Anuj finally finishes his email to the New York office, stating his opinion on recent changes in the AK industries then sets the alarm for 5 a.m. to get up early for the Bhuj trip. He wonders about the fake angry looks that his darling wife might have given him had she been there. Anu has been on his mind constantly since that night.
He had decided to relocate to India from the US three years back because he felt that GK missed India even though GK never expressed it. So, he resigned as AK Industries' CEO and took a role on the board instead. He then started a VC firm that focused on seed funding start-ups in India. He made his new residence in Ahmedabad's Law Garden where GK would feel at home. He had been going back and forth on the decision for over two weeks after shifting to India when he eventually mustered the courage to visit one of the two places where he fell in love with Anu and that was the day when Anu shifted from being the centre of his existence to the centre of his life. But now he has broken her heart, the very thing he promised on their wedding day to protect and cherish for the rest of his life.
Anuj was frantically picking up the keys and leaving them in the drawer beside the door. He still wasn't sure about visiting the place. Since moving to India, he had actively avoided passing through St. Xavier's College because it reminded him too much of Anu. But he cannot avoid this place. Yes, this is also the place where he fell in love with her but it had additional significance, the one which he cannot avoid. It was 10:30 on a Sunday morning. He finally took a deep breath, picked up his key, and drove off to his destination. It took him around 30 mins to reach the orphanage. He stepped out of his car and an old security guard suddenly recognized him.
"Are saab, bade saalo baad aaye hai?" asked Popat kaka.
"Ha popat kaka, 17 saal pehle aaya tha. Aap kaise ho?" replied Anuj.
"Bas krishna bhagwan ki kripa hai. Mera beta computer engineering kar raha hai. Final year main hai. College se 16 lac ka package mila hai." answered Popat kaka
"Are kya baat hai popat kaka. Acha ye lijiye pen. Apne bete ko dijiyega meri taraf se aur subh kamanye digeye ga" said Anuj giving his watermen carène for his son. "Acha kaka ab main andar jaata hu."
This place held too many memories of Anu, and nostalgia hit him like a hurricane. The same dull white paint on the building, the stepping stone pathway that would be slick in the monsoon, leading to the residential building, the humid woody smell combined with the scent of Juhi on the walls and the long grass on the lawn. His muscle memory takes him directly to the office. He meets the office manager and receives updates on the orphanage while touring it. He has been financially supporting this orphanage for the past 17 years and is pleased with the children's progress. He is grateful that there are still college students and even past residents who are teaching the girls Math, English, Music, and Dancing. He is proud of the past residents who are making it big in the outside world and glad at the prospects of current residents. Suddenly, he heard a voice. The very voice which would always be etched in his memory forever and the reason for his avoidance of this place. He takes a sharp deep breath as he hears it again. His heart starts pounding against his rib cage and he gets drawn toward it.
"Dance class chal rahi hai waha. Ek madam aati hai yaha baacho ko dance sikhane" informs the manager.
She was wearing a pink cotton sari and her hair was in braids. She was showing students a hand mudra when he saw her. Her face appeared tired. Her age was obvious, but she had deep lines near her eyes that had a different story, and they no longer sparkled. He had noticed there was no sindoor or mangal sutra around her neck and suddenly he realised the story behind deep lines. His heart ached for her loss. Suddenly, she breaks into dance, and his world comes to a halt; she is as graceful as she used to be. Her face brightened, her eyes were sparkling at that moment, and she was carefree and extremely happy. She stops when she notices his intrusion. She freezes for a moment and is uncomfortable with his gaze. He manages to maintain a polite smile and is taken back to the awkward first meeting at the grand staircase of St. Xavier's College twenty-eight years back. He again apologises profusely for his intrusion and staring.
"Anupamaa ji, ye Mr Kapadia hai, humari organization k trusty" informs manager
She replies, "Jaanti hu main inhe. Mera matlab pehchanti hu inhe main"
Turning to Anupamaa, He asks, "Kaisi ho tum?"
"Achi hu aur aap?" asked Anupamaa.
"Main bhi bahut acha hoo. Regularly aati ho tum yaha?" he follows up.
"Haa. Aap America main the ne?" inquired Anupamaa, trying to make small talk with him.
"Haa, 2 hafte pehle hi shift hua hu," he replies
"Acha, main chalti hu, mera beta Samar mujhe lene aa gaya hai," she said escaping the awkward conversation.
She instructed the children about the next class and then left with the young man about 24 years old. He remembers when last saw him, he was a kid of maybe 6-7 years old running around her. She was glowing brightly with a beautiful smile on her face and her eyes had that bright sparkle.
He returned to the present and wondered how he can be the cause of that lost sparkle. He promises to make things right with Anu beginning with this trip. He then retires to his bed, hoping to catch some sleep before waking up at 5 a.m. the next day.
YOU ARE READING
Khabar-e-Tahayyur-e-Ishq
FanfictionAnu wished everything had become a blur after that. She wished to forget everything, to pretend that it was all a bad dream, and when she woke up, she would see herself cocooned in Anuj's protective arm. He would be tracing his finger along her coll...
