Author's note ...1)This Chapter is dedicated to virtual friends ..people you have never met ...but they become so important in your life ..like breathing is..
2) hurricane eye is the patch which is surrounded by cyclonic winds but itself is low pressure ..it is the area of calmness of relative peace of clear skies and gentler winds though all around the hurricane is raging with its mad force
XXX
Chapter 5 - The Hurricane's Eye
Mehak looked up surprised ...
Oh Shaurya had forgotten his phone ... she shrugged off her surprise and started re reading piece... the Gem from Tagore ... ..
She thought of Shaurya, the harshness he dealt with her, yet unflinchingly he went about keeping his word..
Was he too hiding the pain in jest and covering the truth with the untruth ..was he too afraid to show his damaged heart ..
She sighed ...what had they done to deserve this ??
They were cursed now to live in this morass of emotions that did not dare surface , that were overpowered by other equally strong ones , doomed to be strangulated and yet leaving behind ghosts that haunted their present and future ..
She did not know , did they lose because of their past or did they lose because of their present ..
Why were they destined to cross each other paths like this now , when the past had already forked them on their separate journey ??
of late KK had been showing a side she had been unfamiliar with ..
He seemed to be well read ..having a deep philosophical core ...he always seemed to come in her life when she needed him most ...
Was he, her virtual friend, the blessing that her mother sent to her ..her way of telling her that she will always find her ...will never be away , will always be around , embracing her ..keeping her in the shelter of her presence ..Like the vast expanse of sky that covers the whole earth ..that seems to be so far off, the distance unsurmountable, cursed to be away from the one it loves , and yet it spreads its arms , rather its whole being and envelopes all who are around ...
She gripped the pillow in her hands, willing it to be her mother's bosom , to fall asleep in there ...her eyes watered but eyelids grew heavy ...
Mummy was gently messaging her forehead ..so jaa beta
Shaurya walked back into the room to find Mehak sleeping ..a lone tear settled on her cheek ..
He stepped ahead , carefully settling himself near her,,,to watch the face that was his life...he gently scooped up the tear on his finger ...
Is there anything I can say Mehak ,that will atone my sins ...he whispered ..the tear held on his finger like a prized pearl...
I do not say sorry , I do not apologize because it all seems so superficial in front of the hurt I have caused you ..nothing can set it right can it...??
And yet I am so weak that I cannot dare to live apart from you ..I die a thousand deaths every moment as I see you ,so devoid of life ...and yet I cannot breath if you are not in front of my eyes ...I need to see you ,..to feel you ..because you are the dream , Mehak that I had of a life that was bright and beautiful and happy ..
I know that dream is gone forever ...and yet I hold on to you ...cause if I lose you ...I also lose hope ..of ever dreaming again ...
Do you know why I am afraid to go to jail ..not because I will lose all these material comforts ..but because I will have to live away from you ..
He looked away ... his throat had stated choking ,,,his emotions threatening to go out of control ...
He rubbed the tear between his thumb and finger, gently wiped the corner of her eyes, kissed her forehead before walking out ...
Mummy kissed her forehead ,,,Mehak utth jaa beta ...school jaana hai...
She shrugged off her lethargy ...
Surely she cannot spend her whole life moaning about its unfairness ..mummy papa would never like it ...
She will do what is right ..but she will live and ensure that other around her lived too...
she checked the time ..it was 5 in the evening ...
Surely every one was going to appreciate a hot cup of tea..
Ma, Maasi aap chai ke sath kya lenge ..( what would you prefer with your tea?)
She asked Karuna and Dolly as she passed them by in the living area,
Karuna looked at her and smiled ... you know beta I always love namak paaras with my tea...
Dolly smiled ..I will have whatever jijji wants ..
Mehak smiled and nodded her head ..just give me 30 mins...
Dolly's eyes followed her as she moved to the kitchen..
There was something about that girl that reminded her of her Jijji ..her real elder sister..Shaurya's Mom...
She had the same grace ..the will to smile no matter what ..the resolve to fight on...
Her Jijji was so different ...sometime she wished that she was her mother ...not this ogre of a woman she had to call Amma ,...
Till Jijji was alive , Amma was kept in check ...she has gone crazy after that ...she wondered did jijji pass away so early because she was born in the wrong family ...a saint in the family of leeches...
She understood the need for money ..being married to a no good idiot had taught her that ..but to sell away all your relations and values for money ..she could never stoop so low...
She was still disgusted that her Amma had no sense of judgment when it came to money and materialistic comfort ...she had happily latched on to the son in-law who had made her daughter's life miserable just because he had money now...
She would have continued to live in the mansion ...had that accident not happened...
That accident ...in which two people ...died ???
They happen to be Mehak's parents ??? she had just come to know of the underlying tension in the family ...
Karuna Jijji had opened upto her ...
Surely her Amma had a lot to answer ... Shaurya was a kid ..but Amma ...should she not have been more prudent...
She wished she had not been such a pansy then...she should have put her foot down ...
What will Jijji think of her when she will meet her after death ,,,,this is how they took care of her son??
Will you come with me Dolly ..?
Huhh Jijji?? What did you say ??
Arrey were you not hearing anything I said ..
To Mrs Agarwal's Daughter in'law's baby shower .. it is two days from now ??
Ummm ..no ..Jijji ...I will feel out of place there ... I do not know anybody there ...aap jao ...
She needed some quality time with her mother ...
The namak paras were hot and crisp , the tea just the right mix of ginger and cardamom and the laughter was tinged with the human grit to move on and accept ...
Shaurya stopped in his track as he entered in the house ... surely this was not to be ..that voice ..that lilting laughter ..surely his ears were playing games
But no as he entered the living area ..his eyes saw what his ears were indicating ..
Mehak and Karuna were laughing helplessly as Dolly was regaling them with her anecdotes about Mathura ...she had surely led a colorful life...
A smile crept up his face ...
It all seemed worth it ...
He moved to his study and got busy ..he had a lot to do and he had very little time ..
He needed to ensure that his business was ready for any contingency .his family continued to be secure financially and above all his Mehak knew that he meant it ...
She showed no emotions when he asked her to be ready for a road trip ...
Just asked
why ..
You will know ...
Is my being there necessary ...
Yes ...I think you will want to do this ...
Who else is coming with us ...
No one ...
Just the two of us ...
Yes ... umm pack an overnighter ..though I would want to return the same day ..but with these road trips you never know let us be ready for a contingency ...
The morning found Mehak busy , first with kitchen chores and then packing ..
She also accompanied Karuna Ma for her shopping to pick up baby shower gift ..it was a blessing in disguise it kept the ache in her heart at bay ..
Shaurya as nowhere to be found ..he would whenever possible spend really long days at work ...
She was back in her room with nothing more to do..
The walls seemed to be closing in on her ..
Scared she started fiddling with her phone..
Her muscle memory directed her to Messanger and KK
Hello My shape shifter ..
Shaurya's brows went up as the phone dinged
Surely his Mehak was not flirting with her friend behind his back..
He felt green bile rising in his throat ...
Can anybody be jealous of themselves ?? this girl had driven him crazy
or wait ..had she figured out that he was both KK and Shaurya and hence was shifting shapes ...he had to get to the bottom of this
You are talking to me ??...He typed back ...
Who else ??
You are calling me a shape shifter ... and you are calling me yours
The phone almost fell off Mehak's hand ..surely she did not mean it that he was hers ...
Ab kuchh bologi nahi... her phone dinged again ...
Mehak's cheeks were flaming red as she typed ...
I did not mean it that way ... I mean ...you are my friend ...that is why I said.. my ...
Hmmm...so why am I shape shifter ...
It is just that I have discovered this new side of you ...This literary ..philosophical side ...else I just knew one dimension of yours ..the one interested in food and cuisines...
He heaved a sigh of relief
Hmmm.. kya kar rahi ho??
Kuch nahi ...I just packed ...we are going on a trip ..
We ??
My husband and me ...
Honey moon ?? he typed in with a naughty smile emoji
...
There was silence ... she did not reply back
He cursed himself ...he had to be an idiot ...he wanted her to keep chatting ...
Sorry should have asked ...he typed again ... how are things
As good as they will ever be ...we both have found our orbits to spin around yet never collide ...
Hmmm ...so what the trip is all about
I do not know
Are you excited ...
No ..just a little bit curious ...
Take care MS ..have a safe trip ..
You too KK ..TC..
There was yet no sign of Shaurya ...
She needed to get some sleep ..they had to get up really early to leave for the trip ..
Maybe some haldi doodh will help... .
.she walked to the kitchen to help herself to the turmeric laced milk ..
YOU WERE UPSET AMMA ...that is all YOU HAVE TO SAY ... UPSET...
Maasi loud disgusted voice made her stop ...
She was in front of Nani's room ...
DAYAN BHI NA AMMA ( even a witch...)
Maasi seemed to be getting agitated every passing minute ...
Surely the argument was getting heated ..they were both strong personalities ...maybe she could help pacify
She knocked on the door ...
Naani ..Maasi
The voices stopped ...
Maasi ..Mehak called again
The door opened ...
Nani stood at the door ..Maasi behind her
Both looked disheveled..surely they were having a strong argument ...
Haan Bolo Bahurani ( yes speak Bahurani)...asked Nani ..her voice sounded cold... (
Kkyaa Bbaat hai Naniji.. she stuttered (what is the matter)
Suddenly the idea of pacifying them both seemed much less appealing to Mehak
Kuch nahi ..hum maa beti baat kar rahi hai buss ...( nothing we mother daughter are having a chat )
Mehak looked at Maasi , who just nodded
..she decided to leave them to their own devices...
She came back to the room with the milk ..and was sipping it slowly ..sleep still seemed far away ...
Shaurya was still not home..
She called up Kanta Chachi ...all was ok in parathe waali gali ...
She finished her milk ...sleep was still distant
She again found herself on the messenger ...
Tell me ...she typed .".maybe it is that the truth never shifts shapes ..it is just how you perceive it and how far you are ready to delve in it , changes its shape in our eyes ..."
She pressed send ...
Shaurya's phone dinged as he walked into the room..
Mehak was startled ... surely this can't be ... but had not something similar happened a couple of days earlier
Shaurya saw her looking at him with a strange expression ...
Oh ...f** she had messaged KK
Your phone Shaurya ..
What about it? ...He replied curtly ...
It dinged ..
So?? ...
Are you on messenger?? ...
Who is.nt these days ...I was chatting with a friend in Canada... surely you do not object to me chatting with a friend ... I mean you too must be chatting with friends ..I never ask you about them... Or are you telling me Mehak ..that we do not owe each other even this basic courtesy and trust ...
He was on a roll..but his entry was ill timed and he had to cover for it .. to get Mehak off that thought ...that mere possibility ...
I..I... did not mean It that way..
Yeah ok ..I am tired ..we need to catch some sleep before the trip tomorrow...
What was she even thinking ...KK and Shaurya ...they were as different as chalk and cheese ...
She switched off the lights ..
Outside The wind was picking up ...
A blue light caught her attention ...shaurya was checking his phone ...
She heard a flower pot crash
She hoped that the weather held ok for the trip ...
Edited by tibs09 - 8 years ago
Book Talk
