on one side and sofas lining up against the opposite wall. To the left a flight of stairs went up to another floor. The dining and the kitchen space stood just after the flight of stairs. Beyond that was another door leading to the small backyard with a small room to the left and a washroom to the right.

  “Come up, Raw-han,” and Fai took the flight of stairs.

  Another small flight and they were on the second floor. Three bedrooms stood side by side to the right and two on the right far end.

  Fai opened the door of the room to the left. The room was of a moderate size. On the right stood a bean bag and next to it a couch. After the couch was a door, perhaps leading to the washroom. This was followed by a study table, complete with a shelf and a chair. On the left side of the room was a bed, bigger than a single bed but smaller than a double one. Next to the door was the cupboard. 

   Rohan kept the luggage in one corner. It was close to four o’clock. He sat on the bed and smiled at Fai.

   Fai was next to him. “Dad returns around eight, so we can move around the house.”

   He nodded and smiled. He saw a book on the table and picked it up. It was a photo album, quite old. There were elderly couples standing in front of a plant. Probably it was a garden. Fai pointed to them saying they were her grandparents.

   “And that’s me with a Barbie Doll. And the woman in the next pic is my mom, and that’s my dad.” Fai got up and switched the laptop on. “What’s your favourite music, Raw-han?”

   “Several. Like rock, hip-hop and a few more. But I want to get to know about the music bands of Thailand. And classical songs too.”

   “Oh we have quite a few of rock bands.” She named the recent ones. They held shows in Bangkok. She had, in fact attended a few times. “You will like this one,” and she switched on one, adjusted the volume controls and came up to the bed and leaned against the pillow. “Come here, Raw-han,” and she patted the place next to her. He came and sat beside her, putting the other pillow against the head rest. The music started, Rohan tapped his fingers on his thigh. Fai rested her head on his thigh, held his hand and nodded her head to the music.

   “Dee ma,” he said softly, and caressed her hair.

   Very soon he lay down next to her. The soft music fell into their ears, soothing their minds. He stretched his arm and put it around her. She turned facing him and put her leg across his, their faces close to each other’s. Her hand was around his body. He continued running his fingers in her hair as his face lay buried in the thick mass.

   None of them knew when they had dozed off for his cell phone started ringing all of a sudden. He looked at the name. Asia Guest House. He picked it up.

   “Hello.” It was the receptionist’s voice. “Am I speaking to Mr. Rohan Bose?”

   “Yes.”                                                                                              

   “Good evening Mr. Rohan. There is a camera found in the room you and your friends were staying. Could you kindly come to the guest house and collect it?’

   “Yes. Yes. Thank you.”

   Fai had got up by then. “Tell her to hold on,” and then she took the phone.

   She spoke something in Thai for some time. At last Rohan heard her thanking the receptionist in her language.

   “Guess what,” Fai exclaimed keeping the phone on the bed and resting her hands on his shoulders. “We have found a house for you.” She laughed. “I mean a condo with one room.” And she told him that she asked the receptionist that Rohan was looking for a room to stay for two weeks. “I told her that we scanned the papers and also Googled but couldn’t find any around. The owner of the guest house owns a condo in the lane of the restaurants. I mean where we had our lunch at the food court yesterday before it rained.” Fai paused. “So she told me to go there tomorrow.”

   “But is it okay to move with the luggage? Because if we don’t find any room vacant then we have to once again return here.”

   “No. She said there are rooms available. But they will take one month’s rent even if it’s for two weeks.”

    “That’s fine.” He nodded. “But what’s the rent?”

   “I asked her that. It’s BHT 5,000/-“

   “That’s great. I only have to pay that and will save something close to twenty thousand.”

   “Well then, my Raw-han, how about some coffee?” She spoke in a sing-song voice and smiled. “If you can give me a surprise, I can say I’m an expert in it too.”

   “Yes, my Fai. My honey.” And he planted a kiss on her cheek.

   When she was gone, he looked out of the window. The road outside was quiet. The house across had a similar structure as Fai’s. Perhaps all the houses in this neighbourhood were made by the same real estate company. It too had a small yard in front followed by a sliding glass door and a netted door. Even the windows of the first floor looked the same. One thing made Rohan smile with satisfaction. If he stood at the window, it would be hard to tell if anyone was standing there for the net fixed to it would really make it hard to tell so. Above that, the holes of the net were tiny, thus making visibility not possible.

   He saw a poster of a music band on the wall next to the study table. All the members possessed Mongoloid features. Probably a local band. He rested his eyes on the table. An exercise copy lay open. The sketch on it caught Rohan’s eyes. In the foreground, water was sketched with ripples here and there. At the bank tufts of grass and plants with reeds could be seen. In the middle stood a small bridge with a small and beautiful hump. The shape of its bricks was visible. And at the background was the open sky with a few birds flying.

   Rohan flicked the page and more sketches fell into view. On a table stood a jug, and next to it some fruits on a plate. The fruits were half covered with a small cloth which enhanced their beauty as they stood half exposed.

   He heard footsteps sounding on the floor boards of the stairs and somehow felt a certain flush of satisfaction surge within him. The turn of events played in his mind, beginning from the first day at the BACC. Only a few days had rolled by, but he felt as if he had known Fai since many years. He was so comfortable in her presence. The comfort came in a natural manner. There seemed nothing forced, nothing done in an artificial way. It’s like one taking in one’s stride the way one accepts each and everyday’s weather.

   He was still standing at the window when Fai entered. He helped her take the tray from her and placed it on the bedside table. She pulled the beanbag towards the bed and faced the window, while he sat on the chair of the study table.

   “I was going through your sketch book,” he said while taking one of the cookies from the tray, “and saw the last one dated a few days ago.”

   “Yes, it was done last Sunday,” she said keeping her cup after a sip. “I had begun it on Saturday night but stopped when some friends called.” She went up and drew the netted curtain to one side.

   “You must be sketching since quite a long time, I suppose?”

   She finished a cookie and wiped her hand on the paper napkin. “Actually I seriously started since five years ago.” She sipped. “But before that the ideas kept playing in my mind.”

   He nodded. “I liked the two variations in the category of your sketches,’ he said. “Still life and nature.”

   She looked at him. “It plays in my mind – and I think I will – go for painting.”

   He finished his coffee and came and sat on the floor next to the beanbag. “That’s a good idea,” he said and leaned on the edge of the bed. “The coffee’s good,” and he looked at her.

   She smiled. “And what about you, Raw-han?” she said.

   “What about me, Fai,” he said holding her hand, smiling.

   “About another song?” she came and sat next to him, her left shoulder leaning on the edge of the bed.

   He had now leant on his right shoulder, looking at her.