Chapter 8: chapter 8

Sandhya reached the garden straightaway. She curiously put the SIM into the mobile and called to America. Parvathamma who was waiting for her call, picked up the phone in the first ring, “Hello, Sandhya.”“Auntie, how are you?” she asked.“What happened, Sandhya? You didn’t pick the call, we were calling you since yesterday? Here, talk to Maggie.”“Mom, what’s wrong? You didn’t talk to me!” she said downhearted.“Sorry dear, my mobile was not working. I had to buy a new one. I won’t do it again, I promise,” she said, instilling faith in her.“Mom, when are you coming here? Please come.”“I will definitely come, my dear. I will, you are my sunshine, please be a good girl for mommy!”“Yes, I’m a good girl” “Then please don’t cry anymore, okay? I will talk to you and I won’t do it again, okay?” wept Sandhya.The little girl’s heart was bothering, "Okay mom, I won’t cry anymore.”Parvathamma interrupted midway, "Okay dear, It’s already late, I will call you at night.”Sandhya got into her senses that it was night over there and said, "Okay Auntie, I’ll be waiting.”“Mom, bye,” said Maggie and hung up.Sandhya broke down, “Ugh! Maggie wasn’t sad even when she was going to America but she is now because of my carelessness. I will have to take care of my mobile,” determined she.As soon as he reached the office, the manager and accountant who were waiting for him, hurried, “Sir, there is an important mail.”He had to look into the project even though he wasn’t interested because it was an crucial one. When he was checking the mail in the computer, his friend asked, "What’s the matter, Sir? Where were you?”He smiled gently and remained calm.“I’m asking you! Were you roaming in my car again?”‘Dude, what’s your problem?”“My problem is you. I’m afraid that you will hit someone with the car again!”“What do you think of me? Do you think I am a rash driver?”“Well, you did that yesterday.”“Dude, hang in there. Let me send this mail,” he said and sent the mail, "Okay, what is it? Tell me now?”“Even I’m asking the same, tell me now?”“I met yesterday’s girl,” he said and talked about what happened.“Good! You cleared her debt by purchasing her a new phone. Now let things be the way it is.”“Dude, what do you mean? I love her, man. I want her but I’m afraid she might be married”“What? How do you know that?”“What am I supposed to do? She had her saree wrapped around her neck. I wanted to look at her feet but even her feet were covered by the saree.”“You should have asked her directly?”“That would be the worst case. She is replying in a single word while I’m talking in paragraphs. She might have slapped me if I asked about her marital status”“Then what do you ought to do?”“Dude, you should help me, please.”“Umm okay, there must be a bill when she go the mobile, right?”“Yeah”“There must be number in the bill then. Come, let’s go find it”“Dude, thank you so much! Let’s go to the store right away.”Both of them reached the mobile store in a hurry.As soon as the seller looked at him, "Sir, you are here again? What’s the matter?”“It’s nothing, man. We gave the mobile to a woman just now, right? Was there any mobile when she gave the bill?” asked he curiously.“Let me look at it. What’s the matter, Sir? Is it love?”He nodded his head yes.The man who was beside him, “Oh god!” and held his forehead.The seller looked at the bill book, found the number, and gave it to him.“Thanks, man,” he said and both of them were back to their office.“Dude, you found the number. Call her.”“Yeah, but how should we break the ice?”“Don’t involve me! I got a bad feeling about this.”He was cursing at his friend’s words and called her by himself.Sandhya was busy in the garden and didn’t notice the phone ringing.There was no response from Sandhya and he stopped calling her, “Dude, she isn’t picking up the call!”“Dude, women have a lot of works to do. She isn’t waiting for you call, right?”“Stop it, man”Meanwhile, Sandhya noticed the missed calls and called back.“Dude, she’s calling! Talk to her and get the information somehow. Talk to her, please”!“Ughh, what should I talk? You are getting on my nerves”He picked the call, “Hello madam. It’s me, Appa Rao. Sir called me and told that it is your anniversary and asked me send two movie tickets. Are you at home?” asked he.“Hey, what the hell? Who are you? What are you talking about? Tickets for anniversary? Wrong number!” she disconnected the call, irritated.Their happiness reached sky high.“Dude, it means she isn’t married!”“Thanks, dude. I know you would do it and that’s why I called from your mobile,” he mocked.“Dude, you will get me killed someday. If someone from her family get to know this, they will beat the life out of me, not yours,” he shouted.“Stop it, man. And who will dare to hit you when I’m here?”“You will be there but I must be alive, right?”“Are you for real, man? I’m leaving”“To where?”“To meet the girl”“How? Do you know where she lives?”“No, but I will go search where I met her. If I’m lucky enough, I will find her.”“All the best! But don’t ask me  to accompany you.”“Ughh, you are scared! Bye,” he said and walked out.As soon as he stepped out, it started raining, "Oh man! It’s a curse. Where can I find her in this situation?” scolded himself.Meanwhile, his friend called him and he picked up, "What is it?” he asked, vexed.“Dude, are you planning a revenge on me or something?”“Why are you saying that?”“You took my car again!”“Sorry dude, I felt that your car is a good sign”“Shut up, you come to the office first”“I will! It is such a waste of time to search for her in this heavy rain,” and when he was talking, someone fumbled in front of his car. He hit the break, "I’ll call you later,” he said and disconnected the call. He got down from the car and there she was, the woman who he was looking for.“Madam, it’s you again!”“I was about to get hit by your car again”“Oh my god, are you hurt?” and he stretched his hand in hurry.Out of no other choice, she grabbed his hand. He thought to himself, “I will never let go of this hand, my dear,” and helped her to stand.“Thank you. I don’t like getting drenched in rain. I was in a hurry and fumbled by your car.”He thanked the rain in his heart. She was drenched completely.“You are completely drenched. Come madam, let me drop you at your home.”“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to be a burden for you.”“It’s not any burden! Please come.”“It’s fine, I will go by walk”“Madam, looks like you don’t trust me enough. Here this out then, I love a woman with all my heart. I don’t have any intentions for other women except her,” he said and felt strongly in his heart, “That woman is you.”She felt it would be so rude if she didn’t hop in after such explanation and he was on cloud nine.As they were travelling, the rain halted.“It’s not raining anymore, stop the car. I will go by walk.”His face turned sad, “What is this, madam? Do you have to go by walk if it’s not raining? I will drop you at your home”“It’s not like that. It might be a problem for me,” she said, “This man is trying to help me but how do I explain him by situation?” she thought, “It’s okay, drop me at a distance from my home.”“Okay,” he said and started the car. He wanted to find out where she lived and that’s why he convinced her.She was directing him, “Take the next left…Right here…”He was wondering about the directions and she asked him to stop at a place.He was wondering and asked, "Why did you ask me to stop here, madam?”“I’ll get down here,” she said and got down from the car. He got down along with her and asked, “Where do you stay here?”“You can see the bungalow over there? That’s where I live. Thank you for the ride,” she said and was about to walk away.“Madam, I have a question for you. What is your name?”“Ugh, I told you earlier. It’s Sandhya. It’s getting late, I’m leaving now,” she said and was walking hurriedly.He was looking at her like a statue as she walking away.Â