Meera

Chapter 21

This is the main reason that I have wanted to do nothing with army officers but with Arjun things have been very different. It felt like he swept me from my feet and then went away to fight the war. Unprepared for what the future had to offer, it felt like I had turned my back on it. The recent events had levelled that tension once again. Gayatri aunty seemed worried out of her mind despite the countless efforts I had made to cheer her up.

we still had no news of Arjun and It killed us everyday to not know how he was doing. not even the ghost of a letter or a call. Who knows where he is or how he is? It has been about a week and a half since I have come here and tomorrow I am going back. This trip sure felt heavy but it was important for both of us otherwise how would I have known what kind of father I had.

Who lets these men be entitled to just keep making mistakes and women just keep forgiving them. On the other hand, how can he not want to talk to his daughter? it's not like he has any other child, not that I know of. After knowing what he has done to my mother, betrayed her love, left her stranded in between holding on to the shreds of the marriage that had left. I have a strong mother. She didn't let it come in the way of raising her child. She has raised me to such a confident lady, filled with gratitude, all because of her.

I would kill Arjun if he ever cheated on me, not that he would have the time to do so. I would kill him and will not return the body. He simply can't cheat on me, he is not authorised to.

'Beta, all packed?' — Gayatri aunty asked me.

'Yes, Aunty. Just preparing my sling bag for the immediate need of things.'

'You've got the ticket, right?' —- I nodded in agreement with her.

'I will make lunch for you tomorrow. Take it with you.'

'I mean no trouble to you, Aunty. Please be comfortable.'

'Oh, It's no trouble. Sleep now.' —- With that she closed the door to my room and retired into hers. Ah, this travel anxiety that I harboured would be the death of me someday. Maa has only passed these genes into me. Oh god, let me get on the train on time. With that, I let sleep take over me.

The alarm went off again after I switched it off for the tenth time, it just kept ringing again and again. Almost gave me a headache early in the morning. The house was strangely quiet, I guess Aunty hadn't woken up yet. Ah, what was the time? Still a little early, however I needed to start my day early if I were to step on that train.

The doorbell of the house rang, I wonder who it was. I had gotten a hold on the pattern of things around here. Who came when and what went where? So, the time was simply odd for the doorbell to be rung. I didn't expect what was on the other side of the door. It was Arjun. He had come home, six months early. That didn't seem right. How was he here? Was he on leave?

'Meera? What are you doing here?'

'No letter and no phone call. How is that fair? Do you know how worried sick I was? But you didn't care.'

'Mee—'

'Come in, won't want you to keep waiting outside now. Would we?'

'Let me exp—'

'Oh, I need no explanation. We promised that you would write me letters and how many did you write in six months? Only two. How is that any good? I will wake aunty up. You be comfortable.'

With that I walked out and moved towards her room to wak her up. She was going to get a beautiful surprise but i will deal with Mr. Sengupta later,