by Deva, Mukul
‘Yes, I thought so,’ he said, ‘since the divorce papers were from a lawyer in London. I asked him several times where you two were but he refused to tell me anything. And all the letters I sent came back unopened.’
‘You did not contest the divorce?’ Ruby asked. But even as she spoke, the realization that Rehana had lied about all this dawned on her.
What else did she lie to me about? ‘How do I explain to you what things were like for me in those days, Ruby? With you two gone, I was devastated. And my parents were giving me hell. In fact, it was my mother who received the divorce documents. I was not at home, and she only told me about them after the court dates had passed and the divorce was a done deal.’
Ruby, relieved that the conversation had steered away from dangerous territory, changed the subject. ‘How did the two of you meet?’
A slow smile lit up Ravinder’s face. ‘It started as one of those regular evenings,’ he began, now hardly aware of his solitary audience. ‘I was coming back from college and decided to go to a pub with some friends. We came out after a couple of beers and were strolling down the street when we heard a loud scream.’
Rehana was walking a couple of steps behind her aunt Zahira – more to avoid conversation than anything else, an arrangement which suited the aunt as well since she had yet to figure out a way to handle the high-strung Rehana.
Two muggers erupted out of an alley and faced Zahira and Rehana. One of them slashed the air menacingly with his knife.
‘Give me your money, bitch!’ he hissed.
The second one gave Zahira a hard shove, dropping her on the pavement, then threw himself on her and bit her gold ear bobs off. Zahira screamed as blood spurted out. The mugger went for her other ear when a volley of shouts rang out.
‘Hey! What’s going on here?’
They turned to see three young men rushing towards them. The muggers fled, vanishing into the gloom.
Moments later, a patrol car pulled up near the women.
‘We need to get you to a hospital, ma’am,’ the cop said after one look at Zahira’s torn off ear lobe.
He was helping her to the patrol car when Rehana noticed one of the rescuers. In his twenties, he was dressed in jeans and a light wool jacket that set off his broad shoulders and contrasted with his navy blue turban. He was staring at her as though struck by lightning. Flustered, she gave him a brief, grateful smile.
That was all it took.
Ravinder gave a happy, mellow laugh. ‘She was standing there with flushed cheeks and long, lush hair blown all over her face, still breathless and shaken. Then she looked at me and smiled.’
Ruby smiled. ‘How can I explain to you what Rehana was like in those days, Ruby?’ He gave her a long look. ‘She was just like you. The same smile… just the same…one look and I was a goner.’ He laughed again. Ruby could not help laughing with him.
‘I am Ravinder,’ he introduced himself to Rehana at the hospital. ‘Ravinder Singh Gill,’ he said in clean, pristine Queen’s English, a hallmark of those educated in top-notch Indian public schools. His gaze was fixed on Rehana, as if looking away would be unthinkable.
‘Rehana,’ she replied, taking his proffered hand. Ravinder held it, and kept holding it.
She gave him a sharp look, which softened into an amused glance as she realized it was an innocent gesture. The adoring look Ravinder bestowed upon her was starting to unsettle her, but in a good way. Rehana realized that she liked it.
‘My hand,’ Rehana pointed out softly with a smile.
He let go with an embarrassed start. ‘I did not…’ Then he ran out of words. After a few false starts he repeated, ‘I am Ravinder Singh Gill.’
‘Yes, you told me.’ She smiled back, mischievously now. ‘I am Rehana.’
‘Rehana,’ he repeated. ‘It is a lovely name. I like it.’ He blushed. ‘What does it mean?’
‘You should know. You’re an Indian.’
‘How did you know?’ Even as the words left his mouth, he realized it was a stupid question and he turned even redder.
Rehana smiled, giving his turban a pointed look. ‘You guys are everywhere.’
‘Yes.’ He laughed. ‘I guess we do get around.’
‘And how. I don’t think the Brits had any idea when they quit India that you guys planned to follow them home… and take their jobs.’
This time they both laughed. ‘So… what does Rehana mean?’
‘It means a handful of sweet basil.’
‘Basil? Hmm… I like basil.’
‘Do you now?’ She gave him a mischievous smile.
Of course Rehana did not know it then, but in the days to come, he would do everything he could to woo her.
Rehana loved it. For once there was a person who had no agenda but to pivot his existence around her. The next few weeks were full of walks in the park, trips to the theatre, lunches and dinners and soon, stolen kisses and long, fevered embraces. He swept her off her feet.
Anyone who met Ravinder in those days would have found it hard to believe that just a while back he had been a dedicated and hardworking law student. His parents, who had sent their firstborn to London with heavy hearts, would have been aghast.
But Ravinder and Rehana didn’t care. Their world was perfect. Even the London weather was behaving itself.
To Rehana’s uncle’s annoyance and her aunt’s confusion, Ravinder became a fixture in their lives. They were irritated by the unabashed attention he was giving to their niece. That he was not Muslim bothered them, but not too much. And that he was a well brought up young man from a family of means did not escape their attention either. The sudden change in Rehana baffled them. Usually withdrawn, sullen and taciturn, she was now cheerful and constantly smiling. Zahira was blown away to find her helping with the housework and being pleasant about it too.
But the uncle worried. At his wit’s end, he threw the ball at her brother Yusuf in Ramallah.
Yusuf ’s decision came hard and fast. ‘There is no way in hell you are going to continue seeing him!’ he screamed at Rehana on the phone.
He should have known better. Rehana was as stubborn as he was.
When Ravinder’s parents came to know, their reaction was equally predictable.
‘She is not Sikh?’ His grandmother, who held sway over family matters, raised an aristocratic eyebrow. Despite her age, it took a brave man to stand up to her. That one raised eyebrow and her cold, derisive smile were generally enough to send people scooting for cover.
‘She is Arab,’ Ravinder’s father, the head of a small princedom in India’s northern state of Punjab, who had just spent an hour reciting the sordid tale, reiterated patiently. ‘From Palestine.’
‘A Muslim?’ Ravinder’s mother, whose hot Punjabi blood would often surge past the wall of royal snobbery, wrung her hands in despair. ‘How could he do this to us? What will people say?’
An expression of disgust crossed his grandmother’s face. That was about as far as she would go to respond to her daughter-in-law’s plebian display of emotion.
‘Maybe he is just sowing some wild oats.’ The grandmother sounded more hopeful than convinced.
But they were all shocked when they learned that Ravinder was not just sowing wild oats, he was planting royal seeds as well.
‘I think it was the resistance from both families that decided things for us. Now, don’t get me wrong, Ruby. We did love each other. I am – was – madly in love with her. For me the sun rose when she did and set when she slept.’
Ravinder could clearly remember the day their relationship had moved to the next level. He was walking up to her house when he saw her returning from the other end of the street. There was a Dalmatian pup on the leash with her, a friendly looking thing.
‘Cute dog. I didn’t know you had one,’ he said as she came up.
‘It’s my aunt’s… so I guess he is kind of like my cousin.’ Rehana grinned. ‘She just got him.’
‘Does he bite?’ Ravinder leane
d forward to pick up the pup.
‘I doubt it. Loves attention too much.’
‘Does his cousin bite?’ Now this was not the usual Ravinder. Today, with his spirits fortified by two large whiskies, he was feeling daring.
‘She might.’ Rehana giggled. ‘Guess you will just have to find out.’
And they did – that very evening. And the cousin did bite. Deliciously.
Ruby noticed a soft expression on her father’s face.
Could it be that even now he was still in love… The thought was uncomfortable. Ruby pushed it away. That would rock the foundation of her mission. Unthinkable. Ruby reminded herself of her mission, of what her mother had said to her everyday – you will be the one to avenge us…. To avenge all these years of injustice we Palestinians have suffered.
‘You see, the family resistance simply crystallized things.’ Unaware of her turmoil, Ravinder continued, ‘We ran away to Birmingham and got married.’
‘Why Birmingham of all places?’
‘I had friends and relatives there.’ He gave a sheepish smile. ‘You see, when I told my parents I was going to marry Rehana, they cut me off. I was just a student, so money was a bit of a challenge.’
‘You didn’t think of getting a job?’
‘Nope, I was too used to the royal thing back then.’ They both laughed. ‘Yes, those were mad, mad days. But I would go through it all over again…’ He broke off, and it was a while before he resumed. ‘Rehana looked so gorgeous that day, bedecked in bridal finery. I tell you, Ruby, it felt as though we were living in a fairytale.’
‘Dad!’ A sharp cry intruded on them. ‘Dad!’
Ruby looked up to see a young woman come rushing up to them. She was about five-feet-four, slim, and wore black pants and a white shirt, the typical attire of law students in many Indian colleges. Her clear skin was unblemished by make-up. She doesn’t need it, Ruby thought enviously.
Ravinder spotted apprehension writ large on the girl’s face. He understood that Simran would have briefed Jasmine on the phone. He felt a chasm opening up between them and instinctively moved forward to close it. ‘Jasmine, how are you, kid?’
She did not reply, but sailed into his arms and buried her face in his chest. Ravinder held her close, willing her turmoil to seep into him.
‘Mom called me,’ Jasmine whispered. ‘I want you to know that it’s okay with me… I understand.’
Ravinder felt a gush of love flow through him. He held her shoulders and pulled her away, wanting to look at her, wanting her to look at him, needing her to know that nothing had changed between them. That he was proud of her for understanding. He became aware that Ruby was watching them closely, and suddenly felt awkward.
‘Jasmine, I would like you to meet Ruby. Your half… your elder sister.’
Momentarily Jasmine stayed close, clutching his hand. Then she turned to Ruby and smiled. A tentative smile, yet friendly and welcoming.
Suddenly Ruby realized, for some reason she could not yet fathom, that it was important for Jasmine to accept… no, to like her. Ruby gave her warmest and most reassuring smile and extended her right hand.
‘Hi, Jasmine, I hope we can be friends.’ She heard a nervous plea in her voice.
Jasmine’s smile broadened. Brushing aside Ruby’s extended hand, she reached out with open arms. Ruby felt a lump in her throat as she hugged her.
‘Of course we can,’ Jasmine said. ‘We share our father, the same family name… nothing can take that away from either of us.’
Ruby could not trust herself to speak. She felt overwhelmed.
Watching them, Ravinder too was shaken. He was about to speak when his mobile trilled to life. Reluctantly, he reached for it.
‘Sir,’ Mohite sounded excited. ‘I think you’d better come to office right away. I think we have just had a major breakthrough.’
‘Tell me what happened, Govind.’
‘I just got a call from Thakur sahib. Apparently the Israeli team managed to get hold of Saeed Anwar.’
‘That’s fantastic. Where is he now?’ Ravinder masked his annoyance over Thakur once again bypassing him. He stepped away, moving out of earshot.
‘Dead as far as I know, but the important thing is that Anwar confirmed that it was Pasha who financed the strike on Jerusalem. He also confirmed that Pasha has hired a British mercenary, a woman, to carry out a strike in Delhi.’
‘How do we know that?’
‘Easy, because Pasha had asked Anwar to alert one of their money men here to be ready to hand over cash to the mercenary when she contacted him.’
‘What is the target?’
‘Anwar did not know that. I assume it’s the Summit.’ Mohite’s voice now lost some of its shine. ‘Could be the Games too, though,’ he added.
‘I see. Excellent. Put a surveillance team on this financier immediately.’
‘I am doing that right away. I messaged Peled and he has e-mailed the name and details of this guy to both of us.’
‘Fantastic. Good work, Govind. I am still to check my mail.’
‘Well, I have and I’ve also activated a team to watch the guy. We may be able to catch them both red-handed.’
‘We don’t have an option, Govind. We have to. We have to catch the mercenary when she meets him.’
‘Yes, sir. That was why I was asking if you wanted to come down and brief the team. Though I am going to personally supervise this operation.’
Ravinder figured that Mohite wanted him involved so that he could pass on the blame if things fell apart. Well, so be it. ‘Hang on. I am leaving right now.’
‘Good. I also wanted to know if we should preemptively start rounding up single British women in the capital.’
‘Are you nuts, Govind? Do you know how many there would be with the Games around the corner? The Brits will blow a bloody gasket if we pull stunts like that.’
‘Well…’
‘Hang on, Govind. I will be right over. Brief the surveillance team, but don’t start on anything else.’
He ended the call and threw a quick look at the girls. ‘I have to go to the office… something important has come up.’ He hesitated, wondering how Ruby would feel about being left alone.
‘Don’t worry about Ruby, dad,’ Jasmine sensed his worry and jumped right in. ‘I will take good care of her.’
Ravinder blew her a kiss and rushed towards his car.
There was silence between the two girls for a while after Ravinder left. Ruby felt puzzled by this new situation that she found herself in.
‘Would you like to go out for dinner with me?’ Jasmine was giving her an expectant smile.
‘Sure. That would be wonderful.’ She smiled back. ‘It is very sweet of you to…’
‘Nonsense.’ Jasmine cut her off. ‘I have never had a sister to go out with… till now.’ She broke off, suddenly embarrassed. Ruby reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. ‘Would you like to settle in first? Come, let me show you your room.’ Jasmine took Ruby’s hand and led her inside.
Neither noticed Simran watching from the kitchen as they crossed the living room and went up the stairs. She was still holding the kitchen knife she had been using to slice sausages when she heard the girls come in. Her fingers were wrapped so tightly around the hilt that they had begun to hurt.
Ruby was still getting ready when Jasmine walked into the guest bedroom. She was wearing a mauve silk sari with a black border and a black blouse. The sari was slung low, displaying a slim, fetching waist. Her tiny sleeveless blouse made the best of her breasts. She also wore a diamond pendant held close to her long neck by an almost invisible golden chain. Matching diamond earrings sparkled in her ears.
‘My! You are certainly dressed to kill.’ Ruby gave an approving smile. Her own black and red dress looked dowdy in comparison.
‘I don’t usually wear saris… in fact, I just learnt how to wear one,’ Jasmine giggled, ‘but I thought tonight should be special. After all, how often does one meet a sister one
has never met before?’
‘Very true. Not often.’
‘Say! Why don’t you wear a sari too?’ Jasmine cocked her head to one side and studied Ruby. ‘That dress is lovely, but won’t it be fun for both of us to wear saris?’
Ruby laughed, shaking her head. ‘I wouldn’t be able to put one on or hold it up for…’
‘Don’t worry. I will drape it for you,’ Jasmine replied excitedly. ‘What fun! Come!’ Grabbing Ruby’s hand, she led the way to her bedroom down the corridor. Suddenly they were just two young girls, two sisters, out to have fun.
Half an hour later, Jasmine stood back and surveyed the results of her effort.
‘You look gorgeous.’
The deep blue Kanjivaram sari with a black border set off her Mediterranean features. With straight black hair framing her face, Ruby looked stunning. Looking in the full-length mirror, she could not believe it was her. She looked so different.
I even feel different, Ruby thought with surprise. ‘I am nervous.’ Ruby swivelled around slowly, clutching the folds of the silk sari. ‘What if it falls off ?’
‘The men will be in for a treat then!’ Jasmine chuckled. ‘You don’t do that,’ she said, removing Ruby’s hands from the folds of the sari. ‘Just let it be. Don’t worry. It won’t fall off. Now try to walk.’
Ruby took a few tentative steps. Then realizing it was not flimsily tied, she walked more confidently.
‘Better? Think you can manage?’
‘Much better,’ Ruby nodded.
‘Then shall we, Ms Gill?’ Jasmine gestured at the door with a big smile. Ruby nodded and picking up her clutch, got ready to follow.
‘Wait. Something’s missing…’ Jasmine frowned. ‘I know! You need something to set it off.’ She walked over to the dressing table and pulled out a pearl necklace and earrings from her jewellery box.
‘There is no need for that, Jasmine.’
