Frankly Spooking by Sriramana Muliya

Author:Sriramana Muliya
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-9-3502-9722-3
Publisher: Harper
Published: 2013-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

‘Oh, you’re here,’ Mohini said, making Preeti gasp involuntarily.

She laughed nervously and turned to her host.

‘I … I … you weren’t in the kitchen, so I just …,’ Preeti stuttered out, her face flush with embarrassment. She placed the dupatta back on the bed.

‘Oh, it’s ok,’ Mohini said, smiling. The two women went back to the living room.

‘You’re making something very delicious, I’m sure. The aroma’s killing.’

Mohini laughed. ‘Oh please, nothing like that. But you must stop for dinner.’

‘What? No, not at all. As it is, I came in unannounced, and you aren’t keeping well too. Some other day, Mohini,’ Preeti said apologetically.

‘Rubbish. You must stay. You know what, I’m glad you came. I feel so much better now. Perhaps I needed company.’

She held Preeti’s hand and squeezed it. Preeti almost gasped. Mohini’s fingers were stone cold.

‘I’ll be back in a jiffy,’ Mohini said, and again disappeared into the kitchen.

Preeti looked around nervously now. Something was not quite right. But she wasn’t able to place her finger on it.

She decided to get to the point when Mohini returned.

A moment later, the latter arrived with two cups on a tray. ‘Jasmine tea,’ she announced merrily. Preeti smiled, her eyebrows going up for a second, then accepted the cup offered to her.

‘Mohini, let me finish what I came to say first. Meena’s been missing all day, and …’

Mohini waved her away. ‘We shall discuss all that later. First tell me, how is my tea?’

Preeti reluctantly took a sip and then another. It was divine.

‘The tea is lovely. I am having such fine tea after a long time,’ she said, looking Mohini in the eye. Mohini gazed back at her steadily. She was smiling but the gaze pierced Preeti and a coldness swept through her. She felt numb and a little lightheaded. Was Deepika right after all? But she couldn’t show weakness now. So she tried to smile back and say, ‘I can’t wait to taste your cooking now.’

They had dinner, a sumptuous four-course meal. Preeti had never quite eaten such a meal. It was out of the world.

‘That was heavenly.’ She sighed happily.

Mohini giggled. ‘My mother’s recipe.’

‘What was that meat? It didn’t taste like chicken or mutton. It certainly wasn’t duck or turkey … I’ve tasted both. Wasn’t beef either, was it?’

‘Oh no, not beef,’ Mohini said reassuringly. ‘You need not worry.’

She poured out some more of the jasmine tea that remained, and they sat sipping it. Preeti had lost track of time.

‘I shouldn’t have poked around your house like that, Mohini. I’m really sorry,’ she said again.

‘Oh please, it’s ok.’

The two women looked at each other and smiled. There was something in Mohini’s face that made her very endearing to Preeti. She couldn’t take her eyes off her.

Mohini blushed and said, ‘What?’

‘Hmm? Oh, nothing.’ Preeti was a little taken aback by that direct question. Then, out of the blue, Mohini said. ‘You were looking at

Meena’s dupatta, weren’t you?’

Preeti looked at her.

‘Weren’t you?’

Preeti nodded.

‘It is indeed hers.’

‘Yes, I guessed. Has she given it to you?’

‘No.

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