Letter Z: Zest (AtoZ2019)

I am doing #atozchallenge2019 on my blog. Everyday in the month of April In will be doing the letters from AtoZ with the with small scenes from my WIP The Sibling Saga. Hope you enjoy with Misry and her sister Moon.

“Ma are we going somewhere? Why are you packing our things?” Misry asked after returning from school.

“Yes dear. We are moving to Assam in a week’s time. Your daddy has now been posted there,” informed Madhavi.

“Are Honey and Boney too coming along? I mean has uncle been posted there too?” Misry was concerned.

“Nope dear. It’s your father’s promotion posting.”

“Wow! Daddy has been promoted! So now he can stay at home with us, right?”

“I wish so dear but I don’t know. You should ask Daddy.”

“Where is he?”

“He shall be back from office in an hour or so.”

“Okay. I shall ask him then.”

Anurag came home at lunch and was very touched by Misry’s question. He knew his family missed him very much but then he knew he can’t do anything about it.

“Yes dear we are leaving by Monday. And hopefully we are going to stay together this time,” replied Anurag to his curious daughters.

A farewell party was organized for them in the Officers Mess. All the officers’ families in the campus came to congratulate Anurag. The officers also made him sit on a chair and carried him out of the hall on their shoulder singing the famous song-

For he’s a jolly good fellow, for he’s a jolly good fellow

For he’s a jolly good fellow (pause), and so say all of us

And so say all of us, and so say all of us

For he’s a jolly good fellow, for he’s a jolly good fellow

For he’s a jolly good fellow (pause), and so say all of us!

 

It was a ritual they always did for the parting officer.

Moon and Misry along with the other children followed the men singing the song behind. They were too small to understand what was going on. But their excitement never died down. A new place, new friends, new school had always excited them. And they were more excited when they came to know that Anurag was going to take charge in Kaziranga, the famous national park home to one horned rhino.

However, at heart she knew she would be missing her besties Honey and Boney. Honey was in tears to part with his best friend.

****

And with this we have come to an end of the AtoZ2019 challenge.

This is time to thank you all. Without your presence and followups my challenge would not have been complete. It was also very wonderful to read your blogs. Variety is the spice of life. Glad to have found you guys. Thanks.

 

 

Letter Y: Yours Only (AtoZ2019)

I am doing #atozchallenge2019 on my blog. Everyday in the month of April In will be doing the letters from AtoZ with the with small scenes from my WIP The Sibling Saga. Hope you enjoy with Misry and her sister Moon.

 

Moon as an infant

 

“Moon come on it is time to go home!”

“Just a bit more Di. I am enjoying the swing,” replied Moon from the swing.

Misry waited for her sister for some time. The hands of the clock ticked away but Moon was enjoying herself. In the end, Misry was angry with her little sister. She left her alone in the playground and came back home.

At home she refreshed up and waited for her evening snacks.

“Where is Moon?” Madhavi asked bring in the snacks tray along with a glass of warm milk.

“She is playing in the swing. I called her several times but she doesn’t want to come home,” answered Misry.

“What? And you left her there?” Madhavi was shocked.

“What could I do? I was hungry.”

“But Misry, didn’t you take her along saying you will take care of her?”

“Yeah Ma I did. But she isn’t listening to me. What do I do?”

“Okay. You have your snacks then. I will go and get her.”

Misry licked the cream out of the biscuit quietly. She didn’t want to think of her younger sister. However, there was something going on at the back of her mind. She was feeling restless.

Madhavi returned with Moon after a short while. Moon was crying. Her knee was bruised and blood was oozing out of the wound. Madhavi quickly made her sit in one of the dining chairs and rushed inside to get the first aid.

Misry’s heart churned looking at Moon. She quickly came to see her sister. “What happened? How did you fall down?”

In between her sobs Moon said, “Gautam pushed me off the swing.”

Gautam was one of their neighbor’s son who was a very naughty child and of Misry’s age.

“Why?”

“He wanted the swing.”

Misry’s heart filled with revenge for her sister hearing that but one look at her sister’s face reminded her that it was her mistake. Had she not left her sister alone in the playground Gautam would never have dared to do this? Revenge was immediately replaced by remorse and Misry hugged her little sister. “Nobody can harm you henceforth, you are my responsibility now,” she said.

Moon stopped crying hearing it. She had no reasons to fear anyone now for her big sister was at her side.

Letter X: Xcitement (AtoZ2019)

I am doing #atozchallenge2019 on my blog. Everyday in the month of April In will be doing the letters from AtoZ with the with small scenes from my WIP The Sibling Saga. Hope you enjoy with Misry and her sister Moon.

“Misry, you got to take care of your little sister. She is your responsibility dear when you go out to play,” reminded Madhavi. The other day Moon had lost her flying disc in the playground. And today she was asking for a new one to play with her friends.

“But Ma, I play with my friends and she with hers. How can I keep looking at her things?” nagged Misry.

“The same way as I keep a watch on both of you while you are out there playing and I am with my friends,” replied Madhavi.

“She doesn’t even listen to me!” complained Misry.

“Honey, you got to teach her that too.”

“I don’t want to babysit her when I am with my friends, Ma. Even Honey doesn’t look after his kid sister.” Misry was very adamant this time.

“It’s okay dear. You go out and play. I shall see to it.”

Misry went off to play. However, at the back of her mind she felt bad. She couldn’t figure out why she was feeling bad. Was it for not listening to her mother or was it for some other reason? But taking Moon’s responsibility was something she wasn’t ready to take.

That evening while she played with her friends she looked out for Moon in the playground. She could not find her there.

When she returned home she found Moon sitting in the dining hall and playing with her doll. “Didn’t you go out to play today?” asked Misry.

Moon shook her head and continued playing with her doll with a sullen face. Misry didn’t probe further and went on with her routine.

The following evening too Moon didn’t go out and play. Misry was growing restless now. She finally went to ask her mother about Moon. “Ma, why isn’t Moon going out to play with her friends in the playground?”

Moon stood right behind her to listen to the verdict from Ma.

“Because she is not old enough to take care of herself outside, dear. She loses her things and comes home demanding for new ones. You know how difficult it is to get new things here especially when your Daddy is not around. So I want her to learn things first and then step out to play,” answered Madhavi.

Misry turned around and saw Moon’s sad face. It tore her heart. “Alright I am ready to take care of her if that’s the case. But tell her she shouldn’t take any toy from home. There are plenty of games to play even without them. ”

Moon started jumping with joy.

Letter W: Weary Feet (AtoZ2019)

I am doing #atozchallenge2019 on my blog. Everyday in the month of April In will be doing the letters from AtoZ with the with small scenes from my WIP The Sibling Saga. Hope you enjoy with Misry and her sister Moon.

Misry and Moon always loved going to the Officer Mess with Anurag. He usually took the girls along.  They loved watching TV or listening to records on the stereo while Anurag spent time with his fellow officers. The girls had special liking for Nazia Hassan’s Disco Deewane.

Both the girls listened to the whole record and danced too while Anurag enjoyed football match on TV with the other officers. The speciality that evening for both Moon and Misry was a bottle of Thums Up, Limca or Gold Spot.

Back in the eighties fizzy drinks were not that easily available in the stores as they were available now and the campus where Anurag lived was in the countryside. So he made sure his daughters were well treated in the Officer’s Mess and get what they ask for.

Finally it was time to go back home and they were all very excited after a fabulous evening together. They headed for home where Madhavi was waiting at dinner for them. They quickly crossed the long varanda and took the steps leading out to the road to their home.

As it is home was at a walking distance from the Officer’s Mess but as it was dark and Moon as usual cried on “lappy lappy” to Anurag.

As a doting father, Anurag didn’t waste a minute fulfilling his younger daughter’s wish. He sat down on the step lending his back for a ride home. He said with his back towards them, “Here, come on dear.”

Misry saw this as an opportunity she had been waiting for so long. She had always longed for Daddy’s lap but Moon had always ruined her dreams. But this time she was going to avenge it. Even a ride home on Daddy’s back was a big moment for her. Unannounced she shoved aside Moon gently and clung to Anurag’s back.

“You have put on weight,” said Anurag putting his hand around to balance the child. Never did it occur to him that it could be his elder daughter on his back. He blamed it to his long absentees at home that he didn’t get a chance to watch his children grow. He got up and started walking towards home.

Moon was too small to understand what had just happened and kept waiting for her turn where Misry had left her. When she saw Anurag leaving she realized she was left behind. Panic griped her and she cried out,”Daddy, what about me?”

Anurag was stunned hearing her and turned around immediately. He found Moon standing in the veranda. He understood that Misry had played a prank. He turned to Misry at his back and said laughing, “So it’s you and I assumed you to be Moon. No doubt you have grown up child.”

“I am not getting down Daddy,” said Misry with conviction.

Anurag realized that the child needed his attention. “You don’t have to dear. You are my angel. Both of you will get a ride from Daddy. Come on Moon jump into my arms and Misry hold on tight to me.

Moon didn’t waste a second and got into Anurag’s arms.

Anurag walked home with both the girls- one on his lap and the other on his back while the kids clung on to him proudly.

When they reached home Madhavi couldn’t stop herself and asked, “You didn’t have to do it? They could walk.”

“I am a father Madhavi. I can’t let them down. See they are so happy.”

Letter V: Vow (AtoZ2019)

I am doing #atozchallenge2019 on my blog. Everyday in the month of April In will be doing the letters from AtoZ with the with small scenes from my WIP The Sibling Saga. Hope you enjoy with Misry and her sister Moon.

“Daddy lappy lappy,” said Moon stretching her arms at Anurag.

Anurag was engrossed in the morning newspaper but his heart melt when he looked down at Moon. Quickly he kept aside the newspaper and took the little girl in his lap.

Moon circled her arm around his neck and pecked his cheek gently. “I miss you so much Daddy.”

Anurag pecked her back and said, “I miss you too dear but I have work to take care of and you know that.”

Moon nodded. She was used to his absence at home. Her father being a B.S.F officer was most of the time posted in the border areas. “Are you going to stay this weekend?” she finally asked.

“Of course dear.”

“Yeahhhh, we will go to movie then.”

“Yes of course.”

Later in the evening they went to the campus theatre hall. Since it was nearby they walked to it. On the way back, Moon again cried “lappy lappy” and Anurag lifted her in his arms and walked along with others.

Misry was watching this and out of jealousy she too asked for “lappy lappy”.

“Oh my big girl. You are grown up now. You can walk to home. Can’t you?” said Anurag pulling her close to him as they continued walking.

Misry nodded but inside she felt neglected by her father’s behaviour. All her hatred turned towards her little sister who was enjoying daddy’s love and attention now. She vowed to do something about it. It was just a few years ago that she was the pie of her daddy’s eye but now she was sharing him with her sister. Sibling jealousy was taking toll in her now. Without saying a word she walked back home holding daddy’s finger.

 

 

 

 

 

Letter U: UuLala (AtoZ2019)

I am doing #atozchallenge2019 on my blog. Everyday in the month of April In will be doing the letters from AtoZ with the with small scenes from my WIP The Sibling Saga. Hope you enjoy with Misry and her sister Moon.

 

Rita, Moon’s friend

 

“And then it flew off the window, there,” said Moon turning her head towards the window so that her braids tap her cheeks. “And then the big dog jumped over the gate to gasp the birdie,” she continued slightly tilting of her head so that one of her braids touched her arms.

Moon continued her story session with her friends while her braids irresistibly followed the way she titled her head on either side. In a way Moon was enjoying her new hair style and it was not hidden from her friends either.

“You look lovely, Moon,” said Rita.

“I know,” answered Moon smiling.

Rita and a couple of more students were waiting for their private vehicle to fetch them from school and Moon stayed back with them at her own free will.

When Madhavi entered the reception area of the school she was relieved to see Moon sitting there. Quickly she went to her.

Moon was very happy to see her mother. “Ma you came to take me home? Here meet my best friend Rita,” saying Moon introduced her friends one by one.

“Hello Aunty!” said Rita.

“Hello dear,” replied Madhavi patting the girl. Then she turned to Moon, “And why are you still here? Why didn’t you board the bus?”

“I was waiting for Rita’s mother?”

“and why would you do that?”

“Because Rita loved my hair style.”

“So?” Madhavi was surprised.

Rita jumped in to explain. “Aunty I loved Moon’s hair style. So I wanted mommy to see it so that she could do my hair too. Hence we are waiting for her.”

When Madhavi heard it she didn’t know what to say to the girls. How can they be so fashion conscious at this age? “Alright we shall wait then,” said Madhavi sitting down with them.

Letter T: Trouble (AtoZ2019)

I am doing #atozchallenge2019 on my blog. Everyday in the month of April In will be doing the letters from AtoZ with the with small scenes from my WIP The Sibling Saga. Hope you enjoy with Misry and her sister Moon.

“Ma I want you to style my hair like this one,” said Moon while dressing up for school.

“What’s the fuss dear? You might be late for school,” warned Madhavi. She had just finished parting Moon’s hair in the middle and was making a pony tail.

“No. I don’t like it. I want this one.” Moon was holding a page from the magazine and showing it to her mother. The page had a picture of a girl off to school. Her hairstyle had two thinner braids, starting right near the temple on either side of the head, merging into the main braid at the back.

“But Moon, your hair isn’t that long dear.”

“Ma please.”

“Okay shona.” And Madhavi styled Moon’s hair just as in the picture. When Moon checked in the mirror she was mesmerized. She hugged her mother and kissed her thank you. Then she went off to her school.

Madhavi got back to her house work. She had ounce to finish before her daughters would be returning from school. Both the girls followed different timings. Misry went to school in the early morning shift and came back by lunch while Moon left for school late in the morning and returned half an hour after Misry.

After finishing her work Madhavi waited for her daughter to return from school. Misry came back in her speculated time. As a dotted mother Madhavi took care of her and then waited for Moon to return from school.

Moon had now joined the kindergarten and she was going to a new school in the neighbourhood. And luckily it provided school bus service however the school was not very far from home either.

That day the school bus returned home without Moon. Madhavi was worried when she saw her child missing in the bus.

“Where is Moon? Why isn’t she in the bus?” demanded Madhavi to the driver.

“Memsahab, Moon doesn’t want to come home. She is still in school with other children. We tried a lot but she would run away every time we went to get her. In the end we decided to drop the other kids home first before getting her home,” replied the driver affter getting down from the bus.

As it is, it was the campus school and everybody knew each other well. However, Madhavi was still very worried. “But why did she stay back? Did the teacher ask her?”

“I have no idea memsahib. But I will get the information if you want me to.”

“No. You carry on. I shall visit the school myself and see what is going on.”

“Ho, memsahib,” said the driver as he got up in the bus and drove away to drop the kids at their home.

Madhavi reversed her car from the parking and drove towards Moon’s school.

Letter S : Solution (AtoZ2019)

I am doing #atozchallenge2019 on my blog. Everyday in the month of April In will be doing the letters from AtoZ with the with small scenes from my WIP The Sibling Saga. Hope you enjoy with Misry and her sister Moon.

The silence outside was confusing her. She tried hard to pick up the noise outside the bathroom door but all she heard was dead silence that was getting disturbed by the occasional whistle of the pressure cooker in the kitchen.

I am not going to stand here the whole day wandering what Di is up to. I need to go out and find for myself. Moon made up her mind and took a quick shower.

Misry smiled as she heard the water splash from the outside. Hmm.. Not a bad start, a good way to charm my little sister out of that hole. She was all set for Mission Bathroom. She quickly rushed into her room and took out her swimming costume from her wardrobe and waited for Moon to show up at her door.

Within a few seconds Moon showed up outside her door wrapped in a large size towel, water droplets tickled down her hair wetting the floor. Her exquisite eyes never left Misry who was now standing in front of the mirror with the swimming costume in her hand.

Misry put the costume across her chest and started checking it out in her reflection on the mirror. She turned to Moon and said, “This one looks a little faded isn’t it? I should ask Ma to get me a new one.”

Moon was confused. Isn’t she going to miss her school bus? What is she doing with the swimming costume? “”

“I am thinking of swimming. Guess I don’t need the bathroom anymore. You enjoy your time there while I enjoy mine in the vast pool with Honey and Boney. I shall take bath there henceforth. So now tell me should I get a new one?” From the corner of the eye she watched Moon’s reaction.

Swimming in the morning is a good idea in this summer. I don’t want to waste my time here in the bathroom. “I shall go too,” declared Moon.”

Hmm. So my idea works. She is in for it. Now I have to play safe. Misry shook her head.  “Nope. They won’t allow you. First you don’t have a costume and second you are still a kid.”

“What kid? I go to school now! I want to go swimming too!”

Misry very slowly turned to her and said, “I want you to come along dear. But will Ma allow?”

Moon didn’t waste another second. She rushed to Madhavi while Misry quietly made her way to the bathroom. From inside she could hear Moon throwing her tantrums at Madhavi.

“I don’t know Ma. I want to go swimming. Now!” She was jumping.

“What swimming are you talking about? We didn’t discuss any such thing?”

“I want to go! Ma please! Please, please, please. ”

“But you have just had your bath.”

“Ma, please it’s so hot. See I am sweating again. Let me go down in the pool. Please.”

“Moon you should…..”

Misry smiled. She had successfully diverted her little sister’s mind. Now Moon would be off to the pool instead in the morning. Mission Bathroom accomplished. She turned on the tap and let the cold water splash over her head.

Letter R: Rage (AtoZ2019)

I am doing #atozchallenge2019 on my blog. Everyday in the month of April In will be doing the letters from AtoZ with the with small scenes from my WIP The Sibling Saga. Hope you enjoy with Misry and her sister Moon.

“Ma see, Moon is not getting out of the bathroom. I am getting late for school,” said Misry angrily. This had become their daily affair. Every time Misry gets ready to go for bath in the morning Moon would rush in unannounced and occupy the bathroom. Misry had been having trouble getting ready in her specified time and almost missed her school bus twice this week.

“Why do both of you have to get ready at the same time? You can do that a little early and she can do it a bit late. Why is there so much fuss about everything with you sisters? We too have grown up with siblings but never roped in Ma for anything. Our issues were always resolved among us. But look at you two?” hissed Madhavi.

She was having a tough time handling all the morning chores alone. Lakhi, their maid had gone home and Madhavi hadn’t found another maid as yet. Hence the stress. But this the children never understood.

All Misry gathered was she was old enough to handle things herself now. So be it. She was ready to fight the battle. Mission Bathroom had to be accomplished anyhow. She tip toed near the bathroom and put her ear on the door. There was silence inside. Of course Moon wasn’t doing anything inside. She was just wasting her time and mine. But you little sister, just wait and see now.

Moon was not ignorant to the silence outside. As long as Misry was cribbing to Madhavi outside she was smiling inside the bathroom. She enjoyed giving hard times to Misry especially when it was the school bus time. How she hated going to school in her tricycle and longed to go to school in a school bus just like Misry. Hence every day she would figure out something or the other in the morning so that Misry misses her school bus. But now the silence outside was killing her. What is she up to? Is she getting ready for school with taking a bath?

Moon put her hears on the door and tried to listen.

 

 

 

Letter Q: Quirky Solution (AtoZ2019)

I am doing #atozchallenge2019 on my blog. Everyday in the month of April In will be doing the letters from AtoZ with the with small scenes from my WIP The Sibling Saga. Hope you enjoy with Misry and her sister Moon.

 

Moon was growing very empathetic towards her classmates. Shantanu wanted to eat the boiled egg in his tiffin while Priya wanted to go home, Heena wanted to go shopping. But how?

She earnest looked at the beaten faces of her classmates and thought of the solution. It was just because of the goddamn school bell. Hmm… thats it. It’s the bell. I need to do something about it. But what?

Moon sat down quietly only to think of some other idea. In a few minutes she got up  and asked, “I want to go to the washroom.”

Mrs. Jolly asked the aaya and she escorted Moon to the wash room. On the way Moon saw the solution to everyone’s problem, the bell. It was a big gong hanging outside from one of the poles of the varandah of their school near the staff room.  There was a mallet too hanging from a nail on the wall in the varendah. All she had to do was ring the bell and everyone can go home or eat their tiffin. But the problem was its height. It was difficult for moon to reach it. So she needed assistance in the crime.

Who better than Rohit? He is tall and competent too.

She walked back to her classroom and shared her intentions with Rohit. Naugty as he was, his eyes sparkled at the thought of it.

“Good idea! But I can’t do it alone.”

He roped in his cousin Shyam, the shy guy of their class and together the trio went off to execute the plan. It wasn’t easy. But they didn’t back off.

First Rohit went out of the class and then Shyam followed. The excuse was wash room of course. Moon too followed them saying she had dropped her hair clip in the wash room and need to trace it back.

Mrs. Jolly who was already facing a hard time with the kids didn’t bother much and allowed them with the aaya again. The boys and girls washroom was adjacent and the aaya waited for the kids outside the washroom area.

Another aaya brought another bunch of kids from another section to the washroom area and the two ladies engaged in small chit chat while kids the finished their business in their respective washrooms.

Moon and her new friends took the brilliant opportunity and escaped unseen from the washroom. They headed straight for the gong. Rohit made a plan. With Shaym he was complete. Moon and Shyam held him up in their arms while he grasped the pole and hit the mallet on the gong several times before running off to their class. Hearing the bell the kids rushed out of their classes with their bags screaming “Chutti  chutti ” and nobody dared to stop them. That day the school was over half an hour early.