Mahil :
Tying the knot of her dupatta, she joined the hands and bent forward performing the initial mudra. Glee in her eyes as she started moving gracefully on those ghungroo laden feet was so contagious that I found myself smiling as well. The way she became one with the music, I admired her more. It was difficult to tell whether she danced on the melody or competed with one, because she never missed mimicking a single beat regardless of quick paced it would get. Every minute detail, every alaap and alankar , she just knew how to recreate it. Probably, that was how my father fell in love with her. She was the personified version of the art he worshipped.
"Mahil, what are you smiling at, bachha?" She looked in my direction while picking the diya from the floor.
"How did you two fall in love?" I pouted.
Widening the eyes, she had a hearty laugh. Placing the lamp aside she picked me up and pecked my cheek, "Oh darling, aren't you too small for such questions?"
Wiping the cheek, I protested throwing my arms and legs in air, "Mom! Put me down! Your son is not a small kid anymore. Today is my first day at elementary school. Amelia will also be there."
"Someone's got a crush," She teased making me hide behind the shield of my palms.
"Aww, is that why you want to know how your father and I fell in love?" She quizzed.
Bobbing my head, I asked, "Will she love me the way Dad loves you if I dance just the way you do?"
"My baby wants to learn dancing?" She smiled.
"I'll dance with my wife, like dad does with you and everyone will clap for us, too," I bowed with one hand hanging in air, imagining it to be held by my wife.
"And when are you getting married, Mahil Malhotra?" Steadying me with one hand, she picked diya with the other one.
Tapping the chin with my index finger, I wondered. A toothy grin made its way to my face the very next moment, "When I grow this tall," I signaled an inch above her head with my palm.
She chuckled, "I must start looking for a beautiful bride soon then."
Shaking my head, I mumbled, "No, I'll bring her to you."
"How are you going to find her?" She asked surprised.
"Easy! I'll look for the girl who looks as beautiful as you, with silky black hair and smooth smooth skin." My small fingers grabbed her soft cheek and she laughed further.
Walking ahead, she made me sit on the edge of the bed, "One day you will find her. And with her by your side, it'll never be about how beautiful she looks, how fair and smooth her complexion is. It will always be about how she makes your life so beautiful. With her you'll never feel lonely, even if I won't be there."
"Are you going somewhere?" I pouted with teary eyes.
Kissing the crown of my head she said, "No bachha, mumma can't even imagine a life without her baby, Mahil. And who will help your father in finding his pair of socks every morning if I leave? Anyways, he loves me so much that he'll follow me where ever I go."
I chuckled, "I want my wife to love me the same, will she?"
She nodded, "One day you'll find her because you are fated to meet her. She'll be like the bright sunshine after a cold winter night in your life; her warmth will be enough for you to grow. And after that, you will also have a love story of your own. But till then, wait for her, will you?"
I pouted, not understanding why my mother had tears in her eyes when she talked about the woman who would bring me happiness.
"Mahil, promise me, you'll wait for her," She forwarded her hand.
"Promise," I nodded placing my palm over her one. But I panicked noticing how warm her felt.
"Mom, why are you so warm?" A little elder I asked.
"I-" She fell down suddenly as flames of fire surrounded her.
"Mom!" I bellowed terrified as balls of fire burst around her. Forwarding her hand she breathed, "Mahil, don't loose hope. Wait for her."
"Mom!" Shouting, I woke up. Sweat beads covering my forehead and frantic pace of my heartbeats did no good in making me feel even an ounce of peace. Taking long breathes, looking at the wall clock that showed two am; I attempted to make myself understand that it was yet another bad dream. But then how was I to call it a bad one when I had my mother with me in it?
After a long time, I had a dream like this. They stopped troubling me after my first year in Chicago's dance university. What could be the reason of their return? Shaking my head, I walked to the kitchen for getting a glass of water.
Rest of the night went with tossing and turning on the bed as sleep never occurred to me. As the day arrived, my phone buzzed with a text from Freyer reminding me to be ready as it was Wednesday. The day we were to begin choreography for Khuranas. Sending him a thumbs-up, I started with my day.
It was all going fine for the first three days of the reharsals. But Ms Khurana or any of her family members didn't show up on the day four. Freyer tried contacting but couldn't get in touch with them. I reasoned with him saying may be they had to look into other preparations. But when three days went by and I saw Rachel walk into the dance studio in the evening, it got me worried. Giving to my history with Cotran, her arrival was probably a bad news.
"I can't believe you guys. What have I done so bad that he hates me so much? And why in the world he stoops so low?" I lashed the moment she stood in front of me.
"Say something, what has he done this time?" I snarled as trying to get the words out of her mouth.
"Rachel, I'm asking you for the last time, what's his deal?" I shouted on the top of my voice.
"I broke up with him." She whispered staring at the floor.
"What?" I frowned.
"I broke up with Cotran," She said meeting my eyes.
"I don't get it. Why are you here?" I irked.
"Because I like you," She shouted.
"Just please stop this," I tried to dismiss the conversation.
"Mahil, you know it. I have always liked you," She said.
"We were friends Rachel. I'm sorry if I ever made you think otherwise. I hope your ex-boyfriend isn't the reason of my client not showing up this time," I sigh.
"He isn't." She whispered.
"If that's everything, you should get going." I nodded.
"I'll wait for you to come back to me, Mahil," saying this she sauntered out.
Later that evening as parked my car in the basement and started walking in the direction; I half expected to cross path with Kuhoo. And I did. She looked tired as always. The woman really needed to take a break from her workaholic schedule. I was about to greet Kuhoo when I found Miss Khurana sprinting in my direction, a tall man in his late twenties by her side.
"Mahil, I'm sorry for not showing up all these days. The reason being -"
"Kuhoo? Kuhoo Chaturvedi, is that you?!" The man beside Ms Khurana exclaimed and went straight ahead taking Kuhoo in a bear hug. I cleared my throat to get their attention but none of them seemed to budge. Was it me or the hug really last more than a God-damn minute? I couldn't help but feel those weird pangs of jealousy.
YOU ARE READING
Diamond Hearts (Volume I & II)
Romance"I see nothing that you can offer me," She said eyeing him head to toe. There was a clear hint of dismissal in her tone as she got up to leave. Catching the steps with her, Mahil smiled, "I don't think that's true." "Eh?" She frowned. "How about a...
