Chapter 6
"Where's the party tonight
on the dance floor
oh sapno ke din hain, sapno ki raatein
where's the party tonight…"
The speakers blared loudly from an upstairs bedroom, resonating the sound through the entire house. "The night has turned into day but in this house the party is never going to end is it? Lali shut that stupid song please and come down quickly we need your help with the preparations," bellowed a stern but sweet voice. "I am getting ready…five more minutes Mayama," came the immediate response. The owner of the stern voice smiled and shook her head, Lali was eighteen years old now, and an adult in the eyes of the world but still an innocent, nave child at heart, the years had not changed her much unlike Maya.
Life had moved quickly for Maya since that fateful day. She had dedicated her life to raising Ajit and her children. Maya smiled wistfully at how fast the little ones had grown up. It felt like it was just the other day, when she was changing Lali's diapers and boxing Rishi's ears for goofing around at school and now look at them. Lali was starting college next month. Rishi was…well the less said about Rishi the better, God alone knows what that boy does. And Shiv…Maya smiled at the thought of her favorite charge. He grew up so fast. He was always the dutiful and responsible one…constantly taking care of everyone, even her girls. And today…today her son was coming home from his honeymoon. Maya couldn't be happier for the couple, they were both two pieces of her heart and Maya couldn't have asked for anything better than for them to be joined together in the sacred bond of matrimony.
"Ma…ma…kahan kho gayi aap??? There is so much work still left to do and you are day dreaming, seriously Ma!!! Aaiye I want to show you something…" Maya looked at the hennaed hand that tugged her toward the guest room, the hand that belonged to her precious little Shreya. Maya looked at her daughter in awe, when had she grown into such a beauty? The little girl who had struggled so hard for her life that awful stormy night so many years ago had grown into a confident, ambitious young woman, a trait that sometimes scared Maya. Shreya was young and desperate for a life that Maya knew would bring her heartache but was still unable to discourage her from dreaming about. "Ma what do you think about this dress? Do you think it's suitable for Shiv bhaiya and Gauri didi's welcome party tonight?" "Shreya you know you will look beautiful in whatever you wear. Just wear something nice beta." "Ma you have no fashion sense. Chodiye aapki bas ki baat nahin. I'll go ask Poonam aunty what she thinks." With those words Shreya stormed out of the room leaving a frowning Maya behind. Poonam…that was the name that had changed Maya's life irrevocably.