My Daughter- The most precious

My Daughter- The precious

Kumar switches his focus at Ashvini signalling her with his facial expression and hand movement. “Ashvini, how about you show Ashoke around?

It seemed like a wake up call for Ashvini who was about to lean on the door frame. She knew this part was a ritual in such a function, but the first time gave her the shivers.

She waited until Ashoke took the next sip of tea which he seemed to enjoy before she made her first step. Ashvini decided to take him to the lawn.The makeup the jewellery left of the table top, the salwar bought by Reshmi in the packet and the night gown on the chair, made her to decide anywhere other than her room.

She quickly thought of the lawn, we did sit on the bench and talk she made her choice once he kept his tea cup and saucer on the tabletop, he cleared his throat and wiped his lip by touching it twice with his fist with his face bend down. His sister murmured something and giggled to it while he followed Ashvini to the dining room.

Ashvini played with Rohan’s hair who seemed bored and no role to play for this event, Shan held him by his shirt assuming his intuition to follow Ashvini and Ashoke.

Ashvini stood by the closed curtains, pulled the strings of the curtain to slide the door open. She tries to slide open the door by using her right palm while she held her dupatta tight on the other. She failed on her first attempt, the door refused to open. She pushes down the unlocked lock once again ensuring it slides open this time and pushes the glass frame once again with greater effort.

The door still refuses to slide, “ahh, well..”, it’s jammed I guess, she said in a flickering tone.
“May I?”, asked Ashoke volunteering to help. Ashvini heard his voice for the first time; his voice was high in bass, a manly tone.

He signalled his hand while he asked and waited until Ashvini took a few steps backwards to occupy the space. He smelt pleasant, got to be his perfume, not like the strong ones which gave her a headache and it was not a deodorant for sure.

She inhaled more than once in a short span of time, as his perfume was of a pleasant aroma.

Ashoke slides the door open in his first attempt and looks at her instantly, to denote his accomplishment. “Oh.. It opened”, she said acknowledging his attempt and a distress at her failed attempt.

To be continued..

 

My Daughter- the most precious!


Ashoke smiles at Ashvini and steps back signalling her to take the lead. She moves forward obeying his instruction.

Both of them walked through the premises a while in shear silence, and Ashoke said: Looks like you haven’t opened the slide door in a while.

“No, she protested. I walk the premises with my morning cup of tea, and that’s the door I use daily just that it had to act cranky today.

“Hahah”, he laughs aloud. Ashvini smiles and stands by the bench. “Shall we sit here” she asked politely. “Sure”, came the spontaneous answer.

Ashvini sat on the first bench and Ashoke sat on the opposite bench facing Ashvini at an arm’s distance. They were silent for long, Ashoke looked around the lawn and found sparrows spying on something found in the lawn and the butterflies flapping around the flowers.

Ashoke finally broke the silence and said: This sure is a nice place to start your mornings. Ashvini says “Thank you” and smiled at his compliment.

Ashvini saw the gardener standing at a distance with a mischief smile.

When the silence continued, Ashoke said: I suppose we were left alone to talk talk?

“Yeah, but we haven’t spoken right?” , said Ashvini.

“Is this your first time, I mean your first proposal in formal manner?”, asked Ashoke.

“Yeah, this is my very first formal and informal proposal” said Ashvini bending her head slightly downwards and partly looked at him with a wicked smile.

“Hahha alright..alright” said Ashoke laughing at her statement.

“And.. yours?” , asked Ashvini.

“Well.. I have visited two of them before this meeting, in a formal manner” he specified just as Ashvini did.

They giggled once again.

“Oh, so you seem to be familiar with this practice. So you go ahead, insisted Ashvini.”

“Alright, hope you already know about my family. All of the members in the immediate family are present here today. So I will skip that part, and go ahead with my college and other stuff.”, Ashoke decided for himself.

I did my degree at a private college in Pune. Once I completed my degree I managed to get into a company through campus selection. By then my relatives like every other Indian relatives compelled me to get married.

Ashvini giggled at his plight and Ashoke smiled and continued with his story.

Yeah, I ignored it as I wanted to pursue my Masters from a well reputed university in the States.

I spend the rest two years by preparing the required exams and working simultaneously and wanted to save a portion of my income for my education. Papa said he did help but didn’t want to bother him, as he was already paying for my siblings education back then.

Ashvini kept nodding her head and was impressed that he worked for his further education, she could feel how attached he was to his family through his words.

Which company were you working for?, asked Ashvini trying to sound involved in the conversation.

“Gladr LLC” , he said as an answer.

“Oh, one of my classmate’s brother has joined there recently; it seems he was complaining of the night shifts given” ,said Ashvini.

“Yeah, that was a concern, but we managed by sleeping at our desk.” ,said Ashoke with a bright smile.

Ashvini laughed out, by bending her head facing her lap, her hair had fallen on her face.
She adjusted her hair once again with her palm as she raised her head Ashoke was admiring her laugh. Ashvini kept looking at Ashoke for few more seconds until he realised she was watching him now.

He gave a soft smile and continued with his life story.

Well.. yea like you heard late night shift had its drawbacks, the change in sleeping hours every week was disturbing but it was nice at times as most of the youngsters and fresher were scheduled for the night shifts. So it used to be fun, we used to tease each other, and go out to grab some snacks from the small chaat shops near our office, and we actually saw the sun rise.

“I have never woken so early even during my exams”, he admitted just to see Ashvini giggle once again.


Like I mentioned earlier I worked there for 2 years and then with my good grades in the exams along with my savings I could manage to get myself enrolled in a university which was affordable.

Anyhow, papa insisted me to try and get into a better reputed university, which costed me much more. I went by his word and enrolled myself in a better university by applying for an education loan.

“Okay.. I have been stretching my story too much, isn’t it?” Ashoke asked.

“No, no. It’s fine”, Ashvini claimed. His talking skills along with his humour sense made the conversation lively.

“Alright, but let me know when you are bored okay?” said Ashoke.

Ashvini smiled and assured she will.


To be continued..

 

Thank you, will post the next episode in a while.

 

My Daughter- The most precious!


The first few weeks at a foreign country was difficult, the homesickness along with the change in food. My classmate who was an Indian and I found a bed space apartment which made us feel much comfortable.

I managed to get some part time jobs in the US as a dog walker and florist helper etc. like every other student. I was paid on hourly basis which was enough to meet my daily expenses.

Ashvini smiled as he spoke, she appreciated that he didn’t try boosting himself by faking about his wealth. She was engrossed in his speech that she forgot to nod or involve by asking any question for a while.

In my last year I had to do my internship where I got paid along with my project work, back home my dad had started to get our house built. I wanted to be of some help so I saved a small amount and made my contribution in building the house.

“Probably my contribution has helped to buy a door of our house” said Ashoke and laughed to state his minimum contribution. Ashvini didn’t laugh along this time as she was impressed by his effort.

He was unsure of the reason behind Ashvini’s silence and uneasy, while he continued.

While I was back after my graduation the house’s final works had to be done, meanwhile I started my job hunt.

“Hello..” their attention was taken away by Shan, he had come to the lawn to attend a phone call. He walked away to the opposite direction talking over the phone leaving them to themselves once again.

“Ahh.. guess he just got a call”, claimed Ashvini who had paused his conversation.

“Okay.. so where were we? Yeahh..my job hunt.” recollected Ashoke as he continued.

“I got into IBM after few months of search and interviews and paid off my remaining education loan in another few months. Now as you would be aware I’m working for them as a system analyst. So, that’s about me”, said Ashoke after a deep sigh.

Ashvini was unsure of how to response, he was impressed by his determination and she knew there was nothing much to say about her life, she could end her story in less than two minutes. She wasn’t sure of how and what to tell him.

As the silence took longer than required, Ashoke interrupted and said, “ahh.. you can start with your story.

“Well, are you done with yours?” asked Ashvini wanting some more time to start.

“Yeahh.. I suppose, yeah.. and once I got into IBM my relatives pursued me again to get married and that’s why I’m here.” Ashoke said as he smiled.

Ashvini laughed once again at his relatives wanting him to get married, and said clearing her throat: I don’t have anything much to say in my life, I did my schooling and college in 1 kilometres distance; I have never stayed away from home. I studied at “Reva University”

“Ohh.. yeahh.. I saw the university on my way, it’s really close by, isn’t it?” asked Ashoke confirming.

“Oh, yeah. That’s the one, and I am a recent graduate so haven’t searched for a job or anything so far”, said Ashvini.

Shan gets back to enter through the sliding door, and says “Time up guys and laughs aloud as he entered through the sliding door”

“Ohh.. guess like we were timed” ,said Ashoke as Shan got into the house.

“Nahh, he was just joking assured Ashvini wanting to spend more time with Ashoke.”

“He is your mom’s brother? , asked Ashoke and excused for not paying attention when Kumar had introduced them earlier.

“No, he is my mom’s bro-in-law, Reshmi aunt is my mom’s sister.” corrected Ashvini.

“Ohh.. alright”, said Ashoke in a low tone.

“..and I have a very small family my dad..Kumar, you already know, and..ahh and.. my mom.. She is no more.” said Ashvini, as she bowed down her head.”

“Yeahh.. I know” said Ashoke in a low and consoling tone.

While Ashvini left her head bowed down and the silence felt awkward. Ashoke said: Well.. I guess we better keep going before someone comes in search of us, and got up from his bench.

Ashvini felt like screeching out “no wait!” but she didn’t. He put front his right palm for a hand shake in a gentleman’s manner.

Ashvini arouse from her seat and shook hands.
“Nice meeting you” , said Ashoke as he said after winding up any official meeting.

All Ashvini got to do was smile unknowing how to react. Ashoke started walking away after the hand shake.

Ashvini just realised she hadn’t asked the question she had in mind and called out.

“Heyyy!” louder than she had ever spoken in a while.

Ashoke turns back alarmed.

“Yes.” , he said sounding surprised.


To be continued..