Chapter 2 - Meeting old memories

It had been almost a week since Prerna had come to India and executed her plan when Mr Bajaj had broached the subject to Prerna - Her Mother and family. Prerna however wanted to avoid the conversation but she knew she would have to do it. So with a heavy heart, she gathered all her strength and went to Sharma Niwas. But she was surprised to find it sealed.

“Find them by tomorrow anyhow!!!!” Prerna ordered Abby and left for a meeting that had come up.

“Mam I found them. Your brothers are living in another apartment now. They sold the house some years ago and your mother is now living….” Abby was speaking from her notes

“OK then get me the address,” Prerna interjected.

“Ok!!! Well this is the address of the apartment and this is the address of the old age home”   Abby said forwarding two notes of paper.

“What???’ Prerna asked, surprised.   

“Old age home…... Your mother ….. Your mother is living in an old age home near...” Abby said looking at her notes.

“Have you lost your mind??? EK kaam diya tha maine woh bhi nahin hota tumse. Meri mom old age home main nahi ho sakti. Unke 2 bete hain, ek beti hain jo unse bahut pyaar karte hain. Maybe because of financial issues they have shifted to another place but by no means she is living in an old age home.” Prerna shouted fiercely at Abby for the wrong information.

“But Mam that is the truth. Your brothers have been living in AK Residency for the last 5 years. Your two brothers along with your sister are but unfortunately, your mother doesn’t live with them. You can check your sisters' pictures on Instagram or Facebook. They never have your mother.” Abby said forwarding her phone. Prerna with hands shaking took her phone.

“It's a mistake. Meri maa ko jyada yeh sab pasand nahin tha, maybe that is why. You are wrong. Just get me the correct information. Leave!!” Prerna said and Abby confused just stood confused. When Prerna saw that Abby had not left she shouted once again 

“LEAVE!!!!!” 

“This cannot happen. This cannot happen. Maa cannot be in an old age home. Is ladki ka hi dimaag kharab hain pata nahin why did I even hire her? '' Prerna thought to herself

Abby didn’t know what to do. She was sure the information was correct. She was thinking about sitting on her desk when one of the PR Managers came and told her that Mrs Bajaj was supposed to attend a charitable event today but now it has got cancelled. The PR Manager was also stressed as the Bajaj’s needed this hoopla before the announcement of the Bajaj city plan. And this gave Abby an idea. She knew Prerna would never listen to her information since she was very rigid. Hence she decided to have it done her way.

At 1.30 pm Prerna was looking at the notes on her phone not paying attention as they entered a huge building. Neither did Prerna notice the nameplate of the old age home nor the people who stood there to welcome her. Prerna was busy sending mail when she was nudged by the PR. She was shocked looking at her surroundings. 

“Where have you bought me??? ” Prerna asked her PR.

“Your associate Abby said to bring you here only. She cited that there was some charity work for Bajaj Industries before the Bajaj city plan announcement” PR said. Prerna heard and sighed. Prerna pasted the best smile on her face and went ahead to meet the people waiting for her. She was given a grand welcome with a big bouquet of flowers.

“We are so happy that you came here, Mrs Bajaj. I hope you like what we have done with this place. It is all thanks to Mr Bajaj. With your donations and everything else, we were able to build it into this place. We can't thank him enough.” Prerna smiled and made cordial conversation whenever required.  The house inmates had made some amazing dishes for lunch and Prerna being terribly hungry just wanted to eat. But as soon as she was served she felt something in her. She took a bite of the aromatic curry and the taste and even the smell of the food felt oddly familiar to her. 

“Excuse Me !!!! May I Know who cooked this food??” Prerna asked cordially

“Well Mam usually we do have a cook but sometimes elders like to cook so sometimes they chip in. These dishes are made by one of our residents - Mrs Veena Sharma” and Prerna hands and heart stopped.

“Who??” Prerna asked dumbfoundedly

“Mrs Veena Sharma. She came to live here around 5 years ago.” The owner explained. “Whether her family left her or she had some fight with her family, we don’t really know till date. She just showed up at our gate one fine day. At that time this was a run-down place with no funds but then your husband had contacted us and paid a lot of donations to this place. Thanks to him we were able to afford more residents and provide incredible facilities for them as well. It is now one of the best facilities in Kolkata. In a way, Mrs Sharma was very lucky for all of us.” The manager casually explained but Prerna was fuming with anger thinking how her family could abandon her mother like that and at the same time she was filled with gratitude for what Mr Bajaj had done for her.

“What happened between Maa and bhaiya?? Mahesh and SHivi loved her so much then why??? It's not like she was dependent on them. She was always self-sufficient. She never asked for money from anyone and earned almost as much as both of them at her age. Her self respect meant everything to her. What she must have gone through??? How heartbroken and insulted she must have felt to take such a step. And I couldn't be there. I couldn't be there for her. No!!!! NO!!!! I could have been there for her but I decided not to because of my stubbornness…… That is why Mr Bajaj was so insistent for me to meet my family…. That is why……” Prerna thought to herself as she was sitting alone on a bench with almost tears. The pangs of hunger were gone and her cheeks were damp.

Suddenly her phone rang and it was Abby. She cut the call. Her phone wallpaper showed up. It was a picture of her and Mr Bajaj from the last anniversary that Kukki had taken. She unknowingly caressed thinking “how could she have hurt this man so much??? How??? Mr Bajaj knew that I would never agree to come back but when I will and see my mother in this condition it would break me completely. Forget about taking revenge. So he had done what he always does. Protect me. Take care of me” Prerna thought filled with gratitude and love for this man. Thanking her stars for the day that she had met him. Just the thought of Mr Bajaj gave her all the strength and positivity that was needed and she went to meet her mother. 

She found her mother in the kitchen cleaning some utensils. Prerna was told that they had staff to take care of all the housemates but all elderly were asked to do work on their own so they remain active and occupied as well. Picking up all her strength she said 

“Maaa!!!!” Prerna whispered 

Her mother did not turn around.

“Maa!!!” Prerna said, gaining a bit more strength.

And this time Veena Sharma turned around. She was wearing glasses and it had some fog on them. She fixed them to get a clear view of who was calling for her. As the fog of her glasses became clear she was shocked and thought she was dreaming.

“Priyu!!!!” Veena said 

“Maa!!!” Prerna said 

“Priyu!!!!” Veena hugged her and Prerna gave herself up in her mother's arms. Veena touched her here and there as if making sure her Priyu was standing in front of her. Once she was sure Veena kissed her daughter and hugged her with tears in her eyes.  Her happiness knew no bounds. Her Priyu was alive and she was back. Both mother-daughter crying hugged each other and let the tears flow without a care in the world. After sometime they were found in Veena’s room.  Prerna’s head was in her mother’s lap as she caressed her and Prerna forgetting all her worries let her mother pamper her. Her mother told her how living with her daughters-in-law's had become unbearable because of their taunts and bad behaviour. Selling Sharma Niwas without telling her and taking her signatures by cheating had been the final nail in the coffin. Plus she always believed that Prerna was alive and she wanted to find her but they had no interest in it and her mother just couldn't take it anymore. Prerna hugged and let her mother cry and let go of all the pain that she was harbouring.

“Yahan mana ki hum akele hain parayo ke beech hain par hamare izzat hain, apne pairon par khadhe hain aur garv hain hume is baat pe. Par unke bartaw se jyada hume teri chinta thi. Hum jaante the to zinda hain. Hum jante the. Humne kaha tha ki hamari Priyu hamse kabhi dur nahin nahin reh sakti. Uski zaroor koi majboori hogi. Kaha thi to hamari bachi??” Veena said and with a heavy heart Prerna told her mother everything about what happened all those years ago,  about the fire… about Sneha... Her mother was shocked and hugged and kissed Prerna again and again as if trying to take all her pain away. Thinking about that moment still brought tears to Prerna’s eyes as she sat on the chair in the Bajaj Mansion. 

But the reaction that her mother had after knowing about Mr Bajaj and their family made Prerna  wipe out her tears the next moment.“How could she?? Even after knowing everything that I went through?? Forget that even after knowing what all Mr Bajaj did for me she still clung on to her old prejudices. How could she think that it was Mr Bajaj who deliberately kept me away from her family?? That it was his idea to keep her away from her family. Maybe it was time to tell her the complete truth about how that man had been helping her all these years even if it harms her self respect at least it will get me her acceptance.” Prerna thought and with that thought, Prerna asked Abby to cancel all her plans for the day as she was going to meet her mother. Abby went quiet for a while. She and Prerna still hadn't talked about that day. 

“Abby are you there???” Prerna asked

“Yes !!!! Yes!!! Mam!!! Will be done mam” Abby replied and Prerna disconnected the call and opened her hands in a hug as a half-awake Kukki made her way to the hall. 

“Good morning,” Prerna said as Kukki hugged Prerna.

“Good morning to you too,” Kukki said

“Is it okay if we cancel our plans for today?? I have some urgent work.I promise I will make up more than enough for it. Why don’t you spend the day with your dad??” Prerna asked. Kukki nodded, almost going to sleep again in her mother’s lap. 

“Dad would most probably be having meetings and I am not in the mood to attend any one of them. Don't worry I would mostly be sleeping because of this jetlag. I would have no time to get bored.” Kukki replied

“Okay, I get your point. But you need to buy an IPAD. Your older one is giving issues and for that, you don't need to talk. So go with him and try to have a fun day” Prerna tried to get her interested.

“Yes just like Fred and George will have with Dolores Umbridge..” Kukki said sarcastically. Prerna looked at her for some time and then she started laughing hysterically. Kukki just shoved her shoulders at the noise. 

“I am still sleepy. Please!!!” Kukki said while Prerna continued laughing hugging her daughter in her lap and getting her to sleep again. 

While Prerna went to meet her mother, Mr Bajaj and Kukki were sitting in the car and moving towards the mall. Mr Bajaj was busy on his phone while Kukki was looking outside, yawning every now and then. As the car stopped both sat straight and took care of their clothes and both checked their watches. The driver gave a small smile at the similarity. 

“I have some work here and then we can go to the mall” Mr Bajaj replied as he got out of the car. Kukki got out, took one look and sat inside the car. Mr Bajaj was confused and he asked Kukki “What happened??” 

“I am not sitting in one of your boring board meetings. This facade will not work” Kukki shouted

“What???” Mr Bajaj confused asked Kukki

“You have brought me to a hotel. That is what it is. you have brought me to one of your mergers. Not working” Kukki replied and Mr Bajaj laughed.

“Kukki!!! This is one of the best schools in Kolkata. Not a hotel. Come on out. I am one of the trustees of this school and I just need to do some inspection of how the funds are being used. Come on!!!” Mr Bajaj replied. Kukki was unsure but still, she obeyed her father. Mr Bajaj was greeted by the principal who showed him around alongwith Kukki. “Kukki was right. This is a hotel. Times change don't they. There was a time Maa couldn't afford the meagre 500 rs for fees and now….” Mr Bajaj thought, smiling. KUkki who had gone to the washroom got lost but somehow finally found the principal's office and sat there waiting for her father. Just then a teacher came.

“Are you the new student who came for the admission??” a flustered woman who Kukki deduced must be the teacher asked. But before she could answer she made Kukki sit on a desk and gave her the question paper and started jotting down rules. Kukki was bored so thought “Why not???” Kukki started with the paper.

After sometime principal and Mr Bajaj came to the room and then the flustered teacher came inside the room.

“Sir I am really sorry. By mistake, I gave the question for 10th standard pre boards to the new admission” the Teacher said pointing towards Kukki.

“What new admission??” Principal asked flustered. The teacher pointed to Kukki who was almost finished with the paper.  

“I am really sorry Miss Bajaj, Mr Bajaj,” Principal said to the father-daughter duo.

“Why?? I enjoyed it. I was able to finish the trigonometry sums - way too easy for me, chemistry nailed it and physics too but the ohm's law and all isn't that for like 8th standard. However, I couldn't write anything in the Hindi paper. I can read it but sorry I didn't learn to write it.” Kukki replied.

“You finished this paper,” The principal asked shocked looking at the paper

“Yes,” Kukki said in a matter of fact tone.

“But this is the paper for 10th standard.” The teacher said. Mr Bajaj smirked at the proceedings taking a seat at the nearby chair and moving his left leg to his right one feeling proud of her daughter. 

“This is amazing!!!! You have done everything correctly” The teacher said 

“Thank you!!! But you should recheck your course. Some of these things are way too tough for a kid in class 10 and some are way too easy considering the age limit you people have.” Kukki commented. “Maa wanted me to join some school here but she found that as per my age I could get admission in 8th standard only,” Kukki said looking at Mr Bajaj and he just nodded.

“Miss Bajaj I am sure you are studying in one of the prestigious schools of London so this all might seem lesser to you and maybe we cannot match that but trust me we are doing the best that we can. The age limits are set by the government after much discussion and research for the good of the children” The principal contradicted her not wanting to tarnish his image in front of one of the trustees.

“I don't read in one of those hoity-toity prestigious schools. I read in a public school and yes it has much more privileges than many other community schools. However, yes this school does make me feel like my school is a community school.” Kukki replied and the principal smiled. “ But in my school students classes are not decided by their age but with what they can grasp. A good enough building and facilities don't make a good school but good teachers and policies.” Kukki said putting her pen down and picking up her bag. “Still thank you for the experience” Kukki replied smiling and extended her hand to her father as they both walked out together. 

Mr Bajaj asked the driver to leave the car for them and go home and Kukki sat inside the car. They sat without speaking to each other for a long time when Kukki said 

“So start???” Mr Bajaj looked at her confused.

“What??? You are not going to get angry at me and shout at me that I behaved very badly and it was not needed and all. “ Kukki said to Mr Bajaj

“You didn't say anything that was wrong. Let's go buy that IPAD. By the way, I am very proud of you for nailing the paper. Also, the face of the principal was a treat to watch….” Mr Bajaj said, giving her a high five and joining Kukki in laughing. After sometime Kukki was sitting in her car seat configuring her IPAD and a new pair of customised AirPods with a case as a gift from Mr Bajaj when she stifled a yawn.

“Sleepy??” Mr Bajaj asked

“Hungry” Kukki replied

“What do you want to eat??” Mr Bajaj asked

“Anything that can make me forget this jet lag and wake me up,” Kukki said and Mr Bajaj smirked. So after around an hour, they were standing at one of the most famous streets of Kolkata with a line up of some of the best street foods. Mr Bajaj took Kukki to a chat stall and asked for two plates of chat. Kukki looked at it unsure. 

“Snobby hoity-toity NRI'' Mr Bajaj said and the comment was enough to challenge Kukki. One bite of the chat and fire came out of Kukki’s ears and water flooded her eyes. Mr Bajaj forwarded her ice cream and started laughing hysterically, surprising Kukki 

“What??? That is the idea of how Dolores Umbridge will have fun with Fred and George won't she” Mr Bajaj said, continuing to laugh but Kukki was silent. 

“What!!!!!!” Mr Bajaj asked

“It is not that usual that I get to see my father happy. ”Kukki asked and Mr Bajaj just signalled to finish her ice cream. “Stop being like your mother and finish this” 

After some time they were sitting on a bench having some rolls looking at the traffic as it went by. 

“These are amazing!!!”Kukki said as she relished the amazing food. Mr Bajaj himself nodded enjoying the food as well. 

“You know a lot about this town, don't you?? Why don’t we come here more often? I am ready to handle this heat for these rolls.” Kukki asked.

“And not the chaat???” Mr Bajaj teased and Kukki coughed even in the memory of that. 

“I won't handle the hot and humid weather even for this. Even if I have a lot of good memories here. Maa !!! As in my mom nahin as in your dadi or granny or give her a name that you like used to bring me here when we had exams. I would get tired and get sleepy and one bite of that chat and it would be all gone.” Mr Bajaj said 

“Wait for a second, that means you grew up here. You did your schooling here?? Can we see your school?? Can we meet your friends?? How was your school?? like one of those that we saw today?? You were a good student in school?? Had friends in school?? What was your Favorite subject in school?? Physics?? Chemistry?? English??” Kukki asked in a breath without any relief. She was excited to know about her father’s childhood. All these years she hadn’t thought of her father having a childhood but now it struck her that even her father was of her age once upon a time. And she wanted to know more about him. 

“Accounts or Maths!!! And that is enough, no more questions. Eat!!!!! ” Mr Bajaj said and this went on for a long time. Prerna had called Mr Bajaj during their outing to let them know that she would be late and they should have food and not wait for her. So father and daughter continued to enjoy their day as Mr Bajaj showed her around the town and laughed vigorously as Kukki tried to bargain in her broken Hinglish while buying from the local vendors. After they were completely exhausted and big stationery, jewellery and toys haul by Kukki they returned home. Kukki, being tired with all the heat and the dust and with all the jet lag, had slept on Mr Bajaj’s lap before she could complete the configuration of her IPAD. Once Mr Bajaj reached home he very gently tapped on her shoulders and caressed her head trying to wake her up. 

“cookie cake !! Get up!! We are home” Mr Bajaj said 

“Hmm, when did we take the flight to London?” Kukki asked in half-sleep. Mr Bajaj just smiled.

“Kukki !!! Wake up Monkey!!!” Mr Bajaj said and Kukki rubbing her eyes took a measure of the surroundings and realised she was in dreaded Kolkata. Clutching her IPAD and her bag she went inside the house but stood at the door as it was all dark. 

“Maa hasn't returned,” Kukki complained, not finding her mother because all she needed was her mother right now as Mr Bajaj came from behind.

“She is busy. She had to meet someone. It's ok. Why don't you go and get change? You must be tired. I will ask the cook to bring you some hot chocolate before sleep.”Mr Bajaj said and moved towards the kitchen while Kukki went towards her room. Mr Bajaj came back to the room after some time to find Kukki already asleep in her clothes. He remembered the beautiful moment between him and Prerna from last night and the warmth of her hands in his. He wished she was here. He missed her and since Kukki was missing her too she moved towards the same position as the previous night when they had snuggled next to each other as if trying to find Prerna next to her. Mr Bajaj went near Kukki and very carefully placed Kukki’s head in his lap so that he could make up for the warmth that Kukki was missing. After some time Mr Bajaj snuggled next to Kukki. Just then he heard a small whisper as Kukki said 

“Dad !!! I miss Cuppy cake and Toffee” Kukki said in sleep 

“They must be missing you too cookie cake. Good Night Angel,” Mr Bajaj said, kissing her forehead as sleep kissed them both good night. 

your reaction

21

nice

12

awesome!

29

loved

0

lol

0

omg

2

cry