How we met

"Isn't love a wonderful feeling" asked Shishira. A sudden bout of giggles over came her.

Vasanti and Varsha were all smiles. However Grishma did not look convinced. "Somehow, you never gave me the impression that love was something which would move you"

"I guess it does when you find the right person." retorted Shishira.

"With a lot of money of course"

Shishira looked a little flustered " It wouldn't hurt, would it? Anyway, the kind of places that I worked, you would never come across anyone poor"

"Ohh! So he worked with you" Varsha asked

"Get real, will you. She probably worked for him"

" Well , you could say so. After we left home, I moved to Mumbai. You knew how little money we all had. I was lucky to come across a nice family with whom I travelled all the way. "

"Once I reached mumbai , I did a lot of odd jobs. A year later, I got a job in this swanky restaurant. It was here that I met him. He owned the place. And he used to come down to check if everything was in order. Slowly the frequency of his visits increased. One day he asked me if I would marry him and I agreed. "

"Hmm! That explains it. He only saw you, he did not know you" said Grishma

" You could say that" snapped Shishira "We got married shortly after that. I took an active part in his business and help it grow and today life is pretty comfortable."

"I'd give that to you, you have a keen business acumen" said Grishma.

"Give it a rest grishma" said Varsha "I am happy that you got what you wanted Shishira. So, you have any kids?"

"Aryan, he's six years old" Said Shishira with a smile on her face

"You know what, for once I see genuine affection for someone on your face. Glad to know." quipped Grishma " By the way, did you change your name when you named your kid. Shishira too downmarket for you? "

"Grishma!!"

"It's ok Vasu di, let me answer her question. I changed my name long before I met Tushar. I wanted to cut off all the ties with my past, so that nobody could trace me. It was a difficult decision. My name was the only connection left. The only memory of mother and father. But I did not want to be traced at any cost. They had named us after the four seasons. So I changed my name to something that would still remind me of shishira."

The four of them became silent, each lost in her own thoughts.

Inside the suite!

'That's right' said a voice. They all turned around to look who the voice belonged to. It was Shishira. She looked breathtaking. She was now wearing a pink outfit which made her look even better than how she looked in the morning. She looked like one of those models you would watch on TV or on the covers of magazines.

"They are with me". She said to Tejpal and gestured the others to follow her. All three of them walked behind her as if in a trance. She looked like she were from another world. Not like the shishira they had known. Was this really her? A thousand such questions were going on in their minds.

They went throught the lobby and entered the inner hall. Here they got into the lift. "Shish... " started Vasanti when Shishira interupted her by saying "That's our floor. Come on. That's my room at the end of the corridor. You all can get fresh and then we can talk." Vasanti understood that was a polite way to ask them to shut up. She simply followed her upto her room and inside.

Varsha entered open mouthed behind Vasanti and exclaimed "pinch me!! am I dead? Is this what heaven looks like?" Vasanti turned back to smile while Grishma muttered under her breath "Shut up!!"

"Surely you must have seen suites like this before?" asked Shishira putting on a surprised tone, but no one could miss the look of superiority on her face.

"Yeah we did" replied Vasanti "In our dreams!" All four of them laughed.
Varsha asked "How on earth did you get so rich Shishira? What did you do? Rob a bank?"
"Well, I married a rich guy" replied Shishira "I guess Grishma would be used to such luxuries. That is why she seems to be quiet. No wonder, you were living with such rich people." There was no mistaking the malice in her tone.
"I left them" replied Grishma in an equally malicious tone " There are things other than money which are more important to me"
"Why don't we all get fresh..." started Varsha in an effort to stall the argument that was about to ensue.
"I feel fresh enough" said Grishma angrily.
"The others probably don't! Why don't you all take a bath and have something to eat. Let me call up room service" offered Shishira.
"Meanwhile, why don't you tell us how you met your husband? " asked varsha, who lay sprawled across the huge bed.
"Oh yes , I will" replied Shishira "Now that I know SOME people were not as lucky as I thought they were."

Shishira

The durban at the Lake view hotel saw the pretty lady walk in with two young girls. "They probably have pooled enough money to stay here now" he thought.
As they walked in one of the young girls returned his salute and winked at him. "" She is one of those lively ones, pity you don't get to see such girls very often." he thought " Most of the women who walk in here walk with their noses high up in the air"

They walked past the entrance and entered the foyer. The one with the curly hair walked towards the reception, while the other two walked backed to the lounge looking a little apprehensive.

"Hi, may I help you?", the receptionist asked Grishma who was busy reading the receptionist's name.

"Sandali! That's a pretty name" said Grishma "Hi, I'm Grishma. We're here to meet Miss Shishira"
"Hi Grishma. Could you give me the lady's room number so I can inform her that you are here."
"Well, there is a problem, We've lost the lady's card and I dont have her room number or phone number with me. I was wondering if you could look into your records and let me know her room number" said Grishma sheepishly.

The receptionist eyed her with suspicion before saying "I'm sorry ma'am, our clientelle expect privacy from us. I really can't provide you with the information you want"

"I understand" said Grishma sadly "Is there any way I can contact her. It's important. Can you at least leave a message for the lady. She can contact us if she wants to"

"Let me see" she said looking through the names in the database "I'm sorry ma'am, but there is no one by that name checked into our hotel. Do you have a second name or surname?"

"I'm afraid I don't" said Grishma. "Thanks a lot"

All three of them walked out of the foyer towards the main entrance. Varshu gave saulted the durban but he noticed the smile was missing. "Does this place do that to people?" he wondered. He hesitated for a few seconds before he ran after her.

"Excuse me miss" he called out "My name is Tejpal singh."
Varsha smiply stared at him for a while and then said "Hi Tejpal, can I help you?"
Tejpal smiled at her and said "I was about to ask you the same question miss. You look sad. Can I help you?"
Varsha's face brightened at the question. She told him the same story they had told the receptionist. "Can you help us Tejpal?"

Tejpal was lost in thought for a while and with a resolved look on his face he said "Wait here!"

He walked to the reception and started talking to Sandali. They spoke for quite some time. After a while Tejpal came out and beckoned Varsha.

"Sorry miss, but there is no one checked in by that name. Do you have any idea when she checked in?"
"Must be either today or yesterday"
"Hmm.. not many people checked in these two days. But if she is here with her family, then it would be difficult to track her down." said Tejpal
"She is here alone. I'm sure about that" said Grishma, who just joined them.

Vasanti and Varsha looked at her in surprise.

"Then there was only one lady who checked in alone, but her name is Sheetal Vaid" said Tejpal "I saw her coming in the morning today. She was wearing ..."

"A white shirt and a blue skirt" said Vasanti realisation finally dawning upon her.

Where is she?

Vasanti could not hold back her tears as she looked at both the girls. She could not believe they had grown up so much. She could still remember laddu gobbling everything that came her way and varshu with her innumerable pets.

"Vasu diiiiiii" laddu came running towards her " I missed you so much"
"I missed you too laddu. You look beautiful, young lady" said vasanti with an appraising look at laddu.

Laddu blushed and almost smiled, when a sad look passed over her "Vasu di, Varshu, I'm sorry I could not .. I tried .. I really did.. but then .. they would not listen .. I still tried and I was only 14.. and I could do nothing" she muttered incoherently.

Varshu put an arm around her and said "Don't we know you wouldn't give up easily?" and then she added with a smile "By the way, we could not understand anything you said"

"I..." started laddu

"Hold it laddu" interrupted Varsha, "Let's hold all updates till shishira is here, that way you won't have to repeat everything again. You can even tell us how you lost all the weight" she added with a wink.

"Speaking of weight, I don't look like a laddu now, so can you please call me by my name? "

"Sure Grishma! We will" said Vasanti.

"I dunno" sulked varshu "I like calling you that"

All three of them walked back to the lake and sat on the banks.

"Are you sure she will come?" asked Vasanti "After all she was not very gung-ho about meeting us. Was she?"

"Yes, I remember she was a little reluctant about meeting again." said Varsha.

"A little???" asked Grishma "She was absolutely against meeting again"

"Yes, she was." said Vasanti, "What do we do now? Wait for her?"

"I don't know. She would have come here directly.. I wonder if she has checked into that hotel." said Grishma.

"What kind of people would be able to afford THAT" said varshu, waving her hand at the hotel "It's obscenely expensive!!"

"I know some people who can Varshu and I bet Shishira is now one of that kind" said Grishma with a strange expression on her face.

"You know something that we don't" said Vasanti "Have you been hiding anything la.. Grishma?"

"Why don't I leave the updating until Shishira turns up" said Grishma.

"Ok" said Vasanti "Shall we go over to the hotel and check?"

They started walking towards the hotel with the same thought on their minds 'Where is she?'

The meeting

"Oh my god!" cried Vasanti "Is it you Varshu? Let me take a good look at you. You have grown so much. I would not have recognized you if it were not for your eyes."

"I recognised you the moment I saw you" said Varsha, "I was just trying to make sure. And you have grown older too and a lot more beautiful"

Vasanti smiled at the compliment "How have you been dear? What did you do all these years" she asked.

"Let me hold those details until we meet the others" winked Varsha, "Why repeat the whole story again? The only thing I'll say now is that I missed you all a lot"

"So did I. Initially it was so difficult not to think about you all. I used to wonder how you would be and what would you be doing that very moment."sighed Vasanti "It took me a few years to get used to the fact that I might not be able to meet you all again. The only thing that kept me going was this" Vasanti held out her palm to show a crinkled note.

Varsha needed no hint to guess what it was " I always thought maybe I was the only one clinging on to that piece of paper"

They both sat silently for a while each lost in her own thoughts. They had so much to say, but they wanted to wait. What if, the others turned up.

"Vasu di, why do you still have your luggage with you?" enquired Varsha "did you plan to stay at lake house too?"

"Yes, but I don't think I can afford to stay at THIS lake house" said Vasanti waving her hand at the hotel "Where is your luggage?"

"I left it at the cloak room at the bus stop, I came by bus from siliguri. I was a little confused when the taxi driver told me there is no lake house, so I left my luggage there"

"I should've done that. Hm, I can still do that, but where do you plan to stay?"

"I was looking forward to staying at the lake house" said Varsha looking longingly at the hotel.

"So was I. Fate does play strange games. I feel like we are homeless again" said Vasanti sadly.

"Fate is just a word Vasu di. Whatever happened was not because of fate nor is the fact that we met today. It was planned and it's happening as it was planned. The house was not really part of our plan." argued Varsha " I don't believe in fate!"

"Father never believed in fate" reminisced Vasanti fondly.

"Yes, he never did"

"Varshu, look at that girl in the blue sweater" said Vasanti pointing to a girl who was walking down the road " Could she be.."

"Looks like her, but then girls do that to their hair on purpose these days"

"Nobody would want to have laddu's hair" said Vasanti stifling a giggle.

" But, this girl is quite fit and healthy, It would have taken laddu years to look like this" said Varsha

"It IS years since we met her."

The girl in the blue sweater looked at the hotel for a short while and started walking towards the lake. She still looked like she was searching for something or someone.

"Wait lemme go and talk to her" Varsha started to get up.

At the same moment the girl looked at Varsha and then at Vasanti. She cupped her hands around her mouth and stood gaping at them.

Varsha started running towards the girl. Vasanti looked on as the girls hugged each other with delighted shrieks of "Varshu!!" "Laddu".

Lake view Hotel

It was 7 in the morning, Rishabh was knocking on Grishma's door. She opened the door and let him in. Her eyes were swollen and red.

"You know, you didn't have to cry all night. You could have cried for an hour, the dosage is usually enough to induce deep sleep." said Rishabh with a smile " And imagine if you fall asleep after you reach there."

"Very funny" Grishma smiled back at him " You think I could sleep today"

"Yeah! That's why I came to meet you early." said Rishabh as he lay sprawled across the sofa "Now, listen. If you feel that anybody is being hostile or is trying to harm you, gimme a call. I'll be there in twenty minutes. On second thoughts, shall I accompany you?"

"Why would anybody harm me? Just because I didn't do what I was told to? I don't think they would" she said.

Rishabh noticed she was getting into one of her tempers. "Ok babes! Cool it now. and even if anyone does try anything. I'll be there"

"No you won't" said Grishma, her voice raised " The place is a one hour drive from here. Not 20 minutes. and NO you are NOT accompanying me. I have to be there alone." She stormed out of the apartment and hopped into a taxi.

Meanwhile, Vasanti arrived at the Mirik railway station. She walked out of the station and was surprised at the hustle and bustle of the once sleepy town.

A few taxis were waiting at the taxi stand. Vasanti walked towards the stand.

"Lake house?" she asked one on the drivers.

He stared at her for a while and said "There is no such place in Mirik"

"Maybe you don't know the place. Are you new around here?"

"I've been here for about seven years madam. and I know every corner of the town." said the driver with a tinge of pride in his voice " Are you sure that is where you have to go?"

"Pretty sure!" said Vasanti "Tell me, do you know the lake near Devi temple? The house is right next to it. It's huge with a sprawling garden and a .."

"I don't know about any lake view house ma'am." Interrupted the driver " But the only huge place I know near Sumendu lake is 'Lake view hotel'. Shall I take you there?"

Vasanti's turned pale as she said "OK! take me there"

The Lake was a long drive from the city, and Vasanti could not help but exclaim how much the town had changed.

"Here you are madam" said the driver after an hour long journey. "Lake view hotel. Beautiful! Isn't it?"

Vasanti muttered a meek "yes". There lay in front of her a palatial building. She had never seen anything as beautiful in her town. This could not be lake view house, but then, this is where it was.

She paid the taxi's fare and started walking towards the hotel's reception. As she entered, a car stopped at the entrance and a beautiful lady got out of the car. She walked to the reception. Everyone in the hotel seemed to have stopped in their tracks to take a look at her.

"I've seen her somewhere, maybe on television" thought Vasanti, as she saw the lady pick the keys to her suite and walk away gracefully. At the same time she realised she could not afford to stay in a hotel like this. It was too expensive for her.

She picked up her bags and walked out. The durban smiled at her in a sympathetic way. He would usually snigger at people like her, but she looked so innocent and helpless that he forgot to be rude.

"Where do I go now? I planned to stay at the house." said Vasanti to herself and suddenly she panicked as another thought stuck her "How do I meet the others? I can't even recognize them." She scanned the place for the sight of a familiar face.

There were a lot of people around and she could not spot any of them. Disappointed, she sat on the edge of the lake, and was absently throwing pebbles in the water.

A few feet away from her a girl who seemed to be in her early twenties was playing with a little pup. As she saw her, Vasanti was reminded of her childhood and smiled at the girl.

The girl stared at Vasanti for some time and then sat down beside her.

"Hi!You seem to be troubled, can I help you in anyway?" she asked

Vasanti smiled "You know, you remind me of a little girl I knew a long time ago. She had kind eyes like you. She would always go out of her way to help people and animals." said Vasanti, looking as if she were in a trance.

She looked up to see the girl looking at her with a big smile "She was your special little girl. And you came here to meet her today. Didn't you? It's me Vasu di. It is your Varshu." cried the girl as she embraced Vasanti.

Vasanti

Raghu was sitting at the dining table reading the newspaper. The coffee on the table had cooled down completely. Vasanti usually heated it up twice before he finished reading the newspaper.

Raghu realised Vasanti was not rushing around the house dusting, cleaning, cooking and always humming. She could not be heard at all. He wondered if she had gone to the vegetable market. He walked into the kitchen to find her staring into space, completely lost in thought. He could not help but marvel at how beautiful she looked even when she was clad in a simple sari.

Vasanti startled, suddenly realising there was someone standing beside her. She looked flustered and blushed a deep shade of red. Raghu was not the kind of person who voiced his observations. He took one look at her and then went back to the dining room.

Raghu was reading the sports news when her heard Vasanti bringing back the cup of coffee. Usually she put it on the table and went about polishing and repolishing the furniture in the dining room. She wanted everything spic n span and she always hummed a tune while she worked around the house. Raghu loved listening to her song, for Vasanti was no bathroom singer. She could have been a professional singer had she not decided to give it all up in favor of being a homemaker. She was a busybody and never spent a minute sitting idle . Her home was her world, and she did all that she could do to make it a wonderful place to live in.

Raghu lowered the newspaper adn saw Vasanti staring at him with a strange look in her eyes. It was not fear, coz he knew how she looked when she was afraid of him. It looked like a mixture of defiance and fear. Acting like he did not notice anything, Raghu went back to reading the newspaper.

When he finally lowered the newspaper, he saw his wife sitting next to him with the same look in her eyes. Felling that he could not ignore her anymore, Raghu asked her "What is it?"

"Nothing" said Vasanti. He noticed her eyes reflected only fear now.

"Fine then. I'm off to take a bath." He started to stand up.

"Wait! Actually, I wanted to talk."

Raghu sat back on the chair and nodded which meant "Go on"

"Umm! Tomorro is the 10th of October"

"Ohh! Is that why? OK! So what have you decided? You want to go?"

"Do you want me to?"

"It's up to you. What do YOU want to do?" asked Raghu

"Well, I do want to go. I mean, I've waited for this day for 12 years."

"If that is how you feel then you must go. I will not stop you."

"But won't you be angry with me for going?" asked Vasanti for she knew her husband's moods very well.

"Of course I will be" replied Raghu "I never said I won't be angry. I only said you can go if you want to."

"Dear, please! I want to go." begged Vasanti "Don't be so angry."

"I am not angry now. But I will be if you go" He replied calmly "Of course, that does not mean I'm stopping you. It is your decision to make."

"Why are you doing this to me?" asked Vasanti with tears in her eyes "You know very well that I cannot defy you."

"Sometimes," said Raghu, "You have to make a choice. No two things in life can have the same importance. Now, decide what is more important for you."

Vasanti ran into their bedroom crying bitterly. After all these years of marriage, she never could understand her husband. He did strange things at times just to make her unhappy. But, she knew he really loved her.
"But I still don't understand him" she muttered to herself.

The door opened and Raghu walked in. He sat beside Vasanti on the bed. She did not look up.

"It's ok sweetheart" said Raghu stroking her head." I know you want to go. It's just that I'm worried how you will manage things alone. You also do not know the kind of people they are."

"How can I not know them?" asked Vasanti, stifling sobs.

"Hmm, but they could be anybody now" replied Raghu, " But since you've waited so long for this.. I guess you must go."

"Won't you.." began Vasanti.

"No I won't" replied Raghu "I won't be angry"