Prologue here
Part 1 - The search
Part 2 - The Truth stings
Part 3 (contd)
"I feel so alive today Karan...so full of life. I think seeing you has refreshed me." She had covered the five step distance between us while speaking and already the cookie had been lifted to her mouth. I could sense her spirits were up today.
"I want to move out of the house. The past two months I have been mourning Anuj's death and now with my health dwindling I don't think I can hang around like this...here...waiting for..." Innocent to where this conversation was heading I excitedly proposed to take her to the market...street shopping, enjoying the lip smacking chaat at Bittoo Tikki Wala, a session of gossip with Mrs. Rao...I presumed, moving out of the house, was synonym with these activities for Ma. "No Karan, I mean shift out...I was thinking of staying with Rajjo di" Rajjo di was Ma' elder sister, my beloved aunt..."but she lives in Amritsar!!" I shouted aloud perplexed.
I was not happy, how could we leave this house, our house, my house - so many memories. Of growing up, memories of Pa! Unlike the common perception that sons are more close to their mothers, I was a daddy's son. The Sunday gully cricket, the silent long walks, the indoor ping-pong atop our dining table, sitting idly in the winter sun eating peanuts, the serious conversations on women and politics...all these memories were a part of this place...leaving would mean leaving a part of me here...But of course for Ma this house spelt memories of lost love, death of her husband and her only son deserting her...Life had again presented a situation where I had to bow down.
We did go shopping that day. I saw Ma's eyes gleam as she checked out the shimmering sarees and the colourful bangles. But she didn't buy anything for herself and despite my reservations got me a leather jacket instead. A dark brown leather jacket very much like the one Pa had. Maybe that's why her eyes had lingered on this jacket hanging amidst the more fancier ones. I remember how Pa used to never leave home without this jacket in winters. I remember how Ma gently touched his shoulder and wished him a good day as he left for his work on the construction site. I remember how when he got back and removed his jacket, I would immediately put it on breathing in his smell, catching a whiff of the cement, the dust, the sweat, the hard work, imagining myself to grow up one day and become just like him.
(to be contd.)
I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 8th – 14th December 2013
Day 1 prompt is Memories!
Day 1 prompt is Memories!
Oh I'm so excited linking this to the Write Tribe Festival of Words - 2. This is going to be helluva 7 days with reading excellent posts, commenting, sharing and connecting. Two of my dear tribers, Jairam and Sid are onto writing their novellas. I'm also attempting the same. :) :) Fingers crossed! And while Suzy is taking us through her personal journeys in the next few days, Rekha's cute stories down the memory lane left me smiling from ear to ear. Now I'm off to reading some other posts...Thank you Corinne for this amazing experience! Write Tribe rocks!!
That was one heck of a ride (so far) !!!! Loving it....waiting for the rest :) Love how you've weaved everything together. And to think you were struggling for ideas - you were just throwing us off the scent, weren't you? :D
ReplyDeleteThanks Sid! Haha...frankly I just had the first para written and didn't mean to club this story with WT festival....Memories was easy to incorporate....need to start thinking on the next parts!!
DeleteThats so nicely woven. Eagerly awaiting tomorroowss post
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteAnother Novella.. This is great. Keep them coming.
ReplyDelete:) thanks!
DeleteLiked the way you have woven this part of the story and linked it to the earlier parts. waiting for the next part :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Shilpa :) glad you liked it!
Deletethe part about the jacket was wonderfully descriptive. i could almost smell it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a huge compliment Tex...thanks!
DeleteIt's beautiful, Aditi and brought memories cherished alive:)
ReplyDeletewww.vishalbheeroo.wordpress.com
Thanks Vishal :)
DeleteFunny how those little annoying habits stop being annoying when we've been gone for awhile.
ReplyDeleteOh yes...unknowingly we kind of get fond of the little annoying habits of our loved ones!
DeleteI love novellas. But hate the waiting part. Beautifully linked with the earlier ones. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Sheethal :)
DeleteYou description are excellent. Wish you the best with your novella.
ReplyDelete:D thank you so much!
DeleteLoving the story so far :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Aparna :)
DeleteIn my experience all the small stuff that made us so mad once, really don't matter so much when the person is gone. You appreciate them more and celebrate those things because that is what made them who they were. ♥
ReplyDeleteSo true Kathy...certain habits ate so peculiar to a person no...and without knowing it you fall in love with that exact quality of theirs!
DeleteLoved the story so far!!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading how you will weave in the rest of the prompts into your story! :)
Ya...it's a challenge... Will need to up my game! I'm enjoying it :D
Deletewaiting for the next part.
ReplyDeleteComing...coming...hopefully by end of day today!
DeleteWaiting for the next part. Enjoyed this one. Some memories never die.
ReplyDeleteThanks Suzy :)
DeleteThis one was very touching. The boy putting on his Dad's jacket and smelling in brought me memories of my own childhood. My Dad was away from us for a good 10 years as he worked in the Middle East. I used to sleep holding on to one of his shirts. Strange and treasured are our memories. :-) An hey, thank you so much for taking time to read my memories and mentioning it out here. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Rekha...oh yes some memories are strange yet cute in their own ways!!
Deletelove your descriptions of the memories :) the story seems to flow in an effortless manner. enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're enjoying this! !
Deletethat was so seamlessly woven...loved it!
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
Deletevery interesting read... kudos!
ReplyDeleteThank u :)
DeleteAditi you are doing a great job of it... I am there with this man watching his mother make decisions to move out. The love of a father who all his life cared for someone else's child... wonderful..
ReplyDeleteRicha
:)
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