The Big Swap - Part 43

 ~FORTY THREE~

Meera gazed at the old, silver-coloured scooty parked and felt herself breaking into an unconscious grin. How many times had she hopped behind Vedant on that thing?

She stopped at the main gates of the typically Gujarati house quietly, her head snapping up to the third floor of the house. The back balcony of the house was attached to Vedant's bedroom, where she would spot him with his Company Law textbook almost every time she would step out of her house once upon a time.

Now, it looked rather empty, the bamboo swing hanging untouched. The door of his bedroom that was visible from the balcony was locked, and the clear darkness within the currently uninhabited room could be seen.

Meera smiled to herself, already able to picture Vedant's thin frame with days of unshaved beard due to the exam stress walking the span of the balcony with a yellow highlighter balanced between two fingers on his right hand. Sometimes he'd be too deep into studying to notice, but other times, when he'd catch her walk by, he'd turn to her with his face breaking into a million-watt smile before waving her way.

She would blush immediately until he'd mouth, Where are you going?

Vimal Uncle's, she'd explain with a gesture of her hands.

Sometimes he'd ask her to wait and accompany her just for the heck of it. Other times, he'd hold his ear with an apologetic smile and point at his textbook helplessly.

She would eye the street carefully, before blowing him a quick kiss and walking away with a smile on her face.

Meera sighed to herself. When had she gotten so used to him?

Up until her move to Delhi, she'd never realized the intensity of her feelings for Vedant. Sure, she'd really cared for him and fancied him, but the degree of it all, had come and hit her like a truck in the months she lived in his absence. And then, she had had to come to Mumbai unexpectedly.

Now, walking through the same streets and lanes she'd made countless memories in with Vedant, everything felt incomplete and strange. Like none of what once seemed so natural now made sense.

Like that speed breaker at the end of their lane Vedant hated riding through for how it shuffled the contents of his scooty, like the young Golden Retriever named Bobo walked by the single, old Nepali lady Vedant would always stop to play with, like the ice cream cart of the local single flavoured ice creams they'd grab on their way home, like....like her. She felt incomplete without him.

She'd had moments here and there, but for some reason, the gravity of their long-distance relationship was now sinking in for her more than it ever had before. Today, she was beginning to understand how Vedant must feel in her absence.

For it was easy to move away, but very, very painful, to be left behind.

Her gaze dropped down at her watch distractedly. 1:20 PM.

Collecting her astray thoughts, Meera took a deep breath in and adjusted her purse on her shoulder again for a silent motivation to herself, and then, she walked into the little compound outside the building named Manav Mandir.

You could only find such stunning buildings with no lifts in a place like South Bombay.

When she reached the third floor, she let her panting breaths even outside the house with the name Shahs written on a nice wooden wall hanging.

The sound of the bell resembled the ringing bells from a Church, she knew because she'd fancied attending some Sunday masses with Vedant in their local chapel a couple of times. It was always fascinating and liberating to look at a religion so very different from yours.

Mrs. Shah answered the door, not to her surprise.

"Meera?" even though her voice ended it like a question, Meera managed to notice the lack of surprise in her eyes. She was expecting her here. Why?

This visit was so impromptu on her part!

"I hope I'm not disturbing Aunty."

"Not at all." She smiled warmly, before inviting her in.

Meera seated herself on the comfortable couch, already mumbling apologetically,

"I know I just visited you guys a couple of days ago, but I'm leaving tomorrow and I just...uh..."

Mrs. Shah smiled, her eyes shining with this calm and intelligent vibe that Meera found absolutely stunning about her, "....you wanted to see me alone."

Meera gulped, a little surprised at how openly and easily she put it out there. She wasn't too sure if she'd be able to explain herself like that.

"You don't have to be intimidated by me Meera. You're Vedant's girlfriend, and that makes you an important person to us. But I'm guessing you're not here to discuss Vedant."

Her gaze studied the woman's features quietly, an unspoken strength and courage about her disposition.

"Um...is it that obvious?"

Mrs. Shah laughed. "What other reason could it be for you to turn up at this time of the day? I suppose Vedant told you about my year-long break from my job?"

Meera nodded softly.

"So you knew I'd be alone at home around this time." She paused, "Would you like some tea?"

"Sure."

"Vedant tells me you're great with cooking. Would you like to make some for both of us?"

Meera blinked, not sure for whether this lady was trying to freak her out and make her run away, or whether she genuinely meant what she asked.

"Don't look so mortified Meera. I'm serious. Why don't you make some tea for both of us?"

"Um...sure."

Wow. I probably sound like a stuck tape recorder. The only word I've been saying is SURE.

Mrs. Shah guided Meera towards the kitchen, and she followed her in quietly.

"That's the tea leaves, that's some milk if you want, sugar....anything else?"

"No. All good."

This meeting wasn't going anything like she'd expected it to. Not that she'd planned to pop up anyway.

Urgh what is wrong with me?

Mrs. Shah lingered in the kitchen and she acknowledged much to her surprise, how hard she tried to make Meera feel at home. She chipped in her own kitchen trivia once every few seconds and made sure their conversation flowed with no awkward silences, also taking care that their conversation never tipped towards Vedant.

Meera was beginning to feel relaxed now, and was even more shocked to realize how their conversation had now headed towards Meera's job and Mrs. Shah's take on her career plans. Meera listened to her with rapt silence, receiving some parental advice for the first time in her entire life, already overwhelmed.

She was in awe for most parts.

This lady had not just handled a stellar career, but had even brought up two amazing children mostly by herself. From her words, Meera gathered that Vedant's Father was never too involved with the family bits. Now, Mrs. Shah had taken a year's break from her post to be able to give some time to Vidisha, who was apparently going through a nervous breakdown about her future.

"I've told her so many times you know, that it's okay for her to not want to study as much as Vedant, but she's always looked up to him. Bhai ne meri age mein yeh kiya, Bhai ne meri age mein voh kiya. That's all I've been hearing for the past month." She explained animatedly.

By now, the tea was ready and already poured into cups, sat nestled in their palms as they both conversed in the kitchen without realizing it.

"But her graduation is complete isn't it?" Meera questioned.

"Yes. She even sat for the campus placements in college and landed a decent start in JSK. But again, Bhai ne meri age mein CA kiya. She tried a hand at CA, you know? But not everybody has that kind of tenacity you need."

Meera nodded in understanding, sipping at her tea.

"The tea's superb by the way. My son's words do you justice."

That brought a blush onto her cheeks, as she offered a controlled, tight lipped smile.

"So, Meera. As much as I'm loving this chitchat, I think I should ask you what brought you here now."

Meera gripped the cup, now feeling some of her earlier nervousness return. But wasting no time, she chipped,

"I saw you in the hospital that day Aunty. When I was with Kan...Dr. Gandhi. You...looked..."

"...irritable? And avoided you instead of letting you come and say hi?"

Meera nodded quietly, placing the cup on the kitchen counter now.

"He's a friend, we've had...issues and we kind of just...had a moment. That's why the hug."

Mrs. Shah shook her head softly, before placing a hand on her shoulder, "I understand. I...won't lie, I did overreact. It's not everyday I see my son's girlfriend being looked at the way that Doctor was looking at you."

Meera blushed to a crimson red.

"I mean it in the good sense Meera. He's in love with you. No, he's still in love with you."

Brows creased in question, she felt her heartbeat quicken that instant.

STILL?

She KNOWS about Kanan? How?

"I...I don't Aunty. He's just a good friend to me."

"So you agree that he still harbours romantic feelings for you."

Dear God.

"I...I...yeah um...but I don't."

Mrs. Shah smiled at that, her arms folding before her chest. "You look very sure very suddenly."

How observant IS this woman?

"But I believe you."

Meera said nothing, unsure of where this conversation was headed. "I don't think you realize this, but by coming here today and meeting me before heading back, you've wiped out my doubts about your feelings for Vedant."

Even though she said no more, Meera could sense a 'but' hidden in her statement. She wet her lips, struggling to choose the correct words. And yet, all she managed was,

"But?"

Mrs. Shah looked amused, "You really are as observant as he says you are."

Look who's talking.

"Something bothers you about him and I, doesn't it, Aunty? I mean, I know I'm not the ideal daughter in law and I know that you don't approve of the fact that I have still not introduced Vedant to my family, but trust me Aunty, it's....it's complicated. I will....soon."

"That's...not quite it Meera."

Mrs. Shah adjusted the two cups on the sink thoughtfully, before gesturing for Meera to follow her. She did, sensing they were heading for Vedant's room.

Upon entering, she switched on the light to the familiar room, and Meera controlled the urge to sniff every inch of the space to take in the smell of Vedant it gave. His bed was neatly done, his CA books still stuffed into a corner and some formal shirts ironed and placed on a stray chair she'd asked him why he kept countless times only to receive multiple vague answers.

"You know Meera, I've tried to think about this too. About what it is, that bothers me so much about your relationship. And you know what I realized?" she paused, her gaze calm and composed, "That you and I have uncannily identical personalities. Career oriented, ambitious....self centred."

Meera said nothing.

"We don't know how to compromise. I learnt it the hard way. Precisely why I always taught the importance of it to my two children. Both Vedant and Vidisha are unnaturally accommodating for their age. Would you agree?"

She nodded.

"But that's where a relationship complicates things. It needs compromise yes, but from both individuals. Which I'm afraid, your relationship lacks."

Now, she felt confused, albeit hurt. Where was she headed with this?

"I....don't understand-"

"Vedant knows all about your career plans, doesn't he?"

Meera nodded, "I've always been a hundred percent honest with him."

"Good....that's great." Mrs. Shah said nothing thereafter at first, but then turned towards Meera, before offering severely,

"-Have you ever asked Vedant, what he's wanted for his career?"

... continued The Big Swap - Part 44