Desde sempre e para sempre Chapter 17

Desde sempre e para sempre

Chapter 17 

Davi was standing outside the same Community Hall. The lights were on inside. Leo was right, Aaji’s house wasn't there!

He pushed open the gate and entered the Community Hall.

This was no place for anyone to live! This was a dance studio…It was empty. Someone must have forgotten to turn the lights off.

Davi: “How is it possible? According to the address, it should be right here! The people outside directed me to this place too…”

He started walking through the halls and climbed up the steps. He was wandering around aimlessly, confused with his surrounding…damn, where was he going to get the house now? How was he going to build it right here in a matter of few days! How was he going to deliver his promise?

Lost in thought, he stumbled into a set of percussion instruments. Woah…was he sleepwalking? How does one stumble into a set of drums!? He looked around and realized that he was in a gallery filled with a wide vareity of musical instruments. An impressive range of wind instruments to his right, string instruments to his left, brass instruments against the wall across but what got his interest were the set of percussion instruments he had stumbled into…the ones right in front of him…

He smiled like a kid and proceeded to the Conga drums…

Exhausted and yet unable to get that particular Brazilian out of her mind Naina twirled and twirled, swirled and swirled in a white anarkali and her ghungroos until she couldn't any more. She was sweating profusely and burst into a giggle as she stopped abruptly. It had been her intent to work on her frustration through dance and in a way, it had. She had forgotten about him as she had danced the evening away, after all, dance was her first love. But it had gotten late and she knew Dadi must be waiting for her.

As she walked to the bench to untie her ghungroos, she heard the Conga drums being played in the music room.

Kushal…he had finally made his presence known, had he? Couldn’t wait until tomorrow to meet Jaya…back in New York they always challenged each other; him on the drums and her through her Kathak. She had told him about the dance studio in the community center…

It was a simple and steady beat. She smiled with a twinkle in her eyes. She knew they could both do better.

Naina: “Let’s make this a bit more fun shall we, Kuku?”

She started tapping her feet in sync with the beats of the drums to challenge him with the sound of her ghungroos. She loved to challenge him and she knew he loved to reciprocate.

Davi looked up. What was that? Ghungroos….the sweet sweet jingle of the ghungroos…

Was that a challenge?

Hell, yes!

Conga drums were not going to cut it. He effortlessly flipped the drumsticks in the air and switched over to the drums set.

She matched him with every beat and challenged him further. She was playing with him, he could feel it...He lost himself in the beat and he could feel her do the same...

Wow…….she was good! She was better…she was….he never quit but his need to see her was stronger….he had to see her….who was she? Who was this angel?

He gave up and walked towards the sound with the drumsticks in his hands. He was intrigued…he could make out with her swift and cheeky footing that she was an accomplished dancer.

He saw her. He saw a beautiful woman’s silhouette in a white Indian dress as she swirled around in circles on the dance floor, an elegant and flawless poise with every step…he wanted her to make the final swirl and look up so he could see her face…he was waiting…and waiting….

Naina heard him stop. A smile broke out…she had won this time…it was so unlike him though... He never gave up, at least not so fast…was it really Kuku? She sensed someone walk over…

With her final turn, she laughed and looked up…

Naina: “Kuku, gave up so easily? Is this how you are going to impress…”

She stopped…it wasn't him.

It was that Brazilian again! That OTHER Brazilian!

Davi was speechless!

Davi: “Naina…”

Destiny….Here he was standing right in front of Gael’s girl!

Slowly, she walked towards him, her loose hair blowing in the wind...for a moment he expected her to be shy simply because of the way she looked, innocent in a white dress...however,

Naina: “YOU AGAIN!”

And he smiled! THIS was definitely the girl his Irmão could fall for. 

He looked beyond her to the center of the dance floor where she had danced so gracefully just a few seconds ago. THIS was Gael's girl. With only one look at her, he believed his Aaji. Naina was all Gael needed...desde sempre e para sempre...

She quickly untied her dupatta and adjusted it across her neck: “Back to explain the difference between Medical Cosmetology and Medical Aesthetics?”

Medical Aesthetics?? Was she talking about  Leo? Had Leo met her?!

Naina wasn't ready to reveal just yet that she knew who he really was even though she wanted to question his credibility. Weren't all footballers imprudent?

She thought he was Leo.

Davi quickly covered his eyes with his sunglasses before she saw his eyes. 

Naina found it surprising and was about to ask him when…

Davi: “I know I am not out in the sun but I have been prescribed by the doctor. Not myself, another one, since you clearly question my credibility.”

She couldn’t see his eyes but she could see his grin. He was one cheeky little, well, not little…

As she turned around to collect her stuff, she undid her hair and flicked it over her back. She knew he would follow the movement. He was a guy after all and she wanted to buy some time…

But he didn’t. He was staring at her face…which she very much didn’t want him to. He was was making her self-conscious.

He could see why his brother, the great Gael Breno Bourgeois, would falter…

Naina: “What is it? Are you trying to find the faults in my face so you can correct them and put me under the needle?”

Davi: “Who in the right mind would want to change…”

She looked at him, all her stuff in her arms.

Naina: “What are you doing back here? How did you even enter inside?”

Davi: “This place…it belongs to my grandmother.”

Naina burst out laughing.

Naina: “Sure. This place in Mumbai belongs to your grandmother who is in Rio?”

Wow, her laughter…it was contagious. He couldn’t help but smile.

She knew Leo, although she thought he was only a plastic surgeon. And she knew they were from Rio. 

Naina: “I am glad you find this funny too.”

She started walking away expecting him to follow her as she turned the lights off. Thank god for her ghungroos! He followed the sound and made his way out with her.

Davi: “This plot, it belongs to my grandmother. She is Indian.”

Naina looked at him. What was these Brazilians? Did EVERY Brazilian have an Indian grandmother?! This was absurd!

Naina: “You are mistaken. This plot belongs to the community. It’s a community center. Can’t you read?”

She was challenging him again.

Davi: “Sanskriti Samudayik Kendra.”

Naina couldn't stop her jaw from dropping. It was written in Hindi!

Davi: “There, now do you believe that I was raised by a traditional Indian woman?”

Naina: “You have a Brazilian mother!”

Damn it! She wasn't supposed to know!

Naina: “I mean I assumed since you said your grandmother was the Indian one and not your mother.” 

Did she know it had been Leo earlier? Leo couldn't act to save his life!

Naina: “I think I deserve to know your name since you know mine.”

There. Hopefully, that didn't give her away.

Maybe she didn't  She definitely didn't know that he was Davi but maybe she didn't know that the guy earlier had been Leo. Leo had disguised himself, albeit haphazardly, and Davi looked like a mess too.

Davi: “Estefan.”

For all the multiple roles that he played for a living, he could only think of his middle name. Thank God, it was a common name.

Estafan? He was playing it safe. That’s like saying his name was Raj or Rahul!

Naina: “Dr. Estefan, pleased to meet you.”

Great, he already had a profession. It was back to work.

Davi: “Likewise. About this place…”

Naina: “There must be a misunderstanding. This place was converted into a community center 10 years ago. My Dadi has been in charge of the center. She has been teaching dance and music to students ever since. We have no prior knowledge about this plot belonging to someone else, at least not that I know of. As far as I know, this land was given to this community by the Municipal Corporation. Anyways, its getting late and I have to lock up the center…so, if you don’t mind…”

John turned around and leaned against the tree. Damn, that woman was gorgeous! Anyways, back to work…

So this plot…he was going to have to make a trip to the Municipal Corporation tomorrow.

Davi: “I would like to talk to your Dadi since she has been in charge of the place.”

No! She didn't want him to come back! Why couldn't the Brazilians leave her alone!?

Naina: “Not just yet. We are busy. There is a wedding in the family…the celebrations start tomorrow. Okay, I have to go now…”

Davi: “Wedding?”

Naina pushed him away and locked the gate. She started walking away.

Davi: “Excuse me? Wedding? I don’t understand…”

Naina turned around: “You know when a guy and girl decided to tie the knot and live together happily ever after…”

Davi: “I know what a wedding is! Who is getting married!?”

Naina was surprised: “What’s it to you?”

Davi: “I want to convey my best wishes.”

Naina: “Go ahead.”

Davi: “Excuse me?

Naina rolled her eyes: “You would like to convey your best wishes you said.”

Davi: “YOU are getting married?”

Well…she had promised her Dadi she would by the end of this year which was only 3 weeks away…if she believed it, it would happen, she hoped…

Naina: “Yes.”