Greenville, USA
Dawn break
It was drizzling ....tiny threads of rain hummed their way down to earth....
In the cosy darkness combined with the dim light of the night lamp in her room Mishti hugged her teddy pillow tight....she was sleeping ....relishing her dream...she could sense him.....coming to her back and holding her shoulders.....moving aside her long curls baring her back.....
She was having goosebumps all over her body when she felt his lips trail a path along the hemline of her gown....
Her stomach tightened ...in anticipation.....this was surreal...! She could predict his moves....!
Now he will turn her to him....
Will lift her chin with his index finger......
She'll close her eyes to hide the pure love brimming from them and will trail her fingers along his cheeks.....
Mishti held her breath.....she pulled the comforter close...
"..... Mishti...Mishti ki bachi..wake up..
Kuhu shook Mishti....tugging on to the comforter...
"kya...Kuhu...."Mishti said sleepily....."Let me see his face....."
"awww GOD!!"
Kuhu sighed loudly as she put her hands to her hips....
"Phir se........you can't see 'him' now...you have to get up NOW!!
It's not fair ...Tere ko to itna acha sapna aata hai...nahi chalega!"
"You know what Kuhu ....hamesha tumhi mere dream kharab kar deti ho.....he was about to face me ...and look what you have done....!"
Mishti sat up in the bed pouting.....
"Uffo Mishti..are you chasing the man of your dreams or dream of a man,"
Kuhu put up her hands in exasperation....
Mishti looked at her and shook her head in self denial....
"Well it's my dream but I don't think it's me...."
"Okay okay....Now get up fast and freshen up...Dadi is about to start aarti.....and you have a busy day ahead... today is your day na?.You have to get your dress from the boutique....then your farewell get together....I still have a year to rock this day....not done Mishti..hamesha tumhe Sab pehle milte hain.."
"Oh! GOD !! Thanks Kuhu....it did go completely out of my mind...."
Mishti scrambled into her chappals and dashed to the bathroom muttering "stupid dream...!"
****
Rajshri had always insisted her girls attending the morning aarti...and adhering to the Indian culture even though they had relocated to Greenville...
A sad smile formed at her lips when she thought of her childhood friend Meenakshi...if Meenakshi was not there she would have perished in the hardships of life ....but now ...even if she is there to extend any help.....
Rajshri sighed ....and plastered a smile on her face when she heard her precious girls racing down the steps...
Mishti and Kuhu bent to take aashirwad from Rajshri once the arti was finished....
Rajshri's hand rested on Mishty's head ....and her fingers moved through the dense soft hair....
Mishti looked up and caught the thing that glittered in her Badima's eyes....
"Badimaa.!"She let out a warning tone.....
"Nahi beta ... Mein aise hi...."Rajshri tried to cover up ..."
"Tumhari lambi Baal miss karthi hoo.. kabhi kabhi..."
Rajshri smoothed the soft mass which stopped just above her shoulders....
"Hmm... Dadiii...it seems Mishti may reconsider her.resolution....aajkal.lambe baalon wali heroins ki filme..dekhthi hai...aur..."
Kuhu giggled and Mishti gave her a warning look.....
"Kuhu ki bachi..chup!!"
"Badima...mujhe pata hai aap mujhe aise dekhna chahthi ho..lekin..mereliye..woh Mera guzra hua Kal hai.. ."
Mishty started to say some thing but Rajshri stopped her....
"It's okay..beta...but if it's my last wish ...will you...?"
"Badimaa..!"
"Dadiii!"
Both girls yelled in unison....as Rajshri turned her face away from them....
No way was she going to hide her pain from her children...they already knew....a little....
"No Badima...don't you dare to say that....nothing will happen to you....Bade papa ke jaane ke baad aapne hum donon ko sambhala...hum aapko kuch nahi hone denge"
Mishti hugged Rajshri from back nuzzling her cheek....
Kuhu looped her hand around Rajshri...and they stayed in the hug as if to protect their Mother figure,the one that didn't give them birth but gave her life for both of them..
They willed to protect her from any possible harm ......though all of them knew it was not possible....
"Chalo coffee pee lete hai.....you two have a busy day today.....Kuhu...did you finish your studies.?"
"Haa Dadii..." Kuhu nodded and as Rajshri turned winked at Mishti.... Mishti rolled her eyes at Kuhu's natak.
"Mishti ....Jaldi karo .Mrs .Davis can be lazy sometimes ....if you didn't bother her early you won't get your dress...."
Rajshri said as she turned towards the kitchen.
"Haan.. Badima Aap duniya ki sabse achi maa ho.....We don't know how we'll be able to cope without you...."
"You will have to learn beta.....!"
Rajshri said in a determined voice as she guided them to the tea table. The girls followed silently......
"Mishti..!"Rajshri looked at her...."Ek baat bataani thi...um..I've called Meenakshi...she will be making arrangements for your college ...!"
"No Badima...!" Mishti looked at Rajshri shocked.....
"You talked to Meenakshi aunty...and you didn't tell me?!!"
Her voice was full of reproach.
Rajshri came to her and hugged her....
"Mishti beta....don't take it to heart....she is my best friend...the only relation I have in this world whom I could trust with you two....and the only person I could approach for help.....tum bhi jaanti ho ki..Shourya aur Varsha..Kuhu ko nahi apna paayega to tumhe kaise mein unke bharose chod Doo.Maine tei Kar liya hai aur woh.."
Rajshri stopped when she saw Kuhu frantically signalling her to stop.
"Its...its okay Badima... I too love her ...but.I have already started looking for a job...and I plan to attend evening shifts in college......why should Meenakshi aunti be taking responsibility of my studies?...mujhe aapko chodke kahi nahin jaana."
Mishti stopped and horror filled her big almond eyes behind the glasses...
"Badima...it means I have to leave Greenville and stay in New York..!! That too in Rajvansh Mansion??!"
She shook her head sideways a couple of times....Kuhu and Rajshri looked at each other in slight alarm...
"Badima...it is impossible....no way I am going to stay with ....with...that ...pig headed jerk...."
Mishti said with a finality looking at both her Badima and Kuhu...who was spotting dreamy eyes .
" I am ready Dadi...to go to Rajvansh Mansion...but Mera to ek saal baaki hai"
"Haan iskii ek saal abhi baaki hai aur mein kahi nahi jaa Rahi aapko chodke.."
Mishti was disturbed and Rajshri changed the topic."Okay beta...let's keep that matter aside...have your food..."
Rajshri coaxed Mishti to have her cereal.
"Kuhuuu..get ready soon...I'll drop you..." Mishti said as she wiped her mouth.
Kuhu gave her a silly smile..."Mishti ki bachi..badi bhulakkad ho..did you forget? I have no classes today....it's a campaign day...and I had already submitted my proposals..."
"Okay okay Ms.perfection...."Mishti laughed and ran to her room to get changed....
She had rehearsals for her salsa dance to be performed on stage in the farewell function...and before that she will drop by Mrs Davis and remind her about her dress...
Mishtyi put on a black sleeveless top and a black jean caprice...she brushed her hair and put on her usual accessories and came down...
"Beta it's raining ....put on the raincoat..."Rajshri called out.
"Okay Badima.! See you Kuhu...aur kuch bhi gadbad mat karna mere room mein ..!"
Mishty put on her headsets as she warned Kuhu and took the raincoat from the hanger ...before she more or less ran out of her apartment to take the elevator down...
****************************
Abir let out a groan.....as he placed himself upon his seat in Delta Airways Flight to Greenville.
Kunal chuckled but kept the comment that itched his tongue tip to himself.....
Abir shook his head sideways ...in refusal...!
How come he is now seated in a flight when he was supposed to be preparing for a project discussion to be held at Rajvansh Residency..?
Nanu.. & Massi ! Always he listens to them and he had no choice..!
It all started last night ..
As usual after work and his routine chess hour with Nanu he had skipped out.
If he stayed at home there will be more awkward moments between them...mom will try to make small talks and somehow it will lead to an argument..
As he cycled through the night he felt an odd tingling... usually riding gave him the physical exhaustion and calmness of mind...but today it was like he was on an edge or something..an an anticipation...a pain long buried.. trying to resurface...
After freshening up he had joined others for dinner....
All were seated and Abir noticed the unusual silence.
Even Kunal was silent...
His eyes darted to Massi.....Nanu...then to his mom..
He had always avoided looking at Meenakshi..but somehow his eyes fell on her....He was surprised to see swollen red eyes...!
Meenakshi turned to Abir...
"Abir..I want you to go to Greenville tomorrow...with Kunal..!"
"Greenville ?!! Achanak Kya hogaya...Kya koi Naya deal hai ?Massi..."
Abir turned questioning eyes to Parul massi.
" Inse poochiyee ki mujhe yeh vaale business ke baare mein kyu nahi bataya Gaya aur ab bata Raha hai ki Kal jaana hai aur voh bhi"
confusingly looking at Kunal.
" Kunal?? Kunal ko bhi le jaana hai??! Woh Kya karega? Uska college??"
He was trying to figure it out that when Meenakshi spoke out.
"Rajshri.....tum donon ko uski Ghar jaana hai .woh Greenville mein hai...aur use madat ki zaroorath hai..."
Abir's eyes narrowed...
So that was the thing. The mighty Mrs.Rajvansh want me to go to her friend offering services....
Anger welled inside him as he looked at her sitting across the table...
"No Mrs.Rajvansh..I am sorry...I am not interested in making domestic calls without being invited...moreover tomorrow I have an important meeting with the auditor.., project discussion..."
"You don't worry about official things...I'll fit in all things..."Meenakshi cut in.
Abir took a deep breath..but before he could say anything Nanu spoke up
" Nahi Abir..iss baat ko taalo math...jaroori hai isliye tumhe kaam soump Raha hoo"
"Sorry Nanu..Kya aapko pata tha?.Agar mujhe office see chutti mil Raha hai to mujhe aur bhi Kai kaam karma baaki hai"
His voice was sharp as his look he directed to Meenakshi.
Meenakshi looked at her son sitting across the table....his eyes and face clearly stating the fact that he hates her....
She had tried .....tried many ways to get close to the boy ...but always he would elude her and put himself in an impenetrable shell....
Over years she tried and has now lost the hope altogether...
She perfectly understood that Abir was not ready to go to Greenville because the matter was related to her...her friend....
Though they stayed relatively closer, Meenakshi and Rajshri had limited their contact through phone..partly because of Abir and Mishty's displeasure regarding each other...
Rajshri already knew about Abir's strained relationship with Meenakshi and therefore found it better to not add one more reason for both of their sake..Abir never enquired about the Maheshwaris ..though Kunal tried to get some information about them. but she had discouraged him then...
Nanu was about to say something....but a hand on his hand made him pause.... Meenakshi nodded in understanding though tears welled in her eyes.
Parul couldn't see the pain in Meenakshi's eyes...
"Abir... Rajshri di..... Rajshri di ko Brain tumor.hai..aur unko..madat chahiye...agar unhe kuch ho Gaya tho..unki help humhe karna chahiye Abir..tum Meri baat manogi naa.."
She said in a low voice to Abir.
Meenakshii wiped away the tears that trickled down .
Abir pretended to eat... trying to absorb the news ... already feeling like eating sawdust...
"Its okay.. Badi ma ...! Agar Abir Bhai nahi jaa rahe to Kya hua..mein jaaoonga na...waise bhi Mishti ko dekhe hue kitne saal hue...I am dying to see her!!
Abir choked on his food at what Kunal said....
Mishti...! ..he blinked for a second as torrent of memories flooded his mind in full blow....
Kunal chuckled at the change of expression on his brother's face...
"Ah! Ab yaad aagaya shayad..zor se..some one remembers her very well..."
Color crept onto his face as Abir tried to breath between hiccups....
Meenakshi immedietly gave him a glass of water and patted his back her brows puckering in concern.
In other circumstances he would have avoided Meenakshi.....but now ..he was certainly taken aback by the effect the name had on him...
Nanu sat there with an observant eye....for years he too had tried to bridge the gap between mom and son...he was sure of meenu's love for Abir...but dealing with Abir was difficult.....the day he was able to do the things on his own Abir had totally debarred Meenakshi from his matters....he avoided her food even if it was meant just for him....he avoided her presence....always...
But ...now ....he took water from her without any hesitation.....!
Abir was thinking...
If he back out from this trip....Kunal will definitely make a story out of it....he knew his baby brother enough to predict his moves....he will be telling that arrogant obstinate girl about how Abir Rajvansh backed out from visiting their home fearing facing her!!
"hmm...o...okay...! I...I will go...."Abir muttered and Kunal let out a wide grin....."Thank you bro....if you backed out I would have lost my chance to see Mishty ...that too after 12 long years..."
12 long years....
He sighed and sank deep into the seat closing his eyes...half an hour more...to Greenville....mom ko early morning flight Mein tickets book karna tha !?