"It's you, because no one else makes sense anymore."
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"We will be there in fifteen, champ. Alright?", in came bhai's voice.
I nodded, before realizing that he couldn't see me.
"Ji, Bhai", I replied softly, heading towards the large jewelry shop.
As I reached the door, the guard uncle opened the door, slightly bowing his head. I gave a small hesitant nod, mumbling a quiet thank you.
An elderly man stood up, smiling widely as he moved to greet me. It was Jagdish uncle, the owner of this shop.
"Namaste kaka", I greeted joining my hands.
"Namaste Mansi bete", he replied in his warm voice, the thick Rajasthani accent quite visible. "Avyansh Sa ka call aaya tha, unhone sab brief kar diya", he motioned with his hands for me to follow.
(Avyansh called us and have given us a brief already.)
I followed him to sit near the display counter. The entire place was empty, with only the staff standing behind the counters.
It was a sort-of tradition of our family to buy the jewelries needed from here only. I have been here countless time, but the frequency has surely dipped in the last couple of years.
"I still remember the little Mansi who used to come here hiding behind Kirti bai sa and look how the time flew, the little Mansi has now herself come to buy a ring for her soon to-be husband.", he chuckled, having a faraway look in his eyes.
I blushed, pushing a stray hair behind my ear. "Just wait a minute I will just bring them from the back."
I nodded silently.
Standing up, I started walking around the shop. Unknowingly, my feet carried me to the counter of bracelets. The shiny gold sparkling exquisitely. I gently picked up one, feeling its intricate design.
A tear quietly escaped my eyes, tracing its path to my cheek before I quickly wiped it away before anyone could see. I should be surprised that my eyes were still capable of producing, taking note of the amount of time I spent crying last night. The bracelet just reminded me of the one worn by my mother. There wasn't a day when I didn't see them in her soft, beautiful hands.
My heart ached due to the absence of my mother. How much I yearned to have my mother here with me today, guiding me in this new stage of my life.
