Reflection👥

17. The Beauty and the Beast

Dedicated to: _sarcasticpanda

"I don't love a face because at the end of the day when I turn of the lights, it will just be two bodies lying still, with two hearts beating side by side."

-Elegiac_Damsel

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7th July

Third person's point of view:

Over the last three days, the rains in Mumbai had become more severe and intense. It hadn't stopped pouring in the last 48 hours. Anindita loved the rain as she had been born during the monsoon, but now that she had to drive a car and fly airplanes, she often cursed the weather for unwanted delays. 

Stranded in the traffic, with her father strapped to the passenger seat, Anindita couldn't even curse to let out the frustration she felt at that moment. The drive to K.D.A.H., Andheri from home that took around 1.5 hours without any traffic was taking over 3 hours and it annoyed her more than ever. 

"Rain, rain go away, come again another day. Sweet Ani needs to move ahead, rain, rain go away." she found herself murmuring to herself while drumming her fingers on the steering wheel, impatiently

Her father heard this and let out a low chuckle. His daughter turned her head slightly and blushed in embarrassment at her kiddish rant!

"You aarree still like aaa babyyy... some....ttimes." she heard him say. Although Agastya's words were slurred, Anindita could still make out the love and fondness in his words

"Yes. You remember Baba how Dada and I would place bowls and buckets on the floor in order to collect rainwater? Ma would become angry with the two of us when we sneaked out of the house to get wet in the rain." she recalled

"Thheee roof had leaakaage." her father stated firmly at the mention of collecting rainwater in utensils. It was more of a compulsion to keep their home from water logging than recreation.

"So what? It was so much fun Baba! In fact that was home. I grew up there. We lived there." she replied. Her father did not bother to reply to her after that. How would she understand his point of view as a father, as the head of their family? Anindita and Anurag as kids had simply seen the leaking roof as a source of entertainment, Agastya had always seen it as his inability to provide his family with a better home. 

"Don't think so much Baba. You gave me the best life I could get." Anindita spoke randomly, at her father's silence. She changed gears and continued driving ahead. 

"I coouuuldn't. Look at yoouu." Agastya replied

Anindita sighed out aloud and pulled the brakes as the traffic light turned red. She turned to face her father and told him firmly, "Are you repulsed by me, Baba? Do you and Ma feel like I am too ugly to be your daughter? I was a beauty before; now I look like a beast, is that why you would stop loving me? I believe that is not the case, so I would like you to know this once and for all. What happened to me is my destiny and I don't care what the world thinks. I will be your daughter always, isn't it Baba? Will you and Ma not love me?"

Agastya nodded earnestly. This was the first time in all these years that he had interacted with his daughter regarding this. Too much had transpired after Anindita's attack and he had been kind of guilty all this while. Like Satyaki, a part of him felt that he could have protected his daughter better.

"What's done, can't be undone Baba. I'll simply request you to not feel otherwise and strain your health." she spoke again and began driving as the signal changed to green