Amazon Best Selling Novel “Malabar A Flame” in Lima World Library
17.Ominous portend
It will be 7 in the evening when Abu returns home after
work. His wife Nimmy arrived only by 10. She went for after
noon duty. Next to Aiysha’s is Karthyayani, an emigrant from
Singapore. Abu works at the Kings Cross Tube station. Got
the job through Antony whose connections in the Railway
system had grown.
After pleasantries and tea, Aishya brought a plate of
unniappams (rice ball deep-fried in oil) for them. It was
Nimmy’s favourte and Sara’s too as Aisha knew. Sara
opened Abu’s room and tiptoed not to disturb any of his
possessions. There was some order in confusion in Abu’s
room. Whenever she is there, Sara found some book that he
might have either bought or borrowed from the library near
his workplace.
Aiysha told Mary of a surprise visit by her former husband
Ali. Recently. She could not recognize him at first. He had a
snow white beard and a new name Ali Haji. The Haji was
added to earn respectability after a pilgrimage to the Holy
place of Mecca. Though she had not forgiven him of all the
mischief ’s he cast on her life, she let him in and stood while
he dabbled in his exploits and his rise on the social ladder
among the Muslims in London.
He wanted to mend his ways and live like a true Muslim
as per the teachings of the Quoran. But he had no excuse for
his horrendous past. He wanted Abu to close ranks with him
and accept him as his respected father. “How could he? You
threw both of us out on a cold dead nighta dn never cared
to look whether we were alive or not. But for the help of
Antonyichayan and Mary chechi, we would have ended on
the streets, she told him bluntly.
The very name of Antony infuriated Ali. “What did he
do, that imbecile slave of his muthalali?”, Ali shouted..But
Aiysha would not budge. She said he was one of the nicest
man she w\eveer encountered in life. Think of it, he brought
a job for Abu in the railways. Where were you all this time?”
Ali stood up unable to control his rage. “The hell with him
and the hell with Abu! Let the boy come and kneel before
me!”, Ali shouted once again and slammed the door on her
and went out. He was shaking with rage.
That is where Aiysha ended the story of the chance
encounter with Ali Haji. Mary could not believe of the
strange happenings in her friend’s life.
“Your discouse over?” Sara came back to the. Mary
was about to share side of the story of Sara’e encounter
with Rajasekharan. But she held her urge till she had better
counsel from Antony. But he could not.
“Aiysha, do you know, of late Sara has become the
Sakuntala of a Dushyantan story?”
“What! “ Aiysha exclaimed. Sara jumped in between her
amma and chittamma (aunty), ”Amma don’t spread wild lies
about one’s own daughter!”.
Mary stopped. She would not say any further. But It was
for Sara to explain, “Aunty, a doctor woking along with me in
the hospital has a developed a fascination for me. Not in the
vice versa!” she told her.
“Oh mole, that is great, is he handsome, as handsome as
my Pearl of the Orient?” Aisha interjected.
But Sara w was strong in her convictions. “I won’t fall
for a guy lest it should end in a divorce!” she said in a hush
but all could hear them. Aiysha brushed aside unintended
innuendo. She was happy about the turn of events in her
little daughter’s life. “Go ahead Mole. Study him, learn about
him and throw a long rope about him!” She advised.
“Check whether you really love the man. If you really
feel so, everything will come around. I mean, you don’t jump
because of sudden impulses. You should be your own better
judge!” Aiysha told her.
Mary was stub founded by the philosophical turn of her
friend. She has learnt from her life.
Phone in the room rang. Aiysha took it up. “They are here.
Have been here for some time. About to leave!” she told the
caller. Obviously it was Antony calling from home.
‘Antonichayan wants both of you to hurry home!”
Sara was holding a novel she had located in Abu’s room.
She told Aiysha about it before parting.
“Do I love him, or love him not?”the question
reverberated in her mind till they reached home..
There were two cars parked in the front of the yard. One
was their won. The other they did not recognize.
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