Epilogue
“Mom! Have you seen my charger?” I deliberately speak it loud so that my mom can hear me even though she is in another room. My mother hears everything loud.
Where is it! Every freaking time that I need it! It just disappears. Umm not under this box!
Okay Alisha, calm down! Take a deep breath in. Yes just like that. Now let it out. Not that loud like a snakes hiss!
‘Shut up!’ And now I actually hiss at my inner voice.
Think. Where had you put it last time?...... I had charged my cell phone yesterday morning…. by my table.
Opening up the drawers, they are stacked empty. The lower ones are the same. But I do remember that I had not packed it with anything yet!
“Mom! Have you seen my…..” Ah! there it is! Just on the other side of the wall outside my room. Right-where my mom always leaves it hanging after using it, next to the switches by the fridge.
The old refrigerator screeches like no other when I take out a water bottle. Gulping the half of it in one go, my stomach feels the coolness and relaxes a bit in this summer night. The temperature last that I checked, showed a 43 degree celcious. But standing in front of the open refrigerator, even for a second feels like a cool breeze in the hot dessert.
“Haan! Alisha! Why were you screeching?” My late-latif mom says getting out from the room that had become our store in the last 4 years. Living in a 3BHK, us, my mom and pops and little me, was easy peasy. Though, the third bedroom had served as a store room as far as I remember.
Just the three of us! Small, little family! We had shifted here in Delhi, first; back in 2013; when my papa’s business of sweets had picked up some pace. With the success of three branches in Punjab- my birth town; where I had spent my first 21 years of life…. And at that time came to be a good and easy acceptable option. As there was nothing in there to keep us rooted in. Our whole family of relatives consists of my mom’s side of family, my massi and mama’s family, who are settled well in the southern Maharashtra. And from my papa’s side, well- no one in there.
So, all in all, we were pretty okay if not excited with the idea of moving. The change of scenery was a welcome with a house in decent locality and some humble neighbors and a few of them not-so-humble. Well that’s a story of another time.
Alisha- you just have to have go there! Shaking my head at my dropped control on memories, I quickly shove the refrigerator door in hast as my mom comes near me with her signature scowl.
“I was just asking whether you had seen my charger.” I bring the charger in question to her eye-level with intention to distract her from the scolding that was pretty sure coming my way.
Rubbing her hands with her Kurti’s front to shake off the dust from her hands she motions with her face for me to move my standing ass out from her way.
“Just this once, Alisha huh… I will not tolerate this behavior of yours in our new home. There’s limit to childishness. When are you growing to grow up?” she says the ever heard words that represent me in general mood. The words bring the common reaction from me.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me! One of these days they might get struck right at the back of your head.” She says and gulps down half of the water bottle. I guess, my drinking style of gulping down the water has come from my mom.
And there you see, my mom also practices sarcasm.
“Okay Mom as you says! I will try.” I tell her while going back to my room, “and by the way why would I be standing in front of the refrigerator there? There would not be this much heat in the first instance! You do remember that the rooms are air-conditioned there right?” I ask her when I too remember the same turning towards her halfway in the doorframe. Just as I raise my one eyebrow at mom, she gives me the you-will-not-dare-to-speak-what-you-are-implying look! So, shutting my mouth that was halfway open and releasing the quite imposing pose I had worn when I had turned, I back up.
Having my back to my mom, I grin with my full teeth, without any sound.
I put my cell phone to charge next to my soon-to-be-replaced bed. Alas! It would be put down in the guest room in our new home. In Vasant Vihar.
The house has been the mutual investment of me and my father. The renovation work has just been gotten completed few days back. And after that having some inputs from me and my dad about the furnishings, my mom had taken over the task of designing the rooms. Though I tried to help her as much as I can, but I had another job to do. Also I trust my mom to decorate my room as per my interests. After all this house has also been set by my mother.
That’s the reason why mom has been stressed lately. Although I had even suggested to hire professional help but she insisted. And if my mom wants to do it, who we are to oppose? So, we are moving tomorrow. The whole house has been packed…almost.
I close down the table drawer that had been left opened when I was searching for the charger.
Pulling down the clock from the wall that reads 11:53 of night, I hurry up. Quickly but with delicacy to not to damage the century old looking clock, I pack it in the box along with ruffled newspaper and after taping it up, I put it among other of my delicate furnishings.
There still lingers a few pieces of my clothing’s here and there. A night shirt over the boxes, an odd pair of socks at the legs of my study table, hand-towel ummm…. I might need it tomorrow, so I deposit by the window sill, my pajama at its regular place- on the hook by the window.
Should I also pack it? Taking a look at my current clothes, no. I will be wearing it after all the packing is done. Just a few more things are left for packing. I have to do it before I end this day. Tomorrow the movers are scheduled at early morning by 9:00 AM.
So, Alisha you have to do all the remaining task by the night.
I had taken care of my precious possession before the dinner. And now, all the small things, my stationery, bottles, some clips that I had seen while packing the rest and many countless such small items are to be packed.
Ah! God! What do I do!
I contemplate standing in the center of the room. Taking again a look around the room I decide to just put the left over things together. No need to spend any more time to organize them in boxes.
Just through them in.
