Where the Secret Lies (3 page)

Tianna went back to her reading.
With nothing to do (she did not want to watch movies, listen to music and hated
reading), Arianna leaned back into her seat and thought. Was she being too negative
about India? After all, she was keen to go in the first instance. Why was she
suddenly so pessimistic? Arianna turned sideways to ask her mother a little more
about India but she was asleep as her father was too.

She slumped back into her seat.
If Jai were here, he would talk to her.

Arianna was surprised when Jai volunteered to take them to
the airport. Underneath his smile and chatty front, Arianna saw the sadness
underneath. Once at the airport, he took her to one side, away from her family.
Thankfully, they were too busy looking for the gate number on the screen.

‘I want to tell you something, Ari.’ He came close. Arianna
felt uncomfortable as Jai took her hand.

‘Jai...’ said Arianna.

He shook his head. ‘Let me
speak. Ari, I...I cannot live without you. I have seen you cry, laugh, and get
into lots of trouble. I have been there for you all the time. I am your friend
and I always will be. What I want to say, you probably have guessed already.
But I want to tell you for myself.’

‘Jai, please don’t,’ she said
quietly. Her heart was thumping.

‘I love you, Ari.’ He traced her
face with his finger and leaned into her. ‘If you don’t love me, it’s fine. I
will still be your best friend.’

Before Arianna could answer,
Tianna made an appearance and she jumped away from Jai. He, however, did not
move. Tianna stared at them for a long moment and shrugged.

‘Whatever, none of my business,’
she said. ‘It’s time to go Ari.’

The small group made their way
back.

‘Everything ok? Good,’ Mr. Shah,
Arianna’s father said. ‘Jai, thank you for seeing us off.’

‘My pleasure sir,’ said Jai and
his gaze flickered to Arianna’s.

‘I will email you,’ she said to
him. She could not bring herself to say anymore. She gave him a half hug and
followed her family to the departure gate, allowing herself one last look before
going through.

The plane landed with a bump and Arianna’s eyes flew open.

‘What’s going on?’ she said bleary-eyed.

‘Ari, we are here, in Mumbai,’
said her mother.

Mumbai, of course. She must have
fallen asleep. Arianna unbuckled her belt and stood up, immediately taking off
her cardigan – the heat already oppressing. Her father took the hand luggage
down from the over-head compartment and Tianna put on make-up. The family
slowly jostled to the front with the other passengers.

Uncle Manoj and auntie Rajshri arrived to pick up Arianna
and her family. They brought two cars. Uncle drove one car and a hired driver drove
the other. Embraces and tears went around. Soon all were settled into the cars,
with the luggage in the boot or on the car roof. Mrs Shah, Tianna and auntie sat
in the car with the driver. Arianna found herself with her father in uncle’s
car. Her uncle did not stop talking throughout the whole ride.

Mumbai seemed like a new
country; so much had changed she was last here. Arianna observed young people
walking around in the latest trends – boys in jeans and t-shirts, girls in high
wedges, strap tops and long skirts, some wore cotton tops with jeans. Arianna spotted
a few girls in salwaars and saris but the majority seemed to prefer western
clothes.

They passed many upmarket
shopping centres otherwise known as malls. Tianna pointed this out back home –
cars, fast food joints, even lines on improved roads! Perhaps it was not cosmopolitan
London, but it surely was still busy and bustling. One thing was the same – the
stifling heat.

The smell of grime and sweat
lurked in the heat, becoming prominent as they came away from the highways and
onto single, narrow roads. Arianna doubted the cars would be able to fit let
alone drive. She closed her eyes as the car trundled through.

Soon they arrived at uncle and auntie’s house. Their two
children, Khushboo and Gaurav stood in front of a large two-storey house with
what liked like half the neighbourhood. Their cousins held orange and yellow flower
garlands.

‘Welcome!’ Uncle bellowed as
they got out of the car. ‘Everybody, meet my sister-in-law, my brother and my
beautiful nieces!’

A chorus of hellos and welcomes
followed from the neighbours and then Khushboo and Gaurav came forward with the
garlands, adorning Arianna’s parents with them. Tianna and Arianna looked at
each other and burst out laughing. Their mother shot them a warning with her
eyes and they laughed louder. Khushboo came to Arianna with a garland.

 
‘No thanks Khushboo,’ said Arianna stepping
back.

Khushboo leaned into her and
whispered.
 
‘Sorry, Ma and Papa made us
do this. I told them you would not like it but they said it is to welcome you.
Sorry – again.’

‘Go on then,’ Arianna said. She
bowed her head as Khushboo happily adorned her with the garland.

‘You next,’ Arianna turned to
Tianna.

‘No way!’ Tianna went to stand
with their father.

Arianna’s grandmother, otherwise known as Ba stood in the
doorway. When Arianna last saw her, she was tall, now she seemed small. Ba
embraced her son, Arianna’s father dearly, tears streaming down her eyes.

‘Beta , you finally came home,’
she said.

‘Ma.’ Arianna’s father cradled
his mother’s face to his chest and they hugged a long time. Ba took her
daughter-in-law into her arms and the girls next. Arianna’s mother beckoned her
daughters to touch Ba’s feet. It was a mark of respect.

Through her tears, Ba touched
their heads and blessed them.

‘Wait here,’ she said.

Everyone waited until Ba
shuffled back with a dish made of stainless steel. It held a divo – a divine
flame. Yellow and white flower petals scattered the base.
 
Ba circled the divo around the family and
threw the petals over their heads.

‘Now you are blessed properly,’
Ba said. ‘Come into your home.’

Mr. Shah immigrated to London
from India in the late seventies with Mrs. Shah. After Tianna was born, the
family visited India three times. Ba never wanted her eldest child so far away
from her and cried every time they left for London.

Now she sat with her son on the
sofa, happy. Her youngest son, Arianna and Tianna’s uncle, joined them and
Tianna took a snap on her camera of a proud mother with her two sons.

 
‘I am glad you are finally here,’ said
Khushboo. ‘It’s been so long since I last saw you.’

‘It’s been quite a while,’
Arianna agreed accepting a chilled cola from auntie.

‘You have grown into a pretty
lady,’ auntie set the tray down and sat beside Arianna, taking her hands into
hers. ‘You have such intense eyes; keep safe from evil spirits,’ auntie dotted
Arianna behind her ear with a kohl pencil.

 
‘Ma always keeps one with her. She is so
superstitious,’ Khushboo laughed and auntie slapped her playfully on her hand. She
picked her tray up and went to serve the others.

Later Khushboo took Arianna to
her room. She showed some of her stunning painting works which she had framed
and hung on the wall. Sheer white muslin

 
draped from the
canopy over her spacious queen sized bed. An assortment of flowers fragranced
the room and a large cuddly bear sat in a corner. Arianna fell in love.

‘You are sharing with me,’
Khushboo said. ‘Won’t it be exciting? We can talk late into the night, watch
DVDs and listen to music. It will be damn good!’

Arianna could not help but enjoy
her enthusiasm. ‘So what do we do now?’

The family just finished lunch
and everyone was preparing for an afternoon nap – a normal practice due to
humidity. ‘I don’t want to sleep or stay cooped up. Can you take us somewhere?’

Khushboo took Arianna and Tianna to the local mall and
introduced her to a couple of her friends.

‘This is Sheetal and Jay. Jay is
short for Jayshree.’

‘Hello,’ Arianna said. ‘I too
have a friend called Jai. J.A.I.’

‘Boyfriend?’ Sheetal asked, raising
an eyebrow.

Arianna cracked a smile. ‘Only a
friend.’

‘Great!’ Khushboo clapped her hands.
‘Now the introducing is done. Let’s shop and then we will go to Juhu beach.’

Arianna was exhausted and the
thought of home was welcoming after five hours of shopping at the mall. She was
glad it was too late for the beach. She and Tianna said their goodbyes to the
friends and hailed a rickshaw.

‘Well?’ asked Tianna. ‘Did you
like it?’

‘It was definitely an
experience. I think I’m going to enjoy myself here,’ Arianna said, enjoying
warm air brush her face.

They were to stay in Mumbai for ten days before they moved
onto Lucknow where the wedding was taking

place. Rani, Arianna’s second cousin was getting married.

 
‘The celebrations will be extravagant! Have
you seen the haveli (mansion)? I can’t wait to see it!’ said Khushboo.

‘I’ve heard it has long
corridors, large and spacious rooms, a courtyard the size of two terraced
houses in London,’ whistled Tianna and Khushboo grinned.

‘Are not haveli’s supposed to be
in ruins?’ Arianna asked.

‘Not all of them. Some have been
restored although thinking about it; I do not think this haveli has ever been
renovated in full. It probably had fresh paint runs but nothing else.’

 
‘I can’t wait to see it,’ Arianna really meant
it. She was intrigued with this architectural structure and was keen to know
more.

 
‘Okay anyway, the night is still young and so
are we. I promised you we would go Juhu beach and we will. We are not wasting
any more time,’ said Khushboo.

Arianna was not sure she had
heard right. ‘Juhu beach at this time?
 
But it’s dark.’

‘This beach is not just any
beach my dear Arianna. It is amazing, wait till you see.’

Arianna stood at the foot of the sprawling beach and gaped; it
was a mesmerising sight. Lights from food stalls lit up the vast area and a
bright moon reflected in the ripples of the sea. The gentle sloshing of waves comforted
Arianna.

Families and young and old
couples ate food from the stalls and socialised with their friends into the
happy hours of the evening. College students gathered, told jokes, and were
having a merry time. Arianna

spotted a couple walking to the edge of the sea, hands held
tight.

 
‘Let’s get some food,’ Tianna pulled Arianna towards
the many stalls. Khushboo gave Arianna a look, which said “Isn’t this fab!”

Sometime later, a few of
Khushboo’s friends arrived and joined the girls. Arianna recognised them to be
Khushboo’s friends she met in the afternoon. A couple of boys arrived with
them, one of whom would not stop staring at Arianna. He came forward when they
were alone.

 
‘You are not eating anything,’ he stated. ‘Can
I get you something?’

 
‘Thank you but I just finished, it was very
nice,’ Arianna said politely.

‘Where are you from? You do not
seem from around here.’

‘No, I am from London.’

 
‘I am Nikhil, Khushboo’s close friend. She has
told me so much about you - you are Arianna, am I correct? It’s a pleasure
meeting you finally,’ Nikhil put out his hand for Arianna to shake.

‘It is nice meeting you,’
Arianna said, obliging.

‘Well, I’ll see you around,’ Nikhil
said.

‘Come on Ari, what are you doing
here alone?’ Tianna came by and dragged Arianna away without a glance at
Nikhil.

‘Ti! That was rude,’ Arianna
exclaimed.

‘No, he was rude. What was he
doing? Who is he?’

‘He is Khushboo’s friend, silly.
Now he will think we are ill-mannered!’ said Arianna.

‘Oh sorry. I thought he was
harassing you. Hey, have you emailed Jai yet?’

‘Oh my God, I totally forgot!’

Arianna remembered their
conversation at the airport. She felt guilty to not have emailed him, how could
she forget? She must email him. She will email him tomorrow.
 

FIVE

Arianna found the cyber café. The Lounge, a popular hang out
for college kids was pretty busy. Khushboo warned her beforehand the
possibility of not obtaining access to a PC could be high. Arianna hoped she
was wrong on the last part.

Arianna noticed the warm welcome
as she entered the café. The interior boasted of soft, plush seats, booths in
various corners and a lively and relaxing atmosphere; a gentle hum danced over
the airways.

College girls and boys chatted,
some with full plates of food before them whilst others sipped coffee or ate
ice-cream. The kids dressed in anything but traditional; t-shirts, shorts or
trousers for the boys and the girls paraded in t-shirts or cotton long tops,
known as kurtis with jeans and sandals. Waiters dressed in sharp pressed uniforms
served the young crowd, rejoicing as generous tips were left behind. Arianna
looked towards the computer section and was relieved to see unoccupied
computers.

‘Excuse Ma’am, can I help you?’

Ma’am? No one had ever called
her that.

 
‘I need access to a computer,’ Arianna said.

‘Yes ma’am. This way please,’ he
took Arianna to a booth in a far corner. ‘Would you like some refreshments?’

‘Refreshments? Oh, er yes please.
A coffee would be fine.’

‘We have many varieties, Ma’am. Take
your time. I will give you a few moments.’ The attendant left her with a
two-sided menu and went to attend others. Arianna scanned the list and chose a
diet cola. Something tried and tested. When the boy came back, she gave him her
order.