Rob had a good sleep which he must have yearned for a long long time. When he did open his eyes though, he remembered sleeping next to Sweety for the duration but all he found was a tapping old man.
He tapped once more on Rob's temple. "Get out already! We are the last ones to leave!"
He looked around as per the man's claims and sure enough the plane was empty. "Where is she?" He inquired of Sweety.
"She already left and you were snoring lions. Hurry and get up I can't get out with you blocking my way!" The irritated passenger shooed Rob right from his seat making him wonder how Sweety managed to go past him when this fellow wasn't able to.
Being a height of close to 6 inches, his legs always took up enough room so... did she climb on his lap then? The thought was a luring one that fueled his booze to get to her immediately.
"Oh, how red she will be when I encounter her with my theory." He put the sling behind his back smiling lazily at the waiting air hostess.
"Did you have a good nap?" The hostess asked in the most honey-like voice.
"Thanks to you!" He waved and led to the exit of the busy port. Walking leisurely, he scrutinized every place his eyes reached to but it was five minutes and he still had not found Sweety.
"Should I show her photo and ask if anyone saw her?" He asked to self, the idea was awesome but he knew it'd not help and she will be gone till then.
As he was wandering like the lost pup, he thought something then stumped. "Yes!" The passersby threw strange looks at him, not that he cared. Rob began rummaging through his sack bag looking for the one thing that connected him with Sweety.
Connected him with Sweety?
Finding the earphones he distinctly glanced at it in a different angle. If not for this, would he ever find that attractive girl who was a havoc and spirit in herself.
Deciding to keep that for later, he plugged them in. Sounds of cars and a lot of noises mixed his senses.
"Outside. She reached outside." He ran towards the gates which was dreadfully long with numerous turns. Once out he heard her again.
Panting heavily from the sprint, he tried focusing on a single voice among many.
"I'm at Pillar Z." Sweety said to her father on call.
"Wait there I'll come." He replied, hanging up.
Just then another call arrived from Mom. "Mom?"
"Me and Tessa are waiting for you at the main gate. Where are you?"
Huh? Why were they looking for her in two different places. Assuming they were at the main gate Sweety responded, "I'll go there then." It was so noisy that she had the phone deep in one ear and shut the other ear with her finger allowing at least some clarity.
Rob listened Sweety moving to the main gate, thus changed his route towards it. Noise was what defined Mumbai and rather than being repulsed, he felt at home. Never before he imagined of missing the city he lived for a decade and half.
Reaching the place he waited for her to emerge, he even peered at the ladies with striped back design. That was when he saw Sweety entering into a Volkswagen.
"Sweety! Swee-" Gah, shouting was futile, he walked over to her which was few blocks away. Then he noticed something strange as he drew closer, she was unhappy.
Not poker face or like 'Fine' face but she appeared upset. Of course he wasn't able to hear what happened around her to lead it to that.
A motorcycle honked behind him distracting him loudly. He must have stood there for some time to cause a minor traffic. When he turned back, the car was already gone.
On the sideway, he saw the chaos of vehicles around him, two wheels, three wheels, four wheels, six, eight... "Welcome home." He muttered in mild delight, calling a cab and moving to his dilapidated household.
Rob did not intend to but his fingers went on their own accord to put the phones back in-plugged.
"...believe you would do that! I had been calling you non-stop and waited for like an hour for you to get to the car." Sweety's father was yelling on the top of his noise. The car doors must be shut close for his voice to sound crystal clear. Even he, himself was feeling on edge hearing him.
"But I waited where Mom and Tessa were-"
"You told ME to wait at the pillar. And then went after this brainless woman who knows nothing." Then he shifted to Mom who was seated behind him gritting in anger, "You can't even do a measly thing as to bring my daughter to the car, it was her first time from there and you are good for nothing. I should have left you at home itself. Stop flooding my car with your tears! You are not the one cleaning it!"
Sweety did not know her mother was crying until he mentioned that, then when she turned to her side to see the woman crying, tears flowed her eyes on its own.
"The bloody fuck."
The driver of the cab rode by Rob eyed his passenger in the rear view mirror cursing out of nowhere for no reason. All he saw was the man wearing earphones but he didn't seem within a conversation to say that to someone.
"Put the volume down." Rob instructed the driver who had increased it on hearing the curses from man.
"Sir, this is a holy car blessed by God. Please resist from cursing." The driver said to his customer hoping the man listened.
Rob bore his eyes on the man's through the rear view which did the trick as the driver shut his mouth for the entire trip.
It was then he understood why Sweety looked upset entering in the car. Currently, the environment in her car ride was silent with only her sister snickering and telling how happy she was with Sweety's comeback.
Rowan Roulette heard his daughter crying, in worry he peeped behind when stopping at a signal. Sweety who was looking ahead quickly averted her gaze from her father. He stepped too far. Today his daughter came home after a long time and he never let his children stay away from home.
He wished he could take back his words but it was way too late. All because of Archie's brainless behavior.
Sweety thought she was imagining it but she saw her father rubbing his eyes as he pulled his specs above forehead. Great, now the three of them were crying. Over a damn stupid thing.
"I would have booked a cab for home. Next time you don't need to worry yourself for picking me up." She said it quietly to no one specific but they heard what and why she said that.
If Rob had been in the same car, he wouldn't have hesitated to punch that skull head he met as Sweety's father. No wonder why she is always on edge concerning her father. It's like she is scared for the 'people' close to her than herself.
Gloomily Rob and Sweety landed in their respective homes. Sweety had Tessa hugging her all the way inside the room. The little one had really missed her elder sister.
Rob had to get out of the cab by the end of the road because after that the car complained to trudge through another cobblestone.
Thus, walking to his cabin place which used to be his home but now it felt like a guest house as he would be gone after a few days.