Cold Cream

..... Rani was just going to get out of the bed after hearing her phone vibrate, as she had herself set an alarm to get up  at 2a.m.She tried to go out of her room without being caught by her sister Rita,but as she tried to get out of her blanket......just then her hand struck on the empty glass kept on the side table beside her bed. It was surely going to fall .....it was falling...it was  falling....ooh Rani had somehow prevented it from falling down. Rani then quietly stepped out of the room without making a pin drop noise.She then took a sigh of relief and went to hall room, after closing the door of her father's room which was not fully closed.She then sat in front of her television screen opening the Fashion Network channel in a much exited body language.

Yes indeed she was a fashion lover and always dreamt of becoming a successful model. She was a college going girl who lived with her father ,grandmother and her younger sister Rita . Her mother Arpita had passed away when she was four and her sister was two and a half years old.Every year ten top models from every part of the world was selected for the final showdown in the' Miss Fashionista' competition in New York.Among the ten top models when an Indian model was selected in that competetion ,Rani felt overjoyed with pride.And as the Indian model walked down the ramp,Rani would frame herself at the model's place and she felt going more closer and closer to her dreams. But this time as the winner was announced she was going to jump and scream out of joy,while remembered she should she should not break her silence and so she sat down again silently. Suddenly a sight of her grandmother and her father looking at her fiercely made her shiver a bit. Her father told her in an offended manner,"switch off the t.v. right now and go off to sleep',when her grandmother continued.....'Rani why do you do the same mistake every time .Now go off to sleep and stop irritating my son." Granny always did that to cool down the heat of those moments. Hence, after getting a good scolding from both the elders, Rani went to her bedroom and then got straight inside her cozy blanket after applying some cold cream on her face. Her grandmother switched off the hall lights and took some hot oil to her father's room to apply it on his knee. The knee pain of Rani's father often increased during the winters . There in his room granny found her son sitting on the ground moaning in a much lower voice and tears of helplessness gushing down his eyes like 'river of sorrow' from the top of a hill while seeing the family pictures ."Forget everything and let life go on,she is just a kid she'll definitely understand it" ,said Rani's granny.

Rani would always wonder why her dad hated her dream of becoming a model. But still she loved her father like always.On her sixth birthday she was asked by some of her relatives,"what do you want to become darling?"It was then when she made up her little -stout mind that she wanted to become' a model',a big word which a child's brain actually does'nt understand but tells it out of fancy.Though t. Rani was scolded many a times by her father for the t.v. incidents but that night Rani saw something different than the other times in her father's eyes.It was some kind of non erruptible volcano mixed with an unexpressed feeling which she could not understand.The next day Rani went to her college and after that to her stitching classes ,which was not the same as it looked....she actually went to a model trainer who was training her for the Miss Chandigarh competition.It was the first step taken by her towards her 'dream'.She could do that without informing her father,but she wanted her father to live every moment of her dream and cheer for her and feel proud of her as she walked down the ramp.But it was just impossible.She went to her dad's room and said,"how are you daddy?"Her dad did'nt pay much of an attention to her.She gently sat beside her father and continued,"daddy listen to me once and then decide. "Her father was much astonished to hear this and said,"what to decide and why to decide ?"Rani continued ,"dad three days hence is the biggest day of my life.I'm taking part in the Miss Chandigarh competition.See I know you don't want me to do all this but there's no harm in doing this",she said.Her father did not reply anything.Next day she took out a saree (a traditional Indian women's wear) from her mother's cupboard and the matching jewelleries and the make up kit.As she opened the door, she found her grandmother and her aunt standing .Her aunt took the saree in her hand and said ,"you are not too old too wear a saree,my darling and why are you using makeup ,it won't suit your skin."Then her grandmother continued...."yaa my child don't spoil your beautiful skin.You glow just by applying the 'cold cream'." On hearing this Rani went to her room applied the cold cream and dumped her face on the soft pillow and cried out.After her mother's death she had never put any accessories or any kind of makeup neither a cream.But one day her sister took out a huge tube of cold cream from their mother's cupboard and applied it on her face.Since then she had applied the cold cream while she went to sleep ,while she was happy,while she was sad, and also before appearing for an exam.It was because the softness and lightly scented odour of the cream reminded her of her mother who smelled the same which Rani loved to smell.She even talked with the cold cream and shared her feelings with her(cold cream personified as her own mother).At night she went to her father and saw him tears gushing down his eyes.Through he tried to hide his tears but it was already seen and caught by his daughter.She went closer to her father and said,"please tell me dad what is it and this time I want to know the truth." Rani's father said,"you have always thought that your father does'nt understand you and has barred you from your dreams .But did you ever think why did I do so?"Rani was staring at her father's face.Her father continued ,"your mother had the same dream as yours.Even she urged for becoming a successful model but as she came in touch with the real world, she along with our family was ruined.As she lost her dreams ,we lost her.""What are you saying dad?" Rani asked in choked voice."Yes my child your mother had attempted suicide"'and saying this her father bursted to tears.Father continued,"this is the reason why I feared for you since I heard you confess your dream to become a model on your seventh birthday.At first I thought it was just a childish thought but with time as you started developing a mad love for it ,I got scared.Life has already ditched me but know I cannot afford to loose you too my child."Hearing this Rani said ,"don't worry dad ,I won't do any mistake or compromise with my future .I know you love me a lot and I do believe in you. But you have taught me to shield myself and I do have control on my feelings dad. Believe in me and moreover in your values given to me.I promise I won't let you fail.Her father nodded his head to say yes and she felt overjoyed.The next day was the actual battle for which she had waited so long-'THE MISS CHANDIGARH 'competition. Rani was dressed beautifully in her mother's saree and looked like an angel in it.She went close to her mom's picture frame and applied the cold cream receiving the best wishes from her.The announcer had already announced Rani's name and when she came up to the stage ,she saw hundreds of heads ,but could surely recognize her father cheering for her loudly.Everything was as perfect as she had been dreaming of.Today she was much confident as her father 's support was with her.She walked on the ramp confidently and her father was living the great moment along with his daughter.That moment turned out to be the most wonderful moment in her life.She was more than happy at that moment as she had already won the world by winning her father's support.The announcer then announced the name of the winner who was -'Rani Lutra".Rani was stunt and the cheers grew more louder.As she wore the crown her father could illutionize her mother wearing the crown . After coming back home she found her granny and her sister waiting for her with a bouquet of roses and a box of sweets for her.She touched her grandmother's feet and hugged her sister and went close to her mom's picture frame.As she went there she opened her crown beneath her mom's frame and applied some cold cream on her cheek and some on her father's  nose and hugged him.

Adieu.