Broken Melodies by Gajra Kottary

Author:Gajra Kottary
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2012-03-10T00:00:00+00:00

The onslaught of summer began in April. Mummy had been going to office more regularly now. Niyati couldn’t help but notice that her resuming office with consistency corresponded with the increase in the number of Ambika’s visits to the house. But Niyati never dared to mention Ambika’s visits to Mummy. The sua hung in her vision in all its sinister sharpness; those ugly fights between her parents were still fresh in her memory. Her consistent silence on the matter, however, all came to naught one strange Sunday morning in May.

Niyati sat at the centre table with her school books, struggling with an arithmetic problem. There was loud knocking on the main door. Nisha answered the door. As soon as she opened the door, Ambika walked in, her eyes wide with panic, beads of sweat shining on her forehead. Her cotton kameez was sticking to her back from excessive perspiration. Nisha shut the door immediately to prevent the heat from coming in with her.

‘Where is Pandit-ji? Is he all right?’ Ambika asked frantically. Nisha was about to answer when Paaji came out of his room and seemed nonplussed to see her.

Ambika was almost in tears. ‘I thought you were angry with me, Guru-ji. I’ve been trying your phone since morning but there’s no response. I wanted to say that my mother is taking me to a cousin’s wedding today and I just can’t avoid going, so please don’t take a lesson today.’

She paused to catch her breath. By now Mummy had come out of her room. She stood near the dining table, watching Ambika like a hawk.

Paaji smiled indulgently, clearly touched and somewhat amused at Ambika having come all the way to give him such a simple message. Then he lifted the phone receiver to check.

‘Oh, you are right, Ambe. This is really dead! That’s why…’

‘No wonder! But thank God it’s just that! I was so worried about you Guru-ji,’ Ambika answered, somewhat relieved. Then suddenly she felt self-conscious as her sight fell on Mummy. Niyati looked up from her books briefly, just in time to catch the passing fright on her face. Ambika nodded a hesitant namaste in Mummy’s direction. Nisha was suddenly very eager to be good to Ambika.

‘Please sit, Ambika-di,’ she said and quickly got her a glass of water.

Ambika sat on the sofa, nearer to Niyati. Niyati pretended to be focused on her books. Ambika drank the water gratefully. After she had handed over the glass to Nisha, Paaji took her inside his room.

For the next half an hour, Mummy sat at the dining table, staring blankly into space while Paaji and Ambika’s voices floated in and out of the half-closed door. Niyati remained with her books on the khadi rug but her concentration was in a shambles. The fear of an impending storm strained her nerves.

Ambika looked relaxed and was smiling when she came out of Paaji’s room to leave. Paaji came till the door to see her off. While he was returning to his room, he saw Mummy at the table.

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