ᴇx-ʙᴏʏʀꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ, ɴᴇxᴛ ʜᴜꜱʙᴀɴᴅ

Chapter 2

Nishtha

I did absolutely nothing since I landed. I spoke to Aai, spent time with Baba. Baba wants to open his own franchise of a food chain as a side hustle - which I had tried to talk him out off because it would exceed our financial means, but he seemed persistent. So we chalked out all costs and expenses and tried to make it work.

Tuesday. Today's the day. My first job interview.

I dressed myself in a simple red anarkali. Not so loud and not very basic either. It had a simple design and I styled it well, leaving my hair open, applying minimal makeup. I got my stuff and went outside, only to meet my over enthusiastic mother pacing around the house collecting my stuff.

"Nishtha, leave now."
"Why now Aai? The interview isn't until 10. It's only 8:30am."
"You have to reach early. It's professional."
"Yes so I'll leave at 9:15, I'll be there in 20 mins."
"No. First you are going to the temple and then you will go for your interview from there."
I loved going to the temple.
In the US, we used to travel to New Jersey to visit the beautiful BAPS temple created.
"Aai..." I didn't want to argue, she was speaking for my own good, "okay, I'll leave now."
She quickly gave me some food to eat, I ate, and she gave some dahi sugar for good luck. Finally, I took the blessings of my Mom and Dad and stepped out.

Sampoorna Bhagwan Mandir.
I stood outside a mandir which used to mean a lot to me. I tried to find any mandir apart from this, but they were all more than 6km away, and this was the closest temple to my home and my office. I looked over at the distance to see the office building just behind the temple. I had no choice.

After that day, I had decided not come to this temple. It held too much emotional value for me.  I didn't want to be here today.

Today was the day we stopped speaking.
The last day we ever met, held each other.
4 years ago.

But here we are. I stepped in, removing my sandals, and walked inside.
Nothing changed in the last 4 years.
I had last come here when I was 21, just a few weeks before... I brushed my thoughts away.
"Good morning beta! My God! It's been years since we last saw you!" Rupa dadi spoke.

I recognized her. She knew me inside out.
She knew US inside out.
"Hi Aaji, how are you?" I kneeled to seek her blessings, "how is your health?"
"All good, by the grace of God. How are you?"
"I'm good Aaji."
"And how is he? Oh you must be married by now. Didn't even invite me!" She asked.

I stopped talking. I felt a lump in throat.
No one has mentioned him to me for 4 years.

"Aa..Aaji we... aren't together." I replied.
Her face fell, "What happened? This is not possible. Where is he?"
"Aaji, leave it na. We... aren't together anymore."
"Oh."
I quickly changed the subject, "I was in the US Aaji, for 4 years. I got a job there and I went to study ahead. I just came back 2 days ago."
She smiled back, "Wow. Congrats."
"I need your blessings. I'm about to give my first job interview."
"You will do well. I have no doubt! Go pray and take blessings from God first."
I nodded and walked inside.

I felt small drops of tears gathering in my eyes. No one has mentioned him, yet today it all came back. The whole past, the whole feeling. I looked around. Each and every corner of this temple had a story.
Our story.
I quickly wiped my tears, prayed and went back to Aaji.
"Thank you Aaji. Should I drop you anywhere?"
"No beta! I live here now."
"In the temple?"
"Yes! I got a job as a bhajan and aarti singer, and we have very good accommodation."

I felt so happy. Aaji had been through a lot. Her son had kicked her out of the house because his wife didn't want her around. We tried so hard to find her son but we couldn't. She had already lost her husband and she used to stay at the temple and live off the prasad. I used to sneak food for her, until Aai found out, then she would bring Aaji home regularly to eat with us.
He did a lot for her as well.

"S...So you're okay now?" I asked her.
"I'm well beta."
I smiled and looked at my clock, "That's good to know. Acha I have to leave now. I'll meet you for sure before I go back home, okay!" 
"Okay beta!"
I took her blessings and walked away.

"Ms Nishtha, you have an excellent CV and are very impressed with your interview. We'd love to have you on board." Mr Rupert said.
I was screaming internally!
"Thank you so much!" I said, shaking his hand.
"We'd love to have you as our new and talented Data Engineering consultant."
"Consultant?"
"Yes! If you're down for a dual role, we believe your skills as a consultant in your past job in the US was very commendable and we'd love if you wouldn't mind, not only working with our data engineers as their lead, but also providing your own consultancy as part of our firm."
"I'd be delighted but do we have the means?"
"We had been thinking into tapping into a new market: consulting, and we think this might be our breakthrough."
"Sure. I would be interested."
"Excellent then! Let me discuss the feasibility with my team. If it works out, you can get into consulting as well, if not then," he stood up and brought his hand ahead, "welcome to IBM, our latest Data Engineer."
I smiled and shook his hand, "Thank you Sir."
"I'll contact you in 24 hours."
"Sure, thank you!"

I walked out. I got the job! Aaji is a lucky charm!
I ran to the temple again, only to find her busy in a bhajan, with a bunch of people listening. My eyes met hers and she smiled, and raised her eyebrows as if asking me "how did it go?"
I smiled and showed her a thumbs up, as if replying "I got it!"
She smiled and nodded. I nodded too. Then she got busy with her singing and I went inside to pray, to say thank you.

I quickly put my hands together and walked to the Shiv Ji idol. 11:30 and it's still so crowded?
I closed my eyes and kept my head down.

Why did I feel so strange?
Why did it feel like something is happening?

I opened and turned my head around to see the end of my duppata caught in someone's watch.
I couldn't see who. The crowd was insane.
I guess because the aarti was starting soon. 
I quickly tried to untie the duppata but it stayed locked, and the crowd increased.

I felt his arms come and try to untie it too, and a sudden wave of goosebumps hit me.
What was that?
I brushed my thought away and helped him to untie my duppata.
Finally, after some efforts, my duppata left his watch and I quickly turned back and focused on the aarti.
That was strange. I didn't even see who it was.

Once the aarti ended, I gathered my stuff and used my hand to place my duppata nicely on me. That's when I noticed a small end string of beads of it had fallen off.
Where did it go?
Never mind.

I thanked Aaji for her wishes and then quickly made my way home to break the good news!

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