Prologue

An uncanny twist of fate...

The bustling city she called home decorated itself with innumerable bubbling cascades of lights and faint sounds of jovial music, increasing the heart beats of the entire population. The sun had set, exciting a thousand. Cabs still scurried on the bustling roads and people still scampered over sidewalks to get to their homes. The entire city of Ahmedabad seemed to be in an exhilarated hurry to celebrate the much awaited festival of Navratri. Worshipping the supreme goddess, the entire city seemed to have experienced a surge of adrenaline. Some celebrated the victory of Ram and others the valiance of Durga. Yet one soul reflected an impervious smile on her face as she swiftly curbed her silver sedan Chevrolet Impala on the next street and it screeched to a halt in front of another brightly lit up housing society. Though this time she didn’t groan in frustration or roll her eyes in annoyance. Her smile widened to joy as she read the name for the umpteenth time in her life, ‘Nirmal Jyoti Society’.

Clicking her car keys, she stepped out with a ragged sigh as her eyes glistened under the evening sky. Fishing out two suitcases along with a handbag from the car boot, she hurdled herself inside the moderately large complex. A few ladies still managed to shift their focus from their vibrant, ethnic dresses to the girl dressed in a mundane sky blue kurti and bell bottom jeans. Some welcomed happily while others snorted awfully. She drew in a sharp breath to compose herself and passed a sober expression once more as she made her way towards the main building. Looking at the two apartments on either side, she shifted her gaze to the intimidating staircase that lay beyond her. Shivering, her bags tagged along with her nervous gait as she started walking up the flight of stairs. Taking a turn, she reduced her speed, taking slow steps with each breath. Settling her bags on the floor her breath stuck in her throat as her orbs turned misty at the nameplate on her right, ‘Agarwals’. Embracing the feeling of nostalgia and avoiding the apartment on the left that too inhabited her kin, her fingers flinched before she mustered courage and rang the doorbell of the apartment on the right. In anticipation, she waited with bated breaths, praying she disappeared, hoping the ground would succumb her as soon as the door opened.

A moment passed followed by another, her hope diminishing with each passing second. With a sigh in anguish she had turned to leave when a dubious voice called out to her, “Naina?”

Her breath hitched as she recognized the voice she had hoped to hear. Subjugating herself she gulped and looked back, only to be bombarded by a storm-like hug, a hug she had wanted to be engulfed in, an embrace she had longed for. Wrapping her hands around her best confidante’s neck, Naina felt her kurti dampen a little by the tears of joy. Unable to contain herself she squealed, “Preeti!”

Her eleven-month-younger cousin, her best friend, her partner in crime, her true soulmate. Naina’s eyes squeezed shut in elatement as she felt the ground shift from her feet. Not out of shock, but because her warrior-like cousin had lifted her up and had been twirling her around for the past ten seconds.

“Control yourself now sister and put me down!” Naina cried in whispered joy as Preeti obeyed after prolonged reluctance.

“I won’t let you go anywhere anymore.” She promised her eleven-month-older cousin as Preeti pulled her in another embrace. Naina shut her eyes to control the tears from spilling as she pulled back and wiped her sister’s tears.

“I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try my best.”

Her smile lessened to a grim expression as she berated, “Why do you have to do this, Naina. Why all the time?”

“Because we are mere puppets of fate. Revived by life and destroyed by the same.”

“Stop with your philosophical talks, Naina Agarwal.” She reprimanded.

“Stop with your persuasions, Preeti Agarwal.” Naina mimicked her tone only to receive an angry Preeti with her hands on her hips. Resting her hands on her shoulders, Naina shifted her sister’s glare back to herself as she tried, “Are we going to spend one month being mad at each other or make memories I can carry back?”

Preeti grimaced before her expression softened and her shoulders relaxed, “Come inside.”

The door opened to a plethora of rusty memories that made Naina nostalgic and her eyes wet. The sofa set on her right had changed from the wooden ones with soft cushions to a modern gray six-seater. The once vivid curtains behind the sofas had diminished to a soothing navy blue which still looked out to the brightly decked up society. The dining table still remained on the far end of the hall and the welcoming aroma of her aunt’s scrumptious food still filled Naina’s nostrils. On her left, was a black yet small TV console that reminded her of the carefree days she spent with Preeti and her Aunt, gawking and dancing to the tunes of Hindi songs. Her lips curved as her cousin brought her a glass of water.

“Everything has changed so much.” She exclaimed as Preeti nodded.

“Well, you could expect such a reaction after disappearing for three years.”

“I didn’t disappear. I-I was completing my English Honors, Preeti.” Her arms crossed in front of her chest and she tilted her head with a scrutinizing gaze. Unconvincingly she shook her head, “You better prepare yourself with a better excuse next time, Naina.”

“Preeti…” Naina began when her sister interrupted, “Not now, Naina. We need to discuss this, but not tonight. Because apparently you’re pretty busy.”

Naina’s brows furrowed in confusion as Preeti elaborated, “Mom and Dad are already at another party. It took me a lot of reasoning to convince them; they weren’t ready to leave without meeting you. And why wouldn’t they, I don’t remember them celebrating any occasion of joy ever since you…”

Naina looked away guiltily as Preeti commiseratingly rested her hand on her shoulder and tried to lighten the mood, “The uncanny thing is that I received an invitation this morning which was addressed to you.”

Naina’s eyebrows puckered as she cast a questioning look, “For me?”

Why would someone address a person who hadn’t been in town for the past three years? And how with such strong tenacity? Naina’s questions seemed to only increase as Preeti elaborated with a casual shrug, “That’s what it says.”

Naina hadn’t contacted anyone else apart from her immediate family members; she’d phone home only rarely. Who had sent her a Navratri invitation? With growing suspicion she flipped the scarlet colored envelope Preeti had handed over to her only to have her eyes widen in horror and face fade of color.

Imprinted on the center of the card in golden cursive writing were two words; a mere and distant name of the person who had dared to invite one of the forgotten souls in the city.

Sameer Maheshwari.