Estranged | ✓

XXXIV. happiness

anupamaa:

"Really?!", I asked Rebecca, my coworker, all excited.

"Yes!", She said in her English accent, "Our troupe will tour three countries for six months! We are visiting the UK, France, Italy and Germany! It will be so much fun! I hope Boss gives your name for the programme as well. We'll have so so much fun!", She said happily.

"Yay!", I said, almost hoping in joy.

A dream come true!
There was no way I could miss this.
I really hoped Amit Sir gave me this opportunity, it was once in a life time.

•

vanraj:

I was driving my car back.
My heart paced wildly.

So you choose to ruin Anupamaa's dream for your own selfishness..again?

The words rang in my ears.
I hadn't even turned on music, nothing seemed to give me solace.

The sun was still out.
I stopped the car before a cafe and got off.
Taking a cappuccino, I sat on the seating outside the cafe, under the mild sunlight.

The weather in California during the Spring was absolutely beautiful.
The cool breeze and subtle sunlight, with a cup of coffee was heavenly.

But somehow nothing felt right to me.

I drew in a deep breath as my phone buzzed.
I pulled it out.

Bapuji

I picked up the call.
"Hello?", I said slightly unsure of what I would say next.

It had been months since I had spoken to him.

"How are you, beta? You never call.", He said.
I looked down.
"I-I am just busy.", I lied, tapping my feet, feeling strangely nervous.
"Is everything okay there?", He asked.

I drew in a deep breath.
And almost involuntarily I asked,

"If you had a choice between your own dream and Baa.. who would you choose?"

There was a momentary pause.
And then he said,

"I had this choice many years ago. You know I too had a good voice like yours. Obviously you were too caught up in your educational achievements and never pursued it, but I wanted to be a singer. In fact, I had the chance as well, once."

I sat up straight.

"And?"

"And I choose Leela."

"But how? I mean.."

"Ah, I had once given an audition for a big budget film's song. Fortunately I got selected. But the day the recording was to be done was also the day you were supposed to be born. Leela just wouldn't let me go and was on the verge of tears."

"But that's unfair! It was such a big opportunity for you, Bapuji! Baa was being selfish.", I burst out.

"Well that's what everyone said. But I realised, probably staying by my wife when she needed me, getting to hold my son in my arms first was of greater value than any amount money would bring me.", He said simply.

And then it struck me.

"We keep running behind ambitions, but the point is to stay happy, isn't it Vanraj?", He asked.

And then my mind started clearing out.

"Yes.", I said, finally.

"So when such a choice comes, you choose your true happiness.", He said.

And I realised how easy the choice had been all this while.

"Yes. Thank you so much Bapuji.", I said, feeling a different kind of enthusiasm.

As I hung up the call after saying bye,
I knew exactly what I wanted.

I immediately finished the coffee and rushed down to my car.

I started the car, towards the International Dance Academy.

•••

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