Crystal Pattaampoochi Part II - In Search of Roots

Chapter 1

Bharkavi got down from her bicycle near the front gate. As she touched the iron gate, she could hear her grandfather's clock strike 9 from the living room of her house. She opened the gate noiselessly and entered the compound. As she secured her cycle to the window grill with a chain, her mother's lamenting tone drifted through the window. With a sigh, Bharkavi moved towards the front door and rang the bell. The door was opened by Raghav, who was licking his right hand. Seeing his elder sister, he gushed quickly,

"Akka, amma is in a very bad mood today. Her poori masala is very tasty, but she is not allowing us to enjoy that."

She smiled, "Thanks, I will be careful."

She silently deposited her lunch bag in the kitchen, threw her handbag on the bed and walked into the washroom.

When she came into the dining room, Shankar was calming down his wife. The elderly gent was in his early fifties working for a private bank. Nalini looked younger than her fourty seven years. She had quit her job after her mother in law died as she had to take care of three children at home. Bharkavi was the eldest followed by Sundar five years later and Raghav came three years after Sundar. The boys resembled their father in almost every thing, but Bharkavi inherited her 5' 6" height from Shankar and looks from Nalini.

Raghav continued to attack his plate, while Sundar winked mischievously at her. She couldn't resist her smile, all the same put her finger on her lips and warned him.

Nalini put the dinner plate in front of her daughter, sat near her husband and started angrily,

"How can I have any peace of mind, if my daughter comes home from work, not before 8.30 or 9 in the night?"

"Oh please amma, there are thousands of girls working in the night shift."

"Yes I know, but they commute by office cabs. But here, you refuse to travel even by a two wheeler."

Bharkavi knew where this was leading to, so kept quiet.

Raghav mumbled with food in his mouth, "Even akka's cycle has two wheels."

Sundar said with a serious face, "Amma, I have a good solution for this problem; we should arrange for a driver for akka's bicycle."

Raghav continued, "How about dark blue pant and light pink checked shirt uniform for the driver? He should salute her while she boards or alights from her cycle carrier."

Bharkavi looked at her brothers and burst out laughing, imagining the scenario. Even Shankar shook in silent laughter. Nalini became furious and directed her anger towards Sundar,

"I am worried about your sister and you are making fun of the situation; do you have any sense of responsibility? I have been asking you to get that mixer repaired for days now, you can't get that done; now you sit here and talk rubbish."

"Amma, with the cost you have incurred on the mixer's repair work, you could have easily purchased four new ones."

Nalini justified, "The mixer is so dear to me and you know it was my mother's gift on our first wedding anniversary." Bharkavi caught her brothers silently lip synchronising their mother and Shankar rolling his eyes. She bent down her head to hide her expression from Nalini.

Sundar stood up and made a grand announcement, "Amma, now I am going to show you how responsible I am. Let us hold a suyamvar for akka. Whoever can repair the mixer and get it working for 6 months without any problem will get the hand of my sister."

Raghav - "Sister along with her cycle." The boys hi-fived and laughed out loud.

Bharkavi mouthed a playful threat to Sundar, "Wait till I get my chance."

Nalini got up lamenting, "I am expected to cook, clean, wash and slog for everyone in the house, but no one takes me seriously or even try to listen to me."

"You haven't touched your food, Nalini", Shankar said.

She wasn't listening. She ran into her room and fell on to the bed.

Shankar silenced his boys and directed them to their room. He signaled his daughter to pacify her mother.

Bharkavi went to Nalini, sat down on the bed and touched her mother's hand, "Amma, please ma."

Nalini was adamant. Shankar spoke softly to his wife, "Come on Nalini, you shouldn't get worked up like this at the slightest drop of a hat."

"You are also having fun with the children, aren't you?" She wiped her eyes and nose with her saree.

"No dear, it is not like that; all I am asking you to show is little more patience."

"Let me remain as impatient as ever. But you talk to your pretty daughter patiently, slowly or however you want, but I need to get an answer today."

"Ok Nalini, have your food first; I promise we will work out something."

The daughter and father brought Nalini back to the dining table.

Nalini began impatiently, "There are many good proposals in my friends' circle."

Shankar intervened, "Nalini..."

"No Kaviappa, I have lost my appetite after visiting the astrologer today. He said if her marriage is not fixed by this year end, we will have to wait for another three years. I wish to complete my motherly and grandmotherly duties while I am healthy."

Bharkavi protested, "Amma that is not a good enough reason for me to get married."

Shankar - "Then tell us Kavi, why are you so aloof in this matter? We have never interfered with your studies. You asked us not to raise the marriage issue for at least 3 years after you took up a job. But now even after 4 years, you still haven't given us the go signal. Can we take it that you have someone already?"

Nalini wore a shocked expression hearing her husband's last question.

Bharkavi chuckled, "I wouldn't hide that from you two, so you can be assured that there is no one. It is just that I am happy with the present setting and do not wish to disturb it."

Nalini opened her mouth to protest, but Shankar held up his hand and looked expectantly at his daughter to continue.

Bharkavi sighed, "Appa, I am not very ambitious. The boys whom amma mentioned are all abroad. But I am wedded to this town, this house, just the way I am to my old bicycle. I wish to be always available for you both. Please do not tell me it is the duty of Sundar and Raghav. I do not blame them, but they have great plans across the globe and I do not want to leave you two to loneliness here."

Shankar and Nalini looked at each other. Nalini's eyes welled up with affection.

Shankar -"Kavi, we are so proud of you and really appreciate your feelings and thoughts. But don't you think we too have a moral duty? No, wait. I do not want to put it that way."

He weighed his words before speaking, "Kavi, nothing would give us more happiness than seeing you have a family of your own and settle down. If you wish to be near us we can always look for an alliance which would meet your requirements. It shouldn't be a problem as there are many matrimonial portals available. All we need to do is register and give our preferences. I am sure we should get good response soon. Shall we start then?"

Bharkavi looked at her mother's anxious face and nodded her consent slowly. Nalini smiled for the first time in the evening and began eating.

Sleep didn't come easily to Bharkavi that night. She lay on her bed alone, thinking about her life. Her schedule included only three things - home, office and her weekend MBA classes. It was not that she didn't have time for socializing, but she preferred her books or an occasional movie on TV. She chuckled, thinking about how Nalini feared her daughter would soon turn into a sanyasini. "Oh amma! I am also a person with normal desires but it is just that, no man has interested me so far", she muttered to herself, sighed and pulled up her blanket.

Originally posted by: girivanam

Aww Sawmya,

So glad to read your immediate comment😊

I am not sure there is hero heroine concept as such. Wait and decide for yourself😃

Originally posted by: priya_pp

awesome😃

Originally posted by: sawmya8672

😳

When is the next update ?

Originally posted by: hopper_ocean

giri yet to read - will comment more after reading it fully pa 😳

Chapter 2

The sound of cuckoo alarm woke up Bharkavi at half past five in the morning. Fifteen minutes later, she walked into the kitchen sniffing for the aroma of fresh coffee. There was nothing. Kitchen looked devoid of any morning activity. When she went into her parents bedroom, it was empty. The bed didnot look as it was slept in. It was so unusual for them to have gone out so early in the morning and that too without prior information. But when she found the front door locked from inside, she felt a bit relieved. As she peeped inside her brothers' room, she could see her brothers sprawled on the bed in deep slumber. She opened the door and let herself in. Nalini and Shankar were sleeping, sitting on the chairs in front the computer table. Nalini had a notebook opened on her lap and even in sleep her fingers had a firm grip on the pencil she was holding. The monitor had several windows open with photos in each one of them.

Bharkavi carefully pulled the pencil from her mother and kept it softly on the table. Next it was the turn of the notebook. Nalini had filled several pages with details of prospective grooms. Bharkavi wondered how so many boys were still unmarried. With a sigh she went out of the room as quietly as she entered.

Bharkavi dabbed her handkerchief carefully over her face and neck to remove the sweat drops and walked into the building where her office was located. As Bharkavi lifted her finger to push the close button, she saw someone come running towards the elevator. She kept pressing the open button and waited till the man entered. He mumbled a quick thanks. She smiled and reached out to the buttons without even glancing at him, "No problem, which floor?"

"Th... ... th ... ... ...irrr... ...d."

Bharkavi pushed number three and pretended not to have noticed his stammering. From the reflection on the closing elevator metal door, she could see his twisted face. How she wished she could massage the cheeks and ease his distress. She jerked herself out of the sudden impulsive route her otherwise calm and matured thought process was taking. No wonder all the discussions with her parents the previous night and their ensuing actions were clouding her mind and clear judgement. She immediately averted her gaze from his reflection and instead looked at the electronic display. When the elevator doors opened on the third floor, she went out without a backward glance, walked along the corridor and entered her office.

She signed the entry register and smiled at the receptionist.

"Morning Banu."

"Good Morning Bhaaru." When everyone else called her Bharkavi or Kavi, Banu always called her Bharu with an unnecessary emphasis on 'Bha'. Bharkavi had quit her futile effort of correcting her colleague long ago.

"These are your mails including few love letters", Banu winked.

"Yeah, were expecting them. Anyway thanks." Love letter was their office nickname for rude letters from creditors asking for payment.

She walked to her table, set her bag in the drawer, sat down and started opening the mail.

Bharkavi designated as purchase executive, worked in an Engineering firm that dealt with industrial instruments. She was based at the corporate office in Nehru Nagar, while their manufacturing unit was located in the SV Industrial Estate. Manivannan, the Managing Director of the company, was Shankar's childhood friend. When Shankar approached his friend, he had gladly obliged and Bharkavi completed her fifth semester in-plant training in his company. Mani had been pretty impressed with her, so he took her in as a trainee soon after her graduation. Slowly she established herself and rose to her current position. The salary was not grand, but she was happy with the working environment. She then took up MBA in materials management through distance learning and attended contact classes during the weekends.

It was only in the evening Bharkavi could meet Manivannan.

"Sir, you wanted to see me?"

Mani didn't look up from the file he was reading.

"Yes Bharkavi, I want you to coordinate with Yamuna and prepare the BOM for the H3 thermal order today itself and email to me the details. Mr. Sangith from SLC Pharma is with her right now finishing the design. I want to finalize the purchases before I leave for Guwhati tomorrow afternoon."

"Yes sir."

"That is settled then. Next, keep a regular watch on the Bansi order. Cunning fellows, we should never give them a chance to step in with their nut and bolt team. Then, Akbar will be coming for internal auditing this week. Ensure that Srinivasan is also available during his visit. If there are letters to be signed, please bring them now, otherwise that is all, you carry on with Yamuna." He looked up at her for a second and went back to his file.

She went to her table, took a yellow folder and walked towards design section, which was located on the same floor as her division, though at the other end of the corridor. She could see Yamuna bending over a large sheet and in deep discussion with someone. Yamuna looked up and said, "There she comes, our purchase officer."

The man turned around with a welcoming smile. There was a momentary surprise on his face.

"He... ... ... he. ... ..he... ... ... llooo..."

Bharkavi realized that this was the same man who had taken the elevator with her in the morning. She despised the way Yamuna ogled at his mouth. With a sudden impulse, she offered her hand in greeting. As he held her hand lightly, she gripped him tightly, looked into his eyes reassuringly and smiled, "Good to see you Mr.Sangith."

She felt him relax and it made her happy to see the pained expression go away. Bharkavi wondered what was happening to her; what was the unknown emotional string that was trying to connect her with this stranger? She had no explanation for trying to put him at ease, a man she had hardly met. She could see Yamuna looking at them with keen interest. With out giving any more room for her colleague's imagination to grow, she released his hand, opened the order file and got down to work. After about half an hour, Bharkavi began to have a slight headache and thought that a hot drink would be helpful.

"Would you like to have some tea, Sir? What about you, Yamuna?"

"Oh yes, actually I was going to ask you", Yamuna massaged her eyebrows.

"Sure, tea is fine", Sangith smiled warmly.

Bharkavi called up Das, the office boy and gave their order. Half way through their tea and sandwiches, Sangith walked out to the corridor with his cell phone. Yamuna quickly whispered to Bharkavi, "I didn't know he stammered. He had been perfectly normal until you walked in. What happened to him?"

What did her colleague mean? She took care not to reveal her inner turmoil as Yamuna was watching her face unblinkingly. Yamuna was a master story maker and Bharkavi feared for stories flying the length and breadth of her office even to the extent of her sixtieth wedding anniversary.

She simply shrugged her shoulders, "How should I know? Never seen him before."

"Then how did you know he was Sangith?"

"MD told me one Mr.Sangith was with you and I assumed this was him."

Yamuna didn't appear to believe her. Bharkavi was relieved as Sangith came back at the same time and put a stop to their discussion.

They were finishing work around quarter to nine, when Bharkavi's cell phone shrilled; she grabbed it and silently cursed herself, 'How could I have forgotten to inform amma?'

She pressed the instrument to her ear, "Hello amma."

"Are you still at the office?" Nalini was worried.

"Sorry ma, I had some urgent work. I should have called up earlier and informed you."

"Your father has also not come home yet. Shall I send Sundar to accompany you back home?"

"No no, don't disturb him. I am leaving in few minutes. I will be careful, don't worry, bye." She hurriedly disconnected before her mother could protest.

As her husband was waiting downstairs, Yamuna picked up her bags and started leaving.

"Aren't you leaving now, Kavi?"

"Have to email this to MD immediately", Bharkavi hurried back to her seat.

As she switched off her computer and took her handbag ten minutes later, she realized that only Das remained in the office. She waved a good night to him and walked out of the office to find Sangith near the elevator. He was looking out of the window at the night traffic. When he heard her coming, he turned around and opened the elevator door for her.

They got into the elevator and journeyed down in silence. She didn't know if it was mere coincidence that she had begun and ended her day with the same man in the lift. She knew nothing about him, yet she felt as if she knew something about him. It was all confusing and she wanted to go home, to her solitude.

"Good night, Miss.Bharkavi"

"Bye Mr.Sangith"

They went their separate ways and disappeared into the night.