The Obsession.

t w o

The road was deserted and Heer's cab whizzed past the grey building, the weather was dark and it was drizzling lightly, it seemed as if mother nature had taken it upon herself to lament along with Heer. The cab stopped a few inches away from the entrance and a tired Heer got down and paid the aged cab driver. It was the first time during her long ride that she was noticing how the man looked, he had grey hairs, and spotted the same white moustache. His face was wrinkly from age and his eyes could tell you that he was tired. And as the man smiles, the crow's feet beside his eyes deepened.

"Good day to you, young lady." he said in a cheerful tone not sensing something was wrong with the girl standing before him.

Heer tried her level best to return the warm smile but failed miserably, finally she settle for a faint smile on her lips and replied. "Good day to you too."

The cab pulled out of the driveway once Heer had made the payment, leaving her standing alone on the wet pavement. Heer sighed deeply and then making her way to the ticket counter. "One for Mumbai." she said. The man at the other end quickly typed the details on the machine in front of him and handed her a printout of the ticket. She boarded the train and took a seat near the window looking out to the sky that was now clearing. She was soon joined by an aged lady, probably in her late sixties who took the seat opposite to her, the lady smiled at her warmly and Heer immediately returned it back. The lady soon got indulged in a book that she was carrying for her short journey. The train was mostly empty with very few passengers here and there and Heer found her thoughts going back to Dhruv.

Dhruv Saran had seemed like the perfect boyfriend for Heer even though her best friend Garima had warned her against him for being a womanizer, but 2 years down the line even Garima had accepted that Dhruv was perfect for her. Heer's parents had met Dhruv in their first year of their relationship and everyone seemed to love him, they were fond of him and regarded him as family. He would accompany his dad to his golf games and often came over to bond with her mother. He was like the son they never had and Heer's mother was certain that they would end up together for life often planning a wedding for her daughter.

Heer didn't know what she would tell them now. She couldn't bring herself to believe that Dhruv was cheating on her but now that she thinks about it, it wasn't that impossible, in fact, chances were there that he had cheated on her with more girls than just Damini, why wouldn't it be, he had always been the play boy in high school just like Damini had always told her. Dhruv was the jock of St. Joseph's Convent, the school that they both attended. He had dated almost all the girls of their class and the ones who were a year junior and then he had gone after her. He had told her that she was the one for him and she though that Heer, like a fool had thought she had finally gotten the man in him to settle down with her. Their relationship was strong and never had they fought much but what she didn't understand was why had he cheated on her but then she realised that one does not necessarily need a reason to cheat, they cheat because they just want to.

The train stopped bringing Heer out of her thoughts, a quick glance at the station made Heer realise that this was her stop, she quickly grabbed her bad from in front of her legs and got down the train making her way out of the station the cab terminal, hoping she could get a ride home for cheap because she knew Mumbai at odd hours had cutthroat rates

26 hours after she left Dhruv's, she stood at the front door of her own home, she knew it was early, and her parents would still be in bed and they would be shocked to see her on their doorstep at this hour of the day. Heer found giving herself a mental push before finally knocking on the door. Her relationship with her parents had always been good, she was a pampered child, in fact, a little extra pampered which she always wondered about until it was a little more than two year ago when she found out that she was actually adopted which had settled all her questions. Her parents had never told her about the adoption, she had only gotten to know when a distant relative's mouth had slipped out of sheer carelessness. A hasty confrontation had led to her parents owning up and she had found herself being grateful to them for doing everything they had ever done for her. They had indeed kept her like their own and treated her the very same. 

Heer heard shuffling on the other end of the door and knew someone was coming downstairs.The door open to reveal a groggy eyed middle-aged lady, she was beautiful even have just woken up from her night's sleep. She was shorter than Heer was, a little portly and fair. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun and she was adorning her night suit. Shock and surprise waved through her eyes and she was quick to hide them. Mrs. Bakshi quickly invited her daughter in.

"Heer darling, what are you doing here? At this hour of the day?" She asked not expecting to see her, opening the door wide letting her only daughter in.

Heer avoided the question walking past Vasundhara Bakshi and taking a seat on the brown leather sofa that sat in their living room. She wasn't prepared to answer her mother's questions or her questioning eyes, wanting to save them for later when she herself would have had grabbed a hold of the present situation that she was in.

"I will go to my room and take a nap real quick. I'll see you at breakfast." Heer said looking at her mother for approval. She knew her family have never had breakfast before 9.30 in the morning and she still had about 2 hours to sleep.

"But - " Mrs. Bakshi wanted to ask Heer about why she was there at such an odd hour only to be cut off mid-sentence.

"Mum please." Heer whined. 

Vasundhara nodded at her approvingly and Heer was relieved to have escaped her mother's questions so easily. She carried her bags to her room upstairs and having kept them at the foot of the bed she plopped down on the soft mattress. It was good to be home.

"What do you mean you are moving back here?" Vasundhara asked surprised.

Heer had just finished telling her parents about Dhruv cheating on her but it seemed they were unable to believe their ears, as the questions came coming. She groaned and mentally prepared herself to repeat the exact same words again so this time they could understand her better.

"Yes, Dhruv, my boyfriend of 7 years cheated on me with a colleague of his. He got caught red handed and wasn't even ashamed of himself nor did he try to explain himself. Also, I got fired trying to take care of that disgusting man child, so there is nothing left for me in Delhi. I have decided to move back here to be closer to you people, which I hope you have no problem with."

Vasundhara Bakshi was ready to object, of course she had no problem with her daughter moving back to her hometown or living with them. They were enough well off to take care of her through her lifetime but she loved Dhruv and wasn't emotionally prepared for her daughter to leave the charming man that she thought Dhruv was. But one look at her husband and his disapproving gesture and glaring eyes had quickly discouraged her from voicing her disapproval of Heer's decision.

Heer's parents' wrapper her in a warm hug and provided her with the support she needed and she was glad they did but that didn't stop her from noticing the pained look on her mother's face. She knew her mother was upset with Dhruv and her decision to leave him, after all she was very close with him and he had made quite an impression on her over the years and she had practically regarded him as her own son.

After breakfast they were spending time together in their backyard when Heer through of bringing up the topic that was long in her mind "I'll look for a job starting tomorrow or the next day."

Her parents told her that she didn't needed to work right away and could take some time off to heal her broken heart but she was adamant about her decision. "No, I need to work to keep myself sane."

Little did she know that right across town the perfect job was already waiting for her.