Where the Secret Lies (10 page)

‘How
can we afford this?’ Anjali asked.

 
‘You are a Memsahib now Anjali. We do not
travel in third class anymore,’ Mohan kissed her neck.

Anjali
melted under his kisses. ‘I love you, Mohan ji.’

Mohan
picked her up and carried her inside, placing her on the rose bed like a
delicate flower. He locked the door.

‘I have
never travelled first class,’ Anjali said.

Mohan
caressed a rose over Anjali’s midriff, travelling up her breasts, neck, and
mouth where he bent down to kiss.

‘Mohan
ji, how can we afford all of this, it is extravagant,’ Anjali breathed heavily.

‘For
people who own havelis, everything is affordable my love,’ Mohan’s voice,
intense with want and lust made Anjali dissolve under him as he kissed her
mouth again. She kissed him back.
 

‘This
is only the first part of your surprise,’ he murmured.

Mohan unravelled
her sari and opened her blouse, revealing caramel breasts. He tongue travelled
from her smooth, tiny waist to her breasts. Anjali trembled.

‘What
more could you have for me?’

The
shrill whistle of the steam drowned Mohan’s next words as the train caught
speed. Anjali sighed in splendid bliss, whatever the surprise – it could wait. Right
now, she only wanted Mohan.

The train pulled into the station
as Mohan and Anjali stood in their compartment, ready to depart. The journey
had been a long one, twenty-eight hours to be exact but the hours whiled by as
they talked, ate, played cards and most of all, made love.

She
had awoken with a smile on her face. Mohan was still asleep. Anjali began to
dress and reflected on their night...she lowered her eyes, colour rising to her
cheeks. Mohan made love to her with heightened passion and she surrendered to his
charm. When finally allowed to sleep, she dreamt of her mother. She did not
remember much; she was quite young when she passed away but Anjali sensed her
mother was close in spirit and she had given her blessing to her and Mohan.

‘I don’t recognise this station,’
said Anjali. ‘Where are we?’

‘We
are outside of Rajkot,’ Mohan said watching her.

A
moment of silence and Anjali she let out a scream. She flung herself onto Mohan
kissing his eyes, nose, and mouth.

‘Is
this true?’

Mohan
chuckled. ‘I’m glad you are happy. The coolie will bring our bags out to the
tonga.’

Doubt
replaced excitement.

‘I
have been away from my family for so long and now I am married. Will they
accept me?’

‘Everything
will be alright,’ Mohan reassured her and took her hand.

Had it only been a year since she
saw her family? It did not seem so; Anjali could count the times she cried over
her sister whom she wanted at her wedding. She cried for her father and she
cried for her new family.

Nightmares
came easily and Mohan would soothe her until she fell asleep again. Where were
they now? The thought was constant. Were they safe and alive?

Now as
she got into the tonga with her husband, Anjali’s mind crowded with questions
and fears again. She clasped Mohan’s hand tight as they entered Rajkot. Anjali
prayed for a happy welcome.

The tonga driver passed the river
where boys and men swam. Women filled pots with water, some washed clothes on
stones using wide sticks.

People
on cycles overtook the tonga and the tonga driver hooted cheerfully. Mohan
squeezed Anjali’s hand but she was nervous to smile or do anything.

At
intervals, the tonga driver sang songs and questioned Mohan and Anjali. Mohan
always answered.

‘We
have come from Lucknow.’

‘That
is a long way. Do you have friends or family here?’

‘My
wife does,’ said Mohan.

‘After
the riots, Rajkot changed. You will see it different. During the riots, most of
my family were killed. But that is a long time ago.’

‘I shall pray for you and your
family,’ said Anjali kindly.

The
tonga driver slowed the tonga to a stop. ‘We have arrived.’

Anjali
stared ahead.

ARIANNA

THIRTEEN

The household buzzed with excitement as suitcases, bags and
boxes were packed. Tomorrow morning, the family were travelling to Lucknow! The
pre-wedding celebrations were due to begin in two days on arrival of all guests.

Arianna counted fifteen large
suitcases, an assortment of twenty boxes of different sizes, and many travel
bags. The elders of the family decided to travel by train rather than by plane
and enthused it would be a great experience for all young people, especially
for Arianna and Tianna. Arianna never travelled by train in India and the
thought of going long distance and sleeping in bunks was exhilarating. She
loved the fact that the travelling party totalled to thirty people including her
and Khushboo’s family.

‘Oh my God, can you imagine Ari,
the journey will take twenty-four hours!’ groaned Tianna.

‘Twenty-four hours and
twenty-minutes to be exact,’ said Khushboo as she passed with several bunches
of flowers laden on her arms.

‘That’s so long, what are we
going to do on the train for that length of time? Why couldn’t we go by plane
which would only take us two hours and ten minutes – to be exact – to get to
Lucknow?’

‘Where is the fun in that?’ said
Arianna.

‘You won’t get bored Ti, we will
have lots to do on the train – singing, dancing, playing cards, quizzes and a
whole lot more,’ said Khushboo as she passed by again going the opposite way.
This time she held sarees wrapped in cellophane.

There was hardly any space to move in the house. Boxes
containing flowers and other wedding items waited to be counted – a job for
Khushboo to record.

She dumped the last batch of garlands into an open box and
crashed onto the sofa, exhausted.

‘Be careful Khushboo, those
flowers are for the wedding,’ her mother scolded. ‘And get up; we have more
work to do before we leave.’

The train departed at eight
twenty the following morning, which meant an early rise for everyone. They had
to leave the house by six thirty at the latest. Everyone was to meet at the
station and breakfast would be served on the train. It was all planned.

Arianna jumped up. ‘I’ll help
auntie. What do you want me to do?’

‘See how helpful your sister
is?’ Auntie said to Khushboo.

‘You should adopt her then,’
muttered Khushboo irritably.

‘Enough of the cheek, young
lady.’

‘Aw Ma, please let me rest for a
while, I am so tired. I have been working all day.’

‘Ten minutes,’ said her mother.

Khushboo groaned. ‘I wish your
mum was mine, Ari. Ma is so strict!’

‘That’s what you think. Come on,
I will help you,’ said Arianna, linking her arms with Khushboo.

No morning sunshine greeted Arianna as she woke up to the
shrill alarm from her phone. It was still dark outside.

Her mother and auntie sat in the
kitchen, drinking from teacups when she entered, bleary-eyed.

‘Can I have coffee?’ she slumped
into the chair opposite her mother. Her mother raised her eyebrows.

‘You can make it yourself,’ she
chastised.

‘It’s alright. I will make it,’
said her auntie.

‘You know you spoil her, don’t
you? She will become lazy when we go back to London.’

Auntie laughed as she put the water
on to boil.

‘What time did you sleep last
night?’ she asked Arianna.

‘I don’t remember, twelve maybe,’
Arianna rubbed her eyes, yawned, and stretched. The aroma of coffee wafted
towards her. ‘Mmmm, that smells lovely, exactly what I need.’

‘Ari, we told you all to sleep
early,’ said her mother.

‘Sorry,’ mumbled Arianna.

Slowly, Khushboo, Tianna, Gaurav,
and the two fathers walked in, bleary-eyed too. Auntie shook her head.

‘How can the young learn when
the elders misbehave?’ she indicated, cocking her head towards her husband and
her brother-in-law.

‘What?’ they said together.

‘Never mind, have your chai and
then all of you, shower. Five minutes each and no longer. It is five-thirty
now.’

‘So early,’ moaned Tianna and
Khushboo together.

‘Where’s Ba?’ auntie asked about
her mother-in-law.

‘Still sleeping but we will wake
her when everyone is out of the shower. She will take forty-five minutes just
to have a bath,’ said Khushboo’s father.

‘Have some respect. She is your
mother,’ auntie scolded. ‘Now, don’t sit around. Have your chai quickly.’

After much waiting, shouting, more waiting and more
shouting, the family were ready to leave, although disgruntled.

‘You can all go back to sleep on the train,’ said Arianna’s
mother.

‘Gaurav, be useful and carry a
box,’ auntie pushed a long one into her son’s arms.

‘What about Khush?’ Gaurav
pulled a face.

‘She is already carrying a
suitcase.’

Khushboo stuck her tongue out
and Tianna grinned. With all the luggage and boxes packed into the taxi boots –
five altogether, the family piled in.

Arianna expected a noisy station but was surprised to hear a
quiet hum. The coolies (porters) sat on the platform, smoking their stick-like
beedies (cigarettes). They wore sharp, red uniforms. Arianna was impressed.

She scrutinised the passengers
who seemed to be waiting for local trains, mostly men. They held briefcases,
wore suits, and kept checking their watches. Some read the morning paper. Arianna
also checked the time; it was now seven.

‘Thank God we are on time,’
exclaimed auntie, as she sat on a bench.

The breakfast tiffins arrived
and stomachs began to rumble. Coolies rushed to unload the luggage from the
party and carried them into their compartments. The family boarded.

 
‘What’s inside the tiffins?’ asked Tianna.

‘Chapattis, condiments, chutneys
and some south Indian food - idli (semolina cake),’ said auntie filling her plate.

Plastic cups and plates passed
around and everyone began to tuck into their breakfast with zest.

Very soon, the rest of the
wedding party turned up and took their places with the family. Embraces,
touching of feet (an Indian custom to show respect) and handshakes went all
around. Unknown relatives embraced Arianna and Tianna. Arianna’s mother introduced
them as uncles and aunties, and the girls smiled. Arianna hoped she would remember
them if they approached her, it could be quite embarrassing otherwise.

Arianna’s phone beeped, it was a
message from Nikhil.

‘I miss you Ari.x’

Arianna smiled and text back.
‘Me too.’

‘I love you’ was the next text
from him. Arianna’s parents did not know about Nikhil and she wanted it to stay
that way. The last thing she wanted was her mother arranging their wedding! She
cringed thinking about it. Arianna sent a final text.

‘I’ll call you later, be safe.
Ps: too many aunties and uncles on the train! Do not call or text. Ok?’

Nikhil quickly replied. ‘Okay, I
await your call, my princess!’

Arianna hid her smile so that
even her ever-observant cousin would not harass her. She leaned back into her
seat.

A song about marriage began
within the group and a small boy began to play the Tabla (Indian drums). Uncles,
aunties and even her mother and father stood up to dance. Arianna, Tianna, and
Khushboo burst out laughing but before long, Arianna was tapping her feet to
the beat.

The country truly amazed Arianna.
The green landscape turned red and brown, the grey skies turned blue and the
haze cleared as the train chugged away from Mumbai.

Ten hours into the journey, most
of the party fell asleep including Arianna’s parents, uncle, and auntie. Tianna
had her head in a book; this time is was "A Guide to Lucknow". Gaurav
was playing cards with another fellow cousin whom Arianna did not know.

‘Pst!’ said Khushboo.

‘What?’ said Arianna. She closed
her magazine.

‘Do you want to sit on the roof
of the train?’ said Khushboo.

‘What!’ exclaimed Arianna loudly,
a few snores stopped abruptly then started up again. Arianna lowered her tone.
‘Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not only absurd but...but dangerous!’

‘Ssh don’t wake the neighbours!’
Khushboo came closer to Arianna. ‘You know that boy in the corner? His name is Jignesh.
He is a family friend and knows how to get up on the roof.’

‘Have you ever sat on the roof
of a train before?’ asked Arianna. Probably has, she thought, nothing could
stop this girl.

‘I have but only once. Come on,
you will love it.’

‘What about Tianna and Gaurav?’

‘I don’t want to come. You go, I
won’t tell mum,’ said Tianna from inside her book.

‘I won’t tell either,’ said
Gaurav without looking up from his game. ‘I’ve done it more than a dozen times.
Go for it.’

‘Good it’s settled then. Wait
and I will speak to Jignesh.’ Khushboo was gone before Arianna could stop her.

Damn, Arianna thought. She hated heights; they scared the
daylights out of her. A fast moving locomotive – against the wind and so high
up! Oh God, this was not good. What was her cousin thinking of? Arianna congratulated
herself for wearing jeans, a t-shirt and trainers – suitable for climbing.