Tara

‘Ding-Dong’; Neel dozed off to the door. The Wall Clock showed 11-30-AM.

‘Sorry to bother you’, actually Me & Ayesha just shifted here last night, the opposite flat, needed to check out certain things, so…

‘It’s okay, fire-off your queries’.

**************************************

It was 10-56-PM, Neel opened the door to loud voices. There was quite a crowd in the lobby.

Tara & Ayesha were leaving with their stuff, Ayesha was in all tears.

He stopped Tara, ‘What’s wrong?’

The Voices erupted, ‘They cannot stay here.”

‘Why? And at this hour? They have been here for over six months; I did not see anything objectionable. Being the nearest neighbour, I would have heard if anything was wrong.’

‘We cannot allow them to live here, this is against our Culture’.

‘Ridiculous!’

‘If you are so concerned you can leave too!’  a lady shouted.

‘Don’t worry, my friends have arranged something, will go there.’ Neel saw a tired, yet determined Tara. He helped them to the Cab, where someone was waiting.

‘Jadu ki Jhappi’ was the need of the hour, but he was not sure it would be a right gesture.

‘Sorry, I could not help’, fumbled Neel.

With a trademark Sunshine Smile, Tara replied, ‘You have been more than a help, we know it’s a tough road for us’.

He stood standstill as the Couple waved-off; his lips felt salty. Wiping off his cheeks Neel murmured, ‘Ek Ladki ko dekha’.