Ramesh's plan of leaving her at school during the holidays, and his apparent neglect had cost her many ways. This recollection combined with their long separation was to produce in her a sense of estrangement. So Kamala after her entrance refused to look at Ramesh and kept her eyes fixed on the open door.Her appearance was a surprise to him; he found an astounding change in her. Her face had lost its youthfulness, and her features had become more pronounced and had gained difference. Her face had lost its youthful roundness, and the dark sleekness of her cheeks had given place to a delicate pallor, and her gait and movements were free and unconstrained.
After her entry Ramesh found her standing erect with head half-averted in front of the open window, her head was bare, her braided tresses, tied with a red ribbon, hung down her back, and her merino robe of a saffron tint was fastened tightly around her half-developed body. Ramesh gazed at her for some moments in silence. Now with its added lustre it startled him profoundly and found him unprepared to resist her charm.
"Sit down, Kamala," he bade her. Kamala sat down without a word.
"How's school ?" he went on.
"All right," she answered curtly.
Ramesh offered her something to eat for which she said that she had already had her food before she started from the school. As he started observing her, he found; a beautiful face is like diviner's rod, it draws out any beauty that lurks in its surroundings. He hurried out and fetched a plateful of apples, pears, and pomegranates.
"You don't seem to want anything, Kamala," he said, "but I'm hungry and I can't hold out any longer." Kamala smiled, and the light of that unexpected smile dissipated the fog that had come between them. Ramesh took a knife and began to slice an apple, but he was quite devoid of any kind of dexterity. His avid haste and his clumsy attempts to cut the fruit were too much for Kamala, and she burst out laughing. Her unrestrained merriment delighted Ramesh. "I suppose you're laughing because I'm no good at cutting apples," he said. "All right, just show me how you can do it." Kamala advised him to get a chopper to cut the fruit with ease.
When he brought chopper Kamala took off her shoes, sat down, and deftly peeled the apple ; then she began to cut it into slices. Ramesh sat down in front of her and caught the slices on a plate. "You'll have to eat some too," he said.
"No, thank you," said kamala.
" Then I shan't have any."
Kamala looked up at him. " All right ; you have some first, and then I'll have some."
They started sharing the fruit and set out eating.
In that instant he saw something that arrested his jaws. Jogendra and Akshay were standing opposite him outside the door.
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