All in a day's work

Adjusting her beige monochrome overalls, Kaya preened into the mirror. A slim body that was accentuated by a blue belt, she quite enjoyed the smirks of envy from her peers. There were talks that some important tenders came in solely because of her looks. But, she didn't care. She knew she had the stuff to make the cut.

"Oh, come on, will you? We're getting late" pressed Lakshmi who was more down-to-earth, hardworking and a stickler for punctuality. She had butterflies in her stomach. The duo was chosen to give a presentation to the head of the department. And, Lakshmi instinctively knew that only she held the cards to crack the deal.

They charted their way hurriedly through the cubicles that were arranged in neat rows. Heads bobbed in and out of them, urgent calls being placed at some desks, complaints being answered patiently at some, while a few wore an uncharacteristic look of calm as though to mock the ones who were running at a frenetic pace of the office hours.

"Hello, gorgeous girls, what's the rush?" a deep voice called out from behind.

Kaya almost bumped into Lakshmi who was walking a few steps ahead in a straight line. They spun around to face Kimi who was perched comfortably on the white desk. With a body that took almost the entire breadth of the surface she sat on, Kimi looked like a reigning queen that looked down upon the working class who did menial jobs for survival.

Casually swinging her stubby legs beneath the desk Kimi beckoned to Kaya and Lakshmi who were irked for being stopped thus. Now, they would be put to interrogation by the all-important person of the office who simply had to know everything that went about in the workplace.

Even as they regrouped themselves for a quick tete-a-tete, a burly moustached person barged in. Dubeyji was ordered by Ms. Raghav, the HOD, to bring the files for finance, design and the thickest of them all, the one marked as confidential, to her cabin.

He thanked his luck to have found all three at the co-ordinator's desk. He quickly grabbed Lakshmi, Kaya, and Kimi together in one swift sweep and marched away. After all, the Lord of the files couldn't be kept waiting.

****

Written for the prompt "Lord of the files" at the BarAThon.

Would you like to read the other posts in this series?

Outnumbered
A new haven
An irrational dream
The fault lies in our stares

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Outnumbered

She lay crouched in the dark musty nook. A lone streak of light shone in through the small hole in the makeshift wooden door to the tiny storeroom where she hid. The light diffused air particles in the line of her view as she strained to see outside.

The living room windows opened out on the first level just above the storeroom and she could hear their low voices.

She stifled a rising cough in the throat afraid to attract attention. The voices now transformed to chilling war cries.

Boom! Boom! Bang!

Shrapnel flew and came pelting on the tin roof of the storehouse followed by rapid footsteps. She shuddered. Fearing the worst, she flung open the door and dashed out.

A bile rose to her throat as she saw the damage caused and shook with vengeful rage.

Her favourite white bone china vase with indigo prints that once stood proudly near the window lay shattered in pieces all over the store roof and the ground below.

The two culprits jumped out from behind her displaying toothy grins and cried out in unison.

 "Tag, you're it, Mom!"

"Of course, I'm good at playing the bad cop!" she replied with a twinkle.

*****

Written for the prompt "War and pieces" at the BarAThon. 

Would you like to read the other posts in this series?

A new haven
An irrational dream
The fault lies in our stares

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A new haven

"Papa!" squealed the little one, jumping up and down, jabbing his little hand towards the aqua blue clear water.

The father, a few meters behind, smiled wearily. His steps were slow and heavy from plodding through the ankle length snow. He caught up breathlessly alongside his son who was now beside himself with all the excitement of discovering something extraordinarily beautiful.

Despite the fatigue of setting out on a week-long expedition with the 5-year-old, the magnificent sight of the snow-clad slopes all around encasing a glistening water body right in between made the adult smile.

The chill at dawn break was prominent and in spite of being covered in thick black overcoats, they two expeditors shivered slightly.

Releasing the child from a bear hug, the father looked deep into those twinkling pair that shone with pride, happiness, and fascination.

"Papa, this place looks great. Can we move in here?" the voice was thick with hope and expectation.

"I'm afraid not, Son!"

"Why not?"

"You see, there's danger beneath the beauty in here." the father's voice dropped to a whisper

"The water here means the ice is melting," he continued, his snowy white shaggy brows twitching solemnly.

"Why did the ice melt, Papa?" the little voice was now choked with fear.

"Men," the old flightless bird clenched his fist in anger. "And their selfish ways."

*****

Written for the prompt "Ice and Men" for BarAThon.

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An irrational dream

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Pazhaniraja Elangovan trudged his way up the small slope on his rusty bicycle, a hand-me-down from one of his rare kind-hearted clients. A package, a heavy brown carton lay tied to the backseat with several ropes. The chains creaked as he pedaled harder on the slope.

Sweat trickled down his shiny brown face. Tiny buds of fresh acne dotted his forehead and chin area that was also beginning to sprout hair.

"Pazhani, don't keep loitering out in the hot sun," his Amma often chided him gently.

Pazhaniraja would dismiss his Amma's plea with silence.

She had suffered enough bringing him up single-handedly but was still worldly naive. What did she know about managing a part-time job as a local delivery boy, a night school, and a full-time dream? thought Pazhani irritatedly but also controlled his tongue.

His dream. Yes, he dreamed of owning his own business someday and making lots of money. He had many ideas but needed time to work on them.

Today, he thought excitedly. Wednesdays was usually a little free on the work front. His friend had promised to introduce him to someone who was willing to listen to his idea.

Even as he got lost in his thoughts about this meeting, his phone rang. It was his boss who had also given him the phone to attend to the ad-hoc work related calls and messages.

What now!? Pazhani frowned.

"Pie!" barked the voice, "Have you delivered the carton? Now, get to 12th Main, Rajaji Street. Mr. Sarathy will give you a parcel to be delivered to a place in Maruthi Nagar, Hambalipur."

"And, hurry on, it's urgent." added the gruff voice, almost out of breath.

Pie was what his exacting manager called Pazhaniraja because he found the latter's name tongue-twisting and would end up murdering his birth name. In fact, it was Pazhaniraja who suggested the nickname. He was fascinated by pie diagrams. Of course, there was the homophone too. Though, he never understood it.

Pie mentally calculated the distance between the two places and the time taken to cover it on his cycle. It was going to take him all day and he'd have to miss the meeting and will perhaps be late to school too.

Breathing out rapidly, Pie swung his leg over the seat and stepped up on the pedal.

"I think I now understand Pi. Sometimes, even when there's no logic, one must go on!"

****

Late to link up to the second day of the BarAThon. Based the story on the prompt, "Life of Pie". 

Would you like to read the other posts in this series?

Outnumbered
A new haven
The fault lies in our stares

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The stolen bead

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One..two..three...Anju counted her precious beads carefully before putting it away in the safe place away from her younger sister Maya's eyes. Anju found it infuriating that Maya always eyed her stuff. Anju took one last look at her hiding place and returned tip-toeing to her bedroom to find Maya fast asleep.

Anju and Maya were a year apart; different as chalk and cheese. Anju was conscientious and serious while Maya was happy-go-lucky and a dreamer. The sisters got along for the most part but also squabbled bitterly when it came to their individual dispositions.

Early next morning, as Anju retrieved her possession, she let out a gasp of horror when she found a bead missing and looked pointedly at Maya who was busy decorating her doll's hair with similar looking beads.

"You stole mine, isn't it? You never had the color "pink" in your collection!" discerned Anju bitterly.

Each of the sisters had got a set of beads in different colors as a gift from a visiting relative. Anju liked to preserve her gifts and use them judiciously. Maya, on the other hand, gave in to her impulses and remained carefree with her belongings.

"Of course, I didn't. I don't know where yours are. Besides, what makes you think Chinni bua wouldn't give me my favorite color!" shot back Maya.

Anju stormed out of the room in the hope of finding the culprit.

Maya just rolled her eyes and impishly thought to herself, "How silly! As though the thief would sit there waiting to be caught red-handed!"

Anju was, but, sure of finding a clue at her hideout and her eyes almost popped out upon arriving there.

She looked on incredulously before letting out a small chuckle.

She was so sure it was Maya.

A lone bead shone out in the brilliant color of Fuchsia as the rays of the mid-morning sun now fell on it. It must have rolled out of her case somehow and got wedged in the hitherto dark recess of the tiny closet.

And, yes, it was Maya, an illusion, indeed!

Linking it to day 4 at the BarAThon

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The wheel of life #fiction

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Waiting in the lobby of the hospital, I tried to control the butterflies in my stomach. It was my second visit since last week to the gynecologist. The pregnancy was not confirmed even though I had missed my periods.” It could be a false alarm,” my doctor had warned and asked me to return after a week.  Even as my mind was infested with conflicting thoughts, I was unconsciously absorbing the scene that was unfolding around me, typical of a hospital.

The pediatric ward was just across me; happy, concerned parents carrying their bundles of joy bobbed about the ward waiting for the doctor to put a stamp of “all’s well” on their precious ones. Will I join this motley crowd soon? I wondered. It was certainly a testing time for me literally and figuratively for I was on the wrong side of thirty and a good five years into my happy marriage. The two pink lines however remained a bit elusive in our life.

And, then there was another section, further down the lobby, a little away from where I sat. It was the oncology and radiation department. It was where I first saw Mrs. Joshi. Her short, balding hair and thin frame suggested that she was probably on treatment. She caught me looking at her and gave me a small but warm smile. I looked away quickly embarrassed to have been caught staring at someone like that. She, on the other hand, seemed used to the various looks she garnered.

The gynec confirmed the false pregnancy. The good news, however, was the absence of any major complication in our reports, aside from being overweight (me) and a higher blood pressure (the husband). We were asked to exercise, relax, be stress-free and come for regular check-ups and let nature take its course. I had to undergo some routine tests which meant a visit every couple of weeks to the gynecologist.

I ran into Mrs. Joshi many times during my subsequent visits and we became more than acquaintances who bonded over the smell of disinfectant and medicines; we connected over the realities of life. Mrs. Joshi, a spirited woman in her 50s, with bright brown eyes that crinkled with wisdom and child-like enthusiasm every time she laughed, had been diagnosed with breast cancer last year and was battling it out ever since. She always had a nice word to say to me, a funny anecdote to share or at times regale me with stories of her loving family. Never once during our exchanges did I feel any sort of resentment or self-pity in her demeanor.

“Why do you worry so much? 33 years is not old. Enjoy life at every stage; soon you might crave for the child-free days! It doesn’t matter what others have to say.” She’d soothe me gently as a mother would when I confided in her my fear of remaining childless, my anxiety to face my extended family and society, of answering their insensitive questions.

“Aunty, does it pain too much? How is that you manage to remain so happy and positive?” the question that had played on my mind came on my lips one day.

Mrs. Joshi smiled. “Beta, the physical pain is superficial. This disease has been an eye-opener for me. It taught me, of many things, that life must be experienced every living moment because life does not wait for anyone to catch up with it. It simply goes on and if we miss to keep pace, dwelling on what could’ve been or what could happen, we simply miss life.”

My meetings with Mrs. Joshi grew sparse as I grew fitter and required lower dosages of treatment. I wondered about her health and hoped to meet her that day as I went in for my routine check-up and also to confirm the results of yet another missed period. I was in for a rude shock when, instead, I ran into Mr. Joshi who confirmed my worst fears. Mrs. Joshi had lost the battle to cancer only that morning.

How much I'd wanted to share my good news with the inspiring lady! The irony of the situation hit me hard as I clutched the reports of a confirmed pregnancy that day and returned home in a daze. She had taught me an important lesson that the wheel of life does not wait for anyone! It simply turns and turns, never stops or stands still. It’s up to us to either enjoy the roller-coaster ride or keep waiting for the perfect view. 

_________

P.s. This entry was submitted for the July muse of the month contest at Women's Web. The prompt-The wheel turns and turns and turns: it never stops and stands still.”  (from Anita Desai’s A Village By The Sea).

P.s.s. It did not get selected, so it's on my own ever forgiving space, albeit with a lot of changes to the original entry submitted :-)

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A new chapter- Final part

Read the story so far: Part one, Part Two and Part Three

Shekar opened Sneha's letter. “Mohan, I can’t wait any longer for you. My parents are getting old and would like to see me married soon. I owe this to them. So, I’m going back to stay near them and get married to someone who probably deserves me more than you. Goodbye.”

Getting dropped like a hot potato was a phrase Shekar had read only in the books but never experienced. How could she do this was all he could wonder. Sleep eluded him that night.

Kavya woke up early and showered leisurely. She wore her knee length multi-hued floral skirt with a white laced top. It was her favourite and wore it many times when she’d meet Shekar. She wore the beaded bracelet, Shekar’s gift, which went very well with the dress.

After the fiasco with Sneha, Shekar’s confidence had taking a beating and he waited impatiently for Kavya at the coffee shop.

Kavya walked in with a spring in her step, put her arms from behind around Shekar’s neck and gave a quick peck on his cheeks, “hey Baby! Missed you so much..How was your trip?”

Shekar disengaged himself from Kavya’s embrace. He forced a smile and made small and casual talk about his conference, the couple and the mysterious girl. Kavya seemed intrigued about his experience; she offered to get their favourite coffee from the counter so that she could listen to Shekar’s story in detail.

While Kavya was away to place their order, Shekar casually took Kavya’s phone in his hands. As he flipped through the pictures, he felt the air being punched out of his gut. There among the photos was the photo of the guy who he had seen at the hotel in Delhi. Kavya seemed to be more than friends with this guy in many of the photos.

Slowly the pieces of jigsaw fell in place. Now he understood why the girl seemed familiar. The events moved in his head as a slow flashback. The way the girl had worn her hair, the floral skirt that sashayed as she moved into the lift, the beaded bracelet that had caught his eye as the girl’s arm stretched out from the room, everything eerily pointed out to the girl being Kavya.  And, of course, how could he forget the name he heard being called out. It WAS Kavya!

“Uh…oh..meddling with someone’s phone without their permission is bad manners, you know?” teased Kavya, casually taking her phone back. “Oh, btw, this is Kunal, my team lead. I’d mentioned him to you earlier, right?” Kavya continued ignoring Shekar’s taut expression.

“You've been going around with this guy!” Shekar’s face glowered. It was you with him at the hotel in Delhi, wasn't it? Come on, tell me, you two-timer!”

This was the moment Kavya waited for. She gathered all her strength and courage and gave Shekar a resounding slap across his face.

“Yes, it was me. But, really, am I the only two-timer here? What right have you got to ask me this question?” thundered Kavya

What..what do you mean? Shekar was flabbergasted at Kavya’s behavior. He had never been so humiliated. The entire café was now looking at Shekar and Kavya.

You don’t know? Do you also think that I don’t know? Kavya’s blood boiled and she flung the photos at Shekar’s face. His pictures with Sneha scattered all over the place.

Shekar looked shocked. Surprise, anger and finally shame shone through his eyes. He had got paid in his own coin. His ego did not let him apologize but he could also not meet his eyes with Kavya. He slunk away never to show his face to Kavya again.

Kavya trembled from the ugly showdown but nevertheless felt proud and relieved. She picked up her phone to thank a few people; without their help this face-off would not have been possible.

******

The same private detective who had helped Shriya in getting evidences against Shekar obtained his itinerary at the Delhi hotel. Kunal was actually Shriya’s fiancé. Shriya and Kunal had been graceful enough to help her and went all the way to Delhi just for a day to stage the act. They had to implant the seed of doubt in Shekar’s mind. Timing was of utmost importance and both of them pulled if off commendably. It helped that Shriya was of the same built as Kavya.  As for the photos in Kavya’s phone, clever photography and a skillful photoshop act can do wonders.

And how could she forget Sneha, her partner in crime? Once Kavya proved to Sneha that Shekar was indeed Mohan, it took little time for Sneha to jump wholeheartedly into Kavya’s plans. She thanked Kavya for saving her life and resolved not to trust anyone so easily.

As for Kavya, she sat back to relish the coffee and the snacks. A new chapter was about to begin in her life.

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A new chapter- Part Three

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Read part one and part two here.

The conference went off as expected. The clients seemed pleased with Shekar’s presentation. He gave a quick report to his senior boss over the phone, emailed the other details, and finished off some pending work. He had a couple of more meetings scheduled for the next two days after which was to fly back to Mumbai. He decided to sleep off the remaining afternoon and then gear up for his subsequent presentations. 

As Shekar turned the key in his hotel room, he heard loud noises from the room adjoining his. There was some shuffling of feet and then suddenly the door opened and a smart-looking guy came out. He was teasing the girl about something and she made a mocking gesture of pushing him out. Only the girl’s hands were visible from outside the door as the guy came out.

Shekar quickly entered his room as he didn’t want to be caught staring at unknown people and closed the door behind him. The couple seemed like newly-weds, he thought amusedly. Then it struck him. They were the same couple he had seen near the lift. He had forgotten about the morning episode, but now the memory was refreshed. Pity! He couldn’t get a glimpse of that girl again. Probably he could’ve known what it was about the girl that seemed so familiar.

And, then he heard a name being called out. He couldn’t be sure but he thought it was ‘Kavya’. He rushed out in to the lobby but there was no one there. He had half a mind to knock at the next room and find out who was staying there but then thought the better of it. He was on an official visit. If he was wrong, he would not only get himself into trouble but also jeopardize his company’s name. He did not see the couple for the remaining part of his stay.

Shekar messaged Kavya as soon as he reached Bangalore. It was nearly midnight and Kavya was surprised to see his message: “Hi Honey! Missed you. Let’s meet tom..Same time.. Same place.” Kavya smiled to herself and slept soundly that night.

The next morning she messaged Shekar “heyy..you back? Sorry, I’m busy, working even today. Let’s meet tom.”

Shekar’s was sorely disappointed but then decided to use the time to check on Sneha instead. Sneha’s number was constantly busy. This was so unlike Sneha who’d drop every other call to speak to him. Since it was a Saturday, Shekar decided to pay Sneha a surprise visit. Sneha shared a flat along with 2 other girls in a busy suburb about 10 kms from where he lived.

He knew Sneha would be angry with him and would demand a concrete timeline to seal their relationship. He had to buy time and at the same time not lose Sneha’s confidence. He’d probably have to go that extra mile and propose an engagement to her. He bought a bouquet of roses on the way to set the mood. Shekar rang Sneha’s doorbell with great anticipation only to be told by Tara, her roommate that Sneha had left for her home town in Pune two days ago.

Things were certainly not going per his plan. Bewildered, Shekar turned to go back when Tara asked if he was Mohan. She gave him a letter that Sneha had left in his name.

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A new chapter-Part two

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Read the first part here.

Kavya rose to a beautiful morning next day. The air was cool from last night’s rains. The warm rays of the sun played peek-a-boo with the fluffy clouds casting lovely hues of orange and yellow around. Despite a tumultuous previous night, Kavya felt calm and clear-headed.

Shekar seemed pleased and slightly relived to see Kavya that day at her usual chirpy self. She had seemed guarded and withdrawn in the last few meetings and it had made him a little uneasy. Much as he liked to hop from one victim to another, he thrived on attention.

“Isn’t it lovely that I’ll be spending the entire day with you?” Kavya exclaimed, twining her fingers around Shekar’s. “The project is finally over. I handed over the entire report just yesterday to Kunal, the Mr. Critic of our team and asked him to grant me a day’s off.”

Of course, darling! I was worried; you did seem a little disturbed lately, didn't you? Shekar cupped Kavya’s face and looked sincerely in her eyes.

Kavya looked away, breaking eye contact “Yeah! That Kunal has been acting up lately. He wanted me to do all the detailing required for new software we are coding. It does take a toll, you see!Of course, Kunal wants me to do well.” 

“Oh, you better stay away from this Mr. Critic then. He can find someone else to slave over his project” Shekar butted in. “Anyway, enough of office talks. Let’s enjoy our time now”

Something about the meeting with Kavya that day disturbed Shekar. Kavya’s phone had beeped frequently-something that rarely ever happened. She had kept in on the notification mode but seemed distracted with the interruptions. She was probably having a tough time at work, Shekar observed. He had to leave on a business trip to Delhi the next day so he left the matter there.

He checked his other phone. 8 missed calls from Sneha. She was getting difficult now. He called back on the number and heard out a sobbing Sneha who sounded desperate as her parents had begun groom hunting for her. She wanted an immediate commitment from Shekar, albeit known to her as Mohan. Shekar pacified her with his smooth talk and asked her to wait till he came back from his trip.

Sneha was so prone to hyperventilating, a complete contrast to the calm and composed Kavya, thought Shekar. Sneha made him feel wanted but Kavya turned him on. With Sneha he became Mohan, the gentle person who would soothe and give strength to Sneha. With Kavya, of course, he was Shekar, a macho-man who knew what he wanted in life. He loved the dual-roles as it satisfied his ego on many levels. Who was he indeed? Who cares? Life was exciting this way.

As Shekar stepped out of the Delhi airport into the cab that would take him to his hotel, he bemoaned the sweltering heat of the capital city which he found to be more oppressive than the weather in Mumbai, where he lived and worked. He glanced at his watch-just enough time for him to check into his hotel, shower and be in time for the conference that was to take place at the same venue. The cab pulled into the expensive hotel. Shekar looked around the lobby appreciatively while collecting the keys to his room. He loved this aspect of his job where he got to travel frequently and stay in luxurious settings.

Just as he turned to pick his bags and walk towards the lift, he caught the sight of a couple getting into the lift. The girl was engrossed in an animated conversation with the guy whose arm was around her hips. Something about the girl struck him as very familiar. It happened swiftly and the image was too short for Shekar to know for sure. 

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The Pick-up #Fiction #shortstory

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The air was thick with sweet and pungent odour. Glasses clinked and clouds of heady concoction were blown recklessly causing the entire place to resemble a smoke factory. Bodies mixed with sweat and perfume moved to some titillating music in the background. Tanu sipped on the Mexican Mojito observing the naked display of emotions and raw lust that was left loose on its hunt.

She looked stunning in her short black dress that accentuated the right anatomies of her perfect figure. The neckline plunged low, just enough to show off the cleavage, but in not a vulgar way.  She sat with her head tilted to a side, crossing her long shapely legs under the high bar stool.

Tanu had got introduced to this life recently and the dangerous edge only gave her an additional high. She tapped her fingers impatiently on the table. What was taking him so long? She wondered. Just as she signaled to the bartender to refill her glass, she saw him enter from across the room.

He wore a sophisticated look. Sinewy arms bulged out of the white short-sleeved tee, a black suede jacket thrown carelessly over a shoulder. He chewed on a cigarette, his narrow sharp eyes fleeting flirtatiously before resting on her.

Lust played on his mind as he sized her up quickly. He had found his catch of the day.

“Ahem..” he cleared his throat “I suppose you were waiting for me, Sweety” his husky voice shattering Tanu’s resolve.

Tanu looked up, raising one brow ever so lightly, a teasing smile breaking at the corner of her lips, as she countered “Do you really think so?” 

Her kohl-rimmed eyes did not mask their appreciative glance of his well-chiseled features.  

“Maybe we could debate the issue in private?” he leaned and whispered.

“Umm..I’m not so sure..You know..” Tanu let her voice drop. Then she asked impulsively, “do you have it? I cannot do without that”

The guy looked confused, a little unsure. Then he understood. He let out a nervous laugh and said simply, “Of course! It’s in the car.…” he lingered. “Come along.”

Tanu was about to step down when her hand brushed against the glass on the table and the remaining drink spilled, staining her dress.

“Shit..”Tanu cursed under her breath. “I’ll be back in a jiffy” she assured him sheepishly and turned towards the washroom.

True to her word, Tanu emerged in exactly five minutes. She had touched up her make-up, her pout glistening brighter with the red shade, he noticed with a smile.

He led her to the car and slid into the driver’s seat. He was about to put the vehicle in gear when Tanu tapped him lightly on his shoulder. “I hope you haven’t forgotten….the stuff?” she sounded desperate.

“Ah..yes..I have it right here.”

He opened the glove compartment of the car, which had another compartment cleverly hidden within it. Tanu’s eyes grew wide in wonder and surprise at the amount of cocaine the tiny niche held.

He quickly closed the compartment after taking out the amount specified by Tanu. Normally he wouldn’t be so blasé about his dealings that too without having received the payment. But she was different and she would pay him in kind later, he decided.

He filled the stuff into an empty cigarette for Tanu to take a drag, feel free and shed her inhibitions. As he held out the cigarette to Tanu, he heard a rap on the window. Panicked, he gestured Tanu to put away the cigarette while he wiped away all the traces and rolled down the black shield.  An inspector pointed a revolver to his head and ordered him to step out. The guy stepped out and quickly noted that he was surrounded by a crew and there was no way he could escape.

“She’s just a friend..We..We were about to leave.” caught unawares, he flustered and mumbled turning to Tanu and expecting her to support him in his excuses.

Tanu stepped out coolly, smiled at the guy and led inspector Kamath towards the hidden booty.

Realization dawned on the drug peddler. It was a set up.

A wannabe actress, Tanu had fallen into illegal ways of the world when inspector Kamath’s found her during one of his raids. She had promised to mend her ways if given a second chance. After a successful program at the rehabilitation centre, she kept her promise and proved to be one of his most dependable aides for such courageous operations.

_________

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The taleweaver- conclusion #shortstory #fiction

Continued from here.

Ammu had no expectations from her married life; just relieved that her parents
would be free from shouldering her responsibilities. However, marriage to Narayanswami was nothing like what she thought. A gentle and educated man with good upbringing, Narayanswami treated Ammu with the kind of love and respect Ammu was not used to hitherto. There was never a word of pity or disgrace for Ammu. He encouraged her to complete her education and also helped her with studies at home. Since, Ammu grew up in a village atmosphere, adjusting to the town life proved to be a task. Narayanswami would hold her hand as one would with a child and taught her to handle basic tasks like buying groceries, calculating the bill, counting change and verifying the balance that would be returned to her. He made her self-sufficient in handling finances by taking her along when he had to visit the bank. He’d also discuss office, work and current affairs with Ammu.

Slowly Ammu began to emerge out of her fantasy world and started to take interest in the worldly matters. She learnt all that her husband diligently and patiently taught her and also took initiative to read the local newspapers and small magazines to keep abreast of the current affairs. She continued to weave magic in her mind, graduating to stories about people she met and saw in her daily life. Human behaviour, in its various dimensions, fascinated her as much as nature. The anecdotes and stories that appeared in the weekly magazines enthralled her and she nursed a secret desire to write her own stories one day.

Since Ammu was not so fluent with her writing, she hesitantly approached Narayanswami for help. She had begun to grow fond of him despite a 10 year age difference; she had immense respect for the man who saw her beyond the superficial flaws and gave her wings. As expected, Narayanswami jumped at the opportunity and encouraged her to share her stories.

The dam was let loose. The stories were just waiting to be told and how! The imagination, depth and beauty of each tale left Narayanswami awed and wanting for more. His respect for Ammu grew manifold and thanked his stars and parents for having chosen such a sensitive and perceptive person as his partner. He subscribed to more weekly magazines to help Ammu broaden her horizons and sharpen her mind. Ammu got hooked on to the additions in her reading kitty and devoured each issue like a child would an ice-cream.

One day as Ammu flipped through the pages of her favourite magazine, a story caught her eye. Her eyes grew wide at the author name beside the title-by Ambujam Narayanswami. She looked up at her husband with surprise, confusion and happiness as he recounted how he caught hold of the editor of the magazine through a colleague at work and requested her to look at Ammu’s work.  

Overwhelmed, Ammu bent down to touch her husband’s feet out of gratitude and respect when

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Nayaranswami held her back and handed her an envelope. Ammu opened it to find a letter from the same magazine asking her if she’d be a regular contributor to their weekly column. The cocoon in which Ammu kutty had lived broke finally and she had blossomed into the butterfly that was Ambujam. It was now a beginning of a new and exciting journey as the latter.

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The taleweaver- Part one #shortstory #fiction

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The calm and quiet village of Ambur stirred as the early morning cast a golden shadow enveloping the grey skies. A rooster crowed in a distance rousing the remaining sleepy villagers to set off in their routine. In a tiny thatched house by a small rivulet that originated from the nearby Palar River, Janaki amma had already finished with her early morning rituals and was mid-way through cooking meals which included a separate box for her husband, Kumaran, who worked in the nearby fields and lunch boxes for her two school-going children, Gopal and Ambujam.

Gopal and Ambujam went to the nearby village school run by an old teacher, Subbu Shastry, who was also the headmaster and brain-child of the school.  Janaki amma and Kumaran lived a very modest life and dreamed of a brighter future for their children. Well, at least for Gopal who they believed would be their support in old age. As for Ammu kutty as they lovingly called her, they didn’t have much hope. The villagers whispered behind Janaki amma's back that perhaps the girl was a little, you know, off her mind.

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Ammu kutty lived in a world of her own. She couldn’t care less for the counting or language lessons taught by the old master. She created magic in her mind with a lot of interesting characters that kept her company all day. She nodded empathetically to what the saintly cow had to say while lazily chewing cud, or listened with rapt attention to the musical cacophony played out by the Koels, mynahs and sparrows. At times, she would lend a soothing ear to the lone sorrowful rabbit that would have lost its carrots to the naughty squirrels.  

Ammu would spin magical stories in her mind with vivid details around her friends-the birds and the animals. The nature, animals and birds were her only friends since the other girls made fun of her. Anyway, she found them too boring. Only, she couldn’t share her stories with anyone, she thought wistfully. Gopal was of no use as he was busy with his own set of friends and had no time for her. Amma and Appa were already worried for her and these stories might only scare them further into sending her away to Ganapathy uncle’s home who resided in the town-side and who had suggested to her Appa about sending Ammu to their place for medical help. Thankfully, Appa had refused then. 

Janaki amma, like any mother, would worry for Ammu’s future. She, being a staunch devotee, always believed that her Gods will answer her prayers one day. So, when Narayanswami’s proposal came for Ammu, she was thrilled. Narayanswami was the son of Subbu Shastry’s younger brother Gurumurthy and his wife Kamalambal. A 26 year old young man, he worked as a head clerk in a government office in the nearby town of Gummudipoondi. Kumaran and Janaki amma had no reason to reject the alliance which they felt was too good for their Ammu who was 16 by then.

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A new chapter #Fiction #Lightandshade

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The steady rain caressed the window pane leaving tiny droplets that kissed the pane to leave their mark before gliding into oblivion. Kavya looked out at the bleak sky that seemed to mirror her state of mind and poured out in pain.

How could it be? Shekar seemed to be such a level-headed guy with genuine feelings for her. She too had reciprocated and felt her life sailing in the clouds ever since-happy, light and full of hope.

But when Shriya, her close friend, had shown her concrete proofs of Shekar’s infidelity, Kavya felt the ground under her feet shaking; telling pictures of Shekar with another girl- at restaurants, at the beach, at the park-the very same places where he and Kavya had spent so many passionate and intimate moments.

The shy smile dancing on the girl’s lips; a hint of blush on being held close by Shekar; the warmth in Shekar’s eyes as they looked on lovingly at her face, screamed loud and clear of their intimate relationship- the very relationship that Kavya had (erroneously) prided on to be hers alone.

Seeds of doubt had been firmly planted and she began to weigh every moment spent with Shekar then on carefully looking for more clues and proofs. They were all there to see. Only she had been naïve enough not to notice. Love indeed clouds the rationale.

Shekar’s hesitation whenever Kavya mentioned the word commitment;

“What’s the hurry, Honey? Don’t you have faith in me? We aren’t getting that old.” He’d say.

His glossing over the details of his work and family;

Kavya didn’t know anything more than the fact that Shekar worked as a senior executive in a well-known MNC. Also, his family lived in another city but he never once paid them a visit in so many months of her knowing him and vice-versa which now struck her as odd considering he was an only child.

“You are not the first girl Shekar has deceived, Kavya and that other girl is definitely not the last” 

Shriya’s words had thundered into her heart splintering the tiny blinker of hope into a thousand pieces. 

Unable to see her best friend fall prey to a womanizer, Shriya had taken the help of a private detective and collected every kind of evidence to break the myth for Kavya.

The rains stopped. The clouds lifted, a tiny ray of sunshine gave the gloomy canvas a dull shimmer. The fuzz around Kavya’s mind seemed to clear even as the last pieces of the jig-saw fell in place. With a crying heart and steely mind, she resolved to teach Shekar a lesson. He couldn't possibly get away by trying to break her.

“If you wish me to weep, you must mourn first yourself” Muttered a resolute Kavya to his picture.

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A fiction written for Light and Shade Challenge prompt. And, this marks my 300th post on this blog!

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If only...

Sakshi was packing her bags for her week long business trip to Germany. Being on the advisory board of a multi-national firm her work involved a lot of travel all over the world. Normally, Ajay was very supportive of Sakshi’s work and the amount of commitment she needed to give it. Somehow, this time, for reasons he could not place a finger on, Ajay was not too keen on her going on this particular trip. 

“Do you have to go? What’s Varun doing? He can go instead.” Ajay argued. Varun was at the same level as Sakshi in the firm and they often collaborated on many projects.

“Oh, come on. He’s busy with the upcoming management event this week. Besides, his wife is expecting and is due to deliver anytime now. She needs him more.” Sakshi reasoned logically. As always she was right. 

They were as different as chalk and cheese. She was the cool-headed logical person and Ajay was the temperamental emotional fool. Yes. Quite contrary to the typical man-wife combination. Even their colour preferences defied the typical sampling but matched their personalities. She loved blue and he preferred red.

 An architect and designer by profession, Ajay too held a high-profile job that left them very little couple time. Their work-assignments always clashed. Yet, they made sure they were there for each other at all times. A quick call during the day, a SMS, or even over Whatsapp, they’d remain connected. 

Ajay loved Sakshi for the strong-headed, independent woman that she was.  Ace at her work, she was well-respected among her colleagues and seniors and had risen to a high position in the company within a short time-frame. He was proud of her and her achievements.

Yet, this time Ajay sulked. Being an emotional person, it was sometimes difficult for Ajay to argue his case with his highly rational wife who’d be amused at how much importance he gave to his gut feelings.

“It’s our anniversary next weekend. What if your trip gets extended? You know that’s a common occurrence with your kind of meetings.” he tried to play the emotional card.

“I’ll be back just in time for that, Honey. You know how much that day means to me too. Plan something.” said Sakshi with a twinkle in her eyes and left with a quick goodbye. 

Ajay ignored the uneasy feeling, putting it down to his own work pressure. He plunged into working on his pending assignments. This worked both ways-a happy client and a mind free from unwanted thoughts.

Despite her logical persona, Sakshi believed in lucky charms. A pair of blue earrings was, she believed, was her lucky mascot and she’d never leave for any business trip without those. However, just a couple of days before she left, she misplaced one of the earrings. 

“Was it a sign? She wondered aloud her pretty face knitted in worry. Of course, she couldn’t have been bothered for too long by things like these and within no time her practical side took over.

A couple of days after she left, her missing pair of earrings emerged magically from underneath a pile of papers when Ajay was looking for his missing file. His face broke into a smile and he felt the signs were good after all.

A week flew by. Ajay wanted to surprise Sakshi the day she arrived. A bunch of sweet-smelling roses were placed in the vase. He’d ordered for her favourite butterscotch cake with a tinge of blue icing-just the way she loved it. The upcoming weekend was to be spent at a lovely quiet beach resort - his anniversary gift to her. 

“We both need the break and time together” he mused thoughtfully.

Ajay checked his phone early that morning for his quota of news feed and any new messages. His twitter feed left him gasping for breath. Nothing in the world could have prepared him for the news that greeted him. The plane on which Sakshi was travelling had gone missing. The aircraft had lost contact with the radar a few hours ago and the fate of the passengers and crew was now hanging in mystery.

“If only I’d trusted my instincts this time. If only I’d managed to convince you to stay back. If only…..” cried out Ajay in deep anguish.

 

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The unfortunate event of the Malaysian airline has had me disturbed and the post is a result of it. Wish and pray for the lives of the innocent passengers aboard.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda. It's a picture prompt this time.

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