Miles to Marvel Part 8

‘What happened last night?’ said Sunaina in a sleepy tone, her hair were all tangled, the kohl in her eyes was all smudged and ruined. She frankly looked like a troubled goth star. She wailed as she was experiencing a severe headache.

‘You punched a girl last night’ I said, making it sound like it was nothing big.

‘I what? Was I so high? Oh my god! Is she okay?’

‘Apparently your little stint gave us a night extra here’

‘Huh? I don’t understand! ’

I explained everything from the previous night, from her saving me from the crazy girl, Sara. Riana barging with bouncers, apologising to us and finally the little gift. Sunaina couldn’t believe that she ran into a fight for me.

‘It’s all your fault, look at me, all hungover ’ she said in a cranky tone.

‘How come is this all my fault? You were the one who punched her’

‘Well I wouldn’t have done that if you took care of me’

I gave her an incredulous look ‘Weren’t you the one who said “Don’t be my daddy!” ‘

‘Whatever. Buzz off now, I need this day to rest, go have fun with Riana’

‘Hey are you going to be okay?’

‘Yes, hopefully. Now leave, I need rest and just be back, we need to leave tomorrow’

‘I will be and are you sure?’

‘Just go Rishi! Have fun!’

***

I really didn’t want to leave Su. But both of us knew how adamant she was to send me off. Riana and I had fixed a lunch together in the city. Before that I managed to explore the city a bit more. I also contacted my mother from a telephone booth

‘Hello Ma’

‘Rishi! Dear where have you been? I have been worried sick’ cried my mother

‘What happened Ma?’

Last I checked, nobody was missing me.

‘I tried calling you up on your landline but nobody picked up then I tried your cellphone which was out of coverage’. At least my mother still cares for me.

‘I am sorry Ma, actually I lost my phone’

‘Where are you son? Whose number is this?’

‘Ma I am in Goa’

‘Oh! You are already in Goa?!’

‘Wait, how do you know ?’

‘When I couldn’t reach you I called Siddhartha, he told me that you had gone for some adventure trip with his cousin. Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘Ma I was...’ I had no idea what to say, this trip was just to get over things, Things that I didn’t explain my mom earlier.

‘You were?’ she asked

‘I was going to surprise you by coming to Pune’

‘Oh dear child, by the way how did you get so many days off?’

‘Ma, I will talk later, when I come to Pune’

‘Beta is everything okay?’ a sudden concern in her tone

‘Ma everything is good, I will come and tell, see you soon. Bye!’

‘Take care Rishi’ and she hung up.

My mother was a strong woman. Even after my father’s demise, she chose to lead an independent life. I admired her courage always, one thing maybe I couldn’t inherit from her.

Later Riana and I met at a restaurant. She asked for Su’s absence and I told her about her ill health. ‘I am so sorry, it’s all Sara’s mistake’ ‘Na, I think Su is going to be fine’.

We then engaged ourselves into a conversation. She was pleasant to talk to, more sophisticated than I thought she’d be.   

‘So what do you do for living?’ she asked, I wasn’t sure how to tell that I am a broke banker with a ruined life and suicidal tendencies.

‘Well I used to work in a bank, currently I am enjoying my life’  I chose for a safer option.

‘Ah! Sounds exciting’

‘What about you?’ I asked

‘I am an artist, I put up art pieces for different galleries’

‘Wow, how creative. Any boyfriends?’

The moment I asked her that, I wanted to leave and hide myself.

‘Sorry I didn’t mean it like that’ I clarified

I thought she will give me a cold look and divert the topic but instead she laughed about it

‘Well no, I haven’t got any. I am not really into all this. Honestly, I like to stay all by myself, plus my work keeps me busy’

‘I see, do you live in Goa?’

‘No, actually I am always juggling between flights and trains’

‘What is that supposed to mean?’

‘It means that I am trying to sell my art so I have to travel a lot. Daddy has resorts in Bombay and Goa, this is my retreat ground. I am heading Paris for an art show next week’

We went on to talk much more about different things, she was a nice company but even in the middle of our talking sessions I had this sudden urge to call Su and ask how she was doing. Towards the end Riana was summoned by one of her exhibitors and had to leave immediately. ‘We will be in touch Rishi! See you at the resort’ she said before leaving, I nodded.

***

‘Rishi, is that you?’ Su called as I entered her room

‘Yes’

Su looked pale, her face wasn’t glowing as usual.

‘You look sick’

‘I am afraid I am’

‘What happened?’

‘I don’t know, listen can we leave today itself for Bombay?’

‘Today? Like now?’

‘Yes, I even packed my bags and yours too’

‘Are you sure, we could see a doctor here’

‘I don’t think so, can we?’

‘Sure, I will settle the payments, you go and sit inside the car’