03. In Search of Love - Sandhya
Preface:
Dear friends, it's too good to meet you all again with this new series.
Initially I planned to continue the series from where it was let off last year... But Shaji's question made me change my mind :-) I wanted to start it from scratch and Shanthi as always accepted to my wishes...
So here we go with my new series from episode # 03...
Now, just in case if you are wondering why I am starting from episode 03 and not 01, it's because episodes 01 and 02 are legendary... Episode 01 was the first ever series episode published @ chillzee... And both episodes 01 and 02 were written by our boss madam Shanthi... Though I have to overwrite couple of her other episodes, I just wanted to take it from her...
And here we go with our story...
- Sandy
"No..." said Pooja coolly!
"Oh! I thought he was looking at you..."
"Did you feel the same? Even I had the same queer feeling but then I don’t know anyone here..."
"Hmmm..."
"Forget about him, tell me about this trip. What’s the plan for today?"
"Today the plan is to visit the near-by Botanical garden..."
Conversing they both reached the bungalow. There was so much noise and chaos around.
"Girls Girls!" scolded Annie in a loud voice. The noise reduced gradually.
"So have you all selected a room?"
"Not yet madam... We are waiting for you both to decide yours.... so that we can use the others..." said Rachana the class representative.
"Ok show us the rooms, we will select one..."
Annie and Pooja selected the room in the right corner of the first floor. They both discussed with the girls about their plan for the day. After lot of talk they finally decided to take rest for few hours and then visit the Botanical Park as planned.
The girls dispersed with their youthful chatting and Annie and Pooja went to their room with their luggage.
Pooja moved the curtains and opened the window in the room... Cool air gushed inside...
Pooja closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of the fresh, clean air...
The nature is just the same always... Why can’t we humans be the same? Why do we have bad people amongst us? Why do we destroy and spoil nature?
Pooja was enjoying the morning chill breeze while her mind was busy trying to find some answers...
She has always liked nature... Even when her mother was alive and there were so many restrictions, she used to enjoy the rain... the smell that comes from the aftermath of rain...
Wow! God seems to have a very good taste...
"Pooja..."
Pooja’s thoughts were disturbed by Annie’s voice.
"Come on Pooja, you need to get ready... We don’t have much time left... We shouldn’t be late..."
"Oops sorry Annie... I will get ready real quick..."
Then in the next half-an-hour they both got ready hurriedly... Still when they reached the main hall, almost all the students were there already!
Pooja could see the excitement and enthusiasm shining in each of their faces... College life... What a fantastic period it is!
Annie asked Rachna to check the numbers and once she confirmed that everyone is ready, Annie gave a short lecture on obedience and discipline.
Not just the girls, even Pooja didn’t want to hear it... Even she wanted to rush out and dance in those beautiful garden...
Finally when Annie was done with her instructions, they all started walking towards the bus... Though Pooja was accompanying them, her mind went back few years...
"Please mom... I have never been part of any excursion... This is the last one in my college life... I will not ask you anything after this..."
"Pooja! How many times I have told you? You can’t join them..."
Even before she could open her mouth to reply, her mother left the room...
She stood there with tears in her eyes...
"Pooja, can we sit in this first seat?"
Again Annie’s voice brought her back to the present...
"Oh sure Annie, anything is fine with me..."
"Ok... If you want you can take the window seat... I know you like to watch nature..."
"Thank you Annie... But did I really hear it from a Botany lecturer?"
"Oh yeah that’s true! I was like you when I did my UG and PG... It looked very interesting when I took the lecturer job also... But now, no..."
"Hmmm..."
"Ok Pooja, let me talk to my husband... I don’t know how he is going to manage with my son for these two weeks..."
"Don’t worry yaar, he will manage... Men can do anything when their boss is not around..." said Pooja winking...
"That’s true in a way..." accepted Annie with a smile.
Annie has a four year old son and he is the apple of her eyes... She keeps on talking about him... And ofcourse Pooja likes to hear about his adventures too...
But deep in her heart, Pooja used to wonder why her mother was different... Why did she hate her that much?
The same question has bugged her for a very long time... But she has not managed to find an answer yet...
She longed for affection all through her childhood and teen age days... Then when she met Nikhil and when he showered so much affection on her she had turned blind...
Why there is no one to love her in this world? What mistake did she do to lead a life filled only with hatred and betrayals?
Pooja knew that it’s waste to think about it again...
She forcefully turned her attention towards the charming nature... And pretty soon, she lost herself in admiring mother nature, the only one who never says no to her...
The day went on fine... The all had a wonderful time at the park. Though it was supposed to be a study trip, the girls also managed to enjoy themselves... As always Pooja also enjoyed the company of Annie...
When they all returned back in the evening they were very tired...
Pratap had informed them that servants will bring them dinner at 8pm. When Pooja came down changing her saree, it was fifty past seven and everyone was eagerly waiting for the dinner...
Some students were playing cards while others were chit chatting... Annie was talking to her son...
They had a watchman separately for this bungalow for security purposes and Pooja could see him coming in... There were four more people following him... Three women and one man...
Two of them were carrying huge baskets... It should be the dinner, thought Pooja and turned her eyes towards the other two women, one elderly and the other almost in her age group...
The elderly woman smiled at her and said,
"I am Gayathri, the owner of this place... Hope everything is fine with you all..."
Pooja couldn’t take her eyes of her... For some strange reason she felt as if she has met this old lady before... Very strange indeed!
To be Continued
{kunena_discuss:686}