Sunsets and Memories

It was late afternoon when the gate of the Bijoliya Mansion flung open and the car with the Sisodiya emblem on it entered the portico. The first thing Ajabdeh noticed from the passenger seat was the restored fountain on the front lawn. The water came out of the structure's mouth like it did when she was ten. She got out of the car as Pratap followed from the other end of the passenger seat to be greeted by the manager of the place the newly appointed Madho Rao. 

Ajabdeh looked up at the restored outer wall of the mansion to spot the Bijoliya flag atop the dome. She smiled. Her father would have been so happy today. She glanced across at Pratap busy talking to the man. He would have liked Pratap.
“So how is it?” Pratap walked up behind her with a smile as she entered the entrance hall. The hall had been restored and decorated with old-school paintings and vintage furniture to compliment the look of the Mansion.
“Just like it was, even better.” She gushed. Pratap smiled to see the twinkle back in her eyes. She walked up the stairs, skipping a few on the way to the first floor of rooms. 
“We have made the rooms fit for guests.” Madho Rao briefed Pratap downstairs. “And we have added a glass house in the lawn as you wanted sir.”
Ajabdeh inspected the corridors and the old wing of the Mansion. It was restored back to its former glory, not a curve or paint misrepresented. The paintings on the wall that often fascinated her imagination as a child seemed to have found a new life. The old halls were empty. Pratap had told her they were planning to put up a museum of artefacts in them. They were nothing less than large Durbar halls with pillars and should be put to good use. The artefacts to be displayed would come both from the Punwars Mansion as well as the Sisodiyas. 

“We have kept the furniture and things belonging to the Punwars that were still left here, down in the basement. If you want to…”
“I think Ajabdeh can take care of that after the occasion,” Pratap informed the man. 
“Pardon me for my mistake, sir, let me show you to your rooms.”
One of the suits with two rooms was opened up for them for the night. The guests were a close-knit family consisting of Nandini, her parents, her sister Manwati, her inlaws and husband, Laura and her parents and brother, the Sisodiyas, the Songaras who happen to be Jaivanta’s cousin brother and his family and three friends of the couple flying down with them. The other suites and rooms were being prepared for their two-day stay.

Pratap kept his undone tie on the bed and parted the curtains of the room to let the sunlight come in. He immediately spotted Ajabdeh down on the lawn, with her newly arrived team who had been put up on the lower level of the mansion. She was directing the flower supplier for the look of the ground and also moving her hands as though she was directing an orchestra. Half her team was at a wedding with Rukaiya and the other half had accompanied her here for the close-knit affair. Pratap remembered her words from his office party. She didn’t do small occasions. But here she was, being compelled to do this for his family. Pratap was definitely not pleased even though Ajabdeh never showed him any signs of reluctance. He opened the small trolley he had packed for three days and put on a polo shirt with pants. Sometimes he looked like a reflection of his father, and his mother would compliment him. But mothers always did that. He smiled to himself putting on a watch and taking his phone.
He entered the lawn premises and was greeted by the staff. 
“So how is the first project here coming up?” She asked without turning to look at him. He looked around at the half-hung drapes of the makeshift canopy, the bundles of fairy lights and paper flowers.
“Good.” He nodded “So the event will be here?” He asked looking at the lawn.
“The baby shower Nandini wants needs an open space so I was thinking of putting up a Dias here” She pointed at an area “A round one she can sit on. With a smaller canopy, cosy cushions, lavenders…” Pratap nodded trying to understand her vision. “And the dinners for both days will be at the orchard, let me show you that.” She directed him away from the team and to the fairly empty orchard clearing surrounded by tall trees. A large wooden table and garden chairs were set up there, and a man was taking measurements of the table for its clothing. 
“The lunches will be held indoors in the dining area of the Mansion.” She added, “As will be the buffet breakfast.” She turned to face him now “So? How is it all?”
“Too extravagant for a baby shower.” He said truthfully. That made Ajabdeh smile.
“The client instructs us and we indulge them.” She shrugged. “Besides, Nandini didn’t have a wedding. She deserves some amount of attention.” Ajabdeh’s eyes caught an intern trying to place a chalkboard supposed to be designed with pictures on the wrong side of the orchard just then and frowned. “Hold it.” She ran to the man as he watched her go. Her words stuck in his head as he remembered Jaivanta’s decision. Pratap sat down on one of the extra garden chairs with his hand on his chin and elbow on his thigh. He realised that he had opposed the idea of a social wedding without even asking Ajabdeh what she wants. What if she wanted something and was doing this for Nandini because she understood? In his mind, Pratap decided to talk to her as soon as all this was over.

Ajabdeh turned to see him about to leave and ran up to him, “Wait!” She smiled “Leaving already? I thought you are here to inspect what we do at your property.” There was a hint of amusement in her voice and he knew exactly why. They had had this conversation a few days back. He wanted to accompany her on their first business project together and she kept insisting she could do it alone. After all, every brick, nook and corner of the place ran in her veins. He didn’t listen. He assured her he was doing it for his own morals of the business. She warned him he would get critical and bored of the magnificence.
“Well, my job is done. What will I do for the rest of the evening?” He asked, checking his watch. “You are busy.”
"Why don’t you explore the palace?” She suggested, “I will take some time off and come along.”
“Are you sure?” He asked with his brows raised “I don’t want to hamper your work.”
“They know what to do, a few minutes won’t harm them.” She nodded.
“Alright.” Pratap smiled “Show me a place I have not yet seen.” She smiled.
They went up the spiral back stairs to the terrace area and from a back stairwell there to the rooftop domes. The view there was mesmerizing. The dome overlooked the boundaries of the property and beyond it to the west stretched a vast empty barren land that met the range of Aravallis on the horizon. The sun was about to set between the hills and the sky lit up in shades of orange and red.
“When I was a child, Papa used to bring me up here and we would watch the sunset, just the two of us. Sometimes, I would be brave enough to go stand on the parapet and god forbid if Maasa spotted us she would shout at him from the lawn. A smile curled her lips at the memory. Her eyes shone. Pratap could see her face glow in the red hues of the setting sun. Her locks of unmanned hair flew gently in the wind. She put them behind her ear and took a deep breath.
“I was not afraid of anything.”
“Parapets are unsafe for a child.” Pratap didn’t know what else to say so he stated the obvious. She agreed.
“But Papa was there to protect me. I knew he would never let me fall. Never let me be hurt. He held my hand tightly as I stood there and watched the sunset.”
“Are you afraid now?” He asked almost in a reflex. She didn’t look at him but was aware that he was looking at her. Instead, she took in every second of the setting sun as though she wouldn’t want to miss the moment.
“I grew up.” She spoke, “Outgrew the parapets and the sunsets.”
“That’s impossible.” He shook his head and took off his shoes. “Nobody gets old enough to outgrow whatever made them happy.” Ajabdeh looked surprised as he stood up on the parapet and gave her his hand. “Come on.” He urged her. “You won’t fall. Trust me.”
Ajabdeh inhaled. She had lived in the memories of the past for too long. Here he was, giving her his hand, to make new memories with him. In the place closest to her heart. She took his hand and removed her slippers. Her bare foot touched the edge of the thick old parapet as he held her hand firmly. Something in his grip was reassuring. It was familiar, secure, and tight. She looked at the setting sun. Pratap could feel his own breath in the silence as the breeze whispered in his ears. He had seen many sunsets in his life, with a lot of many people. He eyed Ajabdeh smiling from the corner of his eyes. He had never felt this peaceful. His eyes travelled to her hand, wrapped around his. Ajabdeh looked up at him and he smiled back.
“How does it feel now?” He asked.
“Like I am back home.” She stared back into the horizon where the last glimpse of the sun disappeared.
They sat down on the parapet, feet dangling, enjoying the breeze. Her hair flew and she managed to hold it together and put it on her side. For the first time, Pratap noticed a small mole on the side of her left ear. 
“What?” Ajabdeh suddenly jolted him with the question as though he had thought aloud.
“What?” He asked back.
“Did you say something?” She asked, narrowing her brows.
“No.” He shook his head and looked away.
“Must be the wind whispering in my ear then.” She murmured. 


It felt like hours had passed by in silence. Pratap could feel her breath too when the winds stopped howling around them. Dusk was about to set in when her phone rang through the silence. 
“I am coming.” She said getting up. In a reflex almost protectively Pratap gave her his hand to hold on to, while she balanced herself on the parapet and got down. She let go of his hand and hurried with her slippers and just like that she was gone. Pratap sat for a while longer. As soon as she left a sudden feeling crept in. A feeling he couldn’t put into words. It felt nice to have her around. Pratap gathered. Could he ever tell that to her in words? No. Perhaps not. Did she know that? He looked back at the empty staircase where she had disappeared. He hoped she did.
Pratap was reading a book he had brought along after dinner when she entered the room with a lot of paperwork.
“There is no coffee machine here.” He said as soon as he saw her. “We have to go down to the kitchen.”
“I figured.” She said putting the papers down on the coffee table between the two rooms. “I wanted to do something else actually.”
He got up from his bed at her words, a little curious.
“And what is that?”
Ajabdeh apologised to Madho Rao for waking him up that late for the keys to the basement. The man was embarrassed. 
“This is my job Ma'am.” He handed the keys over to her. “I will take them back tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” She smiled again.  

The man left them at the old wooden door of the basement room, with a huge lock on it. Ajabdeh looked at Pratap excited and he nodded with a smile. They unlocked the room and left the key and lock dangling on the open door as they went into the dark and dusty basement. Pratap struggled in the dark and found the light switches. The illuminated basement looked like an old curio shop. With furniture, artefacts, boxes and trunks full of things. Ajabdeh sat down on a trunk and took what looked like a jewellery box in her hand. 
“This belonged to my grandmother.” She said, surprised “I can’t believe Kakasa left this behind.”
“They moved with Ratnawati to Mumbai. They won’t have space for these things.” He said sitting down on a trunk facing her “Besides, be glad he left it here. Let’s take it back home.” She smiled at his suggestion.

In the next few moments, they found a trunk full of old letters and pictures. 
“This was my first birthday.” Ajabdeh sounded excited turning the leaf. “I can’t believe all these are here.”
“That’s Aunty?” Pratap pointed surprised, “She looked so pretty.”
“She was.” Ajabdeh smiled. Pratap realised she looked a lot like Ajabdeh did.
“Look what I found,” Pratap said almost in awe going through one of the trunks as she stopped inspecting old statues in a corner and came up to him.
He held out an old picture in between a diary that looked like a school notebook. On it in sepia were two girls in braids and traditional lehengas. It was Jaivanta and Hansa. Ajabdeh held the photo and smiled back at him.
“We can frame this and gift Ranima. She will love it.” He agreed.
Her eyes fell on a wooden box and she opened it. Inside were letters from her grandparents, probably from when they were away from each other. 

“Should we read them?” Pratap asked unsure “It is … they are private letters.” 
“Now, they are stories. Lying in the dust.” She smiled unwrapping a few letters. They sat down on the trunks taking turns and reading the letters out.
“It's been a month that I have not seen your smile. I stare at your picture in my wallet every night and wonder how fast I can get this over with so that I will be home to you. You gave me a reason to return home. I never felt this urge of returning home before you.” She read aloud. Pratap looked up at her words. “This must be when he was abroad.” She gathered. “Your turn.”
Pratap cleared his throat. “ You know I came across a beautiful collection of poetry yesterday at the bookshop. It reminded me of you. I bought it. But you have to wait till you get home. I feel lonely in this large palace without you. Don’t leave me behind next time you go.”
Ajabdeh smiled at the one she found “You are away only a few weeks and I felt sick. Turned out I was actually sick and your mother was kind enough to take care of me. She even called the doctor. The doctor inspected me and informed her of this. I hate not being able to see your face when I tell you this. I am expecting. I don’t know how to feel about it. I just want you to come back home and hug me. I feel scared, happy and overwhelmed. Your mother agrees, that I need nobody more than I need you now.” Ajabdeh stopped. 

“Wow.” She said after a pause “These are a lifetime of letters. It actually tells a story.”
“That's somehow the beauty that emails can’t replace.” he smiled. “Isn’t it?” She nodded.
“Have you ever written letters?” He asked curiously as she put them away in the box and took them with her. 
“Letters?” She asked, “Like they teach in school?”
He shook his head “Letters to real people.” She shook her head.
“I used to send postcards to Shakti when I was abroad. But I couldn’t figure out what to write.”
“Maybe because we are so used to texts and emails. We can never pour our hearts out in letters like these people did.” She sounded lost in thought. He agreed.
“It’s late, there is a big day tomorrow. Let’s get some sleep.” He spoke, locking the room. “We can come back here anytime we want to, doesn’t necessarily have to be a business trip.” She agreed.
Locking his door suddenly Pratap felt eerie. Ajabdeh had just changed into her pyjamas when he knocked at her door.
“Can we sleep with the room doors open?” He asked “All the stuff in the basement is making me feel eerie. We are practically alone on the entire floor.” His words were met with laughter. “How brave of you.” She chuckled. Pratap stared at her laughing at him then turned to leave.
“Okay.” She called after him. “My door is open. I hope you don’t sleepwalk.”
He looked back at her words as she arranged the blankets with an amused smile on her face across the living area from his room.

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