Window to my World

The professor had not arrived yet. Nandita looked out of the window. She saw the cutest guy she had ever seen in her life walk across the lawn. She saw herself walking towards him. He in black, she in blue. Aqua Blue.

Now. The lawn seemed different. The window was different. The guy was the cutest ever, also in black, but different. The girl was prettier, again, in aqua blue. They always say History repeats itself. She knew why. Both of them were walking towards the house.

The girl burst into the room. Nandita turned to look at her.
“Hi Mom!” said Arpita, her only child. “I met the greatest guy today.”
‘He’ll break your heart’, Nandita thought.
“What did you just say, mom?”
“Nothing, darling”, said Nandita, “tell me what happened.”
“You look strange”
“Don’t we all?”
Arpita wore a puzzled frown. “Anyways, he is Preethi’s cousin. He has come down for the hols.”
Nandita tried to overcome her sense of deja – vu. Rahul had been her best friend’s cousin too.
Arpita continued with “He just broke my heart!”
“That was bound to happen” Nandita smiled.
“Oh mom, not like that! Don’t be so cynical. Not everyone is like dad”
“So what did you mean?”
“Nikhil’s GRE scores are higher than mine, that’s what I was trying to say.”
“Higher than yours? That’s impressive!”
“Yeah. And don’t worry, he has a girlfriend”
“Can’t say I am relieved” Nandita said with a twinkle.
“Oh puhlease!”
They enjoyed their bantering.

Nandita looked out of the window again. She was transported twenty years back. It had not been easy after he left. He, Rahul, Arpita’s father. But she was a strong person. Nandita took to writing to support herself and her daughter. Today she was a household name. Wish she could see Rahul’s face now. Ha!
She could see someone walking up to the house. Nikhil, that boy Arpita was talking about.
“Mom, I am going out.”
“I assumed as much”
“Are you psychic or what?”
“I am blessed with the miracle of sight, darling”. She added with a mischievous smile, “Been there, done that.”
“Not again! Ma, my life is different”
“So you say.” She hoped ardently that it really was different.
“I can take care of myself, don’t worry.”
“I know that”. I did it, so can my daughter.
“Thanks Ma. Bye!”
Nandita looked out of the window.
Some things never change.