"Why are you contemplating this? You claim to be hungry, yet you're not eating?"
As I entered the hotel and took my place in front of the food, memories of Devu's question flooded back.
Even though she insisted she wasn't hungry, I could tell by the way she devoured her food that she was famished.
"Is this what you were advised against eating?"
Perhaps because her mouth was full of masaladosa, she responded to my jest with a smile.
We resumed our journey. Everything she encountered along the way sparked her curiosity. That's when the memory of the pigeon being released from its cage came to mind.
Even after crossing the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, we were greeted by picturesque vineyards. Grapes, corn, rice, and coconuts stretched as far as the eye could see... everything that came from Kerala seemed to regard us with approval. The clusters of grapes swaying on the vines were a sight that would entice anyone.
Intrigued by the grapes, I parked the car on the side of the road and stepped out. She did the same.
"Shall we indulge in some grapes?"
Upon hearing my question, she moved beside me, casting me a questioning look. When she realized my intention, she darted into the garden with lightning speed and made her way to the cart, plucking a bunch of grapes. The owner of the garden called out.
"Hey, who are they... thieves? @#$%..."
"Nandu, hurry up..."
With that, Devu swiftly returned to the car.
Though we didn't understand the language, as we ran, we could discern that what he said was derogatory. We hastily left the place.
Even after getting in the car, we couldn't stop laughing.
"What have you done? Even though there was so much to choose from, the entire garden was picked here... It's fortunate you managed to escape without getting scolded by that farmer..."
"Ah... Nandu told me to pick grapes... And now I feel guilty..."
She pressed her lips together, revealing the dimple on her face.
"Was it really necessary to pick so many? Let's check the water in that bottle. Take it and rinse the grapes. Just looking at them is making me crave..."
"Oh dear, don't eat like that now. Don't blame me... I'll eat these myself..."
"My dear... don't be mischievous... I take back what I said. I'm sorry..."
With a glance at my face, she washed the grapes in the bottled water and handed them to me. It was the first time she had ever looked so joyful. I realized that beyond the Devu who, until yesterday, was filled with tears and sorrow, there was a Devu within her who was quite mischievous and childlike.
"Don't you think you should finish them all, Nandu? I have to give some to my father."
She said to me while munching on grapes.
"I'll give them to him, letting him know his daughter stole them. Will that be enough?"
"Oh, and... I'm not alone... I'll also mention that this thief was with me."
"Well, when you meet your father, will you introduce me and tell him who I am?"
Suddenly, her expression darkened. I watched as the happiness that once filled her face gave way to sorrow. It dawned on me that she couldn't provide an answer to that. In a single glance, her 'Who Am I?' echoed in my mind. Was I the husband who tied the sacred thread around her neck? The one who had brought tears to her eyes since the day she entered the house? Or the savior who had sought out her father, aiming to restore joy to her life? Unresolved questions weighed heavily on me.
"Who am I to Nandu?"
Her question left me staggered. Through her eyes, I still appeared as a burden. I was but a stranger who had returned to fulfill the duty of reuniting her with her father.
"I don't know... you were a stranger to me until yesterday. But today..."
"Today?"
She probed when the words failed to escape me. I feigned ignorance of the anticipation shimmering in her teary eyes, as if she expected something from me.
Swiftly, I averted my gaze, unable to hold hers.
To be continued...