Parvati Nair is born out of necessity and desperation.
The necessity to complete Shyne Inc.'s insurmountable project and the desperation to reunite two estranged souls.
With T minus 30 days to complete the project, will Project Parvati succeed? Or...
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"Okay, at least tell me if there will be food there? I promise I won't ask anything after that!" Meera squealed as she fidgeted with her blindfold. She had lost all her hair to the chemo and her pale body showcased signs of being sick. Very sick.
I pursed my lips and continued to stare straight ahead. I really wouldn't have gone there again if it hadn't been for Meera but, considering that there had been an improvement in her condition, I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate. I almost jumped in my seat when I felt Sid's hand on my thigh.
"It'll be okay. Don't worry." He whispered, honking with the heel of his palm in attempts of keeping it from Meera.
"I hope so." I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose.
Closing my eyes, my mind drifted off to the bittersweet memories of the past- Dad pushing me on the swing as I squealed in joy, Mom joining me and Dad in a pillow fight, Dad rescuing me from the collapsing bouncy castle, breaking his glasses in the process and Dad making super-unhealthy midnight snacks for me as Mom slept on, peacefully. I wish he had stuck around for a few more years. Or at least, I wish I had known that that was going to be the last hug I had ever gotten from him. I would have hugged him tighter, and wouldn't have let him go.
Death is a sadist. It derives sadistic pleasure from the sufferings of those close to the departed soul. It comes knocking when you least expect it to. And, in Dad's case, he had the power of deciding whether or not to answer the door.
The good guy that he was, he did indeed answer it.
And now, he was no more.
"All okay, Commander?" Sid asked, honking again.
"Yeah-Yeah, I'm good." I swallowed, wiping my cheeks with my palms.
About half an hour later, we pulled into the driveway of what once used to be a 'home'. Sid and I slowly stepped out the car and while Sid went to help Meera out of the car, I took in the familiar white bungalow. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to inhale Dad's scent, if any. I picked up faint traces of lemongrass cologne and for a moment, I was assured that he was really here and that he would cry and engulf me in a tight hug the minute I ran in those doors. But, if my life was a movie, it most certainly wasn't a Bollywood flick to have a fairytale ending. Besides, the grey clouds that clouded the sky, didn't give me a lot of hopes either.
"Where are we?" Meera's excitement fizzed down when she saw that in front of her stood a white bungalow and not the headquarters of ISRO.
"Go figure," Sid said, tucking his hands in his pockets.
"Dr Paramveer Deol." Meera squinted her eyes at the dusty old ivory nameplate that hung sadly on the tiled wall. "Is he your uncle, Di?"
"He is my father," I said and walked to the black metal gate, pushing it open.
