Page 222 of A King's Oath
“Kind man?!” She tried again, running towards him in his peripheral vision. He turned and there she was, across the barsof the wrought iron gate, dashing with her riding boots on, a kit bigger than her body dragging behind her. Was that a polo kit?
“You remember me?” She crashed into the bars, holding them between her tiny fingers. He got down on his haunches — “Of course, I remember you. You gallop your pony when nobody’s looking, you have secret tunnels in your house and are always kind unless somebody is mean to you. You also speak to your Naniji every evening and Nanaji at nights.”
Her mouth opened in the cutest O he had ever seen. Her eyes were bigger, cuter Os and he didn’t know where to focus his attention.
“Do you remember me?” He asked, cueing their conversation forward.
“Brahmi, please go inside to Mama,” the security guard nodded. Samarth glanced at him and wanted to detest that but he was also relieved to know that’s how tight the security was.
“But I know him!” She tipped her head back to the guard. “He came to my riding lessons, then he was kind to Mama…” she looked back to him — “Do you know what I am going to do today?” She rose on her tiptoes. “Use a mallet!”
“Are you learning polo?”
“Only on-foot drills. Today I will practise on the poooonyyyy!!!” Her legs cantered and danced like Cherry’s. Samarth thought his whole being would burst at the sight of her joy.
“Brahmi!” Ava’s loud holler broke their conversation. Samarth rose to his full height just as she came barreling down the paved path, Brahmi’s bag, bottle and her own purse loaded on her. She was again in a trench coat, this one a pink so light that it was white. Her hair was open and billowing in the wind, her eyes not as impassive as yesterday. They were borderline enraged.
“We are getting late.”
“But the kind man is back!”
Ava smiled, first at her daughter, then at him — “Hi. I am so sorry, we are getting late. Let’s finish this another time?”
“Oh,” Samarth glanced from her to Brahmi. “Are you going to the resort?”
A broken-toothed-smile made its appearance and the pretty head bobbed.
“Listen…”
“I was going there too. Mind if I catch a ride?”
Ava looked like she would strangle him if their daughter wasn’t here and he invitingly pushed his neck forward. The wrought iron bars were the only screening between her hands and him.
“You have a car,” she smiled. “I’m sure you can find your way.”
“It’s… umm, giving me some trouble today. Please? Return the favour?”
Silence. Daggers from her eyes. Then — “You have to return favours, Mama,” Brahmi nodded solemnly.
“Mmm,” Ava ground her teeth. “Of course. Wait here. Come, Brahmi,” Ava took her hand and walked down to her car, mumbling to her all the way. Samarth observed them, the parched beggar again, looking at how easily Ava lifted her up and boosted her into her seat. He was bummed by the buckle that was repaired now. He had looked forward to holding Brahmi in his arms again.
A hot gaze on the side of his face made him turn and the security guard was looking at him without flinching. Samarth bore his scrutiny and stepped back as he opened the gate for Ava’s car.He thought she would race past him but she stopped. Without giving her a moment to leave him stranded, he opened the door and hopped in.
“Thanks again,” he said as she turned the wheel and got on the road.
No response.
“So, tell me, kind girl — what have you learned so far in your mallet training?” He asked Brahmi over his shoulder.
She pursed her lips, her cheeks blowing to full. Then shrugged. He frowned, turned his body in the seat and waggled his eyebrows.
“Mama said I can’t tell strangers everything.”
Samarth’s smile wobbled, but he held it in place — “She is right. Iama stranger. But hey, we can start over? You make strangers friends by getting to know them, talking to them, right?”
She nodded vigorously.
“And,” Samarth turned in his seat to give Ava a sideways glance — “After we take our parents’ permission.”
