First rains will have three of us dance on our terrace, paying no heed to Maa’s scoldings. Later on she would join us in the celebration, enjoying the rains than worrying about the repercussions. Days changed to months changed years. After school, Anand, the oldest of us three left home to study in Trichy. He was the brightest in his batch and Baba Maa were beaming with pride when he got through a top college to finish engineering. I took up English Honors in a local Madras college.
Those were amazing days, I would walk to the local train station early at six thirty and get down at the station closest to college and walk to my classes again. My friends Madhu and Arjun would give me company. Days changed to months changed to years and things were getting better. I was considering a course in Mass Communications, loved doing radio and T.V. shows for my college. Anand got a job in a top firm. Payal took up part time studies and took up a job in a school for mentally challenged kids. That was her dedication to the social work and none of us had any objections on her at times tiring herself out doing her self accepted duty.
Somehow life was about to change and none of us were aware of the fact. I would never forget that summer when everything changed...forever.
Maa wasn’t very well that evening. Both Baba and Payal hadn’t returned for work. Lot of work needed to be done. Anand was completing his degree and returning home the next morning. Maa and Baba had organized a puja on his homecoming to thank the gods for the good luck their son got home. I was home, exams done, now I was preparing for job interviews. The telephone line was dead. Maa was getting jittery and kept pacing the house. She asked
“Aruna, why isn’t your father back as yet. Payal should also have been home by now. They are delaying stuff. I need to arrange everything for the Puja tomorrow. Its dark already, can.t send you to fetch stuff and my headache wont spare me.”
I could sense worry in her tone. I looked at the grandfather clock I the drawing room. It was plain six thirty, not that late. Baba and Payal were usually back by this time but they did strech limits due to work. Somehow the issue was different.
“Maa, it isn’t that late. Why are you so worried? They would be on their way back. Why don’t you lie down, you are already unwell.”
“Its not that dear, I don’t have a good feeling about today. Anxiety is filling my mind. If they are back soon I’d be relieved. Did Anand call? Has he boarded the train or bus already?”
“No, Maa. He hasn’t , the phone is not working. He would have called Baba’s office. Don’t worry Maa, get some rest. I am sure things are fine.”
Maa kept complaining but somehow I managed to get her to bed. I walked her to her room. A light summer loo was filling the house creating a slight unrest due to the heat. Maa lied down on her bed and held my hand, “ I don’t have a very good feeling Aruna”.
“Don’t worry Maa, you are unnecessarily tensing yourself!”
It was weird to see Maa so anxious and it was beginning to race my nerves too. I checked on the grandfather clock, it was nearing seven in the evening. A gust of wind allowed my dressing mirror to fall of the table and the glass shattered. Now I wasn’t superstitious in general, but the glass shattering did somehow made me feel weird. I dint want Maa to get up and worry about this now. I ran to check her room, she was sleeping peacefully. I picked up the telephone receiver, it was still dead.
