Jinxed Fate

*Hey there Delilah.. what's it like in New York City?* buzzed her phone for the seventh time. She could sense something vibrating but was too lost in the smoke and bitter taste of liquid to respond. She opened her eyes slightly to find blurred red and blue laser lights, and her friends in shimmering dresses, lying next to her on the same couch.

*Hey there Delilah.. what's it like in New York City?* sang the phone again.

It was quite late in the night, and most of the people in the city were fast asleep, tired of their day-long hard work; but for Zara, her night had just started. Like always, she was out partying with her friends, if you put her disc companions who used to enjoy on her money in the category of friends. Liquor was flowing like water, white powder was served in platter, and the new generation of the country was celebrating another successful day of doing nothing.

Some heavy vehicles with sirens were sensed by these unconscious teenagers when they all stood up with a jerk and set themselves in motion. It was Diwali the next day, and since the police needed Lakshmi to invite Lakshmi to their homes, they were on for a raid.
Of all the people present in the pub, Zara was of the most concern to them, since she was still in her 17th year and had not hit adulthood.
Or maybe, because she was the only source of money for her friends and, the only source of red notes for the club manager.

After greasing their palms with her ancestors’ hard-earned money, Zara started her journey back home. She had no control over herself, and like always, depended upon one of the boys in the bar to drop her home, who did so in return of a handsome tip.

Usually, she did not care if her family was asleep or awake, but today, there was something unusual. She sensed more than required people in her house, and at this time, it was unexpected. She thought she heard people crying, she thought she heard someone shouting, but she was used to of hallucinations. She was still half conscious and smelled like rotten eggs. Her mind was still blurred but she forced her vision to sharpen, but not to much result. She struggled through the people, some of who looked keen to grant her a death sentence, and reached her bedroom. She realized the presence of some people midway too, but was too bottled up to look for the reason.

Seconds, and she had gone to sleep a peaceful sleep.
Perhaps, her last peaceful sleep.

The sun dawned earlier than expected.
She woke up to continuous banging on her door.

''Why are you knocking mumma? Come in, no?''

Some more banging followed.

''Who is it? How many times do I have to tell you idiotic servants not to wake me up? Come in whoever you are."

The door opened and she saw her brother standing there, in anger, which was highly unlikely of his usual calm and composed self.
He was clad in a white Kurta Pyjama, which was again, highly unlikely of his usual suave business suits. With a spinning head, she saw his face. He had red eyes, and looked like he had cried all night.
He burst in and slapped her hard across the face.

Sakina, her sister-in-law stopped her husband with a shrill in her voice but anyhow, Zara knew that this echo was under the influence of that lady standing next to her, in a draped white suit.

''What is wrong with you bhai? This woman asked you to slap me right? I don't know why she is so jealous of me. Why didn't you go for work? Let me tell this to mom. Enough of you both now.''

Another slap.

''You are asking me what is wrong? Mom is no more you spoiled brat. Mom is no more,'' his brother replied with a hiccupping sob.

''Whaa..at? Mom... mom is no more? What are you saying? I am sure I saw her last night. I am sure. If this is to make me realize how bad a daughter I've been, don't bhai, don't. I apologise. I profoundly do. Come on, say that you are kidding and this is plotted... say it bhai?,'' she screamed shaking her brother from head to toe and ran out of her room down the stairs.

''Papa? Where is mumma, papa? Bhai says she is dead? Why are you all wearing white? Why do we have so many guests? Papa...''

She was trembling.

Her father pointed to a corpse in green shroud lying on the floor.
She ran to touch her mother but her sister-in-law held her back.

''You should not touch her with alcohol running in your blood Zara. Go take a bath first.''

''Go away. She is my mother, go away,'' she scowled at her and ran to her mother’s body.

But she was stopped with a slap.
Her father had hit her for the first time since she was brought to this world. She turned around and looked at her brother who was holding her hand tightly, her eyes pleading to let her go.

With tears running down his stern face, her brother shook his head.

''You have lost the right to touch her Zara. Last night, when you had cut yourself from the smell of cold air and enjoyed the pungent smell of golden sparkling drinks, she had a stroke, and all she wanted was to see you. She wanted to see you Zara, for one last time. I was there, Sakina was there, but as always, she wanted you. I never understood why she preferred you over me. Sakina has been more of a daughter to her than you. She was the one who cared enough to be with her, to wash her for the last time, while you were up there, sleeping. When you came home last night, she had her last breath after seeing you. And you didn't even care to stop for her? You will not touch her Zara. Never again. And this is your punishment. Now sit here and cry. I have to do my duties of being a son to her. I have to go bury her.''

As her brother and father carried her mother on their shoulders, she just sat there, staring blankly at the wall.
She didn't even realize when she had stopped crying.

Unlike the usual high-class kids who are used to voids in their own world of ego and money, Zara loved her mother.
Perhaps, her mother was the only person she actually talked to and looked forward to. The only person who understood her and felt her, the only resort after her nights of heavy boozing and days of heavy headaches. The one person who had been there for her all her life, Zara was not there for her for the one last time.
That one person would now be just a picture on the wall.

Usually, you make mistakes and suffer the fate.
But sometimes, you make mistakes and nothing happens.
And then sometimes, you suffer.
You feel guilty and beg for one last chance.
You suffer for your entire life.
Zara was always envied for her fate, which was now jinxed.
The fate she would have to live with, daily.

~Nandini and Simran.