Strings Attached

~Chapter 7~

"It's okay dear," the auntie quips up. "I don't mind the slightest bit. Ab dekho na, I didn't mean to burden you, but, my husband insists on sending this bag of homegrown brinjals to our son. Would you mind taking it with you?" She has this extra-large sack full of eggplants beside her and she's pushing it towards me. I knew it!! I knew she was up to something. This auntie almost had me fooled with her sugary words. "He's very fond of them," she adds, smiling a little too good-naturedly.

Mum doesn't have nice words to say for her afterwards. She keeps hurling insults at the woman when she's out of earshot. It's quite amusing to see mum all riled up. "Let it go, mom. We'll just dump it here and you can tell her later that we forgot to take it with us," I suggest laughingly.

"Shut up! I'll give it back to her on my own. These thoughtless people! Taking others for granted is their pastime. She must be entertained by our foolishness. Cunning devil!" I don't know about anybody else but I'm quite entertained. "You give me that 'Chat Masala', will you? I'll give it back to her. And do stop laughing or I'll smack your cheeks red!" I crack up like crazy at that.

I'm about to go back to my seat after buying a bottle of water when Amir Bhai comes sauntering towards me. He throws me a huge smile and settles himself near me. "So, you all set? You have everything you need?" I don't feel the need to speak, so I just nod back in answer. A few girls pass by and eye me skeptically due to my attire and winking at the idiot... they're off. Amir Bhai keeps looking their way for a while but eventually settles his eyeballs on my veiled face.

"Would you give me your number when you get there?" he asks me suddenly. My heart beats erratically at that. He's never asked me for my number, ever. God! How do I say no? I look at Rafiah who's sitting with Abba on the other side. 'Raf, help me please,' I cry internally. "Umm... you can talk to me... when Amma or Abba call me," I suggest in a small voice.

"I won't be--," "No, I get it," he interrupts me here. "I get it. You don't want to talk to me. It's okay, I won't push you. It's your choice." I didn't expect him to say that. But if he's trying to apply some kind of reverse psychology on me, then he's wrong. I won't give him my number, even if he begs me to.

After a while, when mum sees him sitting with me, she doesn't find it very convenient and comes to sit between us. And the idiot gets up, embarrassed. Thank the Lord he got the message. And I can't thank mum more for her thoughtfulness. Sometimes, I can't help thinking how I got blessed with such an amazing and understanding mother!

After a while, the arrival of the plane is announced. And suddenly, I'm being rushed away by dad towards the plane. So, this is it! This is where I say goodbye to all that I'm familiar with. My family, my dearest friend, but most of all... my country. The soil that has given me so much to be thankful for. My cheeks begin to get damp thinking that I won't be able to see anyone for a long time.

There's a pain in my heart that I can't explain. It's got nothing to do with all that I mentioned, yet, it's a vital part of it. I look back once again, only to see that Mom, Rafiah, Samira and Amir Bhai are waving at me. I look at mom, and she looks at me... tenderly.

And then suddenly, something clicks between us. I pull my hand away from dad's large one, and run towards my mother just when she starts running towards me. I don't care if this looks like some Bollywood scene. And neither do I care if people think us crazy.