An unexpected visitor?100 words on Saturday

She stepped out of shower and got into her night suit. She had had a long day and couldn’t wait to get into her bed. She double checked the door and walked to her daughter’s bedroom.

Anaya slept soundly. She bent down to kiss her daughter and adjusted her blanket. She felt that there was some moment behind her. Was it an unexpected visitor? No! She was alarmed.

She turned around to find nothing. Yet she heard a ruffle. She let out a slow scream.

Anaya mumbled, “Mommy! I bought a Cat home”. As if to agree, there came “Mewww!”

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I woke up to the sound of doorbell. I have clear instructions to all that no one should ring a bell on Sunday morning.

I gingerly woke up and walked to the door. The bell rang for the second time. I shouted “Coming!” annoyingly and peeped through the peep hole. I didn’t see anyone.

I slowly opened the door. To my surprise, my sister jumped right in front of me. She had bought breakfast for us.

She helped me spread it and we sat there, eating, talking and enjoying Sunday. Who says an unexpected visitor is a problem? I don’t!

Linking it to Write Tribe's 100 words on Saturday # 10

One post for this awesome prompt just wasn't enough so I wrote two :)

Millionaire by Chance

My elder brother had taught me to deal in my business. I couldn’t thank him enough ever in my life. But as many realizations come to us late, this also came last year, eight years after my brother died.

I hadn’t seen my father. My brother was all I had. Ten years elder, he was my only parent. He worked with a scrap metal dealer and supported my education. I wouldn’t say I was a bright student.

When I was fourteen and I got into a fight with some kids in neighborhood, at the time when I was supposed to be in school, my brother decided, I didn’t need education anymore. He started taking me to the small store, which by then he had started independently.

School had fed me dreams and I wanted to be a pilot. The small garage turned into a scrap yard was a nightmare. I spent more time dreaming than working.

For years my brother patiently taught me the value of different metals and deals that made bucks. Although I learnt the fine tricks of the trade, my heart was never at work. I picked up several jobs, at times more than one in order to make enough buck to avoid sight of that yard.

My brother worked hard at his business. Even with differences at work, we were really thick together. He supported me and my family while I fancied a good job and end of misery.

At forty, a sudden illness, and my brother could no longer work as hard as he did. I reluctantly joined him.

We then began to deal with gold and other precious metals. Few years in business, my brother passed away and I was left on my own to deal with the business.

A small Easter egg, I bought in a bric a brac market, sat in my shop for long as I tried to fetch a good price based on the costing my brother taught me. To my frustration, I couldn’t find a guy who would purchase it for a decent price. I believed it could give me a profit of few hundreds and was made of some good gold.

However, unable to find a buyer who would melt it down, it sat on my kitchen top. On a dull evening, my inquisitive streak from school kicked in and I tried to google the words engraved in small letters.  

The result was this –

And the rest is history…

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Above is a fictitious account of events that led to finding of the Faberge egg, turning a scrap metal dealer into a millionaire overnight.

Based on Write Tribe's Wednesday prompt # 9

Have you found Shades of Life on Facebook yet? Please check it out here. 

Please take out time to read more about the featured blogger for the month of March "Aditi Kaushiva" here.

Also, check out the post by a non-blogger who penned down her feeling.

Guests are always welcomed at Shades of Life. Drop me a line at sugandha118@gmail.com and I would love to share your thoughts here.

Lost earrings, lost love

I looked for my phone to check the time, but it wasn’t there. I left it on my desk while rushing for the meeting.

It must be exactly same time. There was no day in my life when I didn’t miss him. But today was special. This hour was special.

Many years had passed but the memory etched in my mind made it feel like yesterday, yet the longing felt like eternity.

I kicked off my heels as soon as I sat in his car, tied my hair and headed to take off my earrings before they began to irritate me. “So much to look pretty.” But it had paid off; he had been admiring me throughout the brunch. He had also said it in many words.

As I started to take my earrings off, I realized that the engine wasn’t running yet. I turned to him to see a look in his eyes that I didn’t recognize. He looked distant, somewhat lost. I stopped and asked him what happened.

What he replied rings in my ears every hour even after all these years. “Krisha, I can’t see you anymore. I am going to states for studies and dad wants me to settle there. Please don’t try to stay in touch.”

It seemed that he had stabbed me. His parents were forcing him to go to states ever since we finished college but I knew he won’t leave me and go. After all he knew I couldn’t leave the peripheries of our small town and he had already proposed me.

There could have been a logical explanation to it but I was too furious to listen. I picked my heels in my hand and got out of the car in half fury, half despair. I took an auto back home and locked myself in the room. It had taken him one sentence to end a relationship of five years. I chose to hate him. However a lonely note that was left in my inbox with apology and explanation stood to his defense each time. I continued to try to make that feeble attempt to hate him but continued to miss him and love him.

Even now, sitting in the meeting, my hands touched my ears as I remembered that I had left one of my earrings in his car in fury all those years back.

A loud noise bought me back to presence. My colleague filled in for my inquisitive looks. “It’s someone’s birthday in Ramit’s department. Some new joined.” I nodded and diverted my attention to the laptop at which I pretended to stare when I day-dreamed.

It was lunch when we ended the meeting. Despite my troubles with concentrating, I was happy that I was busy today. Being free meant getting emotional once again. Thanking God for keeping me busy on this day, I returned to my desk.

A piece of cake was kept next to my phone on my desk. I headed to pick it up, knowing office boy must have kept it. But as I reached out to the plate, I saw that earring placed next to the plate.

I looked up to find those same distant looks.

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This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

This post is piece of fiction.

Have you found Shades of Life on Facebook yet? Please check it out here. 

Please take out time to read more about the featured blogger for the month of March "Aditi Kaushiva" here.

Also, check out the post by a non-blogger who penned down her feeling.

Guests are always welcomed at Shades of Life. Drop me a line at sugandha118@gmail.com and I would love to share your thoughts here.

I dropped my shoes

Mom always told me the story of Cinderella and her sandal. She was very pretty. Mom told me she looked like me.

My mom is in snow land now. I miss her but Dad says she is close to us, but we just can’t see her. The new aunty tells me that she will be my mom. But she doesn’t know any stories like my Mom. She lives in the city. She lives with a boy. He is very bad. He broke my doll and twisted my arm when we went for dinner at their place.

Yesterday dad and I came to see my Nani. She lives in hills. Snow land is very close to her house. I asked dad to take me to snow land. We went there today morning.

When dad wasn’t looking, I dropped my shoe there. Mom said that the prince charming had found her shoes in snow land and come to fetch her. I am sure my mom will find my shoe and will come to fetch me.

   

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Based on Write Tribe Wednesday Prompt - 3 provided by Vidya Suri. 

Part of Tell a Tale Weekends  on my blog.

Have you found Shades of Life on Facebook yet? Please check it out here.

Guests are always welcomed at Shades of Life. Drop me a line at sugandha118@gmail.com and I would love to share your thoughts here.

My tattoo got me my best friend

I had my tattoo on an impulse. I was skeptical and was just “Checking out” designs when I suddenly came across the one. It seemed to fit in so perfectly with my thoughts and story of my life that I decided to go for it instantly.

A little girl, fear reflecting in her eyes, leaving her home to achieve the best of the world at a very early stage was now being etched on my back. Half-way through the tattoo, my tattoo artist and I got talking.

He told me about sketches and inspirations, various websites to designs and client suggestion. I then asked him if he designed the tattoo I was getting. He replied that he sketched it but he had seen that tattoo before, if only he could remember where. He then went on telling about all he remembers that it was on someone’s leg and was much smaller. He explained how it was one of his favorite tattoo designs in his entire career.

His idea about getting it on leg got me thinking. It sounded nice and exciting. However, I was pretty happy with my tattoo too. But damn! I was nervous.

My parents knew nothing about my new tattoo. I was scared to break the news. One evening I showed it to my cousin, and she agreed that the hell will break loose if anyone in the family got to know about it. My father was somewhat cool, but I wondered how my mother would react. She was the strict one and I had remained somewhat aloof ever since I had been a teen.

Months passed by and I became comfortable with the ink on my skin until one day when I had to wear a sari.

My mother was around and she was standing there to help me wrap those six yards in a presentable way. It was the moment of no choice. I mumbled, “Mom, I have to show you something.” And slowly turned my back towards her and pulled my top up to reveal the tattoo.

I stayed like that for a minute for her to absorb what could be a shocking revelation and then slowly turned to face the brunt. But I was amazed. There she stood, with amusing look on her face and a slight smile.

Few moments later, she pulled her sari up and reveled a tattoo, same design, but much smaller than mine.

Later, my mother showed me the original sketch and told the story of the tattoo and her life. My mother and I have been best friends since then.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

UBC Day 31 - Who? - 29

Priya couldn’t believe her ears. Every day in last one and a half years, she had thought about this day. She had thought of hundreds ways of acceptance and hundreds of denial. She had dreamt that she will kiss him the moment he said so, and thought of slapping him hard. But now that this happened, she was numb.

She looked up to his face. He was busy caressing Navya. He looked just the way she had dreamt of. Handsome, caring, smiling and loving. However, he wasn’t really so and Priya now knew that painfully.

He looked past him, at the man who was busy reading, or was pretending so. He noticed Priya’s gaze and looked up from his book and gave her a warm smile.

There was the person who was there with her without failure. His love was known to everyone than her. She had taken him for granted.

Had she hurt him unknowingly? Maybe she did.

She sat there, comparing the two men in her life.

Nitin, whom she loved crazily. He was right. She hadn’t moved on. She was still as stuck as she was on day one. He was now a changed man. He was the father of her princess. If not her, Navya deserved to get her father’s love. And what he had just said, he was really serious this time. He wanted to marry her, to give her all that she had dreamt off.

Sushant, who was more than a friend. He, who loved her madly. He, who had been there with her without any expectations, he didn’t expect anything from her. He had told her nothing else except that he loved her. He had done so without expecting any reply. He had done so without providing any justification. By telling her so, he was gambling. The relationship could be a disaster. Maybe there wasn’t any future with him. He was due to leave in three days and Priya didn’t know when will she next see him.

Maybe she needed some time, maybe she needed more clarity. She asked Nitin to excuse her and give her more time and left from the café.

On her way out, she paused and asked Sushant if he was okay with giving her some time alone. He offered to drop her home, but she denied and moved out. She hailed a passing cab and gave him the address.

UBC Day 30 - Confrontation - 28

Sushant sat next to Priya, ensuring that she got through the meeting without a single tear.

Nitin sat opposite them, looking at his daughter and playing with her. After a while, Nitin requested if Sushant would leave them alone for a while.

Priya looked at him expectantly. Sushant nodded reassuringly and left.

Nitin pulled his seat forward. He held her hand and gave it a light squeeze. Priya couldn’t bear the touch. She slowly pulled his hands backward.

Nitin slowly began, “Priya, Navya is very cute. She looks exactly like what I thought her to be. From the day I have known that I have a daughter, I have always imagined her to look as pretty as you and indeed she is.”

Priya could see that his eyes were moist. She had prayed so much that Nitin could see their daughter and today seeing him as he kissed and held her, Priya couldn’t control her emotions.

“Nitin, I waited for this moment for so long. When you left me and went without telling, I wanted to end my life. But it was for her, I survived.”

As if waiting for this clue, he replied “I am sorry. I told you the same the other day. I know it has been really difficult for you and you can’t forgive me so easily but all I want to tell you is that please think about it.”

“I have forgiven you already. You needn’t apologize now.” Priya said, not really believing in her words.

“Then accept me back. I know you haven’t moved on. I have been a jerk but I have learnt my lesson. I am now settled here, as you always wanted. I am not doing great, since my business is a start-up but being here, close to you and my daughter is good enough.” Nitin continued, caressing Navya’s back who was now sleeping peacefully in her pram.

“Why should I? And what is the guarantee that you won’t disappear again? Most importantly, who told you that I haven’t moved on?” Priya argued.

Nitin shifted in his seat and thought for a second before replying. Then he began. “Firstly Priya, you should because you love me as much as I do. Second, you should because we have a daughter now. Knowing you, nothing will make you happier than seeing Navya grow up in a complete family rather than with her father’s absence. I won’t leave you because I have learnt my lesson and now looking at this angel face, I realize I was a fool. Being a father is a wonderful feeling, I don’t want to miss it. And most importantly how do I know that you haven’t moved on…”

He paused, waiting for Priya to register and then said, “Because you haven’t said yes to Sushant. We all know Sushant has loved you all along and you both have been best of friends. Still you haven’t said yes to his proposal, is my assurance that you haven’t.”

He waited for a reaction and when he didn’t get any, he leaned ahead and said “Marry me Priya.”

UBC Day 29 - Confusion - 27

Sushant couldn’t understand what Priya meant. She had just been through a lot and he didn’t want to bank upon her emotional vent out. He gave her a quick hug and left.

It took Priya a better part of the hour to comprehend what she had just been through. Just yesterday, when she had resolved to not think about Nitin anymore, he had now come and stood in front of her once again. He knew about Navya and he wanted her whereabouts. On the other hand Sushant had been more than a friend and displayed his love openly.

A million questions hovered in her head. “Was she using Sushant’s love? Was Nitin really concerned and had really changed? Was she being too strict with Nitin by not letting him to explain? Will it be wrong to Sushant if she gave a second chance to Nitin? What did her last words to Sushant mean? Was she really in love with Sushant or she was just giving in to vulnerable situation? Will it be justified for Sushnt to bear the brunt of her past relationship? What was it that Sushant looking, did he know what future could be if they were together? Why was Deepti supporting Nitin?”

She was in middle of her thoughts when Deepti came in. She was in tears. She wanted to apologize and realized the mistake she had done by agreeing to help Nitin.

Seeing her friend in distress made Priya guilty. Maybe she overreacted in front of Nitin. Maybe she became too vulnerable or too rigid to allow him to explain.

She called up Sushant for advice. He suggested that she must meet him and give a chance to explain. Upon her insistence, he agreed to come along with her to meet and arrange a meeting.

No amount of preparation could enable Priya to face Nitin calmly. Just his name reflected all the painful memories of the times she spent alone.

She gathered the courage to read the emails that he had sent. Contrary to the first that she had read couple of nights ago, the other two were full of remorse and guilt. One of the emails read, “How do I explain to you the happiness I get when I think that you actually gave birth to our child. It tells me more than your loving nature; it tells me that you still love me to search for me in our daughter.”

How wrong he was. He did not know that ever since she looked at her daughter for the second time she resolved to not search for her father’s face. She infact never thought of him and imagined him to return.

Another part of email mentioned that he was planning to begin a project in India and will be shifting soon, he mentioned about his broken engagement.

The more she read, the stronger her resolve became. Priya knew without meeting Nitin, he no longer had a space in her life.

But what about Sushant? Did he?

UBC Day 27 - Come back - 25

Continued from Day 26 - Proposal

Priya called up Sushant and told him about her meeting with Deepti and someone whom she was bringing along. She asked him to pick her up in about half an hour and entered the café.

Upon seeing Deepti alone, Priya raised her eyebrow and walked up to her.

She had so much to tell her. Last two days, Sushant’s proposal and her own reaction, she needed her best friend to talk to.

Deepti seemed nervous. Priya questioningly looked at her, but she nodded in negative and called for a server. After asking for coffee, Deepti turned in her chair and began uncomfortably “Priya, someone wants to meet you. He says he wants to apologize.”

“Who?” Deepti’s worried looks and these puzzled statements frustrated Priya.

Before Deepti could reply, Priya turned to see Nitin standing behind her.

A shock enveloped her. Priya just sat there looking at him, while he came across and took a seat. Deepti got up and left. Her senses didn’t work. She couldn’t understand that why had her friend supported Nitin of all people.

Nitin sat there, waiting for Priya to respond. She was so numb that she couldn’t comprehend.

“How are you?” Nitin began after a long silence.

“What do you want?” Priya had no time for him or his non-sense.

“Did you get my mails?” He seemed to be adamant.

“Yes, and read about your engagement too.” Priya was surprised at her own bitterness.

It was Nitin’s turn to get shocked. “But Priya I wrote you more mails. Didn’t you read those?”

Priya had no intention of letting him talk more. She got up and moved out of the café. She had just stepped out when she saw Sushant coming.

“Ah! Priya, I thought I was early, but I was already in this area so thought I will say hello to Deepti too…” his voice trailed off as he registered Priya’s ashen expressions.

Before he could continue, he saw Nitin coming behind her. He walked up to them, and pulled her around to face him.

“Where is my daughter?” Nitin asked. 

UBC Day 26 - Proposal - 24

Continued from Day 25 - Meeting

Priya wondered what was wrong with Deepti. The way she called and said that she wanted to meet her and it was urgent, it had worried her. But very next moment she had continued to assure that she was fine and she wanted her to meet someone.

As she got ready to meet Deepti at the café that she had asked, she thought about past few days. Sushant’s sudden declaration of his love had come as a shock.

She had stood there at the door, trying to register his words till her mother bought her inside. Priya couldn’t understand what made Sushant say so, was it actually his love or it was his pity layered with his friendship?

It took a lot of courage to take a step ahead and call back Sushant. She called up and invited him over.

Sushant was quiet for some time when he came. Priya could sense that he was nervous. It had taken a strong resolution to declare his love, but when it came to discuss their future, he was scared of losing his friend.

“Sushant about what you said yesterday…” Priya nervously began.

As if Sushant was waiting for her to begin the topic, he got up and took Priya’s hand in his. “Priya, I guess ever since I have known you I have liked you. I managed to hide my feelings for your sake because you were dating Nitin. Later when he broke your heart and disappeared, something inside me told me to tell you about my feelings then. It broke my heart to see you lost and depressed. However, I didn’t want to be a rebound or take advantage of your situation. I gave you your time. You decided to come back to India and who was I to stop. Last few times I came to see you, I couldn’t gather up the courage. In the end, I had to tell aunty. She gave me the assurance and encouraged me to talk to you. Yesterday I saw that probably you were ready to move on and I somehow managed to tell you.”

He paused for a while and continued. “I love you, but that does not mean you have to accept me too. You don’t have to say anything if you aren’t willing right now. I’ll wait. All I want you to know is that I am going to be there by your side whenever you want.” He gave her hand a little squeeze and backed away.

In that moment, Sushant’s unbound friendship flashed in front of her eyes. He had never judged her, he never let her down. He had been there with her in thick and thin. However, she could not muster up the courage to trust again.

“Give me some time Sushant. I don’t think I can answer you right now. Thank you for everything. You have been there even when I wasn’t sure of myself. But no matter how hard I try, I cannot let go.” Priya slowly tried to put her point across.

Sushant moved ahead and stopped her. “There isn’t a need. I can well understand your emotions after all you have been through. However, I just want you to think in that direction…

Call from Deepti had interrupted their conversation.

UBC Day 25 - Meeting - 23

Continued from Friends - 22

Deepti was seated against him in a café. He had called her up and requested her to meet up. Her first instinct was to deny, knowing Priya, discussing her private life without her knowledge was not a great idea. However, he had insisted that she met him and she reluctantly agreed.

Deepti wondered how he got her number, but since she had this same number for last eight years, it wasn’t a secret anyway.

She sat there with a coffee in front of her while he explained last three years of his life, his love to Priya and request that he wanted to marry her.

It was evident that he loved her. He asked her about Navya. Deepti refused to provide any details about Priya’s present life.

“What do you want me to do?” she finally asked.

“I want to meet her or speak to her.” he said.

“Why don’t you call her yourself?” Deepti questioned.

“I don’t have her number or her address. I wrote many mails, she replied to none.” Nitin replied with a sigh.

Deepti reluctantly agreed to take him to Priya’s home. He really was sorry. Looking at Priya, the way she was, she deserved all the happiness. Deepti hoped that Priya will be able to forgive Nitin and accept him back in her life.

One can never estimate the epitome of other’s pain. What Deepti didn’t understand that each of us handle grief differently. She had not understood the void that had been created in Priya’s life when Nitin left, which she had managed to cover up with smaller pleasures with Navya and her work.

She called up Priya and asked her to meet up.

UBC Day 24 - Friend - 22

“So he didn’t know. He didn’t know that he had a daughter and had expected her to move on so easily. How could Nitin be so cruel?” Priya sat in front of her computer, staring at the email that she had just finished reading and cried uncontrollably.

She had to put her laptop away, she didn’t want to read any more mails from the person who had conveniently signed her off his life. She got up and switched off her laptop.

Wiping her tears, Priya kissed her daughter and lied down next to her. She bitterly thought of Nitin who had taken the fact for granted that once he wasn’t there, she would abort.

Remembering the day at doctor’s clinic where she asked for her options, a sudden guilt enveloped her. She hugged her little princess and silently apologized. She dreaded the day when her daughter would want to know the entity of her father.

Between her sobs she let out a silent prayer for God to give her strength to love her daughter enough to make up for a missing parent, and wished that her daughter never finds out about her thoughts when she was conceived.

Next morning, Sushant’s call woke her up. It was a cold early morning. Looking at the time, she found it surprising that he called at that hour. Then she wondered that maybe due to time difference he forgot and answered with a sleepy Hello.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me that Delhi is this cold in January?” Sushant’s voice boomed through the speakers. Priya could clearly hear teeth chattering.

“What? What are you doing in Delhi?” Priya tried to get up while making sense of what he was telling.

“Nothing. I will tell you, you have one hour, I am coming to your home. Ok bye for now, I need to get in the cab to get out of this cold.” Sushant finished his part and ended the call.

That was so typically Sushant. Priya annoyingly thought about his lack of planning and got out of the bed. In the kitchen, her mother seemed to be in good mood and was preparing her favourite mother. The smell of butter over her favourite paranthas replaced annoyance with a smile, and Priya got onto helping her mother with setting up the breakfast table for themselves.

Sushant was home, just in time for breakfast. His chirpy self was gone. He was serious and seemed tired. Priya served him breakfast and announced that he wasn’t going to the hotel and staying with them. However, this time he was sure that he wanted to.

He was ready to leave after breakfast. Priya went to see him to the door. However, he stopped in his tracks.

“What?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I have to tell you something.” He replied.

“Go ahead.” She walked ahead and opened the door for him.

He stepped out and turned. “Priya, please listen to this peacefully. I am here in Delhi to see you. We have been great friends, but I don’t know when I began loving you. I know all about you and your past, but if there is one person I want to marry or settle down with, it’s you. Please call me if you think you can talk to me about this. I’ll be waiting.”

With these words, he turned and walked away to waiting taxi, leaving Priya stunned and cold in Delhi winter morning.