Rue

"And I couldn't give a reason                                                                

 Champagne problems….."  

Taylor Swift's arousing, heart-rending rendition successfully broke her trance.

"Hello"

"Apu, Apu, Apu, Viny here!"

"Oh! Anything urgent?"

"Urgent? Umm yeah, yeah, definitely urgent! Do you know Babe where I am now? I'm here, in this dazzling County, in Los Angeles, Gal, I am here, at your city!"

"Oh!"

"'Oh' What 'Oh' Babe?! We haven't met for seven months! Seven freaking months! Can you believe it? See, I am here with two of my office colleagues; a sudden weekend trip, you know. Came here by car only; ahh! 6 hours tiring journey it was! Anyway, lodging at a fine place at El Segundo and we are gonna meet tomorrow itself…."

"Vinu, sorry dear, but this weekend is packed and in fact, I have to attend another usual pathetic meeting at 9:10, so…."

"Aah! So we are not gonna meet even being just a few kilometres away from each other!" dejectedly sighed the usual chirpy Vinita.

"Sorry, darl! But you know what professional commitments are, right?"

"Yep, I know and I understand. But you have to promise me that we are gonna meet super soon and hope you haven't forgotten that you're yet to see my new apartment…"

"Oops! Vinu, the meeting link is here! Hanging up, take care!"

"Oh! You too, bye!"

Lies.                                                                                  

Web of lies.

Aparna glanced at the time on her phone's screen. Nearly fifty-two hours, since she got that call from her father. Her mother's shrill cries being the background music of the call, her father had informed her in a low broken voice, about the tragic, irreparable loss.

She had not spoken to her mother ever since, for she did not know what to say to an ill-fated daughter whose ailing mother breathed her last cradled up in her arms. But most importantly she was afraid of breaking down. Breaking down in the call, in front of her mother, would make it even more unbearable and painful for the newly anguished orphan.

And around 13,000 km's away, Parna Devi was kind of relieved on not getting any call from her forlorn daughter as she did not want to breakdown in the call, in front of her daughter for she knew losing a grandmother was not easy too; she knew that it was agonizing her daughter as much as it was to her.

Aparna reached for the water bottle from her comfy bin bag and reduced the water level to half in one gulp as if the tranquil water would soothe down the storm in her heart.

But it was not only grief and anguish which drowned her; there was something more that was tormenting her to an extent that she was unable to take it anymore.

She got off from her ritzy seat, walked towards the balcony with baby steps, settled down on her newly designed mattress, covered herself with the duvet and lit up a cigarette.

She had obviously never smoked in front of her family back in Kolkata, but Didu had sensed it on her first visit itself after getting the job in LA.

"Your lips have lost that rosy glow and has become chapped!" she had remarked while sipping down her tea. Apu timidly looked up at her dark brown orbs. "Use a good lip balm, dear, I know it's a bit too cold there", she said with a playful smile on her own whitening lips. Apu had known that she was caught.

Beep – beep. There was a sudden vibration in her pajama pocket.

"How are you doing? Don't worry she is in a better place now. Take care."

Shubham it was. The fellow Bengali in her office; a jolly and amiable lad.

Aparna replied with a smiley and folded hands. She had been doing the same for all the consolatory messages she had been receiving for the past two days.

Two days.

It's already two freaking days. 

Aparna had bagged a laudable yet laborious project four days back and she was busy preparing for the same on Thursday eve when her phone rang. It was her Baba. No matter how much busy Aparna stayed, she always received her calls from her family. A so-called quality of hers, as termed by her dear office colleagues and acquaintances.

She started sobbing in the call itself while the curious yet concerned gazes surrounded her. As she was informing the anxious beings about the misfortune, she suddenly realized that she would not be able to see the angelic face again. 13000 km took 17 damn hours; her sobs accelerated. She kept on receiving pats, warm hugs while another realization hit her. It was harsher and traumatizing; which eventually turned her sobs into howls. She felt as being pulled down into a fathomless ocean of guilt and self-loathing. She could not breathe.

Guilt, grief and regret is dangerous combination.

"Where's now?

"Victoria, Didu", Aparna had answered while vigorously searching for her sling purse.

"And what about our tea sessions?"

"Umm maybe next day"

"Your friends could've never asked for a better tour guide, I swear", Didu had remarked with a crooked smile.

Aparna did not blink back her tears now. She let them moist her cheeks and drifted back to those days.

"They wanna try the best dishes actually."

"So, that's what I am saying, I can make more or less the best Bengali dishes!" Mother had retorted back.

"But they wanna taste the Indian cuisine, from south to north, east to west!"

"But, when you…"

"Ahh, Pari, let them be! They are kids at the end, let them enjoy!" Didu had to intervene, as always.

"Thankssss Didu! But wait, I will be late so our tea sesh…."

"Is postponed! Didu had said with a small smile.

Pure plastic smile it was. But alas, she was realizing now, when the stars were twinkling above her head and the breeze ruffling her bangs.

"Bye Didu, sorry for not giving time and all the…"

"Didn't you like the dress that I stitched for you? I am not boasting but it looks quite fine and…"

"Ahh yes, yes, it's amazing and looks like one bought straight from a fancy shop, as all your handmade ones do obviously, huh!"

Didu had blushed like a teen but had immediately made a curious expression and had said, "Then why didn't you wear it now? I had specifically made that for you to arrive in that country with that on; let them see how gracefully you can ace the traditional attires!"

Apu had smiled at her antics and had said in an apologetic tone, "So sorry Didu, but you know, that's a bit gorgeous one for an airport look, I mean…I promise that I will wear it there and go to the office too with that on…and yeah I will bring one hell of a dress next time for you, you just see!"

"I hope I can have the opportunity to wear that!"

"You never speak like this! What's wrong? Tell me, aren't you feeli…"

"Apu! We're getting late; the cab's here...Oh! Diddu goodbye and, again thank you so much for the hospitality, it has been awesome here! Her friend Delsy had said with an American accent and a warm smile.

"Take care, Didu! I'll be back!"

That was it.

Aparna puffed the last bit of the cigar and looked up at the stars with puffy eyes. Her mind was congested with a whirlpool of thoughts, memories, moments, regret, anguish and pain, all at the same time.

Her visit was rightly called a 'tour to Kolkata' by her mother, not a visit to the home.

She did not know that her second visit to Kolkata after shifting to LA more than four years back; will be her last visit to Didu. She did not know that her postponed tea sessions with Didu would never happen. 

She did have plans to visit Kolkata this summer, alone, but she could manage only a week off; and as the jet lag itself would consume two or more days apart from travelling of course; there was no point in going. The family was disappointed but while her parents showed, Didu did not. 

There was nothing she could do now except muttering a mere sorry.

But she did not choose that path.

Instead, while looking at the glittering bodies, she proceeded to say, "We can have our tea sessions up there, Didu, cause I know souls meet, they reunite…..but we will, we will have them only if you want to, and till then I...am...and..will be the one waiting, you take care, I love you, yes I do."