Healing The Void

Chapter 1 - First Call

17th September

She had always preferred rose scented incense sticks than sandalwood ones.

The fragrance of rose is much lighter and lively than that of sandalwood. Sandalwood's fragrance has that heaviness in them. It's like a serious kind of serenity which in fact, is uncomfortable to her.

And she would always prefer to stay away from anything serious and stifling. In fact, that was one of the major reasons why she opted for an unlikely career choice than most others. She never felt comfortable with a thick and staid ambience. True, sometimes it was important to deal with a no-nonsense solemn situation and those were those times when she fretted the most.

Her mother disliked the idea and sometimes tended to go too far while scolding her. Even at times, she often asked her to move out of the house and her justification against that would be something like, she was fed up of bearing the burden of family obligations.

Shreya had to turn a deaf ear whenever matters stretched to such an extent. Nowadays, which was happening often as now that she had already graduated. Trishna, her mother, now wanted her to do something to help her in the family responsibilities.

When Shreya took admission in the course of Special Needs Caregiver, Trishna was furious with her decision. She wanted her to take some job-oriented courses in marketing or finance. But when she denied, life turned even more struggling for her. Trishna turned harsher with her words and as usual, Dibyendu never refrained his wife.

In one word, her family was dysfunctional. Apparently, they were the example of a small and happy family. However, the reality was, they were anything but that. She hadn't seen her father doing much in providing financial support to their family. It had always been Trishna and excessive pressure had made her aggressive.

Her father Dibyendu, if anything, never questioned Trishna's decisions. Be it about house chores, or any big decision like relocating to Guwahati.

Shreya, didn't like this decision taken by her parents lately. The point is, even if there's a chance of getting a job in Kolkata, she wasn't very positive of the same in Guwahati. Quite obviously, not many special needs schools were out there and if she wanted to pursue her career in that same field, she realized she must at least start here.

She graduated last June and still got no luck in finding a suitable and an almost satisfying job.

Many of her friends went for either an engineering degree or business management and had already bagged high paying jobs. And, that was where Trishna was furious with her. According to her, what good your intentions were if they couldn't even make you money? Shreya, however was positive, she'd find something satisfying that'd fulfil her dream of helping. Of making a difference.

She reached for the Prasadam plate she had made with semolina, and offered it in front of the deity of Lord Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra. Then offered her obeisance as well.

Trishna shouted aloud from the kitchen right then, "Shreya, be quick. I'll leave for office in ten minutes. What takes you ages to worship?"

"I'm coming," Shreya responded, equally loud, then muttered in a low voice, "Can't even do Puja in peace in this goddamn house."

She went to the dining area then claimed her usual seat beside the window which overlooked the street below. Trishna rushed out of the kitchen and set the bowl in her hand with a small thud, in front of Shreya. Dibyendu exited the bathroom and sat beside her, while Trishna fixed their plates.

The food was hot but didn't look palatable as Shreya grimaced staring at her plate.

Dibyendu, whereas, looked happy. He spooned through the food and took a mouthful right away. While Trishna hurriedly gobbled up her food paying no attention to either of them.