Hidden Hues Of Henna

Dil beparwah

Beep-beep-bee-

Shutting the alarm off,Raghav sat up on the bed.The night had come and gone by as he laid in his bed wide-eyed and drunk.Now hours later as the dark had diffused so had his liquor buzz and the burden of reality was beginning to lay on his shoulders. The sun was up now,it's light peeking through the sheer blue curtains of his bedroom.The low buzz of the air conditioner and his own breathing were the only sounds audible.For a moment Raghav just kept on sitting there,his back against his bedhead and his eyes still fixed on the wall ahead where a calender was hung,the date and day standing out in big bold letters against the white backdrop.

February

22

Monday

February 22nd,Monday.

His breathing quickened as his eyes failed to pluck his gaze away from the calendar. He brought his hand to his chest, rubbing lightly, trying to level out his shallow breaths but that only made it worse. Sweat cropped up on his forehead as his heart pounded in his mouth. He wanted to close his eyes and not see the date again and again but he also didn't want that. Because if he did close his eyes,he knew what he would see.

Memories. Horrid memories.The ones he wanted to forget.

Leaping out of his bed he rushed straight into his washroom and stood before the mirror, holding onto the marble slab of the basin. His breaths still coming in pants as he bowed his head and willed himself to calm down.After whole five minutes,with a calmer breathing,Raghav opened the tap and cupped the cold water with both his hands, splashing his face over and over. His eyes burned at the contact from lack of sleep.

With water running down his face and neck,wet strands of his hair falling on his forehead,he stared himself in the eyes.

It has been ten years since he has been living every day fearing this date, fearing the memories, fearing life and hope. Ten years of loneliness,ten years of trauma,ten years of defeat and ten whole years of hell.

February 22nd. Today was the day he lost everything and today could be the day he might gain a fraction of it back. He was willing to try because he knew it was worth. It was worth his everything.

•••

"Bhaiya,this is the last address."Pallavi handed the chit of paper to rickshaw driver who was sat ahead on the front seat and watched as he frowned reading the details on it.

"Madam,this is a little on the outskirts. Its an old neighborhood, abandoned really. It might take some time."

Pallavi took the piece of paper as he handed it back and nodded,"No problem. I have time."

The man nodded back before resetting the meter and beginning the vehicle.

Pallavi opened her bag and slipped in the chit containing Keerthy's address. She then retrieved her pen and reached for the single remaining wedding card which was sat on the seat next to her. Carefully placing it on her lap,she wrote down on it slowly.

Keerthy Rao & family.

Smiling at her successful attempt to write so neatly in a moving vehicle, Pallavi put away the pen and sat ready clutching the invitation card in her hand. The ride was beginning to feel long as she sat looking outside at the slowly fading crowd and traffic.Her eyes landed on her phone screen to see the time.

10:38 am

She had been out since seven, visiting different friends of the family, dropping the invitations for Mansi's wedding,on behalf of Vijay and Sharda. Today evening was the kelvan ceremony and she was off work so she decided to finish off with the invitations in the morning,to have the rest of the day for the function. Her own two invites included Krishna and Keerthy's and having already handed Krishna her's at work, Pallavi was left with Keerthy's card. Now,after all other invitations had been delivered safely, Pallavi decided to drop by at her friend's place. She was hoping that Keerthy was working after mid-day today,like she did every Monday. If not,then she would just meet with Jaya aunty, Keerthy's mom and invite them both.