Part-2 starts here:
She looked around the house. The candles were leaving shadows of all objects onto the wall. There were huge photos of Carnatic music singers, of M.S. Subbalakshmi and of another violin player whose name she could not recall. The pattern of the window grill was familiar. That was when she realized that one of her grandma's friends stayed in the same apartment complex, probably in the same floor as she was in.
May be she should get out of the house while the old lady was in the bedroom. Then what about her books? They would surely get soaked in the water! She did not want that to happen. Also the pictures in the room captivated her. She was a huge fan of M.S. Subbalakshmi. She was dying to know who was the one to hang her photo in this house. Was there another fan of MS (as M.S. Subbalakshmi was called by her fans) here?
"My son loves Carnatic music."
The sudden sound of voice behind her shocked her. It was the old lady now wearing a cotton nightie. She better get going! Don't know how old her son is and what else were his hobbies!!! But she had the problem of not knowing how to said Goodbye and leave! She always faced the problem when she was visiting distant relatives or acquaintances. However close friends were easily manageable. She could just get up and say Goodbye and get out of their houses. But with strangers... she never knew how to take leave of them!
"It's so chill!" the old lady exclaimed, "Right time for some coffee. Let me make some for us."
"No Auntie! It's already getting late, I should head back home soon." What if, the old lady adds something to the coffee that would make her doze off or lose her consciousness? No way! She would not allow that to happen. "Could you please give me a polyethene bag for my books?" she asked. Her wet clothes were beginning to make her cold. She had to leave!
The old lady came out with two mugs of coffee and a huge bag overflowing with polybags. Who could resist a hot coffee on cold rainy evening? But somewhere at the back of her mind, she faintly remembered something about a sleeping pill. Meanwhile her lips sipped and she felt the hot liquid flow through her throat spreading warmth into her entire body. She looked again at the photo of MS and wondered how the old lady's son would look like. Would he be tall and handsome? Would he be lean or stout? Would he have a moustache or a beard?
"How old is your son?" she ventured to ask the old lady while she searched for the right bag for her books. Was she feeling dizzy? No! It was all her imagination. When would this power be back! Did she realize that she has been in a strangers house for more than an hour!
"Oh! He is doing his BE course. He is generally home by this time. May be he got stuck in the rain. Let him return, I will ask him to drop you home."
She calculated. He must be more than 5 years younger than her. He was not old enough for her to take any love-interest in him!!! But yes! She had found a perfect bag for her. She stuffed it with her books and wished the old lady goodbye and got out of the house.
Once out of the apartment complex, she was recollecting all her feelings and thoughts that went through while she was with the old lady. How quickly we misjudge people! And how easily someone could fool her! She was safely back home and that's what was needed! All's well that ends well! :)
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