“What happened, Kaka?” Mukundo ran into Banerjee household after having received a call form Debendra Banerjee that he was needed there. He had just returned from university.

“Another one of her episodes Mukundo. She hasn’t eaten anything since last evening. No dinner. Didn’t have breakfast, or lunch today. She won’t even come out of her room…”

“Why didn’t you call me earlier?”

Debendra Banerjee threw up his hands with a guilty and resigned look. Mukundo understood that. Mr. Banerjee just didn’t know what to do about his daughter. Ever since she had lost her mother as an eight-year-old, things had gone haywire. She would alternate between being violently aggressive and alarmingly dull. Sometimes she would work hard for a month before exams and do very well. At other times, she would leave her answer paper empty. Sometimes she listened to her father, and at other times shouted at him and left home in a huff. Mukundo was usually her ultimate cure, but Mr. Banerjee felt very guilty about disturbing him all the time for Piyali. The two families were very close. Right from the time of Mukundo and Piyali’s grandfathers. Mukundo’s deceased father and Mr. Banerjee were childhood friends.

“I told you to leave me alone,” Piyali screamed wildly when Mukundo knocked at her door.

“Open the door, Pihu. It’s me.” He waited in silence. She opened the door after half a minute or so, then walked away from him to stand near the window. He shut the door before going after her.

“What has happened?” he asked gently.

“Nothing.”

“Sane people don’t stop eating and start locking themselves up their rooms because of nothing.”

“Who told you I am sane?”

“Insane people have their reasons too; even if those are twisted.”

She appeared to be seething in anger, but stood tight-lipped.

“Is it something I did?” he asked patiently.

“Why did you stop me from eating yesterday?”

“Stop you from eating? When?”

“In the evening.  At the mall.”

“You were having ice-cream.”

“So what?”

“You know you are prone to cold. And it will spoil your voice.”

“So what if it does. What will the world lose?”

“I don’t know about the world, but I don’t want to lose this sweet voice. You know how much I like hearing you sing…”

“You never come for riyaaz with me anyway…”

“I had to grade papers Pihu. Had a deadline to meet.”

“And Gourinagar to go to… And so many other things to do…”

“Okay. Listen to me,” he smiled indulgently, held her by her upper arms and turned her around to face him, “I have submitted the grades today. It is winter holidays and I won’t go to Gourinagar for at least a week. Okay? I am here for you. Now come out and eat. You have brought the entire world on its knees.”

“I am not hungry.”

“Enough. Come out now,” he said gently, and took her hand. Even though she did not look reconciled, she followed his lead. She did not meet either her father’s or the fussing housekeeper’s in eyes as she sat down at the table. Still looking cross, she ate whatever was put on the plate before her, while Mukundo sat beside her.

—

“Why do you hesitate so much Kaka? You should have called me last night itself,” Mukundo was talking to Mr. Banerjee later in the evening.

“What will happen to this girl, Mukundo? What is wrong with her?”

“Nothing is wrong with her, Kaka. We have already taken her to every psychiatrist and all kinds of doctors in town.”

“And yet, she can’t be trusted to be on her own, can she? And after me…” his voice drowned.

“After you? Why are you talking like that…” Mukundo did not continue as Mr. Banerjee was not listening to him. He had gotten up absent-mindedly and was walking towards the cupboard of his room. He took out a paper and handed it to Mukundo.

Puzzled, Mukundo opened it to get the shock of his life. “Cancer?” he asked tentatively, hoping against hope that he had read the report wrong.

“Bone cancer,” Mr. Banerjee confirmed, “Third stage. Difficult locations. Won’t be cured.”

“When did you…”

“Last week… I didn’t pay attention to the pain earlier, thinking it was age… I have been careless.”

“Kaka. Surely there is something…”

“Mukundo, my son,” he stopped him, “I am not worried about myself.  Sooner or later, I have to go. I had just hoped that this girl will be a bit more stable by then, as the doctors had assured. That she would settle down as she grew up. But there are no signs…”

“She is eighteen Kaka… It’s not exactly the age when people stabilize…”

“I know…” Mr. Banerjee closed his eyes, as if trying to hide the helplessness they will betray.

“Two things, Kaka,” Mukundo spoke, “Firstly, I don’t believe that we have to give up on your health. There are so many treatments available these days…. Secondly, whatever happens, you can trust Piyali to me…”

“That is what I have done all these years too, Mukundo. She has hardly been my cup of tea. But she is not the only one I am worried about. You too… Your parents would have expected me to ensure that you settle down, but…”

“You have tried, Kaka,” Mukundo smiled, “But you know where I stand on that. I have no interest in getting married.”

“Life is long Mukundo…”

“We’ll see. Right now, you must calm yourself down and stop worrying. Piyali would be in my care. Always. And take me to the doctor on your next appointment. When is it?”

“This Sunday.”

“Okay Kaka. And don’t say anything to Piyali yet. Leave that to me.”

Mr. Banerjee nodded.

—

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Mukundo woke Piyali up next morning at 6.00.

“Mukundo Babu. What are you doing here? At this time?”

“Somebody was complaining yesterday that I don’t accompany her for riyaaz. Whatever happened to that! Wash your face and come quickly. I will be in the music room.”

Debendra Banerjee looked on quietly as Piyali practiced a long aalaap, before the mukhda at whose sam Mukundo expertly started playing tabla to accompany her. She looked so serene, so calm, so much in control. Why could she not be like this otherwise?

Mukundo noticed him after a while and was about to interrupt the riyaaz when Mr. Banerjee indicated silently to him to go on and not bother about him. He left the room after a while.

“You will be all right today?” he asked after they finished the riyaaz. She nodded.

“What bothers you so much, Pihu?”

“Nothing. Why should anything bother me? Nothing bothers me.”

“Something does.  Every once in a while.”

“If I trouble you too much, you can just say so,” she grew cross.

He sighed, “No. You don’t trouble me. That is not what I meant.”

“Will you take me to Gourinagar with you this time?”

“You want to come?”

“Yes.”

“But it isn’t a comfortable place. There aren’t even any decent hotels to stay in…”

“If it is good enough for you, it is good enough for me.”

“Fine. Ask for Kaka’s permission.”

“He won’t stop me. It’s winter holidays anyway.”

“Still. Ask for his permission.”

—

To be continued