22-11-2025, 07:40 AM
Saturday evening arrived with unexpected swiftness, the week's classes and responsibilities blurring together as Devika's thoughts kept returning to her impending visit. Standing before her bedroom mirror, she adjusted the pleats of her pale lavender chiffon saree, the delicate fabric catching the light as she moved. She'd chosen it deliberately—elegant but not too formal, the translucent material offering glimpses of her silhouette beneath.
Her fingers worked methodically, tucking the pleats into her petticoat before dbanging the pallu over her shoulder. She applied kohl around her eyes with careful precision, dabbed crimson on her lips, and added a touch more blush than she typically wore to class. The woman in the mirror looked both familiar and foreign—still Devika, but somehow transformed.
"What are you doing?" she whispered to her reflection, even as she reached for the small bottle of jasmine perfume, applying it to her wrists, behind her ears, and at the hollow of her throat. The sweet scent enveloped her, mingling with the fresh jasmine flowers woven into her braid.
On her way to Dattu's apartment, she stopped at a small clothing shop, hesitating before the men's section. After several minutes of indecision, she selected a blue cotton shirt with subtle checks—practical yet nicer than anything she'd seen Dattu wear. The shopkeeper wrapped it carefully in tissue paper, smiling as she handed over the money.
"Special occasion?" he asked.
"A birthday," she replied simply, slipping the package into her handbag.
Climbing the stairs to Dattu's apartment, Devika's heart pounded with each step. She paused outside the door, smoothing her saree and taking a steadying breath before knocking softly.
The door swung open almost immediately. Vishnu stood there, a broad smile lighting his face.
"Madam! You came." His eyes traveled appreciatively over her appearance before he stepped aside. "Please, come in."
The small apartment had been transformed. A string of colored lights hung along one wall, and the coffee table held a modest chocolate cake, bottles of soft drinks, and several parcels wrapped in foil. The familiar scent of biryani filled the space, making Devika suddenly aware of her own hunger.
Dattu emerged from the bedroom, his face breaking into an unrestrained smile at the sight of her. Unlike his usual disheveled appearance, he'd trimmed his beard and combed his hair back neatly.
"Teacher," he said, his voice gentler than she remembered. "You honor us."
Vishnu busied himself with the food, unwrapping a foil packet to reveal steaming chicken biryani. "I got gulab jamun too, and ice cream in the freezer."
"Happy birthday," Devika said, reaching into her handbag. "I brought something for you."
She handed Dattu the wrapped package. His weathered fingers opened it with surprising delicacy, his eyes widening at the contents.
"A shirt?" He held it up, examining the fabric with genuine appreciation. "Very fine. Very expensive-looking."
"It's nothing special," Devika demurred, though pleased by his reaction.
Without warning, Dattu unbuttoned the faded shirt he was wearing, slipping it off his shoulders to reveal his bare chest. Devika averted her eyes, but not before noticing the lean muscles beneath the weathered skin, the gray hair that covered his torso.
"Look," he said after a moment, pride evident in his voice. "Perfect fit."
Devika glanced up to see Dattu modeling the new shirt, smoothing the fabric over his chest. It transformed him somehow, lending a dignity that his usual clothing lacked.
"You look handsome, Father," Vishnu said, setting plates on the table.
"Very nice," Devika agreed, feeling warmth rise to her cheeks.
"And you," Dattu said, his eyes moving slowly over her form, "are beautiful tonight. Special perfume? Special flowers in your hair?"
"Just a little effort," she replied softly. "For your birthday."
"The most beautiful teacher in all of Pune," Vishnu added, standing beside his father. "We are lucky men tonight."
Father and son exchanged a look that Devika couldn't quite interpret, a silent communication that made her suddenly aware of being alone with them in the small apartment, the door closed behind her.
Her fingers worked methodically, tucking the pleats into her petticoat before dbanging the pallu over her shoulder. She applied kohl around her eyes with careful precision, dabbed crimson on her lips, and added a touch more blush than she typically wore to class. The woman in the mirror looked both familiar and foreign—still Devika, but somehow transformed.
"What are you doing?" she whispered to her reflection, even as she reached for the small bottle of jasmine perfume, applying it to her wrists, behind her ears, and at the hollow of her throat. The sweet scent enveloped her, mingling with the fresh jasmine flowers woven into her braid.
On her way to Dattu's apartment, she stopped at a small clothing shop, hesitating before the men's section. After several minutes of indecision, she selected a blue cotton shirt with subtle checks—practical yet nicer than anything she'd seen Dattu wear. The shopkeeper wrapped it carefully in tissue paper, smiling as she handed over the money.
"Special occasion?" he asked.
"A birthday," she replied simply, slipping the package into her handbag.
Climbing the stairs to Dattu's apartment, Devika's heart pounded with each step. She paused outside the door, smoothing her saree and taking a steadying breath before knocking softly.
The door swung open almost immediately. Vishnu stood there, a broad smile lighting his face.
"Madam! You came." His eyes traveled appreciatively over her appearance before he stepped aside. "Please, come in."
The small apartment had been transformed. A string of colored lights hung along one wall, and the coffee table held a modest chocolate cake, bottles of soft drinks, and several parcels wrapped in foil. The familiar scent of biryani filled the space, making Devika suddenly aware of her own hunger.
Dattu emerged from the bedroom, his face breaking into an unrestrained smile at the sight of her. Unlike his usual disheveled appearance, he'd trimmed his beard and combed his hair back neatly.
"Teacher," he said, his voice gentler than she remembered. "You honor us."
Vishnu busied himself with the food, unwrapping a foil packet to reveal steaming chicken biryani. "I got gulab jamun too, and ice cream in the freezer."
"Happy birthday," Devika said, reaching into her handbag. "I brought something for you."
She handed Dattu the wrapped package. His weathered fingers opened it with surprising delicacy, his eyes widening at the contents.
"A shirt?" He held it up, examining the fabric with genuine appreciation. "Very fine. Very expensive-looking."
"It's nothing special," Devika demurred, though pleased by his reaction.
Without warning, Dattu unbuttoned the faded shirt he was wearing, slipping it off his shoulders to reveal his bare chest. Devika averted her eyes, but not before noticing the lean muscles beneath the weathered skin, the gray hair that covered his torso.
"Look," he said after a moment, pride evident in his voice. "Perfect fit."
Devika glanced up to see Dattu modeling the new shirt, smoothing the fabric over his chest. It transformed him somehow, lending a dignity that his usual clothing lacked.
"You look handsome, Father," Vishnu said, setting plates on the table.
"Very nice," Devika agreed, feeling warmth rise to her cheeks.
"And you," Dattu said, his eyes moving slowly over her form, "are beautiful tonight. Special perfume? Special flowers in your hair?"
"Just a little effort," she replied softly. "For your birthday."
"The most beautiful teacher in all of Pune," Vishnu added, standing beside his father. "We are lucky men tonight."
Father and son exchanged a look that Devika couldn't quite interpret, a silent communication that made her suddenly aware of being alone with them in the small apartment, the door closed behind her.
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