Growing up or Apart

5....4....3....2....1 and the clock struck 7.

 "Its time."

She smiled as her daughter stormed out of her room, gulping down a glass of fresh juice and grabbing a piece of toast, grabbed her car keys and moved to the door.

"Bye mom", she said with her mouth full. "If you need anything just drop me a message. I will get it on my way back home."

Medha, her daughter, hardly had time to sit with her ever since she had been in job, let alone take a meal with her. Arunima sat down on the huge Mahogany dining table, switched on to the huge plasma TV and ate in silence while she had her breakfast. Though she is now used to this lifestyle, but sometimes a pang of loneliness would hit her for no reason. Earlier, when she moved in with her daughter after her husband's death, she tried to make Medha take her out in evening's somewhere nearby, for a walk. But off late her working hours stretched to late nights and ofter past midnight. In the beginning she would try to stay awake at least to have dinner with her daughter but her "I ate at office maa, you should not stay up so late or even dine so late" got her sleeping early. Now she only get to see her daughter when she storms out of the house at 7 A.M grabbing her breakfast. She misses her daughter a lot. They hardly talk, so she made it a point to stand around the table just for a glimpse of her daughter.

Arunima had plans for the day, it was her daughter's birthday. As the clock struck midnight, she walked in to her daughter's room excitedly to wish her, only to find her fast asleep. She sat at her head side and watched her sleep, reminiscing her childhood days. She ran her hands softly on her cheeks and heard her sighing. She walked out for the fear of waking up her daughter, giving her a long longing look before she closed the door quietly. The day started usually and before Arunima could wish her daughter birthday, she stormed out of the house.  Sadness and disappointment was apparent on her face.

"My baby is always so busy, she must have forgotten her own birthday". She said to herself and decided to make her favorite dinner by herself.

It was 8 P.M already. Arunima did not want to disturb her daughter, but her excitement was hard to contain. At last she called her daughter.

"Medha, when are you going to be home baby?"

"Why maa, is everything alright? Are you okay?" She sounded worried.

"Yes baby, everything's fine and am good too. I just wanted to know when you will be home."

"You scared me maa. I don't know when I will be back. Don't stay up for me, okay."

"Yeah, okay."

But she waited up nonetheless, in a vain hope that her daughter will be home early. That she would find all her favorite food on the table and  jump with joy like she always did when she was a child. She waited up just to see that pleasure on her face. What she forgot was that her daughter had grown up now. She isn't same little girl she used to be.

She was still awake when Medha returned from her work at around two in the morning.

"What maa, why are you still up? You should have been to bed long back."

"I know, I just wanted to wish you .I had been waiting all day but you were too busy. This was my only chance. If I had slept, I wouldn't have been able to wish you. Happy belated birthday Medha. May God bless you with everything you wish for."

Medha stood stunned as she looked at the beautifully decorated table laid out with all her favorite food. the aroma told her that her mother had cooked them. She felt like a criminal. In between all her work and colleagues and friends, she had not given time to her mother. She walked in to her mother's room. Arunima was in meditation, something she always did to calm her mind when she was hurt or distressed. Medha laid with her head on her mother's lap, and closed her eyes. A feeling of bliss eloped her. She knew her mother had forgiven her like always. In her mind, she resolved to spend as much time possible with her mother. And she slept in peace, first time in years, as her mother ran her fingers in her hairs lovingly.

The message

".....And before I knew, I had hit send."  Although I just heard this last line, I already guessed what must have been the story.

I heard riots of laugh rolling out of the room. My sister and her friends were having a ball and she had been telling this story everyday to everyone, I don't know how many times. We are twins. I am full 30 mins elder to her, though I never get the feel of that. She had been lazy even when she was about to born. Like every sisters, we fight like cats and she somehow always wants what I have. And these are the only times when I am supposed to act elder. We have some similar sets of dresses, same iPods and tabs and even ditto copies of cellphones. I wish I could call my sister an exact copy of Cruella in 101 dalmatians, but she is way better looking than her and slightly better temperament. Okay, may be much better temperament than her. And I like my sister as much as I like Cruella.


Now, I must put in some good words for her or you would think I don't like her even a bit, which is true. She has a pretty creative brain when it comes to being notorious. Sometimes I really wonder how in the hell she could think of so many pranks, each of them just like her, silly and stupid. Leaving apart some of her stupid friends, we have quite a few common buddies. She is one Penelope Cruz, not with looks, just that she is pretty famous among boys and she likes been surrounded with them. And hence I share some of her fans ans my friends.

There's one thing I hated her most for- Aaron. Aaron, I loved the sound of his name, and somehow he became my first crush, and he never stopped drooling after my sister. Did I tell you she, I mean my sister, had always been pretty good at expressing herself. I guessed that's the only thing I liked about her, the way she could play with words.

The door of my sister's room was wide open. I had to cross it to reach mine. I tried to be invisible for I was in no mood to join them. As I crossed her room, I could not help peeping inside. And I came to abrupt halt. Yes, Aaron, he was there.

"Hey sis, When did you come?"
"Just now."
"Come join us."

 I was about to decline and then I saw him smiling at me. Oh My God, Aaron smiling at me. I almost fainted. I couldn't have said no, could I?

"Lemme change first."

I went into my room and saw roses, red roses on my bed along with a card on my bed. The card had some romantic message and then an I love you too, signed Aaron. And below his name was written in fine prints (I loved the way you expressed your love for me). I was befuddled. And of course heart broken. It must have been for my sister. I had no courage to go back to her room and join them and see both of them giving loving looks to each other. After few painful minutes, I heard a soft knock on my door. My heart stopped as I opened the door. It was Aaron.

"You didn't come?"
"Yeah, feeling kindda tired."
"I see you have seen them." He said pointing to flowers and the card.
"Yeah, am sorry. I dint mean to. But then since they were in my room..."
"They were meant for you only. I thought you were coming back home late, so I kept it here. But now that you are here, I want to say it in person. I love you too."

Cat got my tongue and I felt glued to earth. he smiled and went back. I felt as clueless as a dumb investigator. My head was spinning like top. I don't know how long I had been standing like a mannequin, but that's how my sister found me when she walked in. She shook me with shoulders.

"Sis, I have to tell you something." I looked at her blankly. She started speaking lightly. "I mistakenly sent a romantic message to Aaron, that I was supposed to send my boyfriend. I had no idea I had your phone in my hand....And before I knew I had hit send."
 

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda



PS: This is my 100th post and my 21st post to Blogadda wow. I am really thankful to Blogadda for giving me food for writing every weekend. And I dedicate this post to my immensely adorable husband, without whose support I would have lost this flair of writing. And nonetheless I am pretty grateful to all those who drop by here and provide me encouragement. Thank you everyone.

Voices calling....

He looked around helplessly with his big liquid black eyes

mamma, mamma, where are you?

Am here my son, right here. Don't worry.

Where mamma, I can't see you. 

We are in different rooms baby. 

Why mamma, why I am not with you. I am so scared. Come to me please.

I so wish baby. But I am surrounded with ugly looking grey bars. I can't even turn around.

Mamma, I want to get out of here. This place is not good.

What do you see around baby? Are there metal bars like mine.

No mamma, there is a wooden boards painted in red and green, and there is this dirty blue color wall. I am lying in stinky mud and there is a chain around my neck which is hooked to the wall. It is very heavy mamma, and it is painful. Please come and get me mamma.

Baby, I have tried so many times to break free. I have injured myself  but I have been unable. I am so sorry.

Mamma, there are others as well beside me. they look exactly like me. Are they my brothers and sisters?

I don't know baby. I have had many kids but I never got to see them.

Why mamma? Are we bad?

Ohh, no baby. You are my sweetest little kid.

Mamma, I am so hungry. Will you not feed me with your warm milk?

I am so sorry baby. These two legged animals have attached machine to me. They steal my milk every day. They milk me and fill the trucks with it and then go away.

Who are they mamma? And where do they take your milk?

They are humans baby. And I am not sure where do they take my milk. They say they need my milk more than my own kids. They make cheese and various stuff out of it, which I do not understand. They also say I will be hamburger one day. I don't know what it is.

Mamma, mamma, my door has just opened. They must be bringing me to you. I am coming to see you mamma.

Yes baby, keep calling me. I can hear your voice getting closer to me.

Mamma, they are pulling my neck hard, it hurts a lot. I can't even hear you clearly. They are taking me outside, far from you.

Try to come to my voice baby, and be strong.

I can't mamma. they hit me hard when I try. AAAWWWW...OOOUUCCHH

Oh no, my baby. kick them baby.

I can't mamma, they are holding me hard.

Try baby .

Mamma, they have an ugly looking hammer. They are raising it over my head. WHAT DO I DO MAMMA?

 Run baby, run.

I can't mamma. They are raising it over my head.

No baby, try and run my darling.

....................

Son, are you there baby.

..................

Baby, say something.

............................

*cries*


This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda

Strangers again...before I die

please don't say goodbye
just leave quietly like the tear from my eye...

Dear Love,

I hope I can still call you that. Whatever happened between us last hours have made me doubt myself. I don't know what did I do to deserve this. My own life wants to be a stranger to me after so long of our life together. Well, its not that long I agree, but to me it feels nothing short of a lifetime. Do you remember you once told me that you deliberately used to salaam me every time, because you so loved my shy-full namaste in reply. That was the moment of the beginning of our life together. And now you want to end it all, just like that?

I have never denied you anything, so I will give you this wish as well. But tell me first, will you then still give me the thrill of watching your dimples go deeper in your cheeks while you smile? Will you still give me the pleasure of seeing the satisfaction on your face that used to flood your face after fulfilling even my silliest wishes? Tell me where will I run to when I feel scared and beaten? How will I smile when you will not be around? And most important of all who will love me like that and who will I love like I love you?

I remember the first time I saw you, I knew it was you or no one else for me. I have always been crazily, madly, truly in love with you. I still am and I always will be. So you see, granting you this wish is kind of tough for me. But don't worry. I have given you whatever you have asked for, whatever had been in my power. And I will give you this as well.

Did I ever tell you, that you have been everything to me. To me, you are the sky that spread above my head. You are the rain showers that show me rainbows. You are my earth, the ground that I run on after my dreams. You are my strength that keeps me up even after am beaten hopeless. You are the breaths that keeps me alive. You alone are my family and friend. I have no one but you. And now you want us to be strangers again.

I know this all must be sounding boring to you, very melodramatic. but it was you who told me "Follow what your heart tell you", and it always takes me to you. Tell me how do I let us be strangers again. There is only one way- I die. Before I die you can take me as a stranger and I can pretend that I don't know you anymore. And I have one last question, will you still deliberately salaam me to hear my shy-full namaste in reply, will you still love it in next life?


                                                                                                  A past that couldn't exist without you.



This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda