Mutual Jealousy (Part 6)

Posted 10 CommentsPosted in English, Mukundo-Piyali, Original

Board exams were over. Mukundo had gone to Mumbai for some work. It was a two-week long trip and he would be returning the next day. Piyali was bored of wandering around in her home and his library. She decided to spend the afternoon with Saina, who would soon leave the town for Kolkata. Her father had been transferred. So, they won’t be going to school together any longer.

“Hello Piyali,” it was Saina’s father who opened the door for her.

“Hello Uncle. Is Saina not at home?”

“She has gone to Kolkata. She got a modeling assignment. Since she was getting bored sitting at home, she decided to pick it up.”

“How nice to have some work! I am also getting so bored.”

“Why don’t you pick up a summer job?”

“Who would give me a job here, Uncle? Fully qualified graduates hardly get a job.”

“Why! I can use your help. I have to wrap up so much paper work before leaving. It won’t be a formal job with my company. But in my personal capacity, I can have you as an assistant.”

“Really?”

“Why not?”

“That… that would be great.” She thought she’d surprise Mukundo with a gift for him with her first salary.

“Why don’t you report at my office tomorrow after 6 pm?”

“After office hours?”

“That’s when I finish my regular day job and work on wrapping up the paperwork.”

“Ah! I see. Sure Uncle.”

“By the way, how rude of me. What can I get for you? Some juice? Tea? Coffee?”

“Oh no! Nothing. Is Auntie not at home?”

“No. She and Sonal have gone to market.” Sonal was Saina’s younger brother.

“I will take your leave now, Uncle.”

“See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“Dad! Mom wanted me to take the keys from you…” Saina barged into her father’s office, where Piyali was sitting and waiting for instructions to begin her work. “Piyali! What are you doing here?”

“Hi Saina. How did your assignment go?”

“It went fine. But what are you doing here? Dad?”

“She… she is just helping me… finish some work… some paper work, Saina.” Her father stuttering surprised Piyali. Why was he behaving like he was caught stealing?

“Yeah? Helping you?” Why was Saina so bitter? “Your own family is never enough for you, right?”

“Saina. Why are you…” Piyali tried to intervene.

“Leave Piyali. For your own sanity and ours, leave. Right now.”

Piyali looked at her father for support, but his eyes were downcast. This was more than she could take. She ran away from there in tears.

It was unfathomable. Saina had a job. Must have made thousands of rupees with her modeling. Why would she grudge her a small job that would barely make her enough to buy a gift for Mukundo Babu? Piyali hated her with all her might.

“Excuse me, Saina,” Mukundo found her in the market and called out, “How are you?”

“I’m fine, Mukundo Babu. How are you?” she bore her awkwardness rather well, Mukundo observed.

“Have you got some time? I wanted to talk to you.”

She was surprised, but nodded. They went to a coffee shop at Mukundo’s suggestion and took a table in a secluded corner.

“So, all packed up for leaving?” Mukundo started the conversation with small talk.

“Yeah. Almost.”

“But why leave with broken relationships?”

She stared down at the table as she spoke, “Piyali is super mad at me, isn’t she?”

“Well, she is. But I have a feeling that she is so for wrong reasons. You didn’t grudge her a little job.”

“Why do you think so?” she smiled sadly.

“I… might be… going totally wild here… Saina. And if that is so, I apologize in advance. You stop me and we will end the conversation right there. But you sound mature for your age. And that often happens when you have faced more in life than you should… You father has not been an ideal father… Am I right? And if I am, the first thing I must ask is if you need help.”

She laughed. A brave, but sad laugh. “I envy her, Mukundo Babu. She is so lucky to have you. But no. I don’t need any help now. I put a stop to it when I was twelve. And I have been able to keep my brother from harm’s way.”

“But is that enough? Shouldn’t he be…”

“No. My mother is a simple woman, and she knows nothing of it. She needn’t. Besides, this isn’t a TV serial with a bunch of kindly cops by our side to help us out. If he goes behind bars, who will provide for our family? I have thought it all through. It will remain as it is.”

“Hmm… Obviously you know what you are doing and I appreciate how strong you are. But won’t you mend things with your friend before leaving?”

“I would like to… But… you figured it out. I don’t want anyone to know. Including her.”

“She doesn’t need to know about what you faced, Saina. But she can know what danger she was in. That won’t be bad for her to know…”

“I’ll try.”

“Thanks a lot! And if you do need help at any point of time, you can reach out. Kolkata is not that far…”

“Thanks,” she smiled gratefully.

“I hate to admit it, Mukundo Babu. But you were right about Saina. She wasn’t exactly envious about my job.”

“What was it then?”

“Something else. Leave it. But how on earth could you know? You don’t even like her. And still, you defended her?”

“Since you have conceded where you were wrong, I must concede too. I think I was too biased against her. Probably just because she wore fashionable clothes. She is a fine girl.”

“Why this change of heart?”

“Just observing. For almost a year now…”

“Hmm… I hope I can keep in touch with her.”

“Kolkata is not that far away.”

“I am not going there every week. But you could be our messenger.”

“Gladly!”

“She has promised to send me some fashionable clothes, if you would carry them,” she grinned.

He rolled his eyes at her, and they broke into a friendly laughter.

To be continued

Mutual Jealousy (Part 5)

Posted Leave a commentPosted in English, Mukundo-Piyali, Original

She placed both her gifts on the bed and stared at them alternatively. He got her a book about Kolkata. He arranged for them to take a trip to Kolkata, despite her father! He wanted her to wear that skirt. And he got her a pair of boots that would look good with it! Her shoes had not vanished in thin air. He had taken it with him, so that he could buy her boots in the right size!

She didn’t know if she wanted to kill Saina or hug her. She was the one who had first made her see him in that light. “Mukundo Babu. Eh? He is hot!” she had remarked.

“Hot?”

“Hot!”

“Come on, Saina. You can’t talk like that about Mukundo Babu.”

“Why not? He is not your brother. And even if he were your brother, he wouldn’t be mine,” she had giggled.

“He is not my brother, of course!”

“That makes things easier.”

Saina hadn’t mentioned it after that. But the conversation had sent her mind in an overdrive. She had started looking at him in a way that had never occurred to her before. As a man. As a handsome and attractive man. As a desirable man. She fantasized when she went to bed. She could hardly concentrate on her studies and imagined unspeakable things.

What he did today was not going to help her hopeless case!

She was enjoying everything about the city. Even the things Mukundo found annoying – the crowd, the heat, the traffic and the noise. She had gone berserk in the malls and showrooms. “So many designs at one place, Mukundo Babu. How does one even choose?”

She sat down exhausted in the lawns of Victoria Memorial and gazed at the colonial building. “I’m so happy today, Mukundo Babu. I can’t thank you enough,” her voice was thick with emotions, and her eyes dreamy, “I wish I could do something for you in return.”

“That you can do,” he smiled at her.

“How?” she fixed her eyes expectantly on him.

“Piyali…” he waited for a moment to collect his thoughts and words. She was no longer a child. Confronting her was not a good idea. He had to respect her feelings and thoughts, even if they were immature, if he was to get his point across to her. “It’s not that I think ill of your new friend. I know you enjoy her company. And that’s a great thing. To have a friend you really like. But you must understand that her goals in life and yours are different. You aren’t exactly planning on becoming a model, are you?”

“A model,” she laughed diffidently, “No way. I don’t fancy myself that beautiful.”

She was modest in that regard. She was extremely beautiful. But that was not the point he had to make just then. “Then you must focus on studies. Much more than she does. This is a crucial year for you. You are writing your board exams.”

Piyali could almost feel her fragile, teenage heart breaking into pieces. He might not be her brother. But he treated her as nothing other than a younger sister, a ward, who needed to be taken care of. Her studies! Yes – that was all he had in mind. That was why he was humoring her. Letting her wear the skirt. Buying her boots. Even bringing her to Kolkata. So that he could persuade her to study.

What else was she expecting? Of course she was being stupid to expect… And he wasn’t wrong anyway. She had been far too distracted recently.

“You are right. I am sorry. I promise that I will study well from now on. But you must know that just because Saina wears fashionable clothes, she isn’t a bad girl. My distraction had nothing to do with her.”

“Then?”

“Nothing I can’t deal with,” she replied.

“If there is something serious, I should know, Piyali.”

“Nothing serious. In fact, I am over it already. I won’t let you complain again.”

She looked so mature and determined as she spoke that Mukundo could not insist on her sharing her issue with him.

He sometimes felt frustrated that she was a girl. It made things so difficult for him. Taking care of a boy would have been so much easier. Or if she, at least, had a female guardian, there were things he could have ignored. But… She must have been about twelve at that time. For the first time, he was in a serious relationship, which had become intimate enough for him to talk about women’s issues like mensuration with his girlfriend. She had told him how some girls were caught unawares the first time they bled because nobody had told them. It could get quite embarrassing. The first thought he had had was of Piyali. She was twelve, and would soon have… Did she know? Who would have told her? If her father had thought even a bit and hired a female servant at least… Probably he should hire one in his house and use her to communicate with Piyali on such issues.

But at that point of time, he needed to ensure that she knew. So, he had made her sit at some distance from him in his library so that she felt safe and had started speaking.

“Piyali. This will be an unusual conversation. But I want you to not feel… unsafe… or guilty… You must trust me.”

“What is it?” she had clearly been alarmed.

“No. No. Nothing to be scared of. Just don’t feel… awkward. If you feel uncomfortable, walk out from here and we’d assume this conversation never happened.”

That had hardly been more assuring, but she had nodded and stayed put.

“Piyali. You… are growing up. On the verge of becoming a young woman… And there are changes… In your body – I am sure you are noticing them… They are nothing to be anxious about. They are natural. But in some things, some preparation… is required… For example… Do you know… about… menses?”

Her mouth had opened into an “O”, which she had immediately closed. Then hesitatingly, she had nodded.

He had felt partly foolish, and partly relieved. Probably he shouldn’t have brought this up. Probably they had a way of knowing…

“That’s great, then,” he had chuckled nervously, “Makes things easy. Run off now…”

She had stood up and retreated. But before he had as much as drawn an easy breath, she was back.

“Actually…” she had gulped hard, “I don’t know… My friends were talking at school and they mentioned it… I acted like I knew because I didn’t want to appear stupid… But… I don’t know…”

“Ah! Oh! Right… I see… Why don’t you sit back… No wait…” Since he had believed, even if for a short time, that he need not have this conversation, he was now finding it difficult to pick the thread again. “What I will do,” he thought quickly and suggested, “Is get you a book, or some other written material about it. You can keep it for reference. Is that fine?”

She had nodded and had turned on her heels immediately.

He had found a book explaining sexual changes in body for teenagers. It also had good information about sex, and warnings related to it. He had given her the book a few days later. He was prepared again while doing this. So, he had told her calmly and confidently, “If there is something you need to ask, you must come to me, okay?”

She had nodded. She had never come back to him and they had pretended that nothing of that sort had been discussed between them. He assumed she was doing fine.

Presently he looked at her face, her eyes still riveted to the gorgeous building, and allowed himself a faint smile. He almost felt proud, he couldn’t figure why.

To be continued

Mutual Jealousy (Part 4)

Posted 4 CommentsPosted in English, Mukundo-Piyali, Original

He remembered almost all of her dresses. He could have and had given her so many suggestions. If he remembered as much about the dresses of any of his girlfriends, he would have been married much earlier. He chuckled and then looked around to ensure that nobody had seen him sitting alone and laughing for no apparent reason. Thankfully there weren’t many people in the coffee shop. Nobody disturbed him and he was left to contemplate.

She had looked gorgeous in that skirt. Her long, athletic legs – smooth and… Wait! Had she started waxing them? Since when? She usually wore jeans and it wasn’t possible to know. The day he had washed her knee-wound… No. It was certainly not waxed then. Did she do it only for wearing this dress? He was too harsh on her. Whether or not she should have worn it, it did look so good on her shapely figure. A pair of boots would have made it even better. But…

All said and done, he concluded finally, he wasn’t her guardian. He really had no right to impose on her like that.

“Will you continue to be in a foul mood forever?” he asked on their way home.

“I am just tired. Why should I be in a foul mood?”

“Because I made you change your dress?”

“You are as much of a hypocrite as any other man. Everyone likes to gawk at scantily-clad women in magazines and movies and even on roads. But God forbid, if someone they know should wear a slightly short skirt!”

“Piyali!”

“I apologize. You are the elder and the wiser one. But Maths journals are not the only sort of magazines in your library either.”

He took a deep breath before speaking. “I admit. I have been a hypocrite. And in more ways than you claim. Yes – not only do I apply different standards to you and to others, but also to you here in Haldia and to you – if you were elsewhere. If we were in New York, or London, or Mumbai, or even in Kolkata, I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid at what you wear. But we are in Haldia. It is a small town with its conservative manners. That you can wear jeans without attracting attention is the limit of this town’s modernity tolerance. When you go to a city, you wear whatever people there wear.”

She chortled, “As if I am going to travel to New York and London! Baba won’t let me go even to Kolkata.”

She wasn’t looking at him. So, he used the opportunity to have a good look at her face. She had a lovely face. And a hyperactive teen-age brain. And a healthy body that loved outdoors. She loved his motorcycle! An idea suddenly struck him that was sure to better her mood.

“My motorcycle is back form servicing.”

“Did it cost you a lot?” she looked at him with anxious eyes.

“A bit. But it is as good as new now.”

“Good. You would enjoy riding it,” she smiled weakly, clearly conscience-struck that the bike was as good as destroyed because of her.

“You would enjoy learning it too, I think.”

“Me?”

“Who else? You are the only one who has to learn. I already  know how to ride a bike.”

“Don’t tease me, Mukundo Babu. I had smashed the bike. I know you wouldn’t let me even touch it again.”

“Someone is scared.”

“I am not scared!”

“Of course, you are. Making excuses for why you wouldn’t learn. Putting words in my mouth.”

“Oh, shut up!”

He grinned. “Friends then? Tomorrow evening your bike riding classes begin.”

She grinned back, happy beyond words.

“I can’t believe this, Mukundo Babu. I was looking for this shoe the entire day today. It had just vanished into thin air. And now suddenly, it is there, just where it should have been!”

“You can’t do anything straight, unless you have had a lecture from me. You have missed it for past two days, haven’t you?”

“Arghh… Must you always talk like that to me?”

He laughed and handed her a gift-wrapped package. “There is something for you. From Kolkata.”

She unwrapped it hastily and found a coffee-table book about Kolkata. “The photographs are beautiful.”

“I thought you may like it. Where is Kaku? I have some news for him.”

“What news? Pishima is not thinking of coming, is she?” she frowned. The arrival of her father’s sister wrecked havoc on his nerves.  She could never be careful enough about hygiene and health for his comfort.

“No. I didn’t run into them in Kolkata. It is something else. Is he in the hall?”

“Yes,” Piyali confirmed and followed him to the hall, the curiosity about the news getting the better of her than the excitement about the book.

‘Has he gone mad?’ she found herself thinking as she heard Mukundo delivering the news. There was a news doing round about certain flu virus that had come to India from South America. It was quite deadly and regular medicines didn’t work on those who were struck with it. Haldia being a port town was particularly vulnerable. Injections were available for protection, but they would have to go to Kolkata to get the shots. Piyali was getting furious by the moment. What did Mukundo Babu mean by sharing this with her father? He knew very well the effect it would have on him. Piyali knew about this, and had removed the health supplement from last week’s newspaper to keep her father from reading about it. And you couldn’t even get the shots here. Going to Kolkata!! How will she manage to calm her father down after this?

“We must go then?” she heard her father saying.

“Yes Kaku. And this Saturday itself. You don’t have to worry about anything. I have a serviced apartment there, which I use every time I travel. Very clean and hygienic. And I know people in the hospital who would give the shot. There would be no problem at all.”

“Travel is not a good business ever… But we can’t take risk, can we?”

“Not at all. And I will be driving myself, Kaku. We have seat belts and air bags in the car. It will not be risky.”

“If we have to, we have to…”

Piyali’s eyes bulged out in surprise. They were going to Kolkata!! Mukundo looked at her and winked.

“Come with me. There is something else for you in the car.”

“You have come here in the car?” Mukundo would usually just walk, or at best ride his bike to her home.

“I have come directly from Kolkata,” he replied.

She was puzzled to see the boots he had brought her. “These are for… me?”

“Yep. They would look very good with your skirt, which you will wear to our Kolkata trip.”

She gawked at him in disbelief and he burst into laughter. “Silly girl,” he said ruffling her hair and drove off, while her stupefied gaze followed him.

To be continued

Mutual Jealousy (Part 3)

Posted Leave a commentPosted in English, Mukundo-Piyali, Original

What had surprised him most was how she understood his pain. Most people, including his friends, thought that he should be happy to inherit a business that was doing well and hence gave him a financially comfortable life. But she knew better. “You can find someone to run this business for you in few years and then go for your studies, can’t you Mukundo Babu?” she had asked, looking hopeful.

“No Piyali. It would be too late. Maths is… a young man’s game. I would be too old and weary in few years.”

“That’s not true,” she had frowned innocently, “All our Maths teachers are old. Much older than you would be in few years.”

“I can teach you Maths till well into my old age, Piyali. But Maths research… Forget it. Have you finished your homework?”

“Not yet.”

“Do it then.”

“I will do it later.”

“No. You will leave it and then we will have another complaint in your school diary.”

“It’s the same thing again, Mukundo Babu…”

“And if you don’t practice those problems, you won’t remember them for the exams. Come now…”

“I hate you, Mukundo Babu.”

“Sure. You do.”

She was a bright child. But Mukundo worried for her because of lack of guardianship from early age. Despite Mukundo’s informal supervision of her studies and well-being, as well as of their property and financial affairs, on a day to day basis, she was the mistress of the house. With her father behaving more like a child than her, that was inevitable. And it was building an arrogance and overconfidence in her that could do her harm. She mistook her intelligence for her wisdom.

“You must study well, Piyali. You have to get a good job and make a good career.”

“Hmm…”

“I am serious.”

“I will marry somebody rich,” she said to just to rile him up.

“Nobody wants to marry a girl these days, who isn’t working.”

“You are talking about yourself. You are miserly enough to grudge having to support your wife.”

“I would certainly not marry a girl who does nothing but sits around in the house demanding jewelry and wasting time with parties.”

“You would marry no one, I am sure of that. But don’t worry. I won’t marry either. I was only joking. I am smart enough to earn my livelihood.”

“Smart enough to earn. Not wise enough to choose right,” he mumbled under his breath, but she either hadn’t heard him, or had chosen to ignore it.

What he was worried about was her being increasing thick with the new girl in town – Saina. The city girl, whose professed career goal was to become a model and an actress. Piyali’s association with her was reflecting in all sorts of disturbing ways. Her already distracted nature was even more distracted from her studies. She would sometimes cut her music practice short to go shopping with Saina. Her walk back from school had decidedly gotten longer and at least once or twice he had spotted the two of them in their school uniforms in the market. Given that it was crucial year, when she would be writing her board exams, Mukundo was particularly uneasy.

“There is Mukundo,” Mr. Banerjee looked relieved to see him as he entered for his evening tea as usual, “Can’t he drop you?”

“Come on, Baba. Doesn’t he have anything else to do other than chauffeuring me around?” Piyali sounded annoyed, quite unlike herself.

“What’s going on?”

It turned out that driver hadn’t come that day and Piyali had to go to a friend’s place for a party. She was insisting upon riding her cycle for the purpose and that was unacceptable to Mr. Banerjee. “It would be dark by the time she comes back. What if she doesn’t notice a pothole or something? She can fall and hurt herself.”

Anybody else in his place would worry more about what if she met some rogues on the streets after dark, but Mr. Banerjee’s thoughts were completely occupied by people’s physical safety from diseases and accidents than anything else. Mukundo suppressed a smile and offered to drop her and pick her up back once the party was over.

“Where do you have to go?” he asked finally.

“But Mukundo Babu. You don’t have to…”

He pulled her aside and spoke in a hushed tone, “What is the point of getting Kaku upset? Do you have any problem in going with me?”

She just pursed her lips in response and did not say anything. Mukundo found her behavior odd, but could not figure out a reason behind it.

“When do you have to go?”

“We have time for tea.”

“All right. Get ready after that.”

Mr. Banerjee left for his walk after tea, while Piyali went to her room to change.

His eyes bulged on seeing her come out of the room wearing a short skirt ending just above her knees. He shook his head, when he found his bearings back.

“What on earth are you wearing?”

“What’s wrong? It’s a pretty dress.”

“Since when did you start wearing this stuff? Go change it and wear something less ridiculous.”

“Mukundo Babu!”

“Go. Now!”

She turned on her heels to obey him, even as her eyes brimmed over.

He felt guilty when she came out next. She had worn one of her usual jeans and t-shirts. She had gone too plain for a party.

He tried to make amends. “Why don’t you wear that pink dress you had bought for your birthday?”

“It had gone for dry cleaning,” she said dryly.

“What about that purple top…”

“I am already too late. If we are not leaving immediately, I might as well drop the idea of going there.”

He sighed. He had hurt her. He decided to leave the reconciliation for later. He himself needed to think through his reaction. Did he have to react so harshly?

“You are going to Saina’s house?” he tried to sound casual, when she told her where she had to be dropped.

“If you think I shouldn’t, you can turn around right away.”

“Piyali… I’m not…” he didn’t complete his sentence as he found her deliberately turning her head to look out of the window. ‘Take a deep breath, and think about it later,’ he told himself.

“I will wait at the club. Call up at their coffee shop, when you are done and I will be here in fifteen minutes.”

She nodded and went in.

To be continued

Mutual Jealousy (Part 2)

Posted 1 CommentPosted in English, Mukundo-Piyali, Original

She continued crying even after she was seated on the ground and it was ascertained that neither of them were hurt. He assumed that she was shocked and afraid. “It’s okay, Piyali. Calm down. You are all right. Safe…”

“You… your…”

“I am fine too. See. Not a scratch. I was careful, when I pulled you off.”

“I mean… your motorcycle…” she managed to speak through her sobs.

“Motorcycle? Oh!” he had completely forgotten the fate of his beloved vehicle. His heart sank for a moment when he saw its pitiable condition. Its engine was still running, but Mukundo wasn’t sure it could carry them back.

“I’m so… so… sorry, Mukundo Babu. I just blacked out. I couldn’t… Oh God! You are angry… You won’t talk to me…”

She had guessed it right. If it were anybody other than her who was responsible for that condition of his bike, Mukundo Thakur wouldn’t have talked to the person for rest of their lives, and done much worse than that, but… The one time he had acted on his threat of not talking to her, when she had eaten ice cream before her music exam despite him warning her against it, she had been so miserable that it had come to her father’s attention and he had had to intervene, with his frail nerves and all! Mukundo had vowed never to do that with her again, irrespective of how much she tested his patience. And this time he was feeling as guilty as she was.

“Calm down, Piyali. It is a bike, a machine. It can be fixed. What is important is you are safe. I have myself pulled a stint for which I shouldn’t talk to myself… Pulling you off a running bike like that. But… I couldn’t think of anything else. Come, Piyali. Let’s go home. Oh wait… How will we go… I will call the driver… He will bring the car…”

“The motorcycle?”

“It will have to go to Kolkata for servicing. I will find the number of the service center. Hope they can pick it up today itself.”

“Kolkata?”

“Yes. I can’t give it here. To people servicing Bajaj’s and scooties! Can’t imagine what they would do to this Harley Davidson…”

“I’m sorry, Mukundo Babu.”

“Stop saying that.”

“Not a word to Baba,” she reminded him as they got down at her home.

“Not a word…”

“I wish he wasn’t so nervous about everything… I wish I knew how to reassure him…” she started saying, but her voice trailed away.

“Piyali!” his voice was thick with emotions, “You are a good daughter. Nobody could do more for him than you do.”

“Your Maths journals, and sadness again!” her voice broke Mukundo’s reverie. He was in his library.

He smiled at her, “Not sadness, Piyali. Thoughtfulness. I like poring over them, and thinking them through.”

“Don’t they remind you of lost dreams?” She sauntered in and made herself comfortable in a chair opposite him.

“They are the closest I can be to my dreams.”

“Hmm… There are some books in your library that I have noticed… Can I borrow them?”

“Books? You? Wow! Of course, you can borrow them. You can steal them if you want. If there are books you want to read… Which ones?”

“I read enough of Sharat Chandra and Robi Thakur to Kaki,” she said, “So not those.” Mukundo smiled. Piyali spent several hours on weekends with his mother, who never talked, but clearly loved being read to.

She ambled through the aisles and was back with two books in no time. “These for the time being.” She must have marked them out for reading earlier. They were travelogues. Closest she could be to her dreams. Of travelling far and wide. She didn’t voice it often. For the fear of upsetting her father. But he knew.

“Kolkata Book Fair is round the corner. I will get you more such books from there.”

“That’d be great. Are you coming home? It’s tea time almost.”

“Yeah.”

Unless something pressing came up, Mukundo always had his evening tea with Piyali and her father. Then he stayed on for couple of hours. Sometimes practicing music with Piyali, sometimes helping her with her homework, and sometimes just engaging Mr. Banerjee in a conversation so that she could have time for herself.

Once a month, he went to Kolkata. He met up with his friends at the university, got the latest copies of Maths journals from them, bought some gifts for Piyali, any medicines for his mother and her father, which were not available in Haldia, and books for his library.

Studying Maths had been his dream. And initially there hadn’t appeared any difficulties in pursuing it. His father’s business in the port town of Haldia was prospering. He fully supported his son when he didn’t want to join business, instead pursue academics. After finishing his undergraduation, Mukundo was trying to decide where to go for his Masters and Ph. D. He had to choose between ISI Kolkata and couple of offers from American universities. But the disaster struck before he could make his decision. His father died in an accident. Mr. Thakur had the long term plan to put in place a professional management in his business. But no work had yet started in that direction. He was expecting to have many years to achieve the goal, which were snatched away suddenly by a stroke of fate. His death had another disastrous consequence. Mukundo’s mother never got over the shock and became withdrawn. She would neither speak, nor laugh, nor cry. She would also not step out of the house even to see the doctor.

These circumstances meant that Mukundo could not leave the town. He also had to take over the business he had never intended to involve himself with. Depression would have washed over him, but for one person in his life. Nine-year-old Piyali.

She had been more unfortunate than even him with the life and health of her parents. Her mother had died when she was six. Her death was a result of a road accident followed by internal injury and infection that went undiagnosed. Mr. Banerjee had been a nervous sort of man even before that. But this accident had spun his hypochondria and fear of traveling out of control. It had created a situation where instead of him parenting Piyali, she had to adopt that role at a very tender age. Thankfully, as their neighbor and family friends, Mukundo and his parents had stepped in to take care of the child and also help her cope with her father’s condition. But in the aftermath of his own father’s death, which left even his mother incapable of shouldering any parenting responsibilities, Mukundo had become Piyali’s de-facto guardian. This was the only responsibility that he did not grudge. The young girl had been his friend anyway and having her around pleased and calmed him like nothing else.

To be continued

Mutual Jealousy (Part 1)

Posted 2 CommentsPosted in English, Mukundo-Piyali, Original

“What the hell, Piyali? Who had asked you to learn cycling? You have a driver and a car at your beck and call. Why do you need to hurt yourself like this?” Mukundo was furious with her as he helped her get up.

“I am already hurt and crying,” she complained through her tears, “Don’t scold me and make my cry more.”

“Right… Thankfully I have brought my car. Come, I will take you home.”

“The bicycle…”

“I will leave it at Girdhar’s and have it picked up later. Come now… There should be a band aid in the car’s first aid kit… You are incorrigible…”

“Mukundo Babu!!”

“All right, all right. Let’s go…”

Piyali lifted her jeans up to her knee with some difficulty. Mukundo winced at her scraped knee.

“You need to be grounded,” he mumbled angrily.

“It’s not that bad…”

“You would know the day you catch tetanus or something,” he warned as he washed the wound with water kept in his car. Then he put a band aid.

“Ouch!” Her knees hurt as she tried to walk into her house.

“Let me help you,” he rushed to support her.

“No. Baba must not know that I am hurt. He would be beside himself…”

Mukundo smiled fondly at her. She was worried not for herself here, he knew. She wouldn’t mind some scolding coming her way. But her hypochondriac father will be so distressed that he will keep the entire household on its toes, and make himself most miserable of all.

But she winced as she took another step and the old servant Binoy happened to come to the doorway just then.

“Oh my God! Pihu baby, what has happened?”

“She’s just a little hurt, Binoy…”

“Hurt? How? Cycling again? With those rowdy kids?”

“Hush…”

But it was too late. Mr. Debendra Banerjee had already heard the commotion was there. “What happened? How are you hurt? Should we take you to a doctor?

“It’s nothing, Baba…”

“How do you know it’s nothing until the doctor has seen you. You are delicate, Shona. We must not take any chances…”

“I have put a band aid, Kaku. She fell from the bicycle and scraped her knees a little, that’s it…”

“Bicycle? Why on earth were you riding a bicycle? Where is the driver…”

“I was learning, Baba!”

“Nonsesne. There is no need to learn if you hurt yourself…”

“That won’t do, Kaku,” Mukundo surprised Piyali by his intervention on this, “She must learn. She can’t remain a baby all her life. And everyone falls once in a while.” Hadn’t he voiced exactly the same objection himself? Now he was defending her before her father? Well… That was just like Mukundo Babu, the fifteen-year old barely suppressed a mischievous smile. But her father still needed to be diverted. He was still arguing with Mukundo. If there was one thing that consumed him more than the concern for Piyali’s health, it was his own health.

“Baba. Isn’t it time for your tea and evening walk? Binoy Da. Please drop everything else and bring us tea. And also his walking-stick. He must not walk without the stick. It puts too much pressure on his ankles, which was sprained so badly just last year…”

And before anyone had any opportunity of referring her hurt knee again, Mr.  Banerjee was fed his tea and was on his way towards the park with his walking-stick.

“So, you will never spare a chance to scold me, even when you think what I did was not wrong?”

“What I think is that you shouldn’t try to learn with those still-in-nappy kids, who can barely hold themselves straight, let alone help you with a tripping bicycle.”

“They are my friends and none of the are in nappies, for God’s sake. And didn’t you yourself say that everyone falls once in a while?”

“If they have a bad teacher.”

“I am doing with whatever teachers I can manage. Who else will teach me otherwise? Binoy Da himself doesn’t know how to ride a cycle. Baba doesn’t have the heart to teach me. And you do not have the time or patience.”

“It is unlikely that others will be able to overcome their handicap. So, I guess I must overcome mine.”

“You… will… teach… me?” she asked cautiously.

“What option do I have?”

“Hmm…”

“What?”

“You aren’t as bad-tempered and grumpy as you appear sometimes. I think people are right. You need to get married,” she grinned at him.

“Get married? What does that have to do with anything?”

“If you don’t get married, people say, you would grow into a grumpy, lonely old man. Of course nobody thinks you are that right now. But I can see the signs already.”

“You can? I must grab the next woman I can find, and marry her then?”

“But you probably shouldn’t marry after all.”

“Why this change of mind?”

“If you got married, you won’t have much time for us – me and Baba.”

“What a selfish girl you are, Piyali.”

She looked up at him startled, but saw only amusement in his eyes. So, she grinned in response.

“And what will happen when you are married and gone off? What will I do for company?”

“I am not going to get married. How lonely Shalu Di’s Baba is since she got married. He misses her so much. I can’t leave Baba like that.”

“She knew that. But she got married anyway.”

“She was the sort who should get married. She’d be unhappy otherwise.”

“And you won’t be?”

“Absolutely not.”

“We’ll see.”

“Whenever you have believed me!” she pouted and Mukundo playfully ruffled her hair.

“I must also learn how to ride a motorcycle.”

“Motorcycle? You are not old enough to have a license. And what do you need to ride a motorcycle for?”

“Whatever you need to ride a motorcycle for. And I must learn now so that when I am old enough to get a license, I can get one quickly.”

“Piyali. Bicycle is enough. And you can get a scooter if you must…”

“Motorcycle! Your motorcycle!” she put her foot down.

He managed to teach her how to ride a cycle and did not let her get hurt again as he had promised. Motorcycle would pose more problems though. The clutch and gear were more than she could handle. And she wasn’t even patient with it. If she could have her way, she would have driven on the highway on her very first day.  But as it happened, she got confused the first time she tried to drive on her own in an open field.

“Piyali… Clutch and brake. Clutch and brake…” Mukundo shouted, but she was nonplussed and could not act on his advice. He would not recall later what possessed him and how he pulled off the stunt he did, but he ran to her and pulled her off the motorcycle. Both of them fell, but she fell on top of him and was safely cushioned from any impact against the ground.

To be continued

Being Anna (Part 18)

Posted 5 CommentsPosted in English, Karishma-Siddharth, Original

“Daddy!” Smriti clung to him like her life depended on it. It probably did. “I am so, so sorry, Daddy. Please forgive me. I don’t know…”

“No sweetheart. I am sorry. I should have told you the truth. And I will rectify that mistake as soon as we go back. Let me thank her… Who is she?”

“My step mother.”

“Her mother had saved her once, seventeen years ago. You saved her today,” Siddhartha told her, “She is fortunate to have two women like you as mothers.”

“I wish I were as brave as Karishma. I’d have had a daughter only slightly younger to her then.”

“I’m sorry.”

Ruchi turned to Mou, “You are the journalist?”

“Yes.”

“Won’t you do something about it? Not every woman is as brave as…”

“The only reason we didn’t do anything,” Siddhartha replied instead of Mou, “Was because Karishma did not want Smriti to be dragged into this. She wanted her to have an uncomplicated life. But now Vikram has involved her in this. There is no reason for us to avoid facing it head on. But are you ready to let your family members go to jail?”

“I don’t give a damn.”

“A sting operation is in order, then,” Mou assured her.

Smriti told them about how she had come to know about being adopted and why she had been so curious about her past. Then she sat listening in silence, tears flowing unrestrained from her eyes, as Siddhartha and Mou told her the story of Karishma and how she had saved her.

“Enough darling,” Siddhartha held her, “Stop crying. The nightmare is over. We are going back home tomorrow.”

Smriti nodded, but still overcome with guilt, she burst into apologies, “I was so rude to you Daddy. I’m so, so sorry.”

He smiled, “I wouldn’t mind if you called me Prof. Sen once in a while. Your Mamma used to call me that.”

That made her smile.

“Go now and wash your face. Let me see my bright, little girl again. I don’t like this crying baby.”

When Smriti went out of the room, Siddhartha turned to Mou. “I am surprised that they haven’t come after us yet. If they went to such lengths to get that property, will they let her go so easily?”

Mou smiled. “Ruchi had called me. She told them that she was forced by me to help Smriti. That I had done a sting operation in that clinic, when she had gone there with one of the younger women of the family and had captured them on camera. That The family’s secret could be outed on TVif she didn’t help Smriti or if they tried to come after her.”

“Is that true?”

“No. I will do one now, of course. But I haven’t done any. She just made all that up.”

“Thank God!”

“He was so deceitful Daddy,” Smriti talked about Vikram Jain, “So convincingly acting that he was missing his daughter all these years. All this while killing so many others. Even his mother showed her true colors quickly. But not him.”

“I can imagine that,” Mou said.

“You were right, Mou Auntie. Men are hopeless. I will never marry.”

“Arr… But not all are. Your Daddy isn’t.”

“Yes. But he is one of a kind. Even you couldn’t find another, could you?”

Siddhartha and Mou burst out laughing.

“Don’t be so hasty, Darling. You will find one who is good for you. Just make sure he has your Daddy’s approval,” Mou said jocularly.

“I will never do anything without Daddy’s approval,” Smriti was somber.

“Don’t be so harsh on yourself,” Siddhartha stroked her head lovingly, “Men might be hopeless. But if women, instead of being servile, took their decisions and destinies in their hands, nothing can stop them. Didn’t your Mamma save you? And she didn’t even fight head on.”

“Mamma was brave, wasn’t she Papa? And a true feminist.”

“Yes. She not only exercised her choices, she even created them. She was no Anna.”

“Anna?”

He smiled indulgently, “We will discuss when you have read Anna Karenina.”

“That’s a thick book, Daddy. And an ancient one too.”

“Yes. You mother, and even Mou Auntie, had read it for an assignment.”

Mou smiled nostalgically.

“It will take me a lifetime.” Smriti was inclined towards Sciences unlike her mother. The thick classics were daunting for her.

Siddhartha chuckled. “It’s okay. You focus on what you have chosen to study. ”

“I need a new phone. Those wretched, greedy people stole my phone.”

“A small price to pay for having you back safely.”

“And for making me appreciate what I have, Daddy,” she smiled at him. She had become mature all of a sudden.

“I will buy you one,” Mou said, “Let’s go. We can do with a little outing right now. How does an iPhone sound?”

“iPhone?” Smriti’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Don’t buy something so costly Mou,” Siddhartha objected, “She doesn’t need it.”

“She has learned the greatest lesson in life today. She deserves a great reward. Let’s go.”

Siddhartha did not object to that. “Let’s go,” he said cheerfully.

– The End –

Being Anna (Part 17)

Posted 5 CommentsPosted in English, Karishma-Siddharth, Original

The woman started shooing her away, and scared out of her wits, Smriti fled the garden. In her frenzied state, she ran against a woman as soon as she entered the house.

“Steady child,” she heard a kindly voice and it calmed her down.

“I… I am sorry…”

“What happened?”

“There was an old woman in the garden… Are there ghosts?”

She chuckled, “No. It must be Geeta. An old servant here. But she has grown senile and blabbers nonsense. Don’t mind her.”

“Okay!” Smriti was relieved and could now converse normally. “I don’t know you,” she said.

“My name is Ruchi and I am Vikram’s wife,” she replied.

“Oh!” she looked confused. How should she react to her stepmother? She had still to come to terms with the identities of her mother and father. And here there was a whole clan of relations  – some of them complicated.

“Well… Second wife,” Ruchi clarified with a smile, “Do you want some tea or coffee?”

“I don’t drink tea. Can I… have some milk, Auntie?”

“Sure. That’s a nice habit.”

“I need to get my clothes…” Smriti told her grandmother at the breakfast table, “They are at Mou Auntie’s place.” All the men were there. But the two of them were the only women having breakfast. All others were either in the kitchen or waiting on them.

“There is no need to go there. She was the one who corrupted your mother. We will buy you new ones.”

Smriti was not convinced. If Mou Auntie and Daddy were such bad people, as they were making them to be, how could she be good enough to be acceptable to them? She had been brought up by them, after all. If she was not bad…

Outwardly, though, she said nothing. But she was now anxious to talk to Siddhartha. She decided to call him up. But where was her phone? Where had she kept it? She was almost sure that it was in her pocket when she had gone to her room. But right now she could not find it anywhere.

“Relax,” her grandmother told her, “It must be somewhere here. And anyway. Who do you want to call up this early in the morning?”

A little later, she went to shop for her clothes. Even though the shop was close-by, she wasn’t allowed to go alone or carry any money. One of her cousins accompanied her and made all the payments.

Towards the evening, her newly discovered family paradise was completely shattered. She heard some commotion near the main gate. It turned out that Mou was there trying to get in and meet her. Smriti tried to tell the guards that she should be allowed in, but they paid no attention.

“Dadi. Let her come in. Or let me go out. It’s Mou Auntie,” she finally pleaded with her grandmother. But instead of listening to her, she dragged her back.

“I know very well who she is. You don’t need to meet that disgusting woman.”

“She is not disgusting,” Smriti started crying.

“There my child. I know it is hard on you. But believe me. We know what is best for you. Stop crying and don’t worry. Everything will be all right.”

Smriti had realized by then that nothing was right in this family. She didn’t know what was wrong, but something was. She was almost a prisoner here. She had to get out. But even phone had disappeared. She was sure, now, that it was not an accident.

She also realized that losing her temper would not help her. She would have to appear calm and plan her escape.

In her room, she found Ruchi waiting for her. “Auntie?”

“Were you unhappy in your adoptive family, Smriti?”

“Why are you asking?”

“Don’t be scared of me. I will tell you the truth. You made a mistake by coming here.”

“I did.”

“They did not know about your existence until a few days back. Even now, they don’t care about what happens to you. I don’t know if your mother had a lover or not, but taking you away from here was the best thing she did for you. Right now they have brought you here only because you are the key to your mother’s property. Once they have acquired that, they don’t care a bit for where you go.”

“What do I do now? I can’t find my phone. I can’t go out anywhere. Nobody listens to me.”

“Do you remember anyone’s number?”

“Daddy’s. But who would lend me a phone?”

“Don’t call now. Listen to me carefully. I am going to temple tomorrow. You behave well for the rest of the day today. I would suggest you go back and pretend to be interested in your grandmother’s talks. Tomorrow morning I will suggest that you come to temple with me. Agree to that. She should allow that. We’d have the driver with us. But you can call from my phone when we are inside the temple.”

“Thank you, Auntie.”

“Not too soon. Let’s get the plan to work. You go back. I will slip out from your room when nobody is watching.”

“Daddy!”

“Smriti. Darling, is that you? Where are you?” Siddhartha started crying on phone.

“Daddy. Can I come back?”

“What kind of question is that? Where are you? At their home? I and Mou Auntie are coming right away.”

“You are in Kolkata?”

“Of course, I had to come.”

“I am not at his home. You give the phone to Mou Auntie. I am giving it to Ruchi Auntie who is helping me. Please come quickly, Daddy.”

Ruchi explained the location of the temple to Mou and gave her the directions. “Remember to come to the back door and call on this number. We must avoid alerting the driver, who is waiting at the front door,” she concluded.

“How did they know who I was?” Smriti asked Ruchi while they waited for Siddhartha and Mou.

“Srinivas was the man. He did everything possible. Sent detectives after you. Even got your DNA test done to ensure that…”

“DNA test?”

“He had obtained a sample of your hair.”

“Ruchi Auntie. I will never be able to repay you for your help.”

“You will. If we are able to save even one girl after this…”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Here. They are calling. Let’s go.”

To be continued

Being Anna (Part 16)

Posted 4 CommentsPosted in English, Karishma-Siddharth, Original

“Eloped?” Her eyes grew moist.

“I am so sorry, Smriti,” he touched her shoulder and she did not jerk him off, “I understand that all this must have come as a shock to you. But I am sure you want to meet your family, don’t you?”

“I… I don’t know. I must talk to Mou Auntie…”

“Mou? She was the one who had dragged you away when you were telling me who your mother was, wasn’t she? And she was the one who lied to you that your mother’s family does not live there. Can’t you see what is going on? I’d suggest you come with me right away.”

“You are a stranger. How can I trust you? I am not coming anywhere,” despite the emotional upheaval, she was careful. She was having her fair share of doubts.

“I understand your hesitation. And I am glad that you are not careless about your security. But you do want answers, right? See, there is this coffee shop in the market nearby. Hardly two kilometers from here. I am writing down the address for you. You can hail a taxi and come there. I will bring you father there.”

“What’s his name?”

“Vikram Jain.”

She took the address from him and nodded.

“Wait for me. It won’t take more than half an hour,” Srinivas said before parting.

“Smriti!” Vikram hugged her so warmly as soon as he saw her that Srinivas was impressed by his acting skills.

“Your father. Mr. Vikram Jain,” he formally introduced him and smiled.

Smriti was awkward and short of words. It was difficult for her to accept that all this was for real. “Do you have your wedding photographs,” she suddenly asked.

Vikram was puzzled, but reacted quickly. “Of course. Why?”

“Have you brought them?”

“Umm… no… But you will come home, right? We have been looking for you for so many years now. Your grandmother is dying to meet you. You can see the photographs there.”

“No. I want to see the photographs first.”

“All right. Let me call them at home.”

Smriti looked on blankly as he made the call. “I don’t care where they are stuffed Mummy… Yes, get them… Right away… If that’s what my daughter wants, that’s what she must have!” he added the last sentence for Smriti’s advantage, although the phone was already disconnected by then.

“It will take some time,” he smiled at her, “I am sorry. But you will understand that memories of your mother are hurtful.”

“Why?”

“Why? She is the reason you grew up away from your family. She deserted us and eloped with her lover…”

Something sounded extremely wrong with the accusations being made on her mother and Daddy. But Smriti didn’t know what an alternative story could be. So, she stayed silent. While they waited for the album, she received a call from Mou. She assured her that she was in the market, she knew her way around, and she would be back shortly.

When the albums arrived at length, she recognized her mother very well and tears started flowing down her cheeks.

“There, there. Don’t cry my princess. It’s all right. You have found your family back. Everything will be all right now. Come. Let’s meet you grandmother, cousins, aunts and uncles.”

Mou called again. Smriti was already at Vikram’s house by then.

“I’m with my father, Mou Auntie.”

“When did Prof. Sen come to Kolkata?”

“Not him. My real father.”

“Smriti,” Mou was alarmed, “What are you talking about? Who are you with?”

“Mr. Vikram Jain, my father.”

“Oh my God! How did you… Smriti, you must come back. Where are you? I will come and pick you up.”

“No Mou Auntie. I will stay here for now.”

“Smriti. Please…”

Smriti disconnected the call. Not surprisingly, immediately afterwards, she received a call from Siddhartha.

“Darling please. You must listen to me…”

“Is he or is he not my father, Daddy?”

“Go back to Mou Auntie. I will come there and we will talk.”

“Is he or is he not my father?”

Siddhartha’s sigh was audible. “Yes. Now…”

“Thank you, Prof. Sen. I have been deceived for seventeen years. Now let me find out the truth for myself,” she disconnected the call and switched off her phone.

Siddhartha broke into sobs. It was worse than his worst nightmares. Then he collected himself and stepped out to arrange for his journey to Kolkata praying furiously for his daughter’s safety meanwhile.

At Jains’ house, Vikram’s mother fussed over Smriti, making her feel uncomfortable with her overbearing hospitality. What made her particularly uneasy was how she was ordering around the women of the household as if they were indentured servants. There wasn’t a trace of respect or civility in her manners towards them. She didn’t get a chance to speak to anyone else in the family that day. After dinner, she was shown to her room by her grandmother. She also got her a nightie to change into and asked her to make do with it for the night. They would get her new clothes in the morning.

As Smriti lied down on the bed, her heart was in turmoil. She had expected a more positive resolution to the mystery of her parents. She had hoped that the story about her parents being her Daddy’s friends was true and some acceptable twist to it could explain the stories he had told her about Mamma. But this had taken a most unpleasant turn. Mamma had run away, while her husband was alive. To her lover? Daddy? She tried to be liberal. May be they were really in love and this marriage was not working for Mamma. But what could explain keeping the truth from her for all these years. Didn’t she deserve to know about her family, even if Mamma wanted to have nothing to do with them?

How uncomfortable it all was! But it was truth. And she had to accept it, even if it was bitter.

She didn’t sleep well that night. Her life had turned upside down. There was hardly a scope for peaceful sleep. Her room overlooked the garden of the house. It looked like a good refuge form the normal humbug of the big city. She got out of the bed at four in the morning and went to the garden. She walked around aimlessly for almost an hour, when an old woman suddenly came to her.  The way she had appeared out of the blue and her haunted looks scared Smriti. She recoiled from her.

Bahu Rani… What are you doing here? Don’t you know they will kill your daughter? What did you come back for? Go away, go away….”

To be continued

Being Anna (Part 15)

Posted 2 CommentsPosted in English, Karishma-Siddharth, Original

Srinivas was representing Vikram Jain. Karishma’s mother had died. Her father, in his will, had left some property and money to her mother, which after her death was to go to Karishma or her children. Karishma was dead, and there were no children. Vikram was claiming that it should come to her legal heir, which was her husband. Her brother and cousins believed that property should go back to them. And a legal battle was on. Srinivas had been at Karishma’s home to try and persuade her family to give up.

The half-uttered word “Karish…” lingered in his mind. Could she mean Karishma? Who else could it be? But… He decided to find out more about the girl. He made a call to a private detective, whose service he often used to help his clients. It didn’t take him to long to find out where she had come from and who her father was.

“Mr. Jain. Did you dead wife have anything to do with Dharmshala?” he asked his client.

Vikram was startled, “Dharmshala? Why?”

“Just answer me.”

“She was in Dharmshala when she died.”

“Why?”

“Some astrologer nonsense. Why are you asking though?”

“How did she die?”

“Some poisonous insect had stung her.”

“Are you sure she did not die in childbirth?”

“Childbirth? What are you talking about? Of course not.”

“Was she alone?”

“No. Our old maid – Geeta – was with her.”

“Can I speak to her?”

“She is too old and infirm now. Still stays in our house, but has practically lost her mind. But what exactly are you getting at? She had died childless.”

“I’m not so sure of that. There is this girl from Dharmshala I met…” he showed him the pictures of Smriti that his detective had taken.

Vikram was disconcerted. Even after all these years, he could not miss the striking similarities in Smriti’s and Karishma’s features.

“What happened, Mr. Jain?”

“She looks so much like her… like Karishma, I mean. You said she is from Dharmshala?”

“So, my conjecture could be right.”

“It’s quite nonsensical. How can it be her child? She died in Dharmshala…”

“I agree that there might be things we do not know. It might all even be a coincidence. It might be that she is your wife’s child, but not yours…”

“Impossible,” his egoistic self won’t let him admit something like that.

“There are more queer things I have seen in my profession, Mr. Jain. My intention is only to help you with the case, and nothing else. Neither to malign, nor to glorify you family’s prestige. What will be of interest to you is that I met her outside Guptas’ residence. And she said that her mother had grown up in that house. That’s why she had come there. I asked her mother’s name. She said Karish… But Mou took her away before she could complete.”

“Mou?”

“Mou Bhattacharya. She is the editor of New India. I have known her for quite some time. Keeps meeting me for work.”

“Editor? As in she has been a journalist?”

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

“If I remember correctly, Karishma had a journalist friend by that name.”

“Hmm,” Srinivas was even more interested now, “If she is not your child, then we don’t want to waste time on her. But if she is yours, and still a minor, she can be your jackpot.”

“How will we find out?”

“Everything costs money. I did a little digging around at my expense, but…”

“Don’t worry about that. Whether or not it helps with the case, this mystery is worth solving.”

“We will have to get a DNA test done.”

“How will you get her sample?”

“Don’t worry.”

Vikram asked his mother to get some information out from Geeta about their stay in Dharmshala. But the woman would not say anything coherent. They were successful with their plan of DNA test however. With a little snooping around, they had a sample of Samriti’s hair the very next day. Srinivas’ detective managed to get it while she was shopping with Mou. The DNA test was rushed and the result surprised and shocked the Jain family.

“So, she had planned all this? She knew it was a girl, went away to Dharmshala and gave away the baby? Possibly died in childbirth? And what was Geeta doing? Was she also involved in the conspiracy?” They all wondered.

“We can’t know all that unless we find her adoptive father, who is not here,” Srinivas said, “But his absence is a good thing. Right now here is how things stand. The girl would not be eighteen. So, she is Mr. Jain’s daughter and a minor. She was given away without your knowledge. You can claim her guardianship, and get the property that belongs to her and…”

“Hi Smriti,” Srinivas found her in a park near Mou’s house. Mou was still at work; so she was wandering there alone. Used to the cool weather, pollution-free environment and vast empty spaces in Dharmshala, she was feeling suffocated in Kolkata. She was almost regretting extending her stay by two weeks. She hadn’t been able to find out anything about her real family. The city was so big and confusing that she didn’t even know how to go back to her mother’s house.

She didn’t recognize Srinivas at first and looked alarmed at being addressed by him.

“Looks like you have forgotten. I am Mou’s friend. Srinivas, the lawyer. We met near your mother’s house.”

“Oh! Hi,” she stepped back increasing the distance between them, recalling what Mou had told her about him.

“I think you came away from there. Why didn’t you meet your mother’s family?”

“They don’t stay there.”

“Why? Unless I am mistaken, wasn’t your mother Karishma?”

“How… how do you know?”

“I know your entire family well. And your mother’s family very much stays in that house. Were you told otherwise?”

Smriti was stunned. Srinivas liked the effect his information produced. This was just what he had hoped for.

“If that is the case, I think you do not know about your real father at all. Do you even know that your father stays in Kolkata and the man you call your father is not really…”

“You know him too? He is alive?”

“I know him very well and he is alive and healthy. And I am very happy that I will carry the good news to him that his daughter has been found. They were so anxious for you. They didn’t know where your mother had eloped with you, or who her lover was.”

To be continued