When both Yougal and Nia came out of the Mall, they stood on the narrow shed in front of the main building. It was raining hard. They did not have an umbrella with either of them. The lower part of her ankle length ocean green skirt fluttered in the soft, cold breeze.
'Thank god! It's a long skirt. With the wide flare if it were a short one, I might have ended with the famous Marilyn Monroe pose. It would have been very embarrassing. I would prefer death than that happening in front of him.'
Yougal Lucas looked at the woman beside him. His gaze was tender. In her ocean green long skirt and sleeveless white top, her brown hair in a messy pigtail, she looked like a college student. He wished the rain never stopped. It was cold out here due to the continuous blowing of the wind. He noticed her shivering a little as she dressed in light clothes due to the hot weather earlier. Again she shivered and his hazel eyes narrowed. His protective side surged up.
"Let's go to the cafe inside. We can sit there in comfort till the rain stops." He stretched out his hand and took the carry bags from her hand.
Nia was surprised that she let go of her grip on the bags without realizing it. The rain was not going to stop anytime soon. So it would be wise to sit somewhere comfortably and wait. Buying an umbrella was not an option as it was a heavy downpour. She did not bring the car. To get caught up in this torrent with a wind accompanying it, she would be drenched in no time.
Nia knew it would not be of any use if she tried to avoid Yougal as long as she was in the mall. She sensed that he would accompany her till the rain stopped. In the current situation it was illogical to refuse to take his suggestion. They walked together side by side to the elevator.
At the restaurant Yougal Lucas found them a table by the windows overlooking the rain beaten deserted street below. When the waiter came to take their order, Nia asked for milk tea. Yougal asked for the same, then he asked,
"Do you want pakoda(a kind of Indian fritter)? They taste good with milk tea on a rainy day."
She turned her gaze from the window to look at him. "Okay." Nia again returned her gaze to the street below. 'Dear pakoda, you really are lucky. The rich guy prefer you as rainy day special snack.' Somehow Yougal Lucas and the humble pakoda, which was a street food speciality, seemed to appear unusual combination to her.
Nia's lips stretched a little into a slight smile. Though she quickly hid it behind her hand, it did not escape Yougal Lucas' eyes. He fully believed that it was indeed a lucky day for him. Fate destroyed his every chance to meet Nirvana. The same fate brought Nia unexpectedly to his life, arranged for serendipitous encounter with her. Sitting with her here at the restaurant on a rainy day felt so blissful that he craved for more of such days.
Yougal Lucas stared at the paper bag on the chair next to him. It had the Dora plush toy that she had searched for and gave to him, and the hatchimals toys, also given by her, inside. Nia cared enough to realize it that he too came for a Dora toy, took the trouble to search for the toy for his sake.
A fuzzy feeling spread out in his heart. After he had paid for the husky Yougal Lucas gave the toy to Nia. She refused to accept it.
"For the little girl for whom you've bought Dora." He told her, insisting that she accept it.
She then accepted and took out a hatchimals toy packet from one of the paper bags she was holding and gave to him.
"For your girl."
He thanked her accepting the gift. He did not think much of her knowing about his daughter's existence. Rhianna must have told her. That was what he thought. So Rhianna must have also told her how Yana came into his life. As he observed Nia who was gazing out through the window, Yougal Lucas felt very much like a happily married man who had gone shopping toys with his wife for their children.
"Are you going home tomorrow?" Yougal Lucas asked as they sipped tea and ate pakoda. He remembered Nicholas telling him that she spent the weekends at home with her family and doing work related to the shelter home. 'I'll like to help her in her work.' He decided to provide financial support to the shelter, that he would include the Shelter in the charitable program of the company.
"Yes." She talked very little. Though there seemed to be some improvement in their interaction, he noticed that she still preferred to be distant.
"It's Astha's birthday on this Sunday. She's the youngest in the family." She suddenly informed, taking him by surprise.