Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Her grandmother had kept her name; she was Nanaki to the world, but pyaar se nanu to her Daadi. All those loving endearment, love showered to her and the gentle prodding to do better had all stopped when Raj had presented to her parents. Matches made in heaven, don’t worry she can study later, she will have a comfortable life, what more does she want and well she was married. How easily we let a girl be manipulated by these words by our well-wishers? It was as if she wasn’t a living human being who didn’t dream or have hopes , but just the fact she was a girl , her only raison de arte in life was to get married. God had let her take birth so she may marry and procreate.

Shrugging these thoughts, she was rudely woken out of her day dreaming when someone dropped a bag on her feet. Curbing an expletive, she looked up shaken from her reverie, and met a little girl who was holding tightly a harassed man’s hand, presumably her father. She said sorry was ready to cry, as her father kept on saying Rukhsana what is wrong with you? Can’t you be careful? Look what you did. Aunty is hurt.

N didn’t know what to say, she got up and her bag fell in the same way again on her feet, and she looked at the little girl with the dimpled cheeks and started laughing. This was so typical of her, to have things falling at her and she would get hurt and smile and move on.

Taking the little girls hand she said, ‘Its ok’.

It doesn’t hurt; look all the fingers are fine!

Nothing prepared her, for the little girls answer, who said, Aunty I can see your tears.

She made space for the little girl, who sat with her on the same berth. Her father, apologetic, uncomfortable in front of two females who were clearly bonding and he was the alien amongst them.

He sat in front of them, taking off his skullcap and just put his bag on the side and said, Hi! I am Anwar and am travelling to Malerkotla to drop off Rukhsana with Ammi.

He looked so tired, with hair all over the place , some seem to be sticking in all angles, and he seemed awfully young . And, then she was caught like a deer which gets stunned and paralysed with lights from an incoming car.It was his yes that just were so beautiful ,like melted chocolate.

She quickly averted her eyes , and looked out of the window, what was wrong with her?N , was a sucker for sexy eyes, eyes that were the windows to the world, to the honesty that reflected in them but at this point.Mad, mad she was.