"Hello Miss.Shalini
.."
Shalini turned around to see who was
calling out to her. She paused the i-pod that was playing "Soak no more in your own tears....for you know not what power they possess..."
That was Malu di's favorite song playing .
That was Malu di's favorite song playing .
"Yes Ma’m, I am talking to
you."
"Do you know me?" she
asked the stranger, who looked a little wierd to her in his tweed jacket and
cowboy hat. 'Who wears a jacket on a hot day like this," she wondered.
"No Ma’m, not really, but I
knew your sister, Malini."
'Malu di?' Tears clouded her eyes,
hearing her sister's name. "How did you know her?"
"We were the closest of
friends. I am as devastated by her passing away as you are." he seemed to
wipe away a tear from his eye.
"Really? But di never told me
about you."
"Oh, she might have mentioned
me, Sriram..." he extended his hand for a shake. "...do i sound
familiar?"
"Sriram..." she tried to
recall if she had ever heard about him before. It did not ring a bell. She
extended her hand, "Hello, anyways, nice to know you knew di. Any reason
you are seeing me now?" she asked.
"Its Malini."
"What about her?"
"She's here right now" he
said smiling at the space next to him.
Shalini looked at him and then at
the space next to him with a look of disbelief, then suddenly angry she
screamed at him," If this is a joke, it’s a bad time for it, mister. Who
do you think you are to play around with people’s emotions like this?
Jerk…." And she started to walk away.
"Shalini, Malu says ‘happy
birthday’ to you. She says she has kept a gift for you in your bedside
drawer..." he looked at the space next to him and nodded, "She's says
it’s wrapped in a red wrapping paper."
Shalini walked away without saying a
word, tears streaming down her face.
Sriram, blocked her path and handed
her a visiting card," In case you want to talk to me later."
******************
Back home, Shalini pulled the
bedside drawer open, her hands trembling and little beads of sweat starting to
form on her forehead.
There it was, exactly as Sriram had
said. She tore open the red wrapping, and stared at the beautiful kundan
necklace set in green and white stones. It was di's necklace, and her favorite.
She had always wanted to wear it and di had teased her, "Not till I am
alive, Barbie doll, you can have it after I die."
She broke down into an
uncontrollable fit of tears, clutching the necklace close to her bosom.
"Di, are you really around? Give
me some sign di.." she sobbed.
She walked to her window and felt
the warm breeze sweep across her face. And then she saw the lights...the
headlights of di's car, just went on and off…twice.
And then there was complete
darkness. as if it never happened at all. That's how her di signaled to her
when she came to pick her up, no honking of horns, just flicker of the
headlights,..twice...
"Di, you are here, aren't you? Oh
di, I miss you so much."
*******************
Her eyes were still swollen from
crying all night. Foggy eyed Shalini, picked up the card Sriram had given her,
and looked at it. She wondered if she should call him. Yes, she had to, why had
di come back? She had to know.
"....Sriram, Shalu here.."
she spoke awkwardly.
"I knew you would call, Malu
told me she gave you some signs yesterday.
"Can I meet you
someplace?"
"Shukravari talav..at 5? Will
that be ok?
"That will be good. I'll be
there."
‘Why did di never tell me about Sriram before?’ she wondered.’ Let me see if I can find any pictures of di with
Sriram.” She opened her cupboard and
took out two large albums that she had carried back from Malini’s place after
her death. Pages and pages of photographs and memories….
********************
read part 2 here.
