Chapter 5: A Peek
in the Past
"Geetu!
Ezhunthirudi (wake up!)" Anu screamed from the kitchen while busily preparing
the morning filter coffee. There was a slight stir on the bed. Anu knew Geet
would never wake up without her physically shaking her up to wake up. Geet was
22-years-old, yet alarm clocks, shouting, or no amount of loud music could wake
Geet up. Everyday, Anu would personally go and wake her daughter up. She knew
Arvind had spoiled her a lot but she couldn't help smiling herself at her
daughter. After she was born both Anu and Arvind showered all their love on
her. She was their happiness, their life. After Anu's family had shunned her
for marrying her love, Arvind Krishna Handa, whom she met in her law college,
she found it difficult to cope as she was bereft of her family.
Anu came from a traditional and
orthodox Iyer family from a tiny town known as Kumbakonam. Her father along
with her family had shifted to Bombay to find a better job and better
opportunities. Although her family was very conservative, they had let her
study law, as she really wanted to become a lawyer. Joining the prestigious, Indian Law
Society's Law College she made sure she made her parents proud of their
decision to become a good lawyer. While in college she had met Arvind Krishna
Handa, her future husband. After the initial hiccups both fell in love and
decided to marry but the main problem was she was from a pure Tamil Brahmin
family while he came from a typical Punjabi background. Both families disagreed
and there was outright opposition from them.
Having no support from both
families, Anu and Arvind married against their parents' wishes. Coming to know
about their marriage both their families had shunned them out. But Arvind took
all the pains to keep her happy. They had struggled a lot but it was worth it.
After marrying, both successfully passed the Bar exams and set up a small Law
firm. The business was initially slow and they struggled a lot to maintain it.
They faced so many problems and criticisms, and without both their families to
support they were left to fend for themselves. In spite of their hard struggle,
they both managed to keep their love for each other alive. In the midst of
trying to establish their lives, their daughter was born, Geetanjali. She was
their gift from God, a solace to their wounds, and finally, she was their love.
Both Anu and Arvind had spoiled her to the core to make sure she gets all the
happiness in the world. They had watched her grow up into a fine young lady,
but still they considered her a little kid. Geetu was their little angel sent
from heaven. Today, Geet was supposed to catch a flight to Delhi to attend her
first job interview. And like always, she was running late.
"Geet, wake up," Anu said while
slightly shaking the sleeping Geet. "You are already running late, come on get
ready quickly so that you can catch the flight on time," Anu said while
removing the blanket that covered Geet.
"Amma, please just two more minutes
and then I shall wake up promise," Geet croaked half asleep, while trying to
cover herself with the blanket.
"Podi (go) I know your tricks now
come on wake up before I myself pull you out of bed," Anu warned. Geet knew she
was running out of options and reluctantly got out bed while saying a quick
morning prayer. Opening her eyes, she looked at her mother, and smiled a cheesy
smile and looked at the digital clock. It read 8:30 AM, 12th January
2006. She gasped looking at the clock she was indeed late. She gave a quick
kiss to her mother before dashing to the bathroom to get ready. Taking a quick
shower, she rushed to the pooja room for the morning prayers and came running
to the dining table to catch a bite before she headed to the airport. She saw
her dad quietly sipping the filter coffee and, which her had loved to become
accustomed to because his wife would drink only coffee in the morning. He would
have preferred some nice adhrak wala chai but he had no complaints for his wife
had lovingly prepared the morning coffee. He would take anything made by his
loving wife. He was taking a look at the newspaper when Geet came running to
the dining table in her favorite red salwar suit.
"Hello Pappa, a very good morning!"
Geet said while pulling the chair next to him.
"Hello mera baccha, a very very
good morning to you too!" he said while giving her a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Did you prepare yourself well for the interview?" he asked.
"Haan Pappa sab kuch tayyar hai.
Amma has packed everything for me, and all the paper work is also done. My
friends gave me some tips on what to expect from the interview," she said
excitedly.
"Do you really have to work in
Delhi? Is there no other company here in Bombay where you can find the same
job?" Arvind asked a little disappointed by the fact that if she got selected
then she would have to stay away from him. He would never want his daughter to
stay away from him.
"Of course Pappa, it is really
important. Aapko pata hai na that company is the number one construction
company. And getting an interview from there is like my dream come true. Aap
please fikar mat keejiye I shall be fine," Geet assured her father although she
knew he was still unhappy about her decision to work in Delhi. It had taken a
lot of effort to persuade him to allow her to work. Doing her undergraduation
from the top architectural college with flying colors allowed her to be
selected for interview for junior architect assistant by a top construction
company and she did not want to miss the chance. It would be hard for her too
to stay away from her loving parents but it won't be long before she would be
back in Bombay, she assured herself. Finally finishing her breakfast she gathered all her things
to leave to airport.
Seeing her all ready to leave while
Anu took the car keys to drop her off to the airport, Arvind pleaded, "Kya main
bhi aa sakti hoon please? I also want to come to the airport to see you off."
With his puppy large and innocent eyes he looked at Geet for a chance to go to
airport with her.
"Nahi Pappa please you stay here I
really don't want too much tamasha and crying when I leave for the flight.
Behtar hai ki aap yahaan hi bye keh deejiye," Geet tried convincing her father
who was near to breaking down seeing his daughter leave for the airport. She
knew he would break down at the airport seeing her leave and seeing him in that
condition would just kill her so she had asked her father to stay at home to
make it easier for both of them. But her father was not convinced he promised
not to put up a show in the airport. With a lot of cajoling and assuring that
she would be fine, she finally left to the airport with her mother.
Reaching the airport drop off area,
she hugged and kissed her mom who was slightly crying a little. Anu also didn't
want Geet to go but she knew this job would be good for her so she put a brave
face and convinced Arvind to let Geet go and attend the interview. Geet said
her good byes, picked up her luggage, and waved a final good bye to her mom.
She had insisted her mother also to just drop her off in the airport and not
wait until she boarded the flight because it would be really hard letting her
go. Even though her mother had put a brave face, she knew she would break down
too.
While she was crossing the
road to the main entrance of the airport, a black color Mercedes car came to a
screeching halt in front of her.
ok guys i couldnt stop myself from writing this part because i wanted u guys to get a peek of y geet speaks 2 lang n the hist of her parents n plus its 1 step closer to maaneet meeting 😉
Edited by Maaneet_09 - 13 years ago
comment:
p_commentcount