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'
FOREST PART I
' was recently published... 'PART II' can be read as a continuation... Or even as a separate story. But for a better understanding, I would suggest you to please read 'PART I' first. Happy reading...
SweetNothingsAndBeyond
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CHAPTER: 7 --
THE SHORT ROAD TRIP:
As they drove out of the Mall, Smita said, "No more food please. I'm through for the day."
"Promise. I won't be asking you for food for the next couple of hours, excepting..." I (Samar) said taking a pause deliberately.
"Excepting?" Smita snapped; which he was anticipating.
"Excepting 'Kulfi-Faluda'!"
("Kulfi-Faluda" is a typical "Indian Ice Cream Delicacy". Main ingredient is milk then the add-ons include Dry-Fruits, Cardamom, and Natural Essence etc.)
"By any chance... Are you tempting me?"
"No. I's telling you. The 'Kulfi-Faluda' at 'Babbu Bhaina's' place on way to Nandan Kanan is simply a cut-above!"
(Nandan Kanan, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, is the biggest Zoological Park in India, and one of the largest in Asia.)
"Are we going to Nandan Kanan now?!" Smita's voice had excitement as well as sentiments attached to it!
"I suppose we're! What other good way to digest the food; other than walking down the tracks a bit?"
"Not a bad idea!" Said Smita, then giggled.
"What happened?" Asked Samar.
"Do you know, I'll be probably visiting Nandan Kanan after about 15 years? When Ria was kid!"
"Yes, I know. It was in 2005, December 25
th
-- The Christmas Day you, uncle and Ria visited Nandan Kanan the last!"
"How the hell on earth you knew the exact date?" Smita was surprised.
"Things begin to happen in style, when you 'Rise In Love'!" Samar spoke with self boosting.
"Bull-Shit! You must have read Ria's (Smita's 21 year old daughter) personnel diary for sure. Right?"
"I suppose..."
"And if I disclose this to Ria then..."
"I'll find my way to the nearest mortuary!"
"Then why did you do that? Fully knowing the fact that how possessive she's about her diaries..."
"Curiosity took better of me... I sincerely wanted to impress you with all the small things... Which you've missed for so long... In the process I forgot that I's barging into someone's privacy... Sorry for that..." Samar confessed truthfully.
There was nothing left for Smita to counter except extending her hand on to his crew cut hair and played with it for some time with a smile of reconciliation in her face!
"If I say 'Sorry' again, will you do that to me again?" Samar was back to his old self quickly.
"Yes, but this time a bit below... A tight slap on your face..."
"If the 'Sorry' continues, how far below can you go?" Samar snapped.
"Samar!"
"Sorry!"
******
CHAPTER: 8 --
THE AMBIGUITY:
"Hey, we've crossed the main gate of Nandan Kanan." Exclaimed Smita.
"Yes, I know." Replied back Samar.
"So? Aren't we going to Nandan Kanan?" Again questioned Smita
"We'll go. If I promise something, particularly to you, I make sure to keep it anyhow. Even at the cost of my peril!" Replied Samar.
"But; our 'Entrance' and 'Parking' gone back."
"Wait and watch! We can't drive through the 'Main Gate No.1'"
"So?"
"We're driving through 'Gate No.3'. Thus, we can drive-in right up to the 'Cottages'."
"You've booked a 'Cottage' there?"
Samar nodded his head.
"Are you mad or crazy?"
"Make up your mind!"
"What?"
"Decide whether I'm 'MAD' or 'CRAZY'?"
"BOTH! How the hell you can book a 'Cottage' in a secluded place like Nandan Kanan? Don't you know it's in the middle of a Forest?" There was a concerned look in Smita's expressive eyes.
"So what?" Samar was playing along!
"We can't stay over-night in a 'Forest Cottage'! Bit of a fun is okay... But we should not over-board our 'First Date'..." Smita kept on pleading...
"Relax -- RELAX -- R-E-L-A-X!!!" Samar said in a bit high pitch. Smita stopped talking and looked at Samar.
They'd already reached 'Gate No.3'. As Samar blew the horn, the guard came out from the side way and asked for the desired pass. On receiving the same with a hefty tip, he opened the gate with a salute and smile. Samar acknowledged his gesture with a return smile and drove through.
About 100 metres away from the gate, he stopped the SUV and looked at Smita. She was totally perplexed and silent and was sitting away from him maintaining maximum distance possible, pushing through the door.
Samar smiled and looked at her.
"What is the time now?" He asked.
"3.00 PM" Replied back Smita, looking at her wrist watch.
"What time we left home? At 8.40 AM. That means about 6 hours 20 minutes back. I thought continuous hopping around will drain you out. A short break would revitalize your energy." Said Samar as Smita looked at her face, he continued, "For your information, night stay is prohibited in Nandan Kanan since about 10 years. The cottage closes at 5.00 PM. We can just move in get freshened up and move out. Will that be okay with you?"
There was a sense of sentimental thing in his tone, while he continued, "If you don't trust my credentials, we can skip the 'Cottage' thing all together." Samar's eyes glistened. To avoid eye contact and hide his teary eyes, he turned her face away.
Smita felt bad for hurting Samar. Though, her intentions were not to do so. She extended her hands and caught his face and turned it towards her. She looked at him, he was looking down. She said, "Look at me." He complied. She looked into his tear-filled eyes and said, "Sorry!" -- While holding one of her ears in a manner of apologizing! Samar could not hold back his tears. It rolled down his cheeks silently.
"I never intend to hurt you." Smita blurred out
"You doubt my credentials." Samar implored.
"Yes. I did." Confessed Smita.