"Are you okay Geet?" Anjali asked her handing her bag. Geet nodded.
A crow flew from a nearby tree as Geet and Anjali jumped to the footpath. Geet startled at that and Anjali looked at her curiously. Geet looked straight ahead and refused to meet Anjali's eyes; she knew that concern was brewing in them.
"This place is totally deserted," Anjali commented looking around. "There is no sign of civilization here Geet."
"There is a village in the valley if you take that path," Geet pointed at a crude mud road. "We took the bus that doesn't come inside the settlement because the roads leading to the town are really bad. And besides we will not be going into the town," said Geet.
"We are not?" Anjali asked, confused.
"No. We live in an estate built by my grandfather's grandfather and the house is more than a century old. It has been renovated to suit modern times, of course, but the overall architecture has been kept intact. My grandfather is against changing the exteriors of the house and almost everyone agrees with him," explained Geet. "Oh, look, the car is here," said Geet. Anjali didn't respond and followed Geet.
The subtle bow that the driver gave Geet didn't escape Anjali's eyes. She wondered how well off Geet really was.
"My grandfather has always wanted to have you at our house and thank you properly for everything you have done to me Anjali. And I am really glad that you came with me today," said Geet. Anjali smiled and shrugged.
"It's really alright Geet," said Anjali and looked outside the car. Her eyes widened at the sight around her. "It's so beautiful," she exclaimed and closed her eyes feeling the fresh air swoosh past her.
"Yes, it's very beautiful. The estate is completely surrounded by mountains and is deep in the valley. My uncles and aunts call it depressing gray as it's cloudy for most part of the year," said Geet.
"Do you like it here?" Anjali asked her one hand out of the window, feeling the wind. The driver looked at Geet from the rearview mirror waiting to hear her response. The girl was quiet and wasn't outspoken as her other cousins. She was an enigma for most of the residents of the estate.
"It's a nice place to visit during holidays," said Geet.
"You didn't live here?" asked Anjali turning to look at Geet. Geet shook her head.
"I came here during summer and winter breaks. I studied in a boarding school. Every member of the family goes to the same boarding school till twelfth," said Geet. "It was a nice experience," she added as an afterthought.
"We are here," announced the driver as the car entered a clearance. After driving in a road woven through thickly populated trees the clearance gave a sudden burst of light making the scene look even lovelier.
Anjali's jaw dropped at the sight of "house". It wasn't a house by any length. It was a fully blown mansion or a mini-palace.
"I know that the circumstances at the moment aren't really pleasant but I would love to get a tour," said Anjali looking around the front yard. Geet chuckled at that. She didn't blame Anjali's enthusiasm. But she didn't know the status of her mother yet.
"There you are," said a voice behind them.
"Uncle Kanishk, have you found her?" asked Geet.
"We found her Geet. She is sleeping right now. Father is waiting for you to arrive," said her uncle. "Nice to see you here Anjali," the older man said with a smile on his face.
"I am sorry to intrude without prior notice uncle," said Anjali.
"Rubbish. You are like one of our own," he said. "I will meet you guys at afternoon tea," he waved and walked towards the gardens.
"Thank god they found her," said Geet, her shoulders relaxing. Only then Anjali noted how taut Geet's form was since morning.
Geet's grandfather was at the door waiting to invite his granddaughter in.
"She is sleeping." He said as soon as Geet was at an audible distance.
"I heard. Uncle Kanishk told me," replied Geet.
"I shouldn't have panicked and called you," her grandfather turned around and walked inside the house.
"It's alright nana. I needed a break too," said Geet walking inside the house along with Anjali.
Anjali noticed that they had actually entered a corridor and across the corridor was a huge courtyard beyond which the house lay. She could see that the architecture and style in which the house was built was almost non-existent in current trend but she could see the beauty and usefulness in the style she was witnessing.
"Welcome to our home Anjali," said grandfather and entered the main house.
"Thank you," said Anjali.
"Geet, why don't you give a tour of the house to Anjali?"
"I will nana," said Geet. "Let's go Anjali."
"I will meet you two at tea," her grandfather said and walked towards his personal study.
Anjali was completely taken with the grandeur of the house. It was easy to call that house as a museum as every trinket she saw looked antique and she was sure that if she asked grandfather about it, she would hear a story of its origin and half a dozen anecdotes surrounding it.
"Geet, aren't you going to meet your mom?" Anjali asked tentatively as they climbed the staircase.
"She is sleeping Anjali. I will go see her when she wakes up which could be late in evening or tomorrow morning," she replied. Anjali didn't respond. She opened her mouth several times to counter that thought but she held her tongue.
"Thank you Anjali," said Geet.
"For what?" Anjali asked, confused.
"For not asking me the reason for not seeing my mother immediately," said Geet. "Here is your room," Geet said stopping in front of a room.
"You got a room for me?" Anjali asked surprised. But then again given the size of the house, it probably wasn't that much of a big deal.
"Don't worry about it Anjali. Nana has arranged this room for you personally. I am next door. Shout if you need anything," said Geet and left Anjali to her own.
Geet walked into her own room or technically the room she used whenever she was at the house and went straight to the balcony. She loved the view of estate from that balcony and the mountains looked more peaceful from her room than the monstrosity which was evident nearer.
She walked back to the room and saw that it was exactly how she had left the last time she was here. She flopped on the bed and moaned in satisfaction as the smooth mattress offered gentle comfort to her aching back. She stretched and crawled further in and laid her head on the pillow.
Passing breeze blew the curtains and she shivered a little. Monsoon was almost ending and the chill was already in the air. She pulled on a comforter and gave into the exhaustion of the journey and the stress of her missing mother.
-- o00o --
"It's been a while, isn't it?" The librarian says, reading a book by Edgar Allen Poe.
"I have never heard that title before," she exclaims. She is a fan of the writer and a student of literature. Her mortification is justified. The librarian looks surprised.
"Poe wrote this story in his dreams but never got a chance to write it in reality." The librarian adjusts his glasses and peers down on her. "You know that every story every human ever dreams of writing gets written in the books found in the library of Dreaming." He isn't scolding her but merely questioning her memory.
"I fail to recognize the difference between reality and dream," she says honestly. The librarian sighs at her sincere admission.
"Your choice of words has always been a matter of debate me and the Lord." There is a hint of respect in his voice. Pride bubbles in her belly and bursts in the chambers of her heart.
She blushes.
"Dream talks about me?" She is looking anywhere but him. The librarian is as old as the first story itself. He had cried when he read the first story – story about two boys where one kills another.
"He knows who you are Geet." He doesn't say anything further.
"May I borrow any book that was never written?" She asks.
"You know where the library is." The librarian replies kindly. "You know you are always welcome in the Dreaming little girl." He closes the book and walks six steps behind the girl who is practically skipping to the biggest library in the world.
-- o00o --
"Geet?" She heard her name being called. She opened her eyes to see Anjali sitting on the bed and shaking her.
"What time is it?" Geet asked yawning.
"It's almost tea time. A lady came and told me to wake you up and go with you to the parlor for evening tea," said Anjali.
"I'll be read in five minutes," said Geet.
"Is evening tea a big deal in your household Geet?" Anjali asked Geet.
"It's the only time of the day where all the family members, elders at least, meet." Geet replied scrubbing her face. She splashed water removing all traces of exhaustion and sleep from her face. "Few leave the house early in morning to deal with vendors and few come home late as they are at village or out in city for various duties. Everyone mostly meet at this time for tea as it's convenient for every member of the family. So it's kind of big deal," explained Geet. Anjali hummed.
"Let's go," Geet said five minutes later. Anjali nodded and walked out of the room, Geet a step behind.
To be continued.
Quote: We have seen stranger things in dreams; and fictions are merely frozen dreams, linked images with some semblance of structure. They are not to be trusted, no more than the people who create them. ~ From the introduction to "The Doll House" TPB.
Further reading:
Dream (Isn't it nice to picture a face?) - Wiki Link
Lucien (The Librarian) - Wiki Link
Book Talk
Aami Daakini
