The game

When sudakshina entered the queen’s chamber she was sitting on her favourite seat, a throne placed right beside the window, from which she could view the mountains spread around her small kingdom. Their icy peaks touching the crystal clear blue sky. Sometimes as clear as a blue mirror and sometimes covered with dark clouds or fleeting white fluffy clouds.

She turned her face at her footsteps; she was wearing an expression lingering in between annoyance and irony.

“Come here su, I have to show you something funny.” She called her.

“Sit down, it will take a while.” She said.

She was holding her magic globe in front of her. There was a scene, a boy and a girl sitting side by side. The girl was innocent and fully in love with the boy. But too modest and shy to be coquettish. The boy was absolutely bored with her. He left her and went for a coquette, who wanted good time.

Next she showed her another scene, in this a decent girl was married to a boy and he abused her to no end. He starved her and her children and showered the money on notch girls.

She showed her at least a dozen such scenes, all had only one story to say, human beings have forgotten to love decent human beings. They run after false jewelry leaving behind the gold ones, because false jewelries look more glitzy.

“They are so pathetic, are not they? These human beings?” Queen Indulekha pouted. A rosy tint touched her golden cheeks and then a star twinkled in each of her doe eyes.

“Shall we have some fun with them?” she giggled.

Sudakshina sat down at her feet with an eager expression on her face.

Fairy kingdom was a little boring sometimes, every one being good, perfectly saintly. So they often roamed among human beings in disguise to see them “do funny things”, that was Indulekha’s words.

“Call all the fairies; let’s play a game with human beings for a while. May be for a century or so…. let’s see if they become wiser or stay just like this.” Indulekha said.

Soon all the sahacharis of Indulekha crowded in her room. Their pretty faces pinkish with excitement. They dispersed after a few hours.

Scene 1:

Upasana has loved Rajeshwar for years, for in vain, Rajeshwar wanted someone glamorous in his life whereas Upasana was pretty but very sober girl. So Rajeshwar kept looking for his dream-mate while Upasana waited for him patiently.

He was walking down the road when a woman passed by him. She was awesome, brimming with seductiveness. He tried to draw her attention but she preferred playing coy. Noticing yet not noticing him she went her way, giving him enough bread crumbs to follow her home. He gawked when she entered Upasana’s home.

He stood outside for a while, thinking she will come out with Upasana and he will have a chance to meet her. But she did not, so he went inside preparing himself to give excuse for his visit.

He was met by Upasana and he realized that he has followed her home. She has transformed overnight. He sat there gawking at her for a while.

“You are looking gorgeous!” he said.

“Thanks!” she smiled coyly. “Everyone says so, Mohit, Somesh, Jayanta, Rajnish……” she chanted a huge list.

“Who are these men? I never heard their names before.” He asked jealously.

“Thanks sweetheart. Its because of you that I have realized this wonderful side of life. You kept on telling me that I am dull, boring so I thought may be I should try to become like the women you fancy. Now I have a lot of male friends and they all are crazy for me.” She smiled sweetly. “Now if you will excuse me I will have to leave, I have a meeting with Somesh in an hour.”

She got up and picked up her stylish purse from the side table. “Bye sweetheart. I will ask the maid to give you a cup of tea and some thing to eat.”

She waddled to the door, turned and blew him a kiss, “See you some times.” Then went out of the door, closing it behind her.

She had to share the stories with her friends in the fairy kingdom.

Scene 2:

It was well past midnight. He came home after spending some hours with Susie after office. His head was light, steps very unsteady.

He banged the door, it opened, almost making him fall.

He entered inside and shouted “Where are you? You lazy, good for nothing woman, how could you leave the door open at middle of the night?”

His shout went unanswered. He started to search for her in every room. Determined to give her a piece of mind when he met her. She was no where.

To add up, there was no food in the kitchen or dining table. Not only her, the children too have vanished.

He dragged his tired feet to the bed and fell asleep, too inebriated to think about any thing.

He woke up in the morning. Slowly the memories of previous night came to him. He got up and started to look around. She still was not there.

All her belongings have vanished. He saw an envelope lying on the dining table.

“Dear hubby,

I have been doing a lot of soul searching since last seven years, ever since the first day you came home drunk and touched my body without love.

I talked with your colleagues, friends, Susie and all the women you love. I have decided that its not possible for me to bring up the children with the meager amount you dole out to us.

So I have placed them in a boarding school and have rented the house right beside Susie.

Don’t try to do some thing undesirable because my guards are very efficient and two ferocious hounds sleep at my bed room floor or outside its door, depending on whether I am alone inside or not.

Once your wife,

Daya”

Scene 3:

She came home in an evil mood. It’s been four days since she has been asking that dumb man to buy her a few new dresses. But it seems he is trying to become too economical.

She trapped him and married him only because of money. Because of the luxuries which her parents could never provide her. She even lied to him that she was carrying his child, actually she was carrying a child but it was not his, it was his best friend Suman’s. They still meet every day after that idiot leaves for work.

They have two kids, the idiot thinks both of them are his and dotes after them. They too dote after him and as a result they have become her weapon to control him.

Whenever he shows slightest indications of disobedience she spends the day hitting them in rotation, at the minimum excuses. Her in laws inform him when he comes back and her wish is immediately granted to appease her.

She started to look for them; they were sitting in the attic, playing with toys.

“How dare you litter toys like this?” she screamed in her shrill voice. “You little devils.”

She grabbed a handful of hair of the girl, and then something happened.

The tiny three year old girl twisted her head in an impossible angle and bit her. She felt a horrible pain and saw ten holes in her wrist, blood dripping from them slowly, and gathering up speed. She ran downstairs screaming.

“Juhi bit you?” was Suman’s first question. “I have told you a million times to not hit the babies, it’s a sin.”

“That little girl can’t bite you like this; these are marks of animal bite.” He was looking at her weirdly.

“Okay lets see if she has all of a sudden mutated into a monster of some kind.” He pulled her up to take her to home.

The kids were still playing in the attic. Juhi ran to her when she saw her. She sprang behind Suman.

“Mama!!” Juhi hugged Suman’s legs, showing him her baby teeth. Dazzling like small pearls, all of them were not yet in place properly.

Scene 4:

He loved her so dearly. She was the cutest girl around and she too doted after him, at-least that is what he thought.

She was waiting for him in the park. He saw her sitting there. Wearing a baby pink dress, looking like an angel.

A sad angel.

“Mohit, my parents have fixed my marriage.” She said sadly. “I have told you in the very beginning that I can’t do any thing against their wishes.”

“But you told me just last week that you want to marry me next month.” He stammered.

He has bought a small house in her name just a week ago, a diamond ring and a huge amount of jewelries and gifts. He has showered money like rain on her for past five years. She has promised him again and again that she was his.

“You know dad is heart patient, he never told me that he has fixed my marriage in childhood.” She said. “That boy is back to the town and his parents want immediate marriage.”

“Dad told me all this last night.” She sniffed, “How will I accept anyone else as my husband?”

“I will have to leave now, please forget me and marry someone else.” She walked away from him, leaving him stunned and silent.

“She is not least sad. She is having the time of her life at your expense.” His sister said.

“Just ask any of her friends and they will tell you the gusto with which she is showing off that house and jewelries you bought for her, telling every one that her father bought them for her. Her dowry.”


The house was decked with flowers. The groom was yet to arrive. She was waiting decked up in a crimson sari and jewelries of flower and gold.

A letter arrived for her from her groom. She read it with a coy smile and fainted.

“Dear jezebel,

I was about to get trapped by you. I should say you know how to spin a web.

A little bird left me a mail this morning with all the evidence of how you have squeezed Mohit dry during last five years.

I must have done something good in my last birth that is why I was spared from you.

I am marrying but not you, Mohit’s sister. If you want you can attend the marriage from my side. The venue is very close to yours.

See you later sometimes,
Anant.”

The village:

 

A rosy dusk was settling on the village. It was an absolute image of peace and calm.

 

Small houses were lined in neat rows; each house had a small garden around it.

 

Children were playing in the parks and adults were busy in their own life.

 

“They look so happy with their kindred souls, don’t they Su?”  Indulekha asked Sudakshina. They both were sitting in her chamber with the globe in front of them.

 

“Let’s see what the leftovers do with their kindred souls.” Sudakshina giggled.

 

The fairy brigade has been on action in the town for last few months. Whenever they find out an abused person they bring him or her over to this village and erase their past memories. They are replaced by a fairy in the town and he or she leaves the town after teaching the abuser a lesson of lifetime.

 

“Let’s bet, whether or not the leftovers will learn to respect good things.” Indulekha giggled at Sudakshina.

 

(the end)

Glossary: Sahachari-paid companions/ maids /friends, mama : mother's brother.

The bored executive

He worked in a medical transcription firm. Their clients were mainly from US, so their works started after mid day, but he preferred coming to office early. To spend some time away from home, he has married a few years back but was yet to have any children.

Staying at home was never one of his favourite things. So he used to escape to office at the earliest possible time and kill his time on internet.

On cyber world he was a writer, a senior citizen, who has crossed his seventies, a widower with two married daughters, grandchildren.

Actually he has stolen this image from his own father in law, he used to use his image as his own only pretending as a South Indian Man instead of a Bengali, which his father in law was.

His wife Radha and her sister Sudha kept their father Harendhranath Das with them on rotation; his sister in law lived in Texas. His father in law did not need a single penny from them; his daughters coaxed him to stay with them because he was extremely lonely after his wife’s departure a few years ago. They have been together for forty years.

So Nagendra Ghosh used to become Nageswara Rao the moment he logged in his blogs. It had too many advantages. He could easily befriend women of his own age faking as a old, helpless, attention hungry man. These women used to shower all their attention on him thinking he was a darling old man. An image of their father may be.

He used to have a lot of fun prying out their personal stories under the veil of affection. Sometimes he went a little further too. If he particularly liked a woman he used to meet her pretending as himself, that is, the son in law of the famous blog writer Nageswara Rao. It was usually just one or two dinners or lunches together. Sometimes, it was a movie or concert together.

He has been mixing with this girl for more than six months now. She seemed quite an innocent type of girl. He had an idea that she was a beautiful girl. She was very, very charming in cyber world at least. She lived in Delhi, alone. The chance of meeting came all of a sudden. Nagendra had to go to Delhi for a official tour.

 

He went online after getting the news. Chanda came online after a few buzzes from him. He asked her if she could meet his son in law in Delhi. She consented. Asked him to introduce him to her. He introduced himself to her.

 

They met in a restaurant and he did what he had never done before. He fell in love with her and ended up in love bed. He woke up with remorse next morning but she coaxed him out of his remorse. Three days later he came back from Delhi.

 

He was about to get the taxi when his phone beeped, it was a sms from Chanda. “Missing you.”

 

It would have been a lie if he said that he fought tooth and nail to not give in, actually he just fell in her arms like a ripe fruit falls from tree.

 

From that day onward, whenever his company wanted someone to go north, he volunteered, and made a trip to delhi, even at his own expense.

 

A few years passed by, he got a little bored and started to look for new faces. Soon he started to make frequent trips to South. This time it was Shreemayee, from Chennai.

 

That night he came back home, his wife was sitting grimly at a sofa. He asked her if every thing was alright.

 

“Do you know a woman named Chanda?” she asked.

 

He felt as if the earth was moving under his feet. “No, why?”

 

“She called me up, asking about you, she is in kolkata and wants to meet me.” She said.

 

“Where is she staying?” he asked.

 

“She is staying in a hotel in Dalhousie. Here is the address…” she handed him over a slip.

 

“Let me first confirm who she is. Then we will decide if you can meet her. Okay honey?” he pecked her on the cheek.

 

He reached the hotel early next morning. The receptionist confirmed from her and gave him the direction to her room.

 

He knocked; she answered the door and hugged him, passionately kissing him on the lips. “What is this Chanda? Why did you call my home?” his words stopped in his mouth when he saw his wife and Shreemayee sitting there on the sofa.

 

His wife stood up, “I used to blog as Amrita Arora. The story writer you used to bully to no end. I was surprised to see someone so much similar to my father, so I started to pry and pandora’s box opened itself.”

 

Diptesh

I

 

“Dipteshda, Swamiji wants to see you.” One of the boys told him. He was about to enter his dormitory after spending long hours at the library.

 

He reached the door of Swamiji within a few minutes. He was an orphan, being born and brought up in an orphanage run by swamiji. Swamiji was a rich man, who did not married and devoted his wealth to bring up orphans.

 

He used to give them shelter, food, education and vocational training. After that, first foot-hold in the real world.

 

Diptesh entered his room after knocking the door and touched his feet.

 

“Sit down.” Swamiji looked at him with eyes full of tenderness. “Diptesh was one of his favourite kids.”

 

“You have finished your training with brilliant percentage. The campus recruiters have recruited you.” He said with a heavy heart. “You know the system of ashram, you will have to vacate your bed.”

 

“I have talked with one of my best friends, Mr. Lahiri, he will have a room in his home ready for you on Monday. You can stay with him as paying guest.”

 

“Your salary will be ten thousand per month; he will charge you four thousand for every thing. Will that be alright for you?”

 

“Try to save some money, and try to come to meet us once in a while.” He said with a forced smile, hiding his pain.

 

A part of his heart always rejoiced whenever one of his boys went out to live on their own another part missed them. Because he knew, just like any parent, that this might be the last goodbye. He did not had any thing to pull them back to him, other than the affection which he has given to them.

 

Diptesh bowed down to touch his feet and two drops of tear fell on his feet. Swamiji hugged him tightly. Diptesh was a boy of very few words; actually people teased him for talking so little.

II

He left for Mr. Lahiri’s home with Mr. Lahiri. Who has come to the ashram to take him. He was an elderly person with a dignified appearance. His very countenance spoke of noble character.

 

Mrs. Lahiri and their daughter Meghna was waiting for them in the verandah. It was a small two storied house. There were four rooms on first floor and four in ground floor, the whole house was surrounded by a spacious verandah in the ground floor and a balcony on the first floor.

 

The bedrooms were in the first floor. Mr. Lahiri took him upstairs to show him his room. It had a separate exit, a separate stair which came down to the drawing room. It was connected to the other rooms via the balcony.

 

It was a beautiful room, overlooking a small garden. “That belongs to Mr. Sensharma. He doesnot lives here, his family lives in USA, I will show you the house if I can manage. They were landlords of some place near Dhaka, had this house since then, shifted to west Bengal after partition.”

 

“Baba, ma is calling you two downstairs, the breakfast is served.” A soft sweet voice sounded at the doorway, it was Meghna. She smiled at him. Diptesh smiled stiffly. He was always uneasy with girls and Meghna was a gorgeous young lady. Both Mrs. Lahiri and Meghna were beautiful.

 

The typical Bengali beauties, wheatish gold complexioned, plump figure, rounded arms and wrists. Long, voluptuous hair.

 

They sat down to eat the delicious breakfast. Soon they were engrossed in chatting.

 

Diptesh joined office from the next day. His office was in Dalhousie, a few minutes walking distance from Meghna’s office. They both had the same timings, so they used to leave and return together. Meghna was a few years older than him. Soon she became his best friend.

 

She took him under her wings and made it her priority to introduce him to the real world. They soon realized that they shared almost all the tastes. Starting from music to foods they loved.

II

31.12.09

Diptesh soon became a dear part of the family. Somnath and Deepali treated him just like their own son, to Meghna he was a dear friend. She soon conquered his initial shyness and introduced him to all her friends. Still they remained the very best friends.

 

“Diptesh!” Meghna interrupted his dreamy trance. He was sitting alone in the balcony watching the rain fall on trees and plants of the huge garden of Mr. Sensharma. He has already visited their mansion. It was a very old, well maintained palace surrounded by a not too well kept garden. It was given a little deliberate liberty by the owners. So that nature does not loses her true beauty.

 

He just loved to watch that garden from the balcony. It was like an oasis in Kolkata’ S concrete jungle.

 

He turned his eyes to look at Meghna. She looked like some fairy that has lost her way and landed on the balcony beside him. She was wearing a white saree without border and a small bindi was shining on her forehead. A single pearl shining in each earlobe. Another was hanging from the gold chain around her neck. She never dressed up too much.

 

“We are going for a picnic tomorrow and everyone has insisted that you come along.” Meghna said. “I know you don’t know my office colleagues but I have talked so much about you that they want to see you. I too don’t want to go without you. You have become a habit I guess.” She softly laughed.

 

“Okay.” Was his short and to the point answer.

 

Meghna was quite habituated with his shyness by now. Being a reserved person she adored this shy and reserved guy. She sat down beside him and started to relish the rain silently.

 

“Megh, Deep come downstairs and have your lunch.” Deepali called a little later and they both went downstairs.

 

“Ma, Deep will be going to my office picnic along with me. That means you won’t have to cook our lunch tomorrow.” Meghna said.

 

“That looks really tasty. Ma, what will we do without you? Why don’t you too come along with us and fix us some goodies?” she laughed.

 

“What about your dad?” Deepali smiled back, serving them the lunch.

 

“Oh we will take along him too.” was Meghna’s reply.

 

“Sure why not, then he will spend the day running after you guys. Don’t go too far in the sea, don’t do this, don’t do that…” Deepali smiled fondly. She knew her husband and his overprotective nature.

III

 

The day passed like a beautiful dream. Every one liked Diptesh. He had a fabulous voice and sang one song after another at their request.

 

Meghna was sitting there, facing the river, Diptesh’s golden voice was pouring down her ears, soaking her very soul.

 

Someone sat down beside her, it was Rosie, one of the persons she truly liked and believed that the feeling was reciprocated.

 

“Megh, I think Diptesh loves you.” she whispered.

 

“You are insane. He is ten years junior than me and he knows that very well.” She whispered back, furiously.

 

“Five years? Ha!!! In today’s world age does not matters any more when it comes to love.”

 

“You can’t see him, but his eyes are almost always at you. He just can’t pull them away from you.” Rosie smiled. “He is really handsome and fabulous. Perfect for you.”

 

“Shut up! You wicked girl!” Meghna muttered and got up, she turned her face and her eyes met Diptesh’s. She blushed hard and turned away her face to steady her breath.

 

She instinctively withdrew from him. Natural shyness and social prejudices created a blockage in her easy flowing heart.

 

They returned in the evening, Diptesh noted with deep pain that Meghna was absolutely silent during the trip and even after returning home.

 

She mumbled some half hearted words and retired to her bed after nibbling a few pieces at the dinner table.

 

“Deep, did some thing go wrong in the picnic? Megh is so reserved that she wont utter a word to any one.” Deepali asked, sounding a little worried.

 

 

“No ma. I don’t know what happened to her, I don’t think any thing has happened to her at all. May be she is tired after spending all day there.” He excused himself and went to sleep. He has noted Rosie whispering to her and her expression thereafter.

 

He has madly fallen in love with her. A love which he did not dared to express, nor will he be able to express it ever.

 

Meghna came downstairs next morning, a little tired after spending a restless night, dreaming about Diptesh. Dreams which brought blush to her face after she woke up.

 

“Why was I dreaming about him? Heaven only knows. I never took him that way.” She was muttering to herself when Deepali called her in the kitchen. “Megh, Diptesh is not up yet, he will be late for office.”

 

She went upstairs, the door was bolted from inside. Diptesh was the earliest riser in the household. He woke up before the birds. She hesitantly knocked but it went un-answered. She knocked harder and heard something incoherent from inside.

 

Diptesh opened the door, his eyes were bloodshot. She reached out her palm to touch his forehead it was burning with fever.

 

IV

 

The doctor was called; Dr. Basu was their family physician. He has been treating them for years. Meghna’s grandparents were treated by his father.

 

 

“It must be because of all that river breeze which you two soaked yesterday. You are alright ma?” he asked after checking Diptesh and writing the prescription.

 

“He will be back on his feet within a week.” He left. He was wrong. The fever refused to go. A week turned into a fortnight.

 

“We should better take a second opinion.” Dr. Basu said.

 

All type of tests have been performed every thing was normal but the fever was not leaving him.

 

“I think its some psychological trauma he is facing. Let’s talk with Dr. Deb.”

 

Meghna was sitting on the roof; she came out because the psychiatrist was talking with Diptesh. She rarely left his bedside during day time. In the night her father slept in his room.

 

“Ma Megh!” It was Dr. Basu. She turned her surprised eyes at him.

 

“Yes uncle?”

 

“I have come to talk with you ma.” He sat down in the chair beside her.

 

“That boy is madly in love with you. He is unable to express it and that is causing him the fever.”

 

“Kaku, he is ten years junior than me. What will every one say?” she blurted out.

 

“So you too love him.” He rubbed his hands happily. “You two will make a perfect couple.”

 

“Don’t hurry, right now just accept his affection and tell him to think about it thoroughly. Wait for at-least an year before finalizing the commitment.” Dr. Basu laid his hands on her shoulder. Every one who came in touch with Meghna ended up doting after her. She was a unique girl.

 

“Your father and mother were there when Dr. Deb discussed the matter with me. They don’t seem much averse to the idea. I think they will be happy to have him as their son in law.” Dr. Basu smiled at her before going back downstairs.

 

Meghna got up and went to Diptesh’s room. He was lying there, his eyes were closed. She gently laid her palms on his forehead; he opened his eyes and looked at her.

 

She softly held his hand in both of her hands and smiled. “Go to sleep and don’t worry about any thing. Any woman will feel blessed to have your affection.”

 

He went to sleep almost instantly; the fever was gone next morning.

(end)

The great outing

15.12.2009

It’s been more than four years alak and nanda has married each other. Alak wanted a child and Nanda was not giving in. they both lived a very hectic life, hardly had any time to meet each other except on weekends and holidays.

When they both were able to manage a fortnight at the same time they felt like they have won half of the world.

They both settled in their seats of AC first class, planning to spend the fortnight in goa, just with each other.

They were already in the mood for their second, well earned honey moon when they heard a soft, sweet voice in the passage, the giggling of a child. Alak looked at Nanda with mystery in his eyes.. then the door to their cabin opened and a middle aged couple entered the cabin with six children aging from two year to 14 years.

A few minutes later an elderly lady apparently the grandmother of the kids walked in.

All of them settled in the seat opposite to them and the love struck couple found themselves under the intense scrutiny of 16 eyes, only the two year old spared them. She simply scampered out of her mother’s laps and landed herself on them. Her mother pulled her back with a proud smile and told them in English, “She is very friendly.”



Alak and Nanda had a look which made it impossible to guess their province. And this time they both decided without even consulting with each other that they won’t let the family know that they belong to the same province. Alak just shrugged at them and Nanda stared out of the window, Alak could guess she was trying to hide her hysterical giggle.

Well, soon their amusement vanished because the kids were out at vandalism. They forced their way to both the windows of the coupe. The entire coupe became a battlefield, one was screaming, the other one climbing to the upper berths, third one jumping down from the birth to show his acrobatic skills and the parents smugly smiling and watching them with great affection.



They looked with utter disgust at the scorn on the face of the poor couple when their precious ones were at rampage of things, regardless of owners.

Well the ticket collector came and the hapless couple got the information, two seats each of this coupe and the adjoining coupe has been reserved by their amicable co-passengers.

As the night settled in they gathered that the grandmother will sleep in their room with two of the older children and the couple will go to the next room with smaller ones.

Well, they retired to their coupe well past midnight, all the while keeping the coupe busy, bluntly ignoring the displeasure on the face of their co passengers.

The tired couple retired to their berths but could not sleep .. the children decided to chat the night through and climbing up and down the berth.

Finally peace settled just before the morning. They were deep in sleep when they were jolted out of sleep, someone was banging at the door like a maniac.

“Open the door now!!!” a shrill child voice pierced through the door. One of the kids scampered down to obey it. The moment the door opened two of the older ones scrambled inside the compartment.

“I will sit beside the window!!” everyone was shouting the same thing and tugging at each other while their grandmother sat watching them fondly.

“uncle, uncle please open the window!!! I want to see outside!” one of them started to tug at Alak’s sleeves.

He got up and opened the window, and went to brush his teeth in the toilet.

Nanda pulled her sheet up to her nose and thanked God that she has chosen the upper birth. But her happiness was short-lived, suddenly she felt something scurrying under her feet, she jumped up and saw one of the kids, sitting there, grinning from ear to ear at her surprise.

She folded the sheets, pillows and went down below, sat down on her seat with a look of exasperation on her face.

Suddenly she heard a commotion and to her surprise she heard Alak muttering in the passage, she went out and saw that one of the children has bumped into him, and the tea cups he was carrying were lying on the floor.

“Come inside, we will order when the caterers come.” She cooled him down with her sweetest smile.

He sat down beside her and handed her over one of the newspapers and started to read the second one.

“Uncle can I see the cartoons? Please uncle!!!” he heard a voice and gnashed his teeth this time.

“No you cant, not till we are finished, you go and watch outside the window till then.” Nanda said sweetly. Alak could see from the corner of his eyes that she was grinning like Cheshire cat.

“Sweets, it will so much fun if we have two of them as our children, wont it? He heard her voice.

Then she started to first giggle and then laugh hysterically. He was stunned for a while and then joined her.