chapter 30

“What?? Are you crying?? But why??” Papa was surprised to see Mita in tears.“Oh come on! Didn’t you understand? Because Jay is leaving!” Mom.Jay was feeling sad too. He wanted to hug Mita, wipe her tears but somehow, he controlled his emotions.“So what? She is meeting us after long 8 months. Isn’t she happy?” Papa still could not get why Mita was crying.“Hey bhagavaan! You know how emotional your daughter is!! She loves him. Since last 8 months they were together. She is crying out of love for Jay. And seeing their strong bond, I am feeling very  happy,” Mom.“hmm, ok ok. In that case, we should have come here with band, baja, baraat and finished marriage ceremony, bidaai, all rituals here at the airport, so that she could go with him,” Papa.Everybody burst into laugh including Mita.“Chalo, finally my daughter smiled,” Papa.“Ok Papa, I will have to leave now, otherwise I will miss my flight” Jay.“Ok Beta, have a safe journey. Waise, you will inform Mita but let us know once you reach home,” Papa.“Sure Papa, bye Bhaiyya, Bhabhi, Mummy, Golu,” then he looked at Mita and smiled. As if he was telling her that he will be back soon.With teary eyes and smiling face, Mita waved her hand at Jay.Jay headed towards Chennai, whereas Mita and family to Kolhapur.***** Bhaiyya was driving car. Papa was sitting next to him. Mummy, Bhabhi, Golu and Mita were sitting at the backside. Bhaiyya played Bollywood 90s songs. He knew it was Mita’s favourite.“Wow bhaiyya, lovely songs,” Mita.“I know, these are my favourite too,” Bhaiyya.“Muze ik pal chain na aayeMuze ik pal chain na aayeSajanaa tere binaa………Sajanaa tere binaa…………Mere dil ko kuchh nahi bhayeSajanaa tere binaa………Sajanaa tere binaa………” The song totally resonated with Mita’s feeling. She had met her family after long time. She was really happy but today, Jay was not with her. It was not even an hour but she already started missing him. Each word in the lyrics was touching her heart, making her eyes moist.“God knows, how these next 5 days will pass?” She asked herself, lost in Jay’s thoughts, did not even realize, when she slept off.**********Jay reached Chennai early in the morning. His feelings were not different than Mita. He was missing her too. He saw Appa at the airport.“Ohh Appa, why did you come?? I had told you to take rest. It is too early for you to wake up.“Atu paravāyillai Kanna. Nāṉ vara virumpiṉēṉ. Am'māvum. Nāṉ avaḷai ōyveṭukka coṉṉēṉ” (“It is ok Kanna. I wanted to come. In fact, your Amma also was insisting to come but I asked her to take rest. It was a tiring day for her yesterday,” Appa.)“Avaḷ uṭampu cariyillai,”(“Tiring? Is she not well?” Jay.)“Illa, Avaḷ naṉṟāka irukkiṟāḷ,”(“No no, she is absolutely healthy. Yesterday, she had gone for shopping,” Appa.)“Shopping?” Jay.“Tirumaṇattiṟkāṉa ṣāppiṅ uṅkaḷukkut teriyum”“Shopping for marriage, you know,” Appa started laughing.Jay and Appa sat in a car. On the way, Appa talked about Amma and Simi’s excitement and how they have been doing shopping these days. Jay also told Appa about the meeting with Mita’s family at the airport.Seeing Jay, Amma had no bounds of happiness. She had prepared his favourite breakfast- Masala dosa with spicy aloo and coconut chutney. It instantly reminded him of Mita. He remembered the day when Mita had prepared the same for him and was singing a song.“What happened Kanna??” Amma.“Nothing,” Jay enjoyed the breakfast and dialled Mita’s number. It was switched off. He dropped her a message:“My dear Mita, I reached home and had breakfast- Aloo masala dosa. What about you?” He ended message with heart emoji. The message wasn’t delivered yet.“Kanna, take some rest today. In the evening, we shall go to the temple,” Appa.“Ok Appa,” Jay went to his room and lied down on bed. He opened his phone and checked the message status. It wasn’t delivered yet. He opened [Photos] folder and started scrolling through Mita’s pic. Automatically smile came on his face. While seeing those pics, he didn’t realize when he dozed off.To be continued….