The last week has been a busy one for Aarushi. She cursed her teachers as she curled her palm around the accelerator, pushing her old motorcycle to its limit in her hurry to get home and into the comfort of her blankets and bed. Why did all her teachers have to set the deadlines of their assignments in the same week? They always expect cooperation among students, yet why couldn't they cooperate some and save their students from staying up multiple nights to get the damned things completed in time?
To say Aarushi was feeling down would be an understatement. She rubbed her eyes in exhaustion. She’d barely slept at all last night, working non-stop to complete her history assignment. She jerked the handle straight, realizing she’d been straying off her lane. She needed to take a break, she realized, or she just might end up flattened against a tree.
Deciding better than to risk it further, she took a small detour to an ice-cream parlor that she hadn't been to in a long time.
It wasn't really the time for ice cream, with the cold October winds blowing, warning them about the coming winter, but for Aarushi, ice cream was the answer to every exhaustion and pain. And so, here she was.
She looked up at the small parlour, its outside adorned with pictures of kids enjoying ice-cream with their parents. They weren’t models, but actual customers who had visited the parlour some or the other time. Aarushi knew this because she could easily spot the pictures of herself and her dad among the collage. There were many of them, since Aarushi and her dad had been visiting this parlour ever since she was a little kid. It had been their place. And Aarushi hadn’t ever come here without her dad. Until today.
She smiled, staring at the picture of her dad. He was looking down at a younger version of Aarushi, grinning. Aarushi swallowed before shaking her head, and dragged her eyes off the photos. She stared at the banner, a board that looked like a block of chocolate. On it—written in a font that reminded Aarushi of ice and snowfall—was the shop’s name. Icy Delight. Aarushi loved that name, almost as much as she loved the woman who owned the parlour.
She stepped into the shop, making the bells jingle. The owner looked up from where she was sitting behind the counter. Her face split into a grin when she realized who it was.
“Aarushi!” she exclaimed, making her way around the counter.
Manju aunty looked exactly like she’d been the last time Aarushi had seen her. She was a bit older than her mom, maybe in her early fifties. Though she didn’t look a day older than forty. Her jet black hair, as always, were braided down her back. Her eyes twinkled with delight as she hugged Aarushi.
“Where have you been? I’ve missed you so much!” Manju aunty exclaimed, caressing Aarushi’s cheek.
“Sorry Aunty, I was busy with college. I just couldn’t find enough time.” Aarushi murmured. Manju aunty was the person who had introduced Aarushi to books all those years ago, and for that she’d always been grateful to her. It felt weird, lying to her, but she wasn't sure she had the strength to tell her what exactly had kept her from visiting for the past two years.
“Yes, yes! Studies are important. And where’s Om, sweetie?”
Aarushi took a deep breath, contemplating how she’d tell Manju aunty about everything. As she breathed in, she was assaulted by all those sweet, familiar scents. The chill air was rich with the fragrance of Chocolate and Butterscotch. There was even a faint scent of Vanilla in the air.
Her eyes fell to the comfy couches strewn at random around the small room. She grabbed Manju aunty’s hand and pulled her towards the closest couch.
As they both took a seat, Aarushi faced Manju aunty, and sighed.
"Aunty...dad...he had an accident. Two years ago. That's why I stopped coming. I couldn’t bear the idea of coming here without him," Aarushi murmured, her voice thick. She bit her lip. She'd cried so much over her dad that she didn't expect any more tears to be left, and yet, the traitors always seemed to find a way to gather in her eyes.
“Oh honey, I'm so sorry.” Manju aunty replied, hugging her tightly.
Aarushi swallowed, wiping her eyes. “Sorry I didn't come earlier.”
“It’s totally fine, honey, I understand.” Manju aunty smiled at her comfortingly, her own eyes glazed with tears. She’d been good friends with Aarushi’s dad. Aarushi cursed herself for not coming here sooner. She'd deserved to know about his death.
“Tell you what, I’ll go and whip up your favourite chocolate-butterscotch ice cream. It’ll be on me. A welcome back treat for you.” She smiled, standing up.
“Thank you, aunty.” Aarushi said, mustering up a small smile in return.
Manju aunty winked at her and made her way to the small workspace behind the counter. As she tinkered with the knobs and cones, Aarushi looked around the parlour.
Her eyes fell to the couch by the glass window, the one she’d always shared with her dad. She smiled as she remembered all the times she’d savoured her favourite ice-cream with her favourite person.
She could almost see herself laughing at her dad, his moustache smeared with ice-cream. Her smile faltered as she realized that it had happened two years ago. The last time she’d come here with her dad.
A drop fell on her wrist. She hadn’t realized she’d started crying again. She wiped her eyes quickly and stood up. She had to do something before tumbling into full blown sobs.
She spotted a book lying on the counter and almost ran to it. Picking it up, she realized it was Sing You Home, by one of their favourite authors, Jodi Picoult.
She took a seat at one of the barstools that lined the counter and flipping the book open, started reading. It was what she always did to keep her mind from straying towards things she didn’t want to think about.
She’d barely finished the first chapter when Manju aunty returned, a large-sized cone of her favourite ice-cream in one hand and a package in the other.
“Aarushi, this is for you.” She said, placing the package on the counter before her.
Aarushi frowned, setting the book on the counter and picking up the package. She turned it over in her hand. There was no address or anything on either side. It was barely big enough to hold a small book.
“What's this?” She asked, scraping the sticky tape with her nail, her curiosity taking over.
“Keep it in your bag, your ice-cream will melt. I’ll tell you while you eat.”
Aarushi nodded reluctantly, and walked over to her bag where she’d left it on the couch earlier. She carefully placed the package with her books and zipped the bag shut.
“Okay, tell me,” she said, resuming her seat on the barstool.
Manju aunty handed her the ice-cream and sighed.
“Om left this for you,” she explained.
“Dad?” Aarushi frowned. “Why would he give it to you if it was for me?"
“I don’t know honey. He came in one day, alone, and gave me the package. He said that there might be a day when you’d come here alone, and that I was to give it to you on that day.” Manju aunty whispered, her brows furrowed with worry.
Aarushi reeled back in her seat, shocked. Her dad had known she’d come here alone someday? He’d known that he was going to...die? But how? It had been an accident, right?
Aarushi’s lips moved wordlessly as she tried to figure out what to say. Suddenly, the air felt too thick. She had to get out...out of this room. She shot to her feet, ice-cream still in hand and backed away.
“I...I need to go. I’ll call you later.” She stumbled to the couch, pulling her bag on her shoulder.
“Bye sweety, take care.” Manju aunty said. Aarushi didn’t reply.
She took a deep breath as she tumbled out the door. The chill wind soothed her heated skin. She leant against the shop’s side wall, panting. Realizing she still held the ice-cream she looked at it, the sight suddenly making her nauseous. She dropped it into the dustbin, her appetite gone.
Her dad had known he was going to die? Had he...had he killed himself? She closed her eyes, shuddering. Her sweet, caring, loving dad. He’d been happy, right? He wouldn’t kill himself...Would he?
How had he known then? Was someone threatening him? Had it been...a murder? But who would want to kill her dad?
The package. That was the answer to all her questions. She had to see what was in there. But not here. She couldn’t have a breakdown here. This was a happy place. Their happy place.
She took a deep breath. She had to get home now.
As she turned around to head back to her bike, she heard something from the alley behind the shop. She paused. Had she really heard something?
Then she heard it again. It seemed like someone was arguing in whispers.
Unexpectedly, she felt a deep urge to know what was going on. She walked deeper into the alley until she was at the bend. She peeked around the wall, looking for the source of the sound.
What she saw made her stumble back in surprise. Was she dreaming again?
~~~~
Hello there!
I hope you enjoy this chapter and will continue reading! I'll be posting new chapters every Monday and Friday.
Let me know what you think about it so far in the comments!
-Ankita.