Treasured Ardor - Chapter 2

In continuation to Chapter 1

 

Present Day - Somewhere in Mumbai

 

Mumbai also known as the city of dreams is always buzzing with activity at any time of the day. There is a constant flow of people going somewhere. The day she had landed in this city Roshni had fallen in love with it. Surrounded by a beautiful beach and swaying palm trees it surely made an enchanting place. This city breathed life- day and night. And this is what attracted Roshni the most to it. Her husband’s transfer had brought her to this city but within no time she was absorbed into it as if this is where she always belonged to. This was the beauty of this place. It accepted any one with open arms instantaneously.

When she first saw the swarm of people on the move constantly, they reminded her of the ants; walking dutifully in a line, one behind the other, too busy and occupied in their work to notice any other passersby. But gradually she had come to become a part of that crowd. She realized that survival in this city needed a certain pace without which you would be out of the race to existence. Race – yes her mornings were like that. Racing against time to ensure her husband and daughter left for their office and school on time, especially given the distances in the city. Juggling between the two was no mean task!

Today morning was no different as she finished the last lap in the race; sending her daughter to school. She waved to her daughter as her school bus left and mumbled a silent prayer to God for her safety. Survival in Mumbai these days was a big question. Just yesterday she had read it in news how a school bus had lost control and had met with a ghastly accident. It had left her badly shaken up fearing for her daughter’s safety.

She entered her house and plopped down on the sofa wondering whether she should read the newspaper or not. She detested reading a newspaper for such news articles upset her. Reluctantly she picked it up knowing she wouldn’t be able to avoid it for a long time. It had become a habit for her. Reading news paper to get to know the human psyche better, that’s what she liked to call it.  

Source: Google Images (tweaked a little bit)

She let out a sigh on seeing The President’s Awards making the headlines. She scrolled through the article when her eyes stopped at one name – IAS Officer Ansh Malhotra ; even after all these years that name still gave her goose bumps. “Finally….. He had made his dream come true... Good for him!” she thought. ‘Oh my God!!I will have to face him at the award function. Now that will really be awkward’. She slapped her forehead ‘It will be but only for me. It was never about me. Neither then nor now. It was always about him. How he felt, what he felt and why he felt. For him I was a stranger and will continue to be… why I am feeling these jitters. This was my dream. I have worked hard for this day and why should I let it go for someone who does not even know whether I am alive or not.’ Leaving the paper she went into the kitchen to complete her household chores.

However much she tried Ansh simply refused to leave her mind. She wanted to read and know about him. The harder she tried diverting her thoughts the harder they pulled her to the time when she was his Roshu and he, her Ansh.

To be continued...