Once Upon A Hullabaloo!

CHAPTER 17

The sun spilled gold over the horizon as Naitik fixed the bags in the rear of Kshitij's car. Starting with baa, I touched everyone's feet, mumbling hollow promises of returning back soon. Baa sniffled her tears away when she kissed my forehead.

"You could have stayed a little longer." Her voice cracked, "It's a little overwhelming to let go two daughters at once. Why do you have to cut short on your stay suddenly, especially when you clearly aren't in a condition to travel ?"

I turned scarlet red as my eyes dropped to the peach bandage that was wrapped around my sprained ankle. The hasty fall had left us both injured and with a responsibility of coming up with a lame story about how did it happen. The memories from last night came rushing back to me. It would be a lie if claim that they had ever escaped my mind. I had sinned of living and reliving every moment of it all night.

My gaze flickered to mummy's grim face and then to the man with a band-aid on the side of his forehead, who was leaning back on the car, "Baa, I have to. Work calls." I lied without even a hint of hesitation.

Practice makes one perfect- the thought almost made me cringe.

The rest of the family gathered around Kshitij to bid a culturally appropriate farewell to their guest while mummy-papa stood next to me. I sighed and attempted to walk away to the car.

"Omi," mummy gripped my elbow and I turned around to her teary-eyed face, " don't go beta."

Papa caressed my hair, "We apologize sweetheart. You are right, we should have checked into the man before introducing him to you as a suitor."

"You know that we wouldn't want you to marry any random person." Mummy bit her lips, "that was never our intention. I agree we get a bit carried away sometimes but..."

"It's fine, really." I shrugged, "I think I just need some time to cool off. I've been meeting suitors for a very long time and a break from it will be excellent."

Mummy's lips parted in an instinctive disagreement but papa's grip on her shoulders stopped her. He chose to spoke, "Certainly. Take some time off."

I smiled and turned around to limp my way towards the car.

Papa called out for me and I turned back, "Your mother and I love you a lot and we are extremely proud of you. Sometimes, we are even amazed at the fact that you have grown up so beautifully, how you make all of the right choices without our help. We got very used to our passive roles in your life, to an extent that we took it for granted."

Mummy laughed nervously, "Feel free to set us straight whenever you want us to act like normal parents who occasionally meddle with their adult-daughter's life."

I laughed in spite of myself and gave a light peck on my parents' cheeks.

Settled in the car, I shut the door and the warmth of the interior enveloped me. My family affectionately waved to us from the other side of the glass window as we drove off. We hit the main road and I stole a glance at Kshitij whose eyes were glued on the windshield glass in front.

After tossing and turning throughout the night, I had jumped out the bed the moment first morning rays had scattered in the sky. Grabbing my phone from the side table, I had punched in a very curt message about leaving for Mumbai in an hour and had sent it Kshitij. My phone had immediately flashed a new message which quoted a short 'okay', it was as if I wasn't the only one who had had a restless night and was planning on fleeing away on the very next opportunity offered.

I awkwardly cleared my throat, "Please drop me at the railway station. I've checked the schedule and there is a train leaving for Mumbai in forty five minutes."