Between the Lines : Chapter 3

Hubert opened the door and stood there looking at me, observing my bright pink lipstick. I crossed my fingers and hoped, he did not notice the missing ring. His studio was in an old building rented out to students primarily. You had to step up from the hall to enter the rooms. I stepped up, and he closed the door gently behind me. We embraced in a long passionate kiss. Hubert was tall, slightly above 6 feet. I am short slightly below 5 feet four inches. He circled me in his arms, as I clung to his neck. He had broad beautiful lips. "I missed you", he said. "I missed you too. By the way, I told my parents about us! I will tell you the whole story later", I said. I pecked him on the lips. We kissed again.

"I am making masala tea for you", he said in a barely audible voice. "Yeah, superb", I replied. Hubert's studio was smaller than mine. A small shower room and toilet, and a small kitchen were separated by a half wall from the rest of the room. He also rented a spare room near the garage outside, near the back garden of the building, which he had converted into his experiments and study room. But Hubert was neat and organized. I noticed, he had a new television set. "When did you buy this", I shouted. "Just a day after you went for the holiday", he replied. I stepped inside the kitchen. It was a single row of a slab, with a sink at the end of the wall, and some storage space above. "So what did you do in the holidays?", Hubert asked. I stepped on his toes, placed my arms around his neck, and replied, "I met a guy". Hubert seemed undisturbed. He did not query me. I had hoped to make him jealous. He picked the boiling pot of tea from the electric hob and placed it on a cloth on the cement slab while holding me with the other hand. "Ok", he said, and then looked at me. We kissed. He pulled me closer. He was hard. He unzipped the back of my dress and slipped his fingers inside, unfastening my bra. We kissed, as he walked me to the bed, my feet on his toes all the while. My dress fell to the floor and I stroked his golden brown hair, as he licked my nipples.

The tea had become cold, so we decided to just have the 'luuchis'. I had brought a bottle of red wine, that I poured in two glasses. "I also have some mango jam and some salad in the fridge. Let me bring that", Hubert said.  "Get me some water too", I said, as I sipped my wine. I was starving. Hubert, sat opposite me and placed some 'luuchis' on my plate. They were golden brown and perfect. He then scooped up a small triangle of mango jam and placed it on the plate. He finished decorating the plate, with a yellow sauce that he had prepared on the side. "Try it", he said. I smiled, I liked the way he presented food. I was learning. I always saw mom and my aunts prepare food and put them in bowls and plates. My grandmother, preferred to serve food on our plates, while she stood watching us eat. But Hubert was a pro, his fork and spoons lay neatly on the side of the plate, each spaced equally apart. The sauce was laid in a perfect crescent shape beside the 'luuchi'. He was so meticulous. I picked my plate and crossed the table and sat on Hubert's lap. I moved his plate to the side and placed my plate there. "This is how we Indians eat, you know", I proclaimed, adjusting myself on his lap. "I thought you ate on the floor", Hubert joked. "No seriously, I remember you telling that to me that last year", he said posing a puppy look. I stuffed a 'luuchi' in his mouth, and another in mine. 

We finished eating and sipped wine on the sofa. I had changed into Hubert's t-shirt. It reached my knees. "I have to show you my new experiment", Hubert remarked. I was not interested in his experiments and often did not understand their value. I ran my fingers through his chest, as he told me about his latest experiment. There were blotches of red here and there on his skin. Usually, after lovemaking, his skin would turn into blotchy.shades of pink and red and pale white. I kissed a red patch of skin, and it changed to bright pink. I kissed again, and this time it changed to a darker pink. I suddenly remembered my ring. I got up. "What happened?", Hubert asked surprised.  "Washroom", I said, and sneakily picked up my handbag and rushed to the bathroom. I flushed the toilet and came out after a minute. I had the ring back on my finger. "Hubert was playing with his hand phone. "I thought you were ready for round two", he said softly. Did I see a smile at the corner of his mouth?, I wondered. "I see", I said, jumping onto the couch beside him. I had enjoyed my trip to India, and my holiday with my parents, but it was nice to be back to the love of my life. 

"Mom wants to speak to your parents", I said. "She wants us to get married", I added. "I don't know", Hubert replied. "What do you mean I don't know?", I asked. "Why are you so blatantly direct?", Hubert asked. "What has that to do with direct? Mom wants to speak to your parents. Either they can call her, or I can give her their number. I just want to make sure, they don't get a surprise when she calls them", I explained. "Do you have my parents number?", Hubert asked, now smiling. His smiling face seemed to calm down my irritation. I did not reply, and simply looked out of the window. I was getting even more irritated with the silence. "I'll talk to them. Let me talk to them first. do you want to come with me to meet them, perhaps next month?", Hubert asked.

My irritation was replaced by worry. "Don't you think our parents should talk or meet first?", I remarked. "I mean, it will look even more awkward if I go with you to Germany, even before my parents have spoken to your parents", I added. "Why should it be awkward? They are not going to eat you up.", he said. He was laughing now. "I thought you were raised in Canada and US", he commented. "You mean monster", I said and banged the sofa cushion on his head. We were both laughing now. "Let me mull over it ", I said indecisively. "I may have to ask my parents first if I can make the trip with you", I added. "You are weird", Hubert concluded. "That's the reason I chose you", I said. 

"You met a guy?", Hubert said. "A guy?", I repeated. "You just said you met a guy", Hubert said sulkily. "Oh, that guy, I meant he was just a guy", I said, sensing Hubert's uneasiness. "You did not have the engagement ring on your finger when you returned", he remarked. "I am wearing it, see", I said mischievously. "You wore it in the bathroom", he said quietly. I pecked him on his cheeks. "That was for a different reason, you are the only guy in my life, and you know that", I said, nudging at the nape of his neck.