Fairy Grandmother

In continuation to "Lessons from Water" but can even be read separately.

Even when both, Mia and Hrithik understood the complexity of their marriage, they were willing to make it happen. Mia knew that to be a mother to a girl, who is not her daughter won't always be easy; Hrithik knew that each mention of 'Kritika' in the midst of any talk could actually put a comma in their romantic life. Kritika was a loving wife and a caring mother. Her death had left a vacuum in the lives of Hrithik and Kia. Mia had to primarily fill that vacuum before she could make a throne of her own in the hearts of the father and the daughter.

Thankfully the parents of both, Mia and Hrithik, supported their decision, and Mia's mother had even invited Hrithik with his family for a final decision on marriage.

They were to come today. Mia's Mumma was busy making some dishes and her Papa was busy in tasks that her mother considered utterly unnecessary.

"Where is my knife?" Mumma barged into the drawing room from the kitchen, shouting in anger.

Her anger amplified seeing Papa cutting some petty PVC pipe with the knife.

"What is this being done?" She asked keeping her voice low but frustration high.

"Guests are coming. A bunch of wire is visible here. See. Won't it look bad before them?" This explanation was meant to explode Mumma's anger.

"To cover this 6 inches of mess, it would be better if you use some other tool. Spare my knife. Hand it to me." Mumma reprimanded.

"Just a minute." Papa was still busy rubbing the sharp edge of the knife against the pipe- a hundred times harder than the potato, waiting in kitchen.

"Miaaaaa!! Can you just handle your Papa. He will spoil all my time like this. Miaaaa?" Mumma shouted.

Mia was lying quietly feeling feverish of nervousness and worry. "How will Kia feel about it? She has not even met me once. What if she says that she doesn't like me? Will they proceed with this decision?" These thoughts were burdening her. She was happy about her parents' support but today when this support was to yield its result, she was feeling apprehensive about it. She began to question her own decision. "What if?...What if I always remain a secondary element in Hrithik's life? What if I had decided to marry an unmarried guy? Wouldn't it have been better option?" 

"What happened, Beta?" Papa had just entered the room out of curiosity.

Mia suddenly realized Papa's presence and sat up saying in lethargic voice, "Nothing Papa."

"No! There is something. You didn't respond when Mumma called. There must be some reason. What's wrong?" asked Papa.

After a long silence, Mia asked without looking at Papa, "Papa! My decision is right na? You think, I won't regret it afterwards na?"

Papa smiled and said, "Beta! Sometimes we are at such crossroads in our life that either way has the risk of repentance. In such cases choose the one, where your heart primarily wants to take you, irrespective of the circumstances." and then with a deep breath and a pause he added, "Because when the heart wants something, it tames the mind to work for it."

This statement relieved Mia a little. She could breathe now. She looked at Papa and smiled.

Papa delicately placed his palm on her cheek and got up to move out of the room.

He suddenly turned and added, "And when you start walking on one of the two roads, it is okay to look back but not equally okay to run back. So, make up your mind for one path. I am with you." And he moved out.

Mia got up and looked at herself in the mirror. She could see the dream of Hrithik in her wet eyes. She smiled at herself and took out the suit that Mumma had asked her to wear.

A couple of hours later, the bell rang. Mia stayed in her room while Papa opened the door to greet people in.

"Please come in." She could hear her father say.

And then came Hrithik's voice, "Namaste Uncle!". It filled Mia again with new positivity and her heart reiterated to her mind, her decision of marrying Hrithik. She heard him say,

"Mumma! Mia's father. Uncle! My Mumma. And she is Mummy, Kritika's mother."

Mia was at once struck with shock. "Kritika's mom? Why is she here?" Mia thought.

Her arrival made Mia a little uncomfortable. And this discomfort could also be sensed in Papa's voice, when he tried to change the topic, "Oh! Namaste Bhabhiji! Kia....? Kia didn't come?...."

"She is off to play way. We have told the driver to halt at your address today." Hrithik replied. Hrithik's voice had an extra energy and charm today, as if he had got a new life, or in other words, was going to get one.

Mia was focused on Kritika's mother. She heard her very carefully, but Madhu ji barely spoke.

"Miaaa! Come bete." Mia's Mumma called her.

She went out, trying to figure out who is Hrithik's mother and who is Kritika's. One of the two women had a wide smile seeing Mia; the other just stealthily looked at the smiling woman, with an almost stoic face, making some reluctant efforts to smile.

Mia figured out who is who.

She bowed to both of them equally with a smiling face to which the first woman Hema ji reciprocated willingly but Madhu ji just nodded. Nevertheless, Mia sat down. Conversations started and took leaps and bounds in different directions. From "our times- their times" to "family, kids, fashion, jobs, life" and what not.

All this while, Kritika's mother closely observed Mia silently. Even if Madhuji spoke, in whatever she said was embedded a feeling that 'you start a new life with Hrithik, I shall better raise my daughter's daughter.'

"I think it would be good if Kia stays with me for the time they get to understand each other." While what she said was not that bad, saying it without any smile on her face made it sound rude and selfish. Moreover, all her dialogues didn't seem weird to Hrithik. He did not react. Not even an eye gesture. This worried Mia more. "Is it a warning bell?" She thought, "What if this happened forever? Kritika's mother's word will tear her heart and Hrithik will act ignorant and indifferent."

After sometime Mia was too worried and apprehensive to hide it. Thus, she excused herself for a while and went into her room to breathe.

While she was in her room, Hrithik got a call from the playway driver, "Saab! I am at Janki-Bhavan gate. Are u coming?"

"Where? I can't see you." Hrithik said looking out of the window from the drawing room itself.

"It is a black gate." Said the puzzled driver.

"Black gate? No it is a brown colour gate." Hrithik replied, worriedly wondering, where the driver had gone to drop Kia.

"Oh black gate??" Mia's father said casually, "It is Janki Nivas. Just behind my house. Don't worry. I will fetch Kia." Saying this he got up from his seat, but Madhu ji stopped him, "No. I will bring her. She may not come with you. It is just behind the house na..."

Mia's father found her argument right and said, "Oh yes... Exactly behind.......it's even visible from the window of our living rooms." 

"Mummy, why will you? I am going na" Hrithik responded quickly as Madhuji got up. But she was adamant, "No! You stay her. Your presence here is more important." And she left.

Mia was still sitting in her room, when she saw from the window, Kritika's mother rushing towards a bus standing at Janki Nivas. She understood Kia was here. The baby-lover inside Mia melted seeing the bond of Kia with her nani, but a little devil of fear and apprehension, popped its head out and asked Mia, "This very bond will threaten your place in Hrithik's heart and family. Listen carefully what she tells Kia. She may sow the seeds of hatred for you. She has been rude throughout. Wait and watch."

And thus, Mia hid behind the window pane to hear them as they passed close to the house.

"Nani! Where are you taking me?" Little Kia enquired.

"You remember I told you that a fairy took away Mumma with her?.... Baby! That Fairy has called us to give back your mumma." Madhu ji replied with a smile.

The little devil inside Mia succumbed to the shock. She thought this lady to be cunning, but she was so wise and pure hearted that in one sentence she made the ground for Kia to accept Mia as her mother. Mia stood frozen, hearing the conversation.

"Oh really Nani?? Didn't you scold her for taking Mumma?" Kia asked in a complaining tone.

"Oh dear! We did. But she told that she took her just to take care of her. She needed a better doctor uncle, who lives in skies." Madhu ji replied to her genuine queries so wisely that Mia began to feel sorry for misunderstanding her.

"Oh! Then, the fairy is good na?.... Nani! Will I get to see Mumma today?"

Kia innocent voice tore Mia's tear glands.

"Oh sure my Baby! But because she had lived away for so much time, you will have to be good to her. Otherwise, she may not recognize you." Madhu ji responded.

"I promise Nani I will. I will. Now will she recognize me?" Kia worriedly asked.

"I promise my baby. I will. I will." Mia replied to herself, tears being the only witness. 

"Naniiiii! Oh my god!! How is the fairy?", Kia jumped in excitement and asked, "Is she beautiful? She must have large white wings na??"

"No no betaaa!! She has become old na. So, her wings have vanished. But she makes tasty magical dishes. Will u have them?" Madhu ji distracted her. 

"Yes. Yes." Kia said in excitement and then added, "But Nani!! What do I call her?"

"Ummm... She is a 'Pari Nani' (Fairy Grandmother) na. Call her...."

"Pari Naniiii." Kia shouted in excitement and they went far away to be heard from the living room but there voices still rang in Mia's ears. Kia's innocence as if hooshed away the apprehension in Mia's heart and Madhu ji's purety made her realize that the tough face had a very lovely heart. Madhu ji, with one innocent lie tuned down all complexities of Mia's marriage.

"Mia! See who has come?" Mia's mother called her from the drawing room.

Mia quickly wiped and dried her tears and went out.

Madhu ji steered Kia's attention towards Mia.

Kia with wide open eyes filled with tears of love somehow uttered, "Mum...mm...mah"

Her voice penetrated deep within the soul of Mia and a Kritika arose from within her. Mia could not stay where she was. She ran to hug Kia with tears rolling down washing all doubts, worries and apprehensions. 

Mia opened her eyes and saw all three of her mothers filled with emotion- Kia's Dadi, Nani and Pari Nani. Intrestingly, Mia's Mumma was Kia's Pari Nani and Kia's Nani was henceforth Mia's Pari Mumma.

Thanks for your love dear reader.

Here is a ques. Do you wanna third part of "Lessons from water"? If yes, comment below the focal point for the next part or anything that u want to be included in it.