Chapter -37 (Jishnu Gets His First Kiss) 

Mr. Ronit lingered at the table longer that night, long after his friend, Arnab retired to bed. Sneha was in the kitchen doing the cleaning-up operation. Mr. Rohit lit a cigarette and was looking for an astray when Jishnu fetched him one. Mr. Ronit took a long drag before asking Jishnu about his days in Delhi. A sea of memories flashed through Jishnu's mind - His admission, the five years in one of the best medical Institutes in the country, the days of internship, the monthly allowance of Rs. 20,000 that came in handy when he bought his first car - all this cropped uo in his mind when Mr. Arnab sneaked out of his room, locked it, walked up to remind his friend of the flight next day, and proceeded to the Guest Room. 

Sneha latched the kitchen door and moved towards her room. She looked up at the Guest Room and felt happy. Dad was going to be sleeping there and have some company after a long time. She tried to remember when was the last time, since her mother's death that someone came and stayed with dad in that room. All on a sudden a feeling of love for her dad, overpowered her. She remembered those days when her mom was alive and she would go to their bedroom before retiring to her own room. She would lie down in between mom and dad. Her dad would trickle her running his hand softly down her spine thereby making her break out into a spontaneous squeal of laughter and delight. 

As she unlatched the door of her room, Sneha heaved a sigh, looked back up at her brother's and got inside her room. 

Back in his room, Jishnu took off her punjabi and headed to the toilet for brushing. It was 10.30 by his watch. Luckily for him, the next day was Sunday. He could lie down for as long as he wanted. He came out of the toilet, drew his mobile from the top of the wardrobe and checked out the messages.There was one call as well from an unknown number. He took note of the number and put the mobile down by his pillow. He could hear his sister latching the kitchen door from outside and felt sorry for the sister that got lost after his mother's demise. 

It was as if Sneha grew overnight into the woman, he never knew his sister could ever be! Gone was the spirited, bubbly, lively girl and what emerged in her place was a mature, taciturn, responsible woman. For a minute, Sneha asking Jishnu for an explanation about Chandra's suicide the day the desperado, Rabina went up to his room, came to his mind. 

He loved his sister in a way hard to explain. Of late, she had taken it upon herself to mother Jishnu. She made sure that his room was arranged properly, his clothes regularly washed and ironed, his shoes cleaned and polished.

Sometimes Jishnu felt sorry for his sister and felt life was not fair at all. Girls of her age got pampered and fussed over by their parents and siblings. But Sneha had only dad and Jishnu to entertain her whims and fancies. He wondered often if she was left with any! Looking at the framed photo of his mother, he made a promise to himself never to let his sister down. When he got married, thought Jishnu, he would make sure that his wife got along nicely with his sister. They had to be good friends. The two women of the house had to be on very good terms. 

While these thoughts were going through his mind, Jishnu suddenly thought of Meghna Meghna and Sneha hit it up like the best buddies. Whenever Meghna dropped by, she would bring something for Sneha. It was either a candy, chocolates or even home-made cookies. Once she even brought a teddy bear the size of a Alsatian for Sneha! Sneha was so taken in by the big teddy that for the next few weeks, she wouldn't bathe eat, drink or sleep without the teddy. 

It was Meghna who came over to spend the night with Sneha the day his grandma was suddenly taken ill and hospitalized. It was on that night, he learnt a thing or two about love for the very first time in his life… .. 

Roma Masi, the maid, had finished preparing dinner by 8.30 that night. She had left then to get back to her home. Meghna turned up by 9.05 and refused to join the siblings for dinner. Sneha and Meghna had spent the next half hour or so in Sneha's room. 

Jishnu was in class nine at that time. He had gone back up to his room to do the homework or something, after bidding the twosome 'good might when he heard Meghna shouting out to him to come down fast. The anxiety in her voice made Jishnu hurry down to his sister's room. On entering her room, he saw Sneha holding out her finger while blood was gushing out of it. Meghna had a bloodied hankerchief pressed against the finger. Jishnu immediately dashed out of his sister's room to his parents' bedroom to get the dettol, bandaid and a roll of bandage. 

Once the finger had stooped bleeding and both Jishnu and Sneha brought the situation under control, Meghna told him what had happened. Meghna was leafing through a book called "Wimpie's Diary" that she had picked up from the bookshelf while Sneha, sitting on bed, was sydying for the Class Test the next day. She had started sharpening a pencil with a knife when the blade slipped away and made a deep cut into her finger. But for the sharp mind and prompt action of Meghna, things could have been far more serious that night. 

Later, coming down stairs for a glass of drinking water, Jishnu found the light in Sneha's room still on. Curious why they hadn't gone to bed yet, Jishnu knocked on the door and found Sneha asleep while Meghna was still going through the book. 

"Why haven't you slept yet, Meghna? " Jishnu asked her. 

"Shshsh… Please don't shout. She might wake up again." Meghna replied, putting a finger to her lips. "Besides, I ain't feeling sleepy. Possibly, it is the change of place." She quipped. 

"Do you want me to be here for sometime?" Jishnu asked Meghna inquisitively. 

"No, not here. But can we go out in the drawing room? I'd love to talk to you, Jishnuda. Ma is always talking to me about you. How brilliant you are, your results snd all that. Would you give me some tips as to how to excel in studies like you've done it?"

As Jishnu nodded, he was surprised at the frankness of the little girl. How old was she at that time? Fourteen? Thirteen? Wasn't it then that Jishnu learnt about puppy love?

Meghna had quietly shut the door behind her and come out of Sneha's, following Jishnu.

They sat side by side on the sofa in the drawing room and started engaging in small talks at first. They were talking about studies and all, when Jishnu noticed that Sneha had stopped speaking. It was her silence that made Jishnu turn his head towards her for the first time. 

She was always a cute girl. On that night, wearing a colorful, printed frock with pictures of the micky mouse all over, she looked like a doll. Meghna had her hair arranged into two plates which were hanging down on her shoulders. Her round face with those big, black eyes and a sharp nose and the dimples made Jishnu want to eat her up! The hanging earrings in her ears gave her a surreal look that night. 

It was Meghna who was the first girl to kiss Jishnu on the lips as he reached her to her doorsteps at his mother's bidding the next night. The night Meghna invited him into her house first and her heart next. .