Forest Pt. 01

While munching the popcorn and sipping the coke she wondered, when did she last see a movie in a multiplex. That was when she noticed, Samar was looking at her. She became a bit self conscious and asked, "What happened?"

"Nothing," He replied. That was the time he noticed that the hand-rest between his and Smita had been lifted up removing any partition in between them. He tried to recall, was this like that since beginning of the movie or it was a post intermission development? Then he laughed to himself; come what may -- it's a nice and positive development to his advantage.

The movie started again. Samar casually looked around -- theirs' being the last row, no audience at the back. Their being the first two seats from left; no onlookers from that side. So, fifty per cent is totally safe. On the other side of the row, the nearest couples were at least ten seats away. Lastly at the front, the row had a good distance and pretty deep too. The head-rest of the chairs were at par with the foot rest carpet of the preceding row. So, technically speaking they were sitting at one of the safest and envious places in the auditorium.

Samar had comfortably kept his pop bucket on his left hand side hand-rest holder as the right side was already lifted up. He had the coke in the right hand and was talking to Smita. The actions, effects and sounds were intensified in the second half. The 3D spectacles provided, were of excellent quality and even the droplets of water were virtually felt like coming right on to their faces!

At one such point Smita got so much carried away that, she literally squeezed Samar's right palm with her left, in the process a small portion of coke got spilled on to his branded denims.

"Ouch! I'm so sorry Samar... I really got carried away a bit..." Smita immediately apologised.

"It's okay Queensie Aunt..." He said, "No problem..." Saying so he took some water from the mineral water bottle, and put on the spot and cleaned it. Smita was proactive to pull out a couple of tissues from her matching large leather vanity bag and wipe off the water and coke stain from the denim. It was a spot on his right thigh, close to the joint.

The moment Smita put her hand with the tissue on his thigh; Samar felt an uncomfortable and embarrassing bulge in his crotch! He put his left hand casually over it to hide, not before Smita had a quick glance of it. She pretended not to notice it and finished her job quickly.

Things were normal in next couple of minutes and their attention went back to the on-screen action. Off-screen Samar saw Smita left hand was lying between their empty space. He shifted the coke glass from right to left hand and put his right hand next to her left hand.

There was a mild touch between their outer palms. Millimetre a minute speed Samar proceeded to cover and claim Smita's palm over his. As he exerted a bit pressure on her palm, Smita turned her face and gazed down. Samar, removed his hand away. She smiled. Without looking at his face, Smita pulled away her palm and kept it fully on top of his and squeezed mildly. Then she looked at him. He was looking at her.

"It's okay." Saying so she gave another squeeze and turned her attention back to the 70MM screen.

Samar was in 'Cloud-9'! He was flabbergasted with that small gesture from Smita! He suddenly felt so excited that -- he felt like Cumming then and there in his brief! He kept his palm like that under her pressed palm, squeezing him at irregular intervals sending a shock-wave inside his teenage body!

It's an excellent movie with a tragic ending... Smita was moved quite a bit... when she saw Kajol... her favourite heroin... becoming a widow... yet maintaining the status of a Hindu married woman... and wearing all the garments and ornaments as per the marital symbolism... as per the death wish by her deceased husband... Smita's eyes glistened. It's Samar's turn to offer her a couple of tissues.

She looked up at his face and smiled. Along with others they too got up and moved out while depositing the 3D spectacles at the proposed slots near the 'Exit Gate'

"Thank you very much for the movie." Said Smita, while wiping the hair from her beautiful fair skinned face with minimal make up.

Truly speaking even at 40, she had an envious glowing skin with virtually zero wrinkles. Her skin beauty secret was a smooth paste of Honey, Glycerine, Sandalwood Powder and Turmeric Powder, as per prescribed ratio -- A typical age-old Ayurvedic application even by the Indian Monarchs Beautiful Wives dated back to 3rd-2nd Century BC!

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CHAPTER: SIX -- THE BRUNCH-BREAK:

"Next what?" Asked Smita.

"Let's grab some food." Replied Samar.

"Not a bad idea." Said Smita.

"What's your choice of Restaurant?" He implored.

"Anything."

"No. Officially you're my 'DATE' today." Purposefully he emphasised the word 'Date'!

"'DATE'?!" Smita quizzed.

"Yes, 'DATE'... I've earned it from you since you promised it to me exactly 25 Days -- 12 Hours -- 33 Minutes and..." He looked into his Fossil Wrist Watch and said, "45 Seconds back!"

"Wow great statistics!" She remembered her promise on 31st December mid-night made by her to him! "Okay, I'm your 'DATE' today! Happy?" She said and giggled, "So, where do you want to treat your 'DATE'?"

"You want it 'General' or 'Specific'?" Asked Samar in a subdued tone.

"Umm... How that goes?"

"'General' means grab something from one of the stalls and munch away in the common seating area. 'Particular' means we can move into an exclusive restaurant; sit and chat in a cosy corner and can have something."

"For a 'DATE' I think 'Particular' is a better choice." Said Smita, partly anticipating his choice for the day.

"I too was hoping the same! How much common our choices are?" He added, trying to impress his 'First Date'. He was mighty impressed with her dress choice for the occasion. She was wearing a skin-tight denim Capri and a lose denim shirt with the top button open, which added to her carefree attitude for the occasion!

Both of them slowly moved towards the row of specialized restaurants on the other extreme of the massive food court. As they walked down, she realised Samar was holding her right hand in his left hand mildly pressing his teenage palm on to her. She looked at their palm in palm and smiled. What a boy he is!

As they stepped into the restaurant, Smita quickly inspected the interiors. She was immediately got impressed with the immaculate interiors! It was not stingingly expensive; but tastefully artistic!

No two chairs were of same type, similarly no two tables! The crokeries to defy all conventional norms and values! Plates, spoons, forks and knives range from bone-china to brass to bronze! Again all asymmetrical -- no two spoons, forks or knives match each other! Even the lap napkins were more like kitchen aprons!

They were approached by a sweet and young Thai waitress. She came right in front of Smita and said in a sober and smiling tone, "Mrs. Smita Mohanty?"

"Yes," Smita said in a low surprised tone.

"This side please... Madam, your 'Reserve Table' is on the rise..." She said while guiding them through.

'On The Rise'? What the hell was that? Wondered Smita.

As they reached the far end, there was a small island created like magic! A small and curved bridge to reach the island which has a circular glass table in the middle with two asymmetrical chairs. Rest everything a carbon copy of the restaurant. The island was surrounded with a three feet wide and one foot deep water. Colourful pebbles with fishes moving around, as if it was an open aquarium!

Smita was awe-stuck!

"How did you discover this place?" She asked surprisingly.

"Since 1st January, after your promise, I started hunting around. Finally bumped onto this place on 6th January. Normally this table is a virtual 'Sold Out' with a two weeks waiting period! May be three to four weeks in a weekend like today! So, I wasted no time. Booked it instantly the same day and same time! With a 100 per cent advance!"

"Suppose I couldn't make it for today. Then?"

"My '6th Sense' told me, I'll not be disappointed!"

"So confident?"

"Haven't got ditched on my 'Intuition' till date!" Saying so he pulled the chair for her to settle down. What a Gentleman! She thought... From opening and closing of the SUV door... to keep on standing, until she first sat on her push-back chair in the auditorium, and now! The small boy has big etiquette and mannerism! Samar came to the opposite side chair and settled down.

"You want Hindi or English music?" He asked politely.

"Only for us?" She asked with an excitement in her voice.

"Yes. This table deserves that for the most enigmatic woman in the whole Universe!" Samar exclaimed in a slight dramatised voice.

"Now you're flattering me." Smita said in a husky voice while blushing a bit.

"You'll have to see things from my perspective, when I say something or comment something particularly regarding you." He said.

"Trying to impress?"

"No need. You know me since donkey's years! Now tell me about your choice of music please."

"English... For a change" Saying so Smita looked around and was mighty impressed to see the 'JUKEBOX' round the corner. Samar just indicated the waitress with his eyes as she adjusted a big, black LP Record on to the record player and moved the brass handled with the needle on to the outer rim of the record. The first song flew out through the HMV all shiny brass vintage speaker system in a low volume was... "Love Me Tender..." By Elvis Presley of 1950s!

Sheer nostalgic... Smita closed her eyes and started enjoying the melody of bygone days... What emotion... What sentiment... The voice... The tone... The sublime feeling... She moved back to the hoary past... Her school and college days... She being the only child... Used to dance with her father... Holding hand in hand... To all those romantic solos and duets... He taught her all the intricacies of a candle-light dance!

"Your 'Red Wine' Madam; specially imported from Santiago, Chile. Best Latin-American delicacy!" Said the waitress.

Smita opened her eyes! Two crystal wine glasses -- One 'Slim and Tall', another 'Short and Wide', and an imported Chilean Vintage Red Wine tastefully packed in a designer tall and round bottle with an unusual long and tapered neck! Like morning shows the 'Day'! The packaging shows the 'Tag'! Was this chap Samar -- crazy? Or freak? Spending money like nobody's business!? Smita was feeling restless.

"Your wine please..."

Smita looked on to the table. Samar had served the 'Red Vintage' Wine into the wine glasses... with a 'Cheers' they picked up the respective glasses!

Smita was holding her wine in her right hand, whereas her left hand was on the table. Seeing the same Samar made a small alteration. He held his wine glass on the left hand, so that his right hand was free. In a gradual process while talking to her, he crept his hand on to her and lightly held it before squeezing her hand very softly. She saw it and purposefully ignored not to make him conscious.

The Thai waitress appeared again... now with some... Mixed Non-Veg Sizzlers, Tandoori-Jumbo-Prawns, Chilli-Chicken and Dry-Paneer-Do-Pyaza! She served the mouth-watering delicacies with utmost care and respect on to the designer bone-China gold-plated plates.

"This is Breakfast or Lunch?" Asked Smita looking at the sumptuous serving!

"It's a 'BRUNCH'! Being a calculative guy -- I put two in one! A Great Saving I Suppose!" Samar said with self pride.

Smita knew, deliberately Samar wanted to play it low, not to make her uncomfortable or self-conscious! But for sure the cheque for this wine and serving would otherwise be probably equivalent to five times of a normal lunch and dinner put together! Was he desperately trying to impress her?

"Can I ask you a question?" Asked Smita while taking a sip of wine and gulping down her throat.

"Any day Queensie Aunt... You don't have to ask my permission for..."

"Why you have 'Neha Batham's' Photo with my cell number?"

"So, you've seen that." Said Samar blushing a bit. Then after clearing his throat he asked, "Have you ever seen your face in the mirror very closely?

"Hundred times a day!"

"No. Not that way."

"Then?"

"Your profiles. I mean -- your front, left side, right side... even your hair style, your eyebrows, your eyes, your nose, your lips... You've an 80 per cent uncanny resemblance to 'Neha Batham'!"

"What?" Smita almost spill her wine!

"Yes. If you don't believe me then please after reaching home, close the door, dim the lights, stand in front of your dressing table full mirror and see yourself... while parting your lips a bit as if you are reading a 9.00 AM News Bulletin... You'll come to know what I mean to say!"

"So, now I caught you! Because you like 'Neha Batham', so you liked me! Right?"

"Wrong! It's the other way round. Because 'Neha Batham' resembles you, thus I like her!"

"Is it so?"

"Yes. My favourite pass time is... I Google 'Neha Batham' very frequently. I have all her photos... including the ones with John Abraham, the Award Winning ones, the News Reading ones, the Festival Celebration ones, the ones with Sari, in Salwar-Kameez, in Denims and so on."

Smita looked at him, while he continued non-chantey, "You might recall, many a time I just come to your house and push you to wear a certain type of dress, sometime a bit forcefully and then click your photos..."

"Yes, I do remember. You did it last during Diwali Festival."

"Correct. I down load 'Neha Batham's' photo and click your photo and merge the two in one frame! Both of you look like 'Siamese Twins'!"

"You're crazy! Absolutely!"

"I take that as a compliment!" Said Samar.

Smita looked at him into his drooping eyes and said, "By the wildest guess how many photos and folders you have got in your laptop between me and 'Neha Batham'?

"Close to 3000 photos and 30 Folders. Each folder has a distinctive name. And you will be surprised to know... I've 3 Blank Folders with 'Futuristic Names'!"

"That sounds interesting. Would you like to divulge any secrets pertaining to the 3 'Blank Folders'?" Smita asked with a tinge of curiosity in her voice.

"Well, one of the 'Blank Folder' would be filled today." Said Samar.

"What's the name of the folder?"

"A Three Word Sentence!" Said Samar.

Smita made him a face with a furrow between her thick eyebrows.

"No. Don't guess me wrong! It's 'My First Date'!" Samar said and looked at Smita.

Then concentrated on his plate for a quick couple of bites and said, "Now, please don't ask for the details about the other two 'Blank Folders'! I can't lie you! And You Can't Digest The Truth!"

Smita looked into his eyes, as he said, "But, I promise you -- once it gets filled up, I'll be the one who'd tell you about it first!"

"Probably by then I would come to know about the 'Name' you intended to have for the folder! Before you tell it to me!" Replied Smita! Fully knowing the fact what he has in his mind regarding her and the folder!

They concentrated on the food. Chat a bit. Enjoyed the wine. And had a good time together. Samar saw a small food particle stuck to the left corner of Smita's pouty lips. He was fast enough to extend his right hand to wipe off it with his forefinger and then putting his finger tip into his mouth.

She saw his action with wide eyes.

"What happened?" Asked Samar.

"Nothing."

"So if you are through, can we move on?"

"Sure". Said Smita while standing up.

He came near and wrapped his muscular hand around her waist, while they were slowly walking out of the restaurant. She looked up and brought her face near his face, kissed his cheek and said, "Thank you for the brunch. What next?"

"Wait and watch... Queensie Aunt... The Day For The First Date Has Just Begun..."

Smita was wondering... What is there in stock for her...

End Of 'Forest Part I'

SweetNothingsAndBeyond

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