Short Story: The Woman On The Train - III

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Resemblance to any person living or dead, to any organisation, place or thing is purely coincidental.
Part I - here 
Part II - here 

She came back from the call. I was fidgeting with the empty teacup thoroughly confused. Call it luck or whatever, a young couple walked past us. The thing around that lady's neck, their million watt smiles and the blitheness in their gait amply suggested they were newlywed. I seized the opportunity. Feigning to take cue from the couple I asked as casually as I could - "Are you married, Vinaya?"
"No!"
"Boyfriend?" I quickly added.
"None" said she with a smug smile. She probably read what I was thinking. My hopes soared once more.
"I guess it's high time we took our seats" she said pointing to the amber. I was too excited to notice the signal.
"Uh..Yeah. Lets go." We hurried toward the coach. I bade her good night and hopped on to my berth above. She helped into hers. I was lying there staring at the lights imagining ways to impress her. I thought I should do something really impressive before she gets down. Someone shut the lights and I dozed off. I didn't know how long I slept until I woke up to the noise of my co-passengers. The train seemed to have stopped at some station. Folks across the aisle seemed to have gotten down. I gazed into my watch. It took a while to focus with soporific eyes. Quarter to three. We were running late, so I concluded that the station was Nellore. I peeped below. Vinaya wasn't there. Her handbag was gone too. (She got down? Isn't she bound for Chennai?) I found something amiss.
"Ohmygod!! The laptop. My laptop's missing!", I barked in dismay. And then it dawned on me in a flash and I sprang to my feet. "Oh! my..my... She's a crook. What a fool I had been." I cried in despair. I lost my nerve and ran up and down the coach frenetically. I scoured the platform and searched the subway. No sign of her. May be she got down at some previous station, I thought. The train blew its horn and I ran back to my coach. I couldn't believe that she made away with my laptop. (How could she do it to me? I risked my life and limb to get her supper last night. How could she?) I tried to recollect the procedure - Call the security team at office, then manager and then contact local police. (Why to me?) I cussed and spewed a barrage of expletives - words I wouldn't have imagined uttering even in my dreams, let alone on a woman. I was shouting so loud that it awoke a few passengers in the next bay. They looked questioningly at me half asleep and I continued to mouth profanities when someone tapped my shoulders from behind.
"I'm thoroughly impressed with your extraordinary vocabulary," snickered Vinaya. I stood stunned for a few moments. (Ohmygod! I sure did want to impress you, but not this way, never, even in my dreams) "Couldn't catch sleep. Thought I could use some walk. Found a power outlet on S7. So charged up your laptop." she said matter-of-factly.
I apologised profusely. "I..I..I thought you just lifted my laptop. I'm really really sorry" I stuttered, "All those bad language, sh**, I mean... I'm really very sorry. I'm very embarrassed." I continued to stammer.
"Hey! Take it easy. I know you didn't mean them by heart. I know you are a nice guy." (Hurray! She called me - a nice guy!) I grinned sheepishly. "We all are prisoners of circumstance. Happens.", she said shrugging her shoulders. The entire episode didn't seem to irk her a whit. She took it so very lightly; and on top of it, she tried put me at ease. I had called her all sorts of names, yet she continued to talk as though nothing had happened. (Whatta woman!)
"I've never seen a person like you - so calm and composed, not a bit of anger, I mean..." I stammered and she kept smiling, "...and I should say that you are beautiful." (Why did I say this now?) She broke into a laughter. I realised I had blabbered indiscreetly. I was thoroughly ill at ease. (Ranjan, you've already passed for a fool. Why don't you just shut up before losing the last vestiges of any credibility?)
"Ha ha! You are very funny yet sweet!" she remarked. (I am sweet. She said that. Whooaa! Wait... before you celebrate...she also finds you funny, dumbo!)
"Check your mails, you were desperate." she reminded. "Yeah!" I checked the emails. They were all fine. All 377 of them. We continued talking and with every word spoken and otherwise I was drawn closer towards her. She had such towering impact on me in so short a time. The train reached Chennai and was inching on to the platform. I was visibly edgy. The train stopped and we got down. "Vinaya, could I have your number?" I asked earnestly.
"Sure." We exchanged numbers.  She continued - "I guess I kinda know what you have on your mind." (What the hell?)
"Hi Vini!", a girl screamed from a distance. Vinaya waved to her and continued to talk to me - "Am afraid it's not possible, but I would like to be a good friend." I was flabbergasted at her ability to read my mind and at the same time not mince words. I didn't even attempt to deny anything. The girl joined us and gave her a hug.
"Prer, this is Ranjan. I met him on the train." she said.
"Hullo!"
"Hi!"
"Ranjan, this is Prerna, my...soul mate." (Your what?!?!) I scowled in confusion.
"Yeah," she continued with a wink, "she is my better half!". Prerna nodded in unison.
"Oh!" I bit my lips in shock. I was too petrified to say anything further.
"Okay! We are already late. Gotta go. Bye!"
"Nice, meeting. Bye" I mumbled. She flashed her nanosecond smile one more time. I wasn't sure I savoured it this time. They walked away and I was still standing on the platform unable to believe what had come to pass in front of my very own eyes.
Moments later I received a message - "Like I said its not possible :)"
I knew what she meant. It was hard for me to swallow the fact about her. I could only curse my luck. It was not for me to comment on her sexuality, but here was a woman - beautiful, poised, intelligent, ambitious, focused and above all bold enough to come out in the open with her sexual preferences in a society like ours.
Whatta woman!  
 
msr