Aritro stood before his bedroom window; a smoke in hand, staring aimlessly at the narrow road that separated his childhood best friend; Tapas's house from his. Two scantily clad men dangled mid-air from the open terrace of the three storey house, clearly mending some ancient cracks on the building. A third man was busy hammering something. Aritro shuddered to imagine what the hammering could do to this archaic house that looked like it was barely holding its bricks together.
Five minutes of mindless staring later he realized, they were long fairy lights being put up for decoration. Foolish of him to forget, Tapas Sen and his family; like most other Bengali families went all out during Durga Pujo. And Pujo was officially, only two days away.
"I thought you quit smoking." He heard behind him, not needing to turn around to know who'd come to pay him a visit.
Bending to grab the ashtray on the dresser, Aritro shrugged, "Then how did this ashtray land up here? I can't really picture Ma keeping it for me." A pause, "Thank you."
Mili shook her head unhappily, biting her lip. "What's this mess you've made of the bed?"
Aritro looked away again, gazing outside the window. "I need to go through some stuff."
"You just came home, Deep."
She received no response.
"Aren't you sweating? Close the window and turn on the AC."
"Baba forgot to get it repaired." He replied in the middle of a drag from the cigarette, "I'm surprised he even remembered I'm paying a visit-"
A digital sound of switching on a machine was heard, and a gush of cold air landed on his head. Aritro looked up, the AC was working.
"You forgot to switch on the main plug. I hope you realize how long you haven't been home for you to forget how meticulous Kaku is about everything. He would never forget about something this important."
Aritro looked away, rubbing his cigarette off in the ashtray and closing the window. "You're not happy to see me."
Mili rolled her eyes, "Always making your own assumptions."
He let out a sarcastic laugh, "Why are you so mad at me all the time?"
"You really have to ask?" she looked irritable and annoyed now.
Silence filled the air.
"If you're having such a tough time even keeping your calm in my presence, why are we even considering this arranged marriage proposition Mili?"
"Don't change the topic."
"Oh am I, now?" Aritro spat angrily. "What? What were you even thinking to say that you'd consider marrying me to your parents?"
Mili blinked, "I thought I was about to share my life with a man who knew his responsibilities towards his family. I thought leaving home would knock some sense into you and bring the old Deep back. But I guess I was wrong."
Aritro's palms rolled into fists by his side, a weird anger brewing inside of him.
"Well, I'm sorry to have disappointed you..." he heaved sarcastically, "...Of all the people Mili, I did not expect you to think of me this way-"
"-you practically fled from home Deep!" she all but yelled, "I did not see you even try to convince your family-"
"-where does the question of convincing even arise!? This is my life!"
Mili's eyes stared at him in shock, utter disbelief written all over her face. When a tear slipped down her eye, she looked away. And then, "I don't know you anymore."
YOU ARE READING
Paakhi
Mystère / ThrillerAritro Bagh is a struggling professional at a top auditing firm of the country with a serious issue- he cannot stop himself from helping strangers. One stormy night spent in the Gitanjali Express leads to a series of events he hasn't nearly anticipa...