Yes - Part 2

You can read the First Part HERE.

Mishka kept pacing up and down her room holding a letter in each hand while the bed sheet was veiled by 50 more letters Ajay had written to her over the years. “Mishka, clean up and stop freaking out, he must have gotten the job by now and he will come and talk to Aunt tomorrow itself”, chided Neha, her elder sister. Frustrated she threw the letter about the interview in her home made pond of letters but not the crumpled, already on the verge of tearing, eight months old one. She went over to her desk and pulled out the lavender diary Ajay had given to her 2 days after her parent’s death. Just as she touched it the past 5 years of her life flashed right in front of her eyes.

 She was singing on the compound wall of Mantra Uncle’s mango orchard while Ravi and Ajay played their guitar. Neha and Sameera stared in awe as Mishka sang the first song she ever had ever written and Ajay already seemed to know the tune to the song written for him. Mishka and Sameera were the two young ducks of the gang but the naughtiest too. Mishka always had a crush on Sameera’s tall dark and handsome brother, the best flirt in the world, but today she had decided to make him acknowledge that she was going to be his from now on. All of them indulged in their new new found hobby of shayaris and Mishka used this opportunity for her “Love Confession”.

‘Rangeen hasraton ki khawhish

Judi hai tujhse yaara

Bas yunhi aakhon aakhon mein guftagu ho

Ae khushnuma mera dildaara

Tasavur mein na ho aise khwabon ka manzaar

Jaisa hai yeh aalam aaj humare darmiyaan

Chup si baatein bas ho rahi hai

Kuch yaahan kuch wahaan’

She saw a naughty smile and a blissful blush on Ajay’s face and thought “God don’t make him think of me as a hopeless romantic or a kid with a huge crush and no idea about what love means.” They always spent hours near this orchard, at the dusk, tired from their cycling venture which made them feel like they’ve seen the world, feeding the ducks in the ever diminishing local pond. But that day they met early and decided to explore the streets till the sunlight had no speck of its shine on the azure heavens. Post the guitar session they went into the orchard to collect some green mangoes laden on the boughs of the burdened trees.  While others were busy selecting stones, she kept staring at a busy Ajay who was scribbling something on a paper. When he finally decided to join the notorious party he handed her some stones he had collected and along with them was the scribbled note.

“khwahish meri ho khwahish teri

Bas kabse thi yeh khwahish meri

Aaj hai who puri hui

Hai, he kya yeh khush naseebi meri.”

And maybe you thought so but I don’t think you are a hopeless romantic. You will always be the talented little tom boy for me.”

Nothing could wipe the smile off her face after that, nothing; but something that happened about an hour later changed everything. Neha and she came tripping and humming to their aunt’s house where they were going to spend the night as their parents were off to a wedding. “Whenever you girls come I have to cook so many things, how does your mother tolerate your tantrums. And you’ve come so late now I’ll have to heat up everything again”, complained Chachi (aunt) while Neha kept increasing the sound of the TV and Mishka pestered her dearest aunt “Only you jhelofy our tantrums chachi.” Just then the phone rang and Chachi hurried, still mumbling at the girls. The girls were giggling loudly but the whole world came to a stand still for them when it was pierced by their aunt’s uncontrollable cry.

Twenty minutes later their uncle came home and rushed the girls to a Krupanandan Hospital and their aunt had still not said anything. Uncle called over Neha first and a weepy Neha told an inconsolable Mishka their dad had died in a car accident and mom was in coma. Four hours later their mom gave up too and Mishka’s world was reduced to nothingness. Just then Ajay and his parents reached the hospital and without a word Ajay went over to Mishka and held her for dear life like he would never let go of her. Everything had changed for her but somehow Ajay’s warm embrace made her feel safe and believe this is as bad as things can get but she will survive this trauma. Hours passed worried wailing people passed up and down but all she could hear was her own sobs and feel numbness around her. God knows when she slept but she woke up in her aunt’s house to find a calm Ajay sitting across her bed. None of them said a word but that very moment she knew she lost her parents but she will never lose him. Time kind of froze in that very moment until it was externally reset by someone calling “Mishka, come down for dinner.”