It was his birthday today but unlike usual, his Moti wasn't the first to wish him. In fact, no one wished him. He doubted whether they even remembered the date. It was times like this that he wished his Moti had been there but alas, you couldn't get all that you wished for. Every birthday since she left, he had a habit of reminiscing exactly five memories and writing it down. This was the third year he was doing this and for one, he found it very calming.
()()()()()
"Moti, let's go on the rollercoaster. Even I want to see what's so special about it that the hoardings are filled with its pictures," I told her, enjoying the look of terror on her face. Though she wasn't always scared, the rollercoaster looked like a torturing machine for people.
"Nonu, are you sure about this? This doesn't look the slightest bit safe. There was a mishap recently too," she asked me, hoping I would say no but I was determined not to give in to her.
"Chal na Moti," I told her, dragging her along with me onto the rollercoaster. Since it was fairly empty, we got in to the front seats of the ride and buckled our seat belts. My hand which was in hers was getting squeezed like there was no other day and just when I thought we should leave for her sake, the rollercoaster started.
I can't recollect the ride since my eyes were closed out of fear. All I know was the grip on my hand was loosened and Moti was screaming out of joy while I was shivering.
"Nonu, that was so much fun. Want to go again?" she asked me, laughing so I glared at her and took her away from there.
()()()()()
"I want to have Cotton Candy," she told me, taking a seat on one of the benches, "find me the stall. Please Nonu?" she told me, an innocent smile gracing her face.
Unable to say no' to her, I went in search of a cotton candy stall nearby. After finally finding one, I bought two candies and went to the place where she had been sitting to find no one there. I started searching for her frantically when I realized that I could call her. Dialing her number, I waited for her to pick up, still searching.
On receiving no reply, I immediately called her mother. Again, there was no reply.
I tried calling her again and this time she picked up the phone. I asked her, "Hello Auntie, is Panchi at home? She has disappeared from the fair."
"Ranveer beta," she told me, her voice cracking, "she's home. Kushal passed away."
The phone dropped from my hand as soon as she cut the call. Kushal was Mr. Rastogi, Panchi's father. I picked up the phone and rushed to the car, telling my driver to rush to their house.
As I reached their home, I rang the bell and Auntie left me in wordlessly.
I opened the room to see Panchi hugging a teddy, tears flowing freely down her face. I hugged her and held her there, not knowing to stay strong for her or to cry for her loss. After all, who knew better than me the pain of losing a parent?
()()()()()
"Moti, for the hundredth time, watching Step Up' over and over again won't make Channing Tatum come to India and propose to you," I told, frustrated that she ranted on and on about some guy she hasn't even met. What was so special about him and what does he have that I don't? I was tall, smart and handsome. What more does she want? And why do I want her to want me?
"Don't break my fantasy Ranveer. You have yours, I have mine. Now shut up and watch the movie," she told me, her eyes still fixated on the screen.
She usually kept the remote in between us since I never did anything but it's become an overdose for me now. I picked up the remote and switched the TV off. In a split second, she was glaring at me and trying to reach for the remote but I started running and almost reached the door of her room when she tackled me, making me fall down and she landed on top of me.
I immediately screamed, "Motiii, get off me. I'll be crushed under your weight."
"Get lost Ranveer. Don't talk to me," she said and walked away.
I finally convinced her to talk to me by enduring ten Channing Tatum movies over a span of 5 days.
()()()()()
"Ranveer, you gave my pizza to her. How dare you?" she asked me as soon as we left the restaurant.
"Did you see her? She looked like she could use it Moti," I told her, trying to save myself from her wrath. I knew that she would react this way but I couldn't help it. It's not my fault that the girl was seducing me into give her that piece of pizza.
"Yeah right Ranveer. And elephants fly," she told me and strutted off.
I followed her slowly because I knew she would forgive me. She always did. She was my Moti after all.
()()()()()
"Come on Moti, you can do this," I told her as I was teaching her basketball. Though she managed to score when she was near the basket, her penalty shots were never close.
"Finally," she said after she had managed to basket one. She reached for the bottle of cold water nearby and poured it on her face. "Argh Nonu, this is so cold. Couldn't you have warned me?" she asked me, drying her face with the towel.
There was still water trickling down her neck and my eyes unknowingly followed it.
"Nonu, shall we play?" she asked me, snapping me out of my reverie.
That day, something sparked inside me. That something was more than friendship. It was love.
()()()()()
He looked at the photo with the garland around it and kissed the photo. It had been more than 3 years since she had passed away and their kids were in boarding school.
The only thing that kept him going was the memories.