The Moonchild : Part 2

The guests arrived at Chatterjee’s house in the late evening. The person who suggested the boy to Mohandas also accompanied them. Lakshmi along with her sister-in-law Pooja gave them a warm welcome. Pooja murmured in her ears, “Just look at the boy. A perfect match for our Kalyani.”
“Keep quiet Pooja. They will hear us.” Both of them smiled and everyone sat on the sofa. After drinking water, they started conversing.

The main of the boy’s family introduced himself and everyone.
“I am Hemant Sen, my wife Mithila. This is my elder son Anurag and younger one Karan. Anurag is married. Karan is a lawyer and Anurag is a doctor.”

“Where in Kolkata exactly?”
“Park Street.”
“I must say your family values education very much Hemant da.” Mohandas could not hide his joy. “It’s a pleasure to see how graceful your both sons are.”
“Thank you. Tell me about yourself now.”

“Excuse me.” Lakshmi gestured Pooja to get some snacks for the guests. “We will be back.”
“Hemant da, I am based here in Durgapur since birth. We have a factory of manufacturing earthen pots. We believe in simplicity and commitment. My daughter Kalyani has just passed her graduation. She is an excellent cook.”
Lakshmi and Pooja entered with trays loaded with snacks.

Mithila uttered with surprise. “These are not snacks di. This is dinner.”
“Not at all. Till dinner, these all will melt. Please have.” Pooja persuaded.

Anurag spoke at once.

“This chomchom is very yummy. Are they homemade?”
“Yes. My niece has prepared these.” Mohandas replied proudly.
“Karan, just have these. I have never tasted more delicious chomchoms anywhere else.” Karan had one and nodded to his brother.

“Mohandas, we have to leave for Kolkata tomorrow. Let us meet your daughter and then see how things work.” Hemant Sen said politely.
“Yes, why not. Lakshmi, go and bring Kalyani.” Mohandas told his wife happily.
“Till I bring her, please finish these snacks,” Lakshmi said with a broad smile and left the room.

“So Hemant da, Kolkata is the same as before? I visited nearly five years ago.”
“Almost the same. The beauty of a place lies in preserving its traditions and culture. Everything there, talking about places, is well maintained. Now you will be visiting soon again I think.” Everyone giggled thinking about the possibility of this acquaintance working out positively.

Lakshmi arrived with her daughter Kalyani.

Kalyani was dressed in a traditional saree, her eyes towards the floor. She offered Namaskar to all and sat on a chair nearby.
“So Kalyani, you love traditional outfits like these?” Mithila asked in a loving tone to Kalyani.
“I do love traditional clothes, but prefer other comfortable ones too.”
“Good. Nowadays girls just don’t like our old rich culture. I am glad you love sarees.”

A phone ring interrupted the ongoing conversation. It was of Karan’s.
Hesitantly, Karan said, “I am sorry. I need to take this call. May I?”
“Of course son. Take the call.” Mohandas made him at ease with his reply.
As Karan started talking, he had difficulty in hearing the person on the other end. “Hello, hello.”

“Karan, please come with me.”

Pooja”s husband immediately said, “There is a network issue in the evenings at times here. Let us go upstairs. The network is strong there.” He accompanied Karan upstairs and lead him to a passage. “Here you can reconnect.”
“Listen, just come here for a minute,” Pooja called her husband and took him aside to talk about something. They went to the left side of the passage and disappeared. Karan re-connected the phone and talked to his client. As he was about to turn, he heard a giggle nearby. Curious to see the owner of this giggle, he craned his neck. The giggle came from the end of the passage. He slowly walked towards the voice and found a big glass door that opened to the terrace.

On the terrace he noticed a beautiful girl, smiling, murmuring something. He was eager to see the other person there but found none. Then he saw her looking at the sky and talking. He slowly pushed the door to overhear the conversation.
“Bandhu, you have no idea how beautiful you are looking today. Let no evil eye fall on you.” She made a sweet gesture with her hands to remove any possible harm from the moon in a loving manner.

Karan was intrigued

by the unusual visual, he witnessed. How can someone be so comfortable talking to a nonliving thing? He could not take his eyes off her. He saw her looking at something keenly on the wall. It was a small beautiful butterfly. She gently, carefully picked it, and placed it on a flower of the branch hanging on the terrace.
“Stay between the flowers ok. Do not fly towards the wall again. It is very rough for a beautiful, delicate person like you. Stay here.” She gently blew a flying kiss to the butterfly. Once again she looked up at the bright moon in the sky, a smile never leaving her lips.

Not taking off his eyes even for a moment from her, Karan thought, who is she?

Stay tuned for Part 3…

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