Page 134 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

I wanted to run and vanish into thin air.

?? ? ? ?

Nandani

My heart leapt into my throat, and my head spun in complete embarrassment.

Seeing the ornament in her hands, memories of the previous night flashed in my mind, sending a wave of shock through me.

The moans and sensations made me shiver slightly, as I could almost feel them again.

My eyes widened as I looked at Rudra. He, too, seemed nervous... maybe even embarrassed.

I quickly reached out to take the ornament from Daadi-sa’s hand, but she pulled it back, narrowing her eyes at me.

“Haath me se kyun cheen rahi ho, Nandani? Hai kya ye?”(Why are you snatching it, Nandani? What is this?)

I squirmed in my place, sweat beads trailed down my back as I didn't know what to say.

“Daadisa, ye... wo...umm... ye...aaa... ye…”(Daadisa, this... that... this... this…) My wobbly lips couldn’t even blabber. I wanted to come up with something sensible, something that would sound good.

“Ye... vo... kya laga rakha hai? Itna ghabra kyun rahi ho Nandani? Kahi tumhaara swasthya punah to nahi bigad raha?”(This... that... What is all this? And why are you looking so anxious, Nandani? Are you not feeling good again?) I shook my head like it would undo the moment and tried to laugh.

“Nahi, Daadisa, nahi, aisa kuch nahi hai, sach mein, humein kuch nahi hua isse,”(No, Daadisa, no, it’s not like that, really, I have feltanything with this.) It almost slipped off my tongue, and when I glanced at Rudra, he was already rubbing his forehead, pressing his finger into it at my words.

“To, batati kyu nahi kuch. kitna sunder hai ye, humein bhi aisa aabhushan chaahiye, kintu pata to chale isse pehente kaise hai,”(Then, why don't you tell me, this is so beautiful, I too want this ornament, but where do I wear this,) She said, her gaze sharpening on the ornament—then suddenly added,“Chalo, abhi ke liye hum rakh lete hain. Raj ko dikhaaenge aur kahenge ki humaare liye aisi koi anghuthi banwa de, uske baad tum humse le lena,” (I’ll keep this for now and ask Raj to make something similar to this ring for me, and then I will return this to you,) she said.

“Nahi, Daadisa, nahi.. Aapko humaari saugandh. Aap aisa kuch nahi karengi, Daadisa. Aapke liye... hum banwa denge... ye humaara nahi hai,”(No, Daadi-sa, no. Swear on me that you would do no such thing. I will get one for you, Daadisa. I will... this is not mine,) I babbled, waving my hands like that would help.

I immediately took it from her hand and handed it to him.

“Ye... ye to Ranaji... humaara matlab, Daadi-sa, ye to Ranaji ka hai, inka hai, ye lekar aaye the... humein nahi pata, hume kuch nahi pata... isse kuch nahi hota,”(Th-this belongs to Ranaji... I mean—Daadi-sa, this is Ranaji’s, it’s his, he brought it... I don’t know, I know nothing... it—I don’t know what it does!) I blabbered, feeling myself sink deeper into the well of shame. Rudra immediately clenched it in his fist, holding it tightly in his hand.

“Ji... Ji, Daadi-sa, ... ye... ye humaara hai,”(Yes,... Yes, Daadisa, this is mine.) He kept it aside and smiled, hiding the awkwardness of our situation.

“Parantu ye kis kaam aata hai? Humne to aisa kuch pehle kabhi nahi dekha,”(But what is it even used for? I’ve never seen anything like this before.) She asked, intrigued, as if it were something truly important and as if it would impart some valuable knowledge.

He gulped nervously, looking at her, and chuckled,“Ye... Daadisa, ye peeda mitaata hai,”(This... Daadisa, this relieves pain.) He managed to say, and I looked at him, dumbfounded.

“What?” I asked, but instantly shut my mouth and plastered a smile when Daadi-sa turned to look at me.

“What? Hehe…” I laughed uneasily.“What? Wow!!!” I tried to cover up.

She turned back to him and asked,“Kis prakaar ki peeda?”(What kind of pain?)

He gulped and scratched his forehead with the nail of his finger and exclaimed,“Umm, Daadisa jaise nasoan ki peeda, kabhi-kabhi adhik kaarya karne ke baad humaari hatheli mein peeda hoti hai to hum isko haath mein lekar dabaate hain. Isse kam hoti hai peeda,”(Ummm, Daadisa, this relieves muscle pain. Sometimes after working for long, I get cramps in my palms, so when I press it in my hand, it reduces that pain.) he said, and she smiled, looking convinced. But before she could ask anything else, he quickly added,“Daadisa, kshama kijiye, kintu aaj holi hai or humne aapko badhaai bhi nahi di,”(Pardon me, Daadisa, it's Holi today and I didn’t wish you yet.)

And then she suddenly laughed.“Hahahaha, yes, even I forgot!”

I stared in disbelief. How smartly he changed the topic.

I’d never been able to pull that off in front of my sharp and all-knowing Daadisa. She always caught me. Every time.

But him? He did it so effortlessly.

What the hell?

“A very happy Holi, Daadisa,” he said, smiling at her. She placed her hand on his head and replied,“A very happy Holi to you, too.”

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