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"Seema's Sky" is a translation of Prakash Trivedi's Gujrati novel "Seemanu Aakash". It has been specially translated by Ashok Dholabhai for shaaditimes. It is a love story and more.
As they were entering the room the telephone rang. Nikhil picked up the phone. It was Mama.
"Hello Nikhil! So you are back! Now listen, I have come directly to Kanubhai's place. All of us will have dinner here. It will be a Gujarati dinner of Khichdi and Kadhi. I know you will like it. Bring Seema along." "What is the time now?" he stopped to ask someone.
"It's 5.15. You don't have to rush. Both of you can roam around some more and reach here around 8 o'clock. Will you bring the car?" "What do you think Kanubhai?" the conversation was interrupted by Mama asking Kanubhai. "Would it be better to bring the car or will Seema come by train? If she does, she will have a problem going back alone at night. Oh, she isn't afraid of going alone? Brave girl!"
Nikhil immediately said, "We will bring the car" and ended the conversation. He thought , "Had Seema not been with me I could have done with a few hours of sleep. I will now have to entertain her for two and a half hours and then accompany her right upto Forest Hill. Oh God!, pretty exhausting, and specially if entertaining Seema will be against her wishes. Why did Mami think up all this?"
They were at Pier 83 on 43rd Street on the banks of the Hudson. On the opposite bank was Union City and near it was Hoboken, Frank Sinatra's birthplace.
Nikhil was buying two tickets for the ferry when the hooter of the ferry added to the noise of the New York traffic. But where was Seema? Was she trying to prove that she was liberated by deliberately delaying the ferry? Was she trying to prove that she could impose her will on others? Just then he saw Seema in the distance coming with two pretzels. He felt like taking her by her hand and hurrying with him up the steps of the ferry gangplank. Soon after, the ferry with 40 passengers started its cruise.
During their 3 hour tour of Manhattan one thought had worried Nikhil. Mama had told them to reach Forest Hill at 8 but how could they? Seema took the decision to have a ferry ride only at 5:30 There was no time to ring up Mama about this. The ferry set sail at 5:45 and there were no communication facilities on the ferry to enable him to get in touch with Mama. The ferry ride would end only at 9 and from there it would be another 45 to 50 minutes to Kanubhai's place. By the time he could inform Mama about his delay, Mama would be worried sick.
Seema did not seem bothered about the delay. She ignored the hints he gave her about this. Finally he was forced to express his worry in clear terms. Seema was surprised. "Why should a young man on his first date be worried about reaching home late? Wasn't he too old-fashioned?" On the other hand, Nikhil was afraid that Mama would reprimand him for not caring to ring up.
The sights around were beautiful but Nikhil was so tense that he could not bring himself to enjoy them. The Statue of Liberty and the twin towers of the World Trade Center stood out against the skyline. They passed several boats, and large vessels on their way to the anchorages in New York and New Jersey. White birds hovered over-head sometimes diving for fish.
Seema and Nikhil stood on the deck taking in the sights.
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