Lessons from Water

"But how will I take that Kanchipuram saree delivery??" said the confused Mumma.

"Kya yaar Mumma!! Okay fine. If he calls me, I shall ask him to come in the evening. Now happy?" Mia assuaged her and rushed to the garage.

She was already late for the office, when she drove the car out of the garage, but just then something struck her mind. It struck her so hard that the already late Mia left the car in neutral gear and rushed in again, shouting,

"Mummaaaa!! Water bottle."

Mumma came out of the kitchen hurriedly with the rag wipe in the hand and asked in a curious worry, "Whaat? Aren't you late already?"

"Yes I am but can you please..." and then looking at Mumma's hand, drenched in dirty water of the wipe, she quickly added, "Oh leave it.. I shall get it myself" and she hurriedly started filling a bottle from the RO. Asking Mumma to do it, meant five more minutes of delay due to the hand washing cum enquiry session.

And why not? It was indeed a puzzling thing. This was the same girl, who for past few weeks, deliberately used to leave her water bottle on the dining table saying that the office water kiosk will do na.

"Won't your office kiosk do today?" asked Mumma with a taunt.

"The Water at the office is not suitable for me." saying this she closed the tap, the cap and the conversation. She rushed out, trying hard to hide her expressions. But poor Mia. She didn't realize that mothers are the best emotional detectives.

Mumma could see her blurry eyes, she could hear the heaviness in Mia's "not suitable". This made her restless. After all, she was a mother. Thus, she went in Mia's room to search for emotional evidences. 

That evening, when Mia came back, Mumma kept noticing her. She watched Mia quietly as Mia took off her footwear. She was still watching Mia when she kept her bag on the side stool. In the basin mirror Mia could notice her mother's eyes were still on her as she washed her hands. She could feel that Mumma's gaze was unusual as she sat down on the sofa. Mumma kept a sweet and a glass of water on the table, eyes still on her. By now, she began to feel awkward and apprehensive.

With her eyes on Mumma, she picked up the sweet with one hand and the glass in the other, saying with a fearful tone of apprehension, "What?"

"Who is Water?" Mumma asked in a tough, straight manner.

It hit Mia hard. She couldn't swallow the sweet. As if something struck her throat, choking her enough to prevent her gulp. She took a moment swallowing the sweet and in the meantime her mind cunningly suggested her to act ignorant.

So, she acted casually, as if her Mumma was a kid, mumbling senseless words, saying 'who' in place of 'what'. She said with a shrug, "What d'you mean by 'who'? Water is the thing we drink." 

"Well, it definitely is. But I never saw Water writing letters before." said Mumma like a CID detective, showing her a sticky note saying-

"Hey,

I am frozen with workload today. Sitting in boss's fridge since morning. Just somehow flowed out to paste this letter. See u tomorrow. -Water"

Mia's eyes grew twice as big, with the surprise. Mia was poor at hiding and Mumma was great at finding. Mia held it in her hands for too long with eyes stuck to it.

"Don't act as if you haven't ever seen it before. Tell me who's Water?"

Mia had to give up.

"Fine." she sighed and added, "He is a person at my office." Slightly turning her eyes down to avoid Mumma's eyes, she began to nibble rest of the sweet.

"That makes sense." said Mumma nodding and added, "But is that all?"

"Mumma!! I promise I am out of it now. Can you please let it go?" she begged still without facing her.

"Yes, I sure will let it go, but only after I get to know what all you have gone through." Mumma replied, still with a drought of love in her tone.

Mia took a deep breath and with slightly laminated eyes started the narration. While Mia narrated it to Mumma in the least possible emotions and words, let me tell you what actually happened.

It was on a day before the "Customer interface app" presentation, that Mia had to give. She was unable to figure out what Mr Symonds actually expected from her. Not a word of appreciation could he say on such a hard work. All he did was to point out some six seven mistakes and ask her to report with a perfect presentation in the evening for a final check. Frustrated by this, Mia sat quietly in the canteen's 'water kiosk corner' for peace of mind, away from her cubicle.

"Excuse me. Are you okay?" a man in light blue shirt and tortilla brown pant stood a little close to her. He wasn't very handsome but his smile. It seemed to be pure and innocent. But Mia was so pre-occupied with anger and negativity, that she responded in a fiery voice

"Will you better mind your own business?"

"Oh! I definitely will, if you just gave me my file that you are sitting on." his humble reply tore through all of Mia's attitude. She quickly got up and gave his file. She really couldn't believe that she couldn't see that file on the chair while sitting down. She lowered her head and sat quietly playing with a purple capped pen between the fingers in embarrassment. She forgot even to explicitly apologize, though her lowered eyes must have expressed her regret. After a while when she thought he was gone, she raised her head slowly but to her surprise he still stood there with a patient smile. To Mia's innocently doubtful face he very humbly and sweetly replied, "My pen please?"

This time, Mia needed a ground to bury herself, a veil to hide herself and chullu bhar paani to drown into.

"Oh! I am extremely sorry. I just didn't.... I am..." She couldn't stop apologizing now.

"I can understand. There are times we act in a way, we would have never expected ourselves to." His voice was still like a chocolate smoothie- soft and tasty.

"True. We expect. And sometimes WE can't figure out what level of perfection OUR BOSS expects from us." she mumbled, again lost in her frustration.

"Hey! Have some water." he quickly picked up a glass to fill it from the kiosk. This attracted Mia's attention. He kept his finger on the glass button on the kiosk and Mia was quick to respond.

"Press the bottle button indeed. The glass one dispenses a cup of water and the bottle one, a glass of it."

"Oh!" He pressed the bottle button and water stopped after the glass was filled.

"See" Mia's confident tone had a triumph, as she took the glass of water from him, "I wonder why don't they mend this machine."

"Machine's can't mend themselves but humans can. Sometimes, we ourselves act like this kiosk and fail to realize our true potential. Isn't it?" He said smilingly. His smile hid the fact that he knew that the kiosk was a faulty one. He did it all to give her a valuable lesson. The stunned Mia gave an embarrassed smile.

The guy smilingly turned around to go. Mia stood there drenched in his lesson and in a willingness to know more about him.

The whole afternoon she worked very hard to address the flaws that her boss had pointed out. After the final check in the evening, her boss smiled. Just one smile. That was all. He still did not say a word. But now, his smile alone was a reward for her.

The next day, couple of hours after her marvelous presentation, boss called her to his office.

"That was a good one, Mia! Here is something for you." and he handed her a letter.

That was a bonus and a recommendation of promotion. Mia was open mouthed. She was speechless. So, boss filled the void of conversation.

"See, I knew you are a good asset for this company. I so much wanted to recommend your name for this promotion, but this presentation was important because, in future, when you hold a superior office, I do not want anyone to think that it is because of some undue favour that you gave me. What you are is because of you. And believe me, it's just a beginning. Keep working hard."

She was still speechless. Weeping is considered unprofessional and thus, she choked her throat to prevent her tears from falling from the brim of her eyes.

"It's okay. Don't force it on yourself. However just wipe it before you go out." he offered her a tissue paper, "otherwise people will think I have fired you." and he smiled.

Mia's burst into a willful smile at this and tears swooped down her cheeks. She wiped off her tears, expressed gratitude and left.

All the while from boss's office to her cubicle, she had just one person in her mind. Wait. She didn't even know his name. She walked passed her cubicle to the canteen and reached the kiosk. She sat down on the chair, waiting for him. However, all this while, she was trying to convince herself that she was just sitting for a while and not especially waiting for him. But she repeatedly turned back in reflex, to see if he was coming. Though, she wasn't waiting for him (according to her), her patience was feeling the anoxia. Eventually, she got up and walked to the door, disappointed.

"Hey. Hi! How are you now?" It was the same guy, entering the canteen.

The voice brought a wide smile on Mia's face. She turned in excitement and then controlling herself, she said in a graceful tone, "Much better. I have got a bonus as a reward for my perfect presentation."

"Oh wow!" He exclaimed.

"Yup! And all thanks to you." Mia smiled humbly.

"What did I do?" He was puzzled.

"You taught me a valuable lesson when I needed it the most." Mia's smile was intact.

"Oh! I didn't mean to. But still if I did, where's my treat." He mischievously smiled.

"Oh yes sure sure." Mia nodded in a willing agreement, and checked if she had her wallet with her, but just then a guy entered the canteen, to meet the "valuable lesson" guy,

"Hey Hi Hrithik. Wait. Is that pen yours." the new guy said indicating the purple capped pen in Hrithik's front pocket.

Hrithik immediately replied, "This? Oh no no. I just found it near the kiosk yesterday. Yours?"

"Yes. Oh my god. I just can't tell you what I have been through for losing it. My wife had gifted me and I accidently... Well, Thanks man. Tea??"

"Hehe. Sure." replied Hrithik warmly and then quickly turned to Mia, who was surprised by the fact that the pen he had waited for patiently, actually, didn't belong to him at all. He said to Mia, "Tomorrow, 2.30pm? Will that be okay?"

Mia, who now very well understood that he had knowingly stayed to help her through a stressful situation a day before, said slight emotionally, "Yes yes definitely."

She left the canteen with a smile. She wasn't in love with that man, (I mean Hrithik. Now she knew his name.) But she definitely desired to spend some time with him. Positivity and inspiration radiated from him.

Next morning, she woke up early, ironed her white maroon suit. Mumma had once said that she looked beautiful in it. That remark was put to use. But what took most of the time was this.

"Should I apply maroon? No that would look too highlighted on the lips. Natural? It won't even be visible, what's the use. Red? Oh please, it will look disoriented with this dress." After half a dozen considerations, she settled for maroon.

"What about eye? Mascara won't be visible to Mumma. Liner? Oh no no she will think why am I loaded with makeup. But the eye looks incomplete without it. I shall just apply a thin line without wings."

After this detailed deliberations with herself, she came out of the room, face down pretending to be busy with her purse and as if in too much of hurry.

"Okay Mumma. I am leaving. Bubbye." She rushed out lest Mumma should catch her. But Mumma is Mumma.

"Arey. Take your water bottle." She rushed behind Mia.

"Oh Mumma! The office kiosk will do na." Her legs were too keen to rush.

"How many times will you run to the kiosk...." and then suddenly with skepticism she said, "Wait. Is there something special in the office today? You look..." looking at her with suspicion.

"My name's recommended for promotion. Didn't I tell you? So, colleagues have planned a party for me after office." That was the best lie Mia could think of.

"Party just on recommendation? I wonder what will they do when you really get a promotion!" and Mumma started laughing.

Mia wasn't amused, may be because her legs weren't allowing her to, "Okay Mumma. Bubbye." and she left. 

At the office, the clock seemed to have taken some sedative. It took like two hours for an hour to pass. Mia would complete one task and then look at the watch. The cycle continued until the clock struck 2 pm. Jitters started in her stomach. She called the peon repeatedly for water. However, the thirst of meeting could be quenched only at the kiosk.

At 2.25 pm she left her cubicle and at 2.27 she reached the canteen. She didn't want to be late. And perhaps, so did Hrithik.

"Hey Hi!! You didn't tell me your name." Hrithik said with slight pink cheeks.

"Hi Hrithik! It's Mia." She smiled formally. She did not want him to think that she got ready especially for this meeting.

Although, Hrithik was startled at her appearance today, he prevented that expression from coming on his face. Well aware that it was not right to keep looking at her, it was slightly difficult for him to take his eyes off her. She helped by saying,

"Treat?"

"Oh yes!!"

While they were munching on some snacks, Hrithik said, "Mia is a sweet name."

"So is Hrithik." Mia reciprocated.

"It's not simply Hrithik. It's Hrithik Hemavati Omkar. Hemavati- my mom and Omkar- my dad." Hrithik explained fondly.

"Wow! That's impressive. But then you are HHO, that means H2O. Should I call you Water then?" Mia burst into laughter, but soon realized it was rude to make fun of someone's name, "I am sorry. I didn't mean to...."

"It's okay." He just gave a humble warm smile. He did not endorse the joke, but did not show that he was hurt either.

After a moment of silence, Mia said, "So your department?"

"Customer interaction. And you?" asked Hrithik.

"Software design department. I designed the new customer interface app." Mia had shine in her eyes.

"Really? I have just got it from the boss. Haven't checked it yet because I had to rush here." He said.

Mia smiled proudly. After a little more conversation they left for their respective departments.

Next day, Mia went to the canteen at 2.30pm praying even if slightly to catch a sight of him. Coincidently, he was there at the kiosk drinking water. This coincidence began to happen everyday. It was a never explicitly planned coincidence, that happened invariably at 2.30pm.

And every time they met, Mia learnt a valuable lesson.

When she once said that she will resume her hobby of sketching once her job stress is reduced, he said "If you think that you will cross the river after all the water has passed, you may end up waiting forever."

When she once said that social interactions seem worthless to her, no wit, no taste; he said, "Somethings as tasteless as they may seem, they are necessary for survival. Consider water."

Once when she was upset on advices from relatives about her life, he said, "Be like water. Exhibit the colours that others pour into you, but never leave your fundamental properties for them."

Once when she shared with him, how her once a best friend, had publicly humiliated her with secrets open only to both of them; he said. "If you are transparent from inside, make your life vessel opaque. Not everyone deserves to see through you."

When one day, she was extremely enraged by the backbiting at office, he consoled her saying, "No matter how much someone enrages or shakes you, stay calm, don't fizz. Learn from water."

And slowly with these lessons, 'Water' for Mia started to mean Hrithik. And Water slowly seemed to become her necessity.

However, one day when Mia went to the kiosk, Hrithik could not be seen. She waited for a while, walking to and fro. Exhausted enough, she sat on the chair to drink water. It was then that she noticed a sticky note on the kiosk.

"Hey,

I am frozen with workload today. Sitting in boss's fridge since morning. Just somehow flowed out to paste this letter. See u tomorrow. -Water"

She pulled it out to keep it as a memento. On the back was written a phone number with a caption. "In case you need it."

She didn't call. She just kept it in her purse.

But the next day was to bring with it a bitter truth. When they met at the kiosk, Hrithik got a call. He ignored it once but it rang again.

"What happened Mom. I am at office na." Hrithik was a little angry, "Oh please! Don't start it again. Mom! It's not as easy as it sounds. I won't talk to her about it.... No, I won't allow you too.... Listen Mom. Can't we discuss about this when I am home? I am in a meeting..... Bye."

Mia found him rude here but prevented herself from being judgmental. Better to ask than to presume.

"Your Mom must be angry." Mia said smilingly.

"Yes, My Mom and my wife. Two most adamant people..." Hrithik immediately said in a flow but Mia was stunned at this. She felt as if someone pushed her with a blow on chest. She felt betrayed. One word "wife"; and all his helping gestures at once began to seem creepy.

"But Kia is my nature. Kia. My four year old daughter." his eyes were blurred when he said this and a moment of silence interrupted the conversation, breaking which he said, "I know Mia it isn't good of a married man to say this but I think I lik..."

"I will have to leave. It's urgent." she rushed out of the canteen without even daring to look back, as if Hrithik's smile was going to trap her.

"Mia wait." he called her but to no avail.

Mia ran out of the canteen. Her bulged out eyes expressed her fear and guilt. Her heart was pounding. She walked fast around the corridor and reached her cubicle. Sitting down she contracted in her seat for the fear that Hrithik will come behind her. She just wondered what she had done to herself. She had fallen in love with a married man. She was panting. She asked herself, "Stay calm Mia. Don't fizz." and then suddenly, "Shut up Mia. Don't repeat his lessons. Just shut up." Mia's throat began to dry with fear and shock. She asked the peon for water and tried hard to engage herself in work. But his lessons had taken up much of her mental space. They played in a loop in her mind and she tried to forcibly turn her mind to something else. Her condition was visible on her face.

"Madam! Is everything okay?" the peon asked as he gave her the water.

That tone reminded her of Water and thus, it was best to have a bottle to escape all such interactions.

As she completed the story before Mumma, little did Mia realize that from being on a different sofa, she was now in her Mumma's lap. She turned face down and started crying heavily.

"I am sorry Mumma. I thought I will tell you, once I am sure about it. But it all turned out so bad that I was ashamed to tell you."

Mumma kept caressing her head with love, without a word. And when Mia stopped sobbing, Mumma slowly said, "Hrithik's wife died an year ago."

Mia was struck. She was shaken to the core. She quickly turned her face up, "What?"

"Yes Kritika was her name. You know? Hemavati is my school friend. I had once heard that her husband had died very early and she is raising their only child on her own. I always felt pity for her, but today after talking to her over call," she said showing the number written behind the note, "this pity was replaced by pride and respect." Her Mumma was emotional, "She has raised a well mannered boy. She is just worried that now, the same apocalypse has come over her son and single parenthood has taken away Hrithik's own charm. But for the past week, she has seen that charm again. And he told her about you. Hema was pushing Hrithik to talk to you about it, but he was reluctant. He wanted you to make a decision only after knowing that he is married."

"And finally when he did... I..." Mia broke into tears again.

Wiping her tears, Mumma said, "Before you take any decision on this, I want you to acknowledge the complexities in this relation. And believe me! No matter what your decision is, you will find me on your side if you assure me that you won't regret afterwards."

Mia stayed silently attentive, while Mumma continued, "Kia may never be your own daughter to you, but you will have to slowly mould her and be a good mother to her. Hrithik may try to find the good qualities of Kritika in you. You don't have to be shattered at this. You may have to deal with whispering mumbles of relatives shouting in your ears. You just have to ignore it and prove that even a complex case can be turned into a happy family. Can you do this?"

Mia was still lost in thoughts with a faint smile.

Mumma added, "I don't know it is for the love for him in your eyes or the respect for Hemavati in my heart; I wish you say 'yes'"

Mia broke into tears again and hugged Mumma tight.

But just then the doorbell rang. 

"I will see it." Mumma consoled Mia but just then, Mumma's phone rang. It was Papa's call. So, Mia quickly wiped her tears saying, "Mumma! You take the call. I will see it. It must be your kanchipuram saree." She sipped some water and walked to open the door shouting, "Coming..."

Outside the door stood a man, in a light blue shirt and a tortilla brown pant with a very charming smile and a very colourful bouquet.

"Hi Mia!" he couldn't hide the heaviness in his throat.

"Hi Water." Mia smiled back with wobbling tears.