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An ordinary day - Part I
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Shola lingered over her cup of tea, longer than usual this morning. She picked up the stale looking newspaper, discarded by her husband and then further molested by her son.
Both her men had left the house uttering almost the same words. "I will be coming home late tonight."
Her husband, working as a middle rank executive in a private limited company, had to finish some overdue work in his office. And the son had to catch a movie before it vanished from the screen, next day. Shola was the only member in the house who didn't have to rush out for such important tasks.
After finishing her tea, she got up from the table and looked around the kitchen. As usual, there was much to do, but she dumped the cup in the sink and walked out. She had cut her finger on a sharp knife while preparing breakfast this morning and it was hurting. The kitchen work could wait, but she was a good housewife after all. She would do some other work.
Shola strode purposefully towards her bedroom. There were two old-fashioned steel cupboards, pretentiously called wardrobes that were not exactly dirty but surely could do with some tidying up. Shola sat on the floor and began removing piles of clothes from the cupboard. While emptying one shelf, all of a sudden her injured finger touched a polyethylene bag, tucked in a corner. She took it out and for a moment just sat, staring at it. She knew what was inside, still she couldn't help peeking inside the bag. And then instead of putting it aside, Shola carefully opened the bag and took the neatly folded clothes out.
The soft and silky feel of the garment gave her goose-bumps. Shola could feel a strange sensation coursing through her body. She caressed the garment almost dreamily. The ivory coloured silk blouse was plain but cut so elegantly that it could have come only from a high-end shop. The skirt accompanying it was a riot of colours. Shola had never seen so many colours and motifs on a single garment. Yet it didn't look gaudy. It looked….Shola thought for a while and then found the right word to describe that skirt. It looked cheerful.
The person who wore it was no less cheerful. Shola's lips curved in a smile remembering Helena, her husband's cousin from US.
During her visit to India last summer, Helena had stayed with them for a few days. Both women, although seemingly different in every way, bonded beautifully. They went out and shopped together and it was with Helena that Shola stepped into some of the finest shops in the city. She also noticed how sales assistants fawned over Helena. It was not just her money, it was the way she carried herself. Although Shola was more beautiful, Helena commanded more attention from people even without trying. On these shopping expeditions, Shola didn't buy anything for herself, but she enjoyed looking at the exquisite and expensive things in those elegant stores. This particular silk blouse, in fact was selected by Shola. "It looks lovely" she said when Helena wore it with the colourful skirt and cat- walked in the house for Shola.
"Why don't you keep it for yourself?" asked Helena. In reply, Shola just smiled and shook her head.
The next day Helena left for US. After her departure, Shola saw that the outfit she had so much admired was left behind. Whether Helena had really forgotten to pack it or it was done on purpose, Shola didn't know. She just put it in the plastic bag and almost forgot about it after some weeks. Today the memories came flooding back. Shola's eyes went to the calendar hanging on the opposite wall and then as if something happened to her.
Slowly she got up and stepped out of the salwar kameez, she was wearing. Without further hesitation, she picked up the skirt and blouse, and put them on. They fitted her nicely. Then she untied her hair and brushed it till it fell straight and shiny on her shoulders. Looking at the mirror, she removed the mangalsutra from her neck and put it on the dressing table. Somehow her neck looked longer and prettier now. Shola smiled at her reflection and decided that a dash of make up wouldn't do any harm. She was naturally beautiful and rarely used cosmetics, but today she was going to do full justice to the lovely dress. Carefully she made up her face, dabbed some perfume behind her ears and on wrists. That expensive fragrance was a gift from Helena. Then Shola decided that it was the perfect day to try on those high-heeled sandals that were once bought on the spur of the moment and then left unused. She wore them and looked at the mirror. Mrs. Shola Nair was now ready to rock.
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Varsha Pathak
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