Crystal

Crossing the border

My brain slid into standby mode when the announcement to go to Pittsburg was made. The person we might meet there made me unusually thoughtful. So I worded my question carefully. "What if she doesn't want to see us?

Husband's reply, "May be, we will go to the Venkateswara temple and return."

She was quite charming yet aggressive in her ways. I was skeptical. We were definitely interrupting her solitary lifestyle and I really did not want to do it.

A long time lost cousin of my husband is the person in the context. At least for 10 years, I have not met her, in which, all sorts of tragedies happened in her life.

There was a disagreement in the family the night before our wedding and they left without attending it, so I know her from the anecdotes in family gossips and rare encounters.

While she was still in school her dad passed away due to bad health. Her mother went back to work and shouldered the responsibility of bringing up the children with little help from close relatives. That pain mortified her feelings thereby transforming  her determinations into actions. It was just hard work and endurance that shaped her. Her first job was in Riyadh and then moved to the Caribbean and eventually to the US all alone. She lost her mother in an accident few days before her move to America and her only brother died in a mysterious incident a year after that. Overlapping disasters battered her.

I admire the mettle with which she faced the choppy sea of troubles but had heard about her latent hatred towards all relatives. It was loud and clear that she did not want to have anything with any of them.

When our call tried to reach her from our hotel room in Pittsburg, she was working and her husband said he would inform her. The next morning after calling off work, she invited us over.

We went to her house. It was indeed a love nest with her little daughter and the man she loved passionately against all disapproval. Their togetherness after some separation made it precious. It was solid and secure and stable in its own way.

She talked with the subtle pride of a self made woman about her relocation to New York next month, and her brother listened with undivided attention, respect and regard. During the chit chat my husband mentioned, I’m planning to visit India sometime by the end of the year.

She replied, "I don't plan. Who is there?"

Before her emotions were displayed she went in to bring some coffee.

I looked out uneasily and noticed a furry movement beside the deck in the back yard. The little girl told me those were wild rabbits. She moved closer to me and with wide eyed enthusiasm explained how they come in groups, eat the grass and play there.

Then I asked her pointing to my husband, “Do you know he is your mother's brother?

"Yeah, mom always talks about him..." and continued, 'Do you want to see my new doll?'

"Why not?"

She took me to her room and bragged about her friends and her school. I was sitting on the soft colourful bed, "Your bed is lovely."

"But I sleep with mom."

"Why don't you sleep alone? Brave girls sleep alone. I know somebody…."

She quipped, "I know who it is." with a naughty smiled

I touched her nose, and smiled into her eyes. The hesitation to visit them was meaningless, I was enjoying every moment of it.

Now it was time to hit the road as we had a long drive back. I unhooked my finger from the tiny finger after descending the stairs. As I kissed good bye on her soft cheek …she asked me, "When will you come back?"

‘Soon!’