Fitoor

Chapter 45

Mishti Bose

The next morning was a bit hazy as I had enormous amount of jet lag. Actually, it was the best sleep I had gotten in the last 3 years. One without late night appointments, or early morning surgeries, it was peaceful. As soon as I stretched out and checked the time, Maanav waltzed inside the room with a cup of steaming hot coffee and a room freshener.

"Tu kabse room freshener ko phookne laga? Maal nahi mil raha hai kya?" I joked.
"Haha. Very funny." He rolled his eyes.
"Thank you. Hope tune rat poison nahi milaya isme." I sipped the strong coffee and sighed.
"Nahi. Tere liye HIT kaafi hai." Maanav smiled and settled beside me.
"Ye le." He tossed a cigar packet as I eyed him seriously.
"Seriously? Mai ghar me-"
"Isiliye ye room freshener." He smiled.

"Sach kehte hai. Jab ladki mil jati haina, tab gadha bhi smart banjayega." Maanav smacked my head as I laughed. After drinking the coffee, I stepped out into the balcony to smoke the daily quota. Just 3 sticks per 24 hours. He stood beside me, as I crushed the first one.
"Mishti, wo mai tujhse kuch-"
"Maanav! Beta, aaja sab wait kar rahe hai." Aunty shouted from the hall. I looked at him confused because he looked tensed. Like he committed some crime. Immediately chewing a happydent, I ignored the other two cigarettes and walked before Maanav could stop me.

In the living room were my parents, and his parents, along with Pranav and Niharika. I stood frozen as all of their smiling faces dropped one by one, looking at me near the guest room's door.
"Are, Mishti beta, uth gayi! Coffee kaisa tha? Naashta abhi karogi ya baad me-"
"Maa! Usko baat to karne de." Maanav coughed awkwardly and stood beside me cautiously.
"Jhoot kyu bola?" I didn't know my voice could sound so lethal because Maanav literally shivered.
"Mishti wo-"
"Nitya, chalo." My father's command made me look at them.

"Uncle! Ek minute. Aap yaha mere liye aaye hai na. To mujhse baat kiye bina kaise jaa sakte hai!" He pleaded immediately.
"Sahi keh raha hai. Ruk jayiye na Vijay bhai." Roopa aunty supported him. I didn't realise that Niha was hugging me until I felt my tshirt getting wet. She was shedding tears.
"Kaisi hai paglait?" She asked, whispering. But her father wasn't liking the events that were unfolding.
"Ab tak theek thi." I said looking at him directly.
"Mishti-"
"I'm returning to London, Maanav. Tumhare close circle already idhar hai. I'm not required." I scoffed and turned back to pack my things.

"Wo tu kaise decide kar sakti hai? Mere liye important hai tu. Isiliye udhar taak aaya tujhe bulane ke liye-"
"Jhoot bolke." I hissed. I couldn't blame him. If he had told that they were going to be here, I wouldn't have stepped back to India.
"Mishti yaar! Please ruk jaa. Unse baat mat kar par meri shaadi to dekh ke jaa. Sirf ye request hai mere taraf se. Iske baad tu jaha jaana chahti hai udhar tak mai khud drop karunga." Maanav asked with a serious expression on his face.
"Maanav, mai unke saath ek kamre me kya ek jagah me nahi reh sakti. Ab bhi unko sirf meri galti dikh raha hai. The pain that I went through, usse unko koi farak nahi padta." I yelled at him.

"To hamesha ke liye bhaagti rahegi? Baat nahi karegi-"
"Nahi." I interrupted her. My mother still knew how to weave words. It was given as she was a lawyer.
"Mishti, teen saal pehle jo hua wo humari galti thi. It was not just yours." She sounded so political.
"Tell that to your husband." She stepped back, shocked that I even addressed him like a stranger.
"Mishti, tumko hum sab ne bahut miss kiya beta. We know that we shouldn't have reacted that way, lekin situation waisa tha." Roopa aunty tried to ease the conversation.

"Aap kabse jhoot bolne lage? Oh wait, wo to aapke pure family me chalta haina? Aapke DNA me integrated hai, dusron ko ullu banaana." I said without even thinking.
"Mishti!" My mother shouted.
"Aapko nahi pata hai ki kaisa mahsoos hota hai jab aapke family hi aapko ek stranger ke tarah treat karta hai." I screamed whilst crying. Maanav took my hand and gave it a squeeze as I let out everything that was inside me for the last years. My father just looked down, not speaking anything.