Desperate Wings - 2
Nandita keeps comparing her life, sometimes to her neighbors and others to a highway road...
This is not the story of the person who gave the idea or of the person who is writing. Thanks for the comment:)
"Uh... Hello!"
Obviously she was expecting to know who was at their door. Realizing that, Nandita said, extending her hand, "I'm Nandita... Nandita Das."
The lady's eyes shone with recognition. "Ah! Please come inside...."
Nandita wanted to say yes but she heard herself saying, "I guess you are busy with the unpacking and stuff..."
The lady who hadn't yet said her name continued insisting, "You must come. We'd love the company. I was just preparing some evening snacks."
Nandita felt herself being pulled inside by the lady. 'Maybe it wouldn't be as bad', thought Nandita. The lady talked about how beautiful that place was. How lucky she was to have settled here. Nandita seemingly forgot how sore her mood was. The door was like the rest of the house, ornately designed with modern art. Nandita heard a small baby's cry. It rang in her ears; she loved babies, their smiles and cries.
A male voice from inside came, "Natasha! Someone's crying for your attention." There was humor in that voice and care. "We have a guest, Viren!" they entered the house. There was bright light flooding the huge drawing room. The male voice was Natasha's husband. Natasha- Viren. And a one year old baby. Lucky folks.
Natasha said to her husband who looked on, the baby nestled in his arms, "Viren, this is Nandita, the Das's daughter."
He smiled and spoke politely, "Please, have a seat. Natasha, get us all a hot cup of coffee, please..." she glared mockingly at him so he said, "It's a beg!".
She cheered and gave a thumbs up sign and was about to turn when Nandita said, "No really, it's alright. I'm on an evening out so..."
Viren said urging Natasha to go on, "No... no... the coffee's for us, you'll just get your share." He laughed at his own joke and then motioned for Nandita to feel comfortable.
Nandita sat gracefully, taking care to avoid hitting any of the cartons lying around.
"Forgive the mess. We started unpacking some time ago...."
Nandita said with a wave of her hand, "Oh don't worry I see this all the time! Mostly in the houses on the outskirts." Somehow she was starting to like this family. Their openness and frankness made her comfortable. Natasha came in with a tray. On it were arranged beautifully designed tall cups and a bowl of chips. Modern art. With a dip of her head she placed the tray on the side table and worked her way to the sofa to sit next to Viren. The baby had quietened down and was now smiling at Nandita's attempts to make her laugh. Nandita said accepting the coffee from Natasha, "My parents said you had asked about me so I decided to drop in." She shrugged and said with a tight smile, "Sorry for not informing beforehand."
Natasha chimed in, "Hey! Neighbors don't have to give prior information, whatsoever!"
The coffee was really good. The chips were a formality, a hastily opened packet of 'Lays' decorated in a bowl. She had never served snacks to any of her friends... they had never come over... because every time she had wanted them to come over, her mother's friends were due to come. Alas! She wondered if she would ever get a chance to be a simple wife like Natasha- with a newly painted house and a husband and a baby... a family.
Viren was a wonderful host, he kept both the ladies and the baby entertained with his witty remarks and cool dude attitude.
"How is it going with your architecture? Your parents said you were really good in planning malls and museums. Um... I guess one of the Radiant Hindustan museums, the one in Pondicherry was designed by you..."
Interesting, did her parents tell them that? "No... no... it was a partnership thing...."
Natasha said softly, "You are just being humble Nandita...."
Time passed quickly with Natasha and Viren. It was almost 8:30 p.m. in Nandita's watch. Her evening out- alone, empty. "I'll take my leave, thanks for your time. You are welcome to my house... anytime." Nandita said. 'If mum's friends don't end up before you guys!' She waved to the baby and then smiling, left in her car. The couple waved back from the doorway as she left. Viren's arm was wrapped around his wife who held their baby. Ugh! Why was she thinking of them as a dream she had wanted, and not as the very normal people there.
As the Santro turned the corner and the Taj hotel came into view, she saw herself standing in the doorway of a beautiful house, smiling, with lipstick and a bindi (a small dot placed between the eyebrows), waving goodbye to her husband. Her husband was fair and handsome and was missing her as he left for office. A car horn from behind brought her back to the unwanted reality she was living in. Sighing, Nandita gave her keys to the valet who had come to park her car. She yanked out her purse from the glove compartment and strolled towards the hotel. The designs on the walls, on the pillars no longer mattered to her. All she saw was the road, the gravel which was beaten into place by the millions of Mumbai. Not one stone was out of place like the village roads. 'In cities,' she thought settling in a corner of the hotel on a table for two, 'one has to fit in the society, those who don't fit in, are kicked out like that loose stone on a highway road....'
Two hours and a hundred miserable thoughts later, Nandita left the hotel. She had ice-cream, salad and keeping her health in mind, fried rice. Nothing special for her special day.
Late that night Nandita sat by her table, working on the layout till 2: 30 a.m., she had to leave early next morning, for her new office.
"Uh... Hello!"
Obviously she was expecting to know who was at their door. Realizing that, Nandita said, extending her hand, "I'm Nandita... Nandita Das."
The lady's eyes shone with recognition. "Ah! Please come inside...."
Nandita wanted to say yes but she heard herself saying, "I guess you are busy with the unpacking and stuff..."
The lady who hadn't yet said her name continued insisting, "You must come. We'd love the company. I was just preparing some evening snacks."
Nandita felt herself being pulled inside by the lady. 'Maybe it wouldn't be as bad', thought Nandita. The lady talked about how beautiful that place was. How lucky she was to have settled here. Nandita seemingly forgot how sore her mood was. The door was like the rest of the house, ornately designed with modern art. Nandita heard a small baby's cry. It rang in her ears; she loved babies, their smiles and cries.
A male voice from inside came, "Natasha! Someone's crying for your attention." There was humor in that voice and care. "We have a guest, Viren!" they entered the house. There was bright light flooding the huge drawing room. The male voice was Natasha's husband. Natasha- Viren. And a one year old baby. Lucky folks.
Natasha said to her husband who looked on, the baby nestled in his arms, "Viren, this is Nandita, the Das's daughter."
He smiled and spoke politely, "Please, have a seat. Natasha, get us all a hot cup of coffee, please..." she glared mockingly at him so he said, "It's a beg!".
She cheered and gave a thumbs up sign and was about to turn when Nandita said, "No really, it's alright. I'm on an evening out so..."
Viren said urging Natasha to go on, "No... no... the coffee's for us, you'll just get your share." He laughed at his own joke and then motioned for Nandita to feel comfortable.
Nandita sat gracefully, taking care to avoid hitting any of the cartons lying around.
"Forgive the mess. We started unpacking some time ago...."
Nandita said with a wave of her hand, "Oh don't worry I see this all the time! Mostly in the houses on the outskirts." Somehow she was starting to like this family. Their openness and frankness made her comfortable. Natasha came in with a tray. On it were arranged beautifully designed tall cups and a bowl of chips. Modern art. With a dip of her head she placed the tray on the side table and worked her way to the sofa to sit next to Viren. The baby had quietened down and was now smiling at Nandita's attempts to make her laugh. Nandita said accepting the coffee from Natasha, "My parents said you had asked about me so I decided to drop in." She shrugged and said with a tight smile, "Sorry for not informing beforehand."
Natasha chimed in, "Hey! Neighbors don't have to give prior information, whatsoever!"
The coffee was really good. The chips were a formality, a hastily opened packet of 'Lays' decorated in a bowl. She had never served snacks to any of her friends... they had never come over... because every time she had wanted them to come over, her mother's friends were due to come. Alas! She wondered if she would ever get a chance to be a simple wife like Natasha- with a newly painted house and a husband and a baby... a family.
Viren was a wonderful host, he kept both the ladies and the baby entertained with his witty remarks and cool dude attitude.
"How is it going with your architecture? Your parents said you were really good in planning malls and museums. Um... I guess one of the Radiant Hindustan museums, the one in Pondicherry was designed by you..."
Interesting, did her parents tell them that? "No... no... it was a partnership thing...."
Natasha said softly, "You are just being humble Nandita...."
Time passed quickly with Natasha and Viren. It was almost 8:30 p.m. in Nandita's watch. Her evening out- alone, empty. "I'll take my leave, thanks for your time. You are welcome to my house... anytime." Nandita said. 'If mum's friends don't end up before you guys!' She waved to the baby and then smiling, left in her car. The couple waved back from the doorway as she left. Viren's arm was wrapped around his wife who held their baby. Ugh! Why was she thinking of them as a dream she had wanted, and not as the very normal people there.
As the Santro turned the corner and the Taj hotel came into view, she saw herself standing in the doorway of a beautiful house, smiling, with lipstick and a bindi (a small dot placed between the eyebrows), waving goodbye to her husband. Her husband was fair and handsome and was missing her as he left for office. A car horn from behind brought her back to the unwanted reality she was living in. Sighing, Nandita gave her keys to the valet who had come to park her car. She yanked out her purse from the glove compartment and strolled towards the hotel. The designs on the walls, on the pillars no longer mattered to her. All she saw was the road, the gravel which was beaten into place by the millions of Mumbai. Not one stone was out of place like the village roads. 'In cities,' she thought settling in a corner of the hotel on a table for two, 'one has to fit in the society, those who don't fit in, are kicked out like that loose stone on a highway road....'
Two hours and a hundred miserable thoughts later, Nandita left the hotel. She had ice-cream, salad and keeping her health in mind, fried rice. Nothing special for her special day.
Late that night Nandita sat by her table, working on the layout till 2: 30 a.m., she had to leave early next morning, for her new office.
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