Chapter 2
She thinks that her father doesn’t even give an inch of importance to the things her mother did for him till she died. She calls Raghav but his phone is busy, looks at stars and her mother face appears to her between the clouds, her black colour, small brown eyes, thin lips and a colourful Bindi on her forehand. She was not a beautiful woman, but her beauty lies in her motherhood and companionship. I miss you mummy and she cries.
A few people attend Chautha ceremony including Raghav’s family, her father friends & relatives. Because her mother was only child of her parents and long back Meera’s Nani and Nanu died. Pandit ji tells good things about her mother Suhas. She wonders that how Pandit ji better knows her mother than us or this is his duty to praise every dead soul. At last, he ends the rituals by saying that she is very lucky as she died ‘suhagan.’ Is my mother really lucky? Raghav and his family meet my father and he hugs his son- in- law and greets his parents nicely. Her Chachi confirms her tickets to Calcutta because she has an excuse of Pihu final exams of graduation. Suddenly, Raghav comes and hugs her tightly. She breaks up in tears again. He wipes her tears and even her mother-in -law hugs and says, ‘Don’t worry Meera, I am your mother now so never feel alone’. She tries to smile hearing this but fails to do so.
When they were going back from temple, two neighbours come to her and says,’ Meeru, Suhas was an amazing person. You look like your mother but your complexion is better than hers. Meera gives them a cunning look and they embarrassed leave from there. Chachi goes back, her father gets busy with his office work. Few days have passed and she is trying to overcome the pain and keeps herself busy with the office work. Suddenly, doorbell rings and when she opens the door, a good-looking woman in her forties stand on the door. So, are you Meera? Yes, but I don’t recognize you. I am your mother’s friend and your father colleague Supriya. Is your dad at home? Yes, she replies. She goes straight to her dad’s room. She wonders that her mother hardly had any friend as far as she knows.
She goes to her father’s room to talk to her but stops when she hears Supriya says,’ will you never tell your daughter how her mother died’? Don’t be stupid she died because of a cyst in her breast. Her death is natural, she hears her father saying. You cannot lie to me; I came to know how she died from her doctor. She took an extra dose of medicine to end her life. Meera legs shake and she says,’ Oh my God, my mother committed suicide, but why? It is not necessary to tell Meera everything whatever she knows is enough. Her father answers Supriya. I feel pity for you Jitu and hugs him tightly and her father hugs her back.
