EPISODE 2
Relatives and friends gathered at their house the following evening for mocktails
and dinner. Aleesha wanted the party to get over soon because she had to join her friends
for another party. Aleesha’s dad was busy chatting with his friend Mr Kapoor about
accommodation options for his daughter when Mr Kapoor suggested Aleesha could stay
with his own daughter who was working in Mumbai.
‘Don’t worry. They say good people and opportunities meet when they are supposed
to. As you know, my daughter Tamanna is also working in Mumbai. It just so happens
that even Tamanna is looking for someone to share the apartment with. So Aleesha can
stay with her, if you agree. I assure you, it will be a safe and secure home for Aleesha,’
Mr Kapoor suggested.
Without giving it a second thought, Aleesha’s parents agreed to let their daughter stay
with Tamanna. They believed that staying with Tamanna would be the best possible
option for Aleesha since they had known the Kapoors for almost a decade. Aleesha
herself had wanted to stay alone so she could enjoy her freedom and the city nightlife.
She had no option but to concede to her parent’s wishes. Also, she was in a hurry to
leave for the late night house party. An argument there and then would have been a waste
of time, which she wanted to avoid.
After all the after dinner formalities were over, Aleesha took their permission to go
out with her friends and left with the promise that she will be back for yet another boring
family bonding over drinks. She had been waiting for the late night party all evening. It
was going to be the last time she was going to meet her best buddies before setting off
for Mumbai. After the party, she bid a final goodbye to them, and soon it was time to
head for Mumbai.
‘Dad, I have just landed in Mumbai. Tamanna is waiting at the arrivals gate. I will
call you back once I am settled,’ Aleesha spoke on the phone while bringing down her
luggage from the conveyor belt.
After collecting her luggage, she headed eagerly towards the arrivals gate. She was
searching for Tamanna when suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulders.
‘Tamanna Kapoor.’
‘Hey. I’ve been looking for you. What’s up?’ Aleesha asked with a broad smile on
her face.
‘Let’s leave. The car is waiting. I have to get back to office,’ Tamanna said in a rush,
choosing to ignore Aleesha’s pleasantries. Her cold behaviour made Aleesha feel
awkward, but she recollected what her dad had told her, ‘Tamanna is an independent girl
and doesn’t like too much interference in her personal life, though she is very active
socially.’
They walked towards the car together. Within a few minutes, the car was cruising on
Mumbai’s roads.
Aleesha was trying to soak in the city. She poked her head out of the car and let the
breeze run through her hair. She closed her eyes as she felt the air on her face. The car
halted abruptly at a red light and broke her spell. Tamanna instructed the driver to put on
the AC. Aleesha glanced sideways at Tamanna to find her busily working on her laptop.
She told Aleesha that she had come to pick her up during office hours and being one of
the managers in the office, she had to be on her toes, at least during office hours.
Aleesha wanted to stop the car near the seaside and watch the sunset, but she knew
Tamanna was getting late. They finally reached Tamanna’s Churchgate apartment. It had
two bedrooms, which made Aleesha sigh in relief since that meant she didn’t have to
share her bedroom with Tamanna.
‘Aleesha, you can settle down. I have to leave for office. I will return around 8 pm in
the evening. If you want something to eat, then there are some snacks in the fridge, or you
can even place an order at the nearby snacks corner. Their menu card is kept on the
dining table. Chal bye, I am leaving. Take care.’
Aleesha listened to all the instructions and nodded in agreement.
Lying on the bed, she could not believe that she was finally in Mumbai. She had a
quick nap and then called up her parents. After unpacking, she couldn’t resist her urge to
update a status on Facebook and connect with her friends back home whom she was
missing already. She also updated her BBM status.
She dropped a message in the group chat.
I am extremely happy and super excited to be in the city of dreams. But feels like I
have left a part of me in Kolkata. I miss baba, maa, and all you guys. Before this day, I
never thought that a few hours of separation could hurt so much. Miss you all. Suddenly I
find myself thinking about my childhood and the time when I was learning to ride a
bicycle. I fell and bruised myself several times but never gave up. You all used to tease
me a lot and would make me cry until I stopped. Now I remember all the fun we had
during Durga Puja. You all stood by me for so many years which made me strong from
within. Here, there is no one yet but yes, if I get my prince charming here, I will surely
let you know. Bye everyone. Miss me and if possible, go and see baba and maa. Love
you all. Muaahhhhhh
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