Buzzing echoed in the silent room. A swipe up. Louder Buzz, five minutes later. A swipe up. Her two-morning alarms had rung, but she was didn't at all feel awake. Minutes later, a loud ringing disturbed their sleep, "Mishti!" Kuhu squinted as the morning light hit her eyes, annoyed, "Answer the damn phone!"

Immediately, she pulled the duvet off her face and pulled in her phone to see the caller. Wiping the droplets that escaped the side of her eyes as she yawned loudly before saying, "Nannu?"

"Mishtipot, Morning!" He chuckled lightly, "I'm very sorry, I was busy the whole evening with the Wales' client, now I've returned to the guest house," he apologized briefly, "You are up, right?" He checked his watch, he had called at the right time, it was ten past seven in the morning, she should have been up.

"Yeah!" she yawned again, "Why are you still up?"

He pulled in the duvet on his chest, "In bed, now, had some pending work to do. So you called last evening?" He grabbed the chamomile tea and sipped it, burning his tongue.

"Oh yeah, I was..." Mishti peaked on the right to find Kuhu fast asleep, but then rose from the bed and headed to the balcony, "It was a long day."

"So did you confront Kuhu's boss?" He had forgotten the name again.

Mishti nodded, looking at the entrance of the house, "Yeah, I confronted, he apologized," then slightly smiling recalling the night, "he came in the night to return the diary."

Pleased with the fast reaction, "Did he read it?" He asked curiously, he always wanted to read Mishti's diary. What was it that Mishti didn't want her best friend to know? What were things that Mishti never told him about? He told her everything, he would complain often, but Mishti would just end the argument by stating that just her diary just had her thoughts, nothing important.

"Hmmm. Hmm." a short sound of affirmation.

Nishant frowned at her reaction, it was a cold reaction for something so huge. Mishti never let anyone near her diary. She had started writing with her left hand at one point to make it incomprehensible, though it was a childlike act, it was to make sure Kuhu wouldn't peak into it. "And..?"

"We didn't talk much about it," she said plainly, "and now that he has read it..." her mind wandered to yesterday night, how was she supposed to react. He knew every piece of her life that she didn't want anyone to know. Perhaps, that chapter was closed now. He would never return, never call her Angry Chorni and that was it, he came in her life to put her at ease and now he was gone, his part in her life was over.

"Mishti?" he had been patiently waiting for her to complete her sentence, "is something off?"

"No Nannu," she waved off her thoughts, "I don't want to think about it anymore. We will barely meet and besides, my diary had nothing controversial, just thoughts, nothing more," she chuckled lightly, "I've always told you."

"Now, I feel much relieved," he eased and blew in the tea, "So no office today?"

Mishti looked at her watch, "Wowzers, it's seven-twenty already. I'm running late," she stepped back into the room, closed the sliding door, and walked to her closet, "Time to say Goodnight!"

"Yeah, goodnight Mishipot!" he wished her and put the phone down. Something felt different, she was so different from the morning, so much more relaxed. Trying not to overthink about her attitude, he gulped down the mug and pulled the chain of the side lamp. Lights off. Time to sleep.

As fast as Mishti could get ready, she did, she was twenty minutes late. After returning from a cold shower, she looked at Kuhu, who was fast asleep, "Kuhu!"

She normally woke on her own, but today, "What Mishti?" she was grumpy as anything.

"Don't you have to go to work?" Mishti put on her light blue blouse and picked up navy pants to pair it with.

Kuhu looked at her, "Work?" Still half asleep and half annoyed, she propped herself on her elbows, her curly hair enveloping her round face. She had an adorable, yet an annoyed frown pasted on her face.

"Yeah work, the NGO!" Mishti reminded her, as she put on the small blue studs. It wasn't the first time she had to remind her that she goes to work.

"Oh!" Kuhu smiled broadly, "Abir gave me a day off to relax!" She pushed her head back to the pillow, "Have a good day, Chashmish!" She dreamily smiled and went back to sleep.

Mishti moved closer to her sister and kissed her forehead, she whispered gently, "Good day to you too!" She took her bag and hurriedly ran downstairs to greet the family, who was already assembled to eat breakfast.

Varsha looked up and smiled at that beautiful girl descending the stairs, she looked so professional, "Mishti," she softly coaxed her to come to her, hugging her, she pecked a small kiss on her forehead, "Tai Ji, look Mishti looks so beautiful today."

Badi Maa came to get a closer look and cupped her face and smiled broadly, "My little girl is a working lady now!" She said proudly, "after all, she is like just me!"

"Oh!" Bade Papa came forward, "Don't take all the credit, Mishti," he opened his arms and hugged her, "is like her Bade Papa, isn't she? Right, Mishti is on her Bade Papa's side," he raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to reply.

"I am..." she took a step back, looking from one person to another, "I'm on Shaurya Uncle's side!" She giggled loudly, as everyone joined in to laugh.

"Of course, Mishti has to be on my side. It was I who taught Mishti's maths for seven years!"

Badi Maa looked at her son, "So you are the reason why my daughter failed her eighth grade's Math's test paper?"

Shaurya and Mishti looked at each other and then he shook his head, "Of course, not Badi Maa. my pen got over and I couldn't ask for another pen," she had honestly.

Varsha looked at Badi Maa, "Maa, she didn't fail, she just didn't score too well." She corrected her.

"Alright, now all of you eat. Don't you have to go to work?" Badi Maa scolded everyone.

As each car drove out, first Bade Papa and Shourya Uncle, then Varsha Aunty and then Jasmeet Chachi, Mishti looked at her Badi Maa, "You are not going anywhere today?"

"No! Kuhu is home today so she and I are going to do some History adventure," she was delighted to spend a good whole day with her granddaughter. Staying home alone was always lonely. Sometimes, her husband would accompany her, but in all honesty, she preferred some alone time. It allowed her to concentrate on her work and keep herself busy. Even after eight years of retiring as a history professor, she was a certified historian with the Archaeological Survey of India, though she spent her time these writing fun children's books on History and recording audios for distant learning students on History.

"Have a good day Badi Maa," Mishti walked to the last car, "Mohan Uncle!" she greeted the loyal driver, who had into the accident two weeks ago, with Mishti. "How are you?" She hadn't seen him in the last two weeks.

"I'm alright beta," he opened the door and sat inside the car, "Your Bade Papa asked me to take a much-awaited paid holiday. I went to my village to spend some time with my ailing mother. "

She smiled at him, "How is she?"

"She is old! Nearly eighty, but refuses to move in here to live with my family."

Mishti furthered questioned, "Does she live alone?" She had spent a fair amount of time reading about the rural elderly population recently.

He sighed, "No, her brother and his extended family live in the house."

"Are you the only child?" she was always a curious girl.

"We were three brothers and two sisters," he paused, "We came from a very poor family, my sisters married off very young. One died while giving childbirth and another died due to health disease. And my brothers, my eldest died while working in Abu Dhabi, while the younger brother is in Mumbai, he works and has family there, but hasn't returned to the village for several years now." He shared his family story as Mishti would always spend some time talking to him while on the rides.

"It is so sad to hear this. I wish your mother could come to spend her time here with you," she felt terrible at the ways children in rural areas moved out of the homes in search of better opportunities. leaving old and ailing parents. But she also knew, it was inevitable. Lives in the villages didn't generate a lot of money. "How is Kashish?" She inquired about his eldest daughter.

"Kashish is doing well in the government college, all thanks to Boss. Your Bade Papa got her enrolled in the government college," she nodded, she knew her Bade Papa would help all worker's children's educations, no matter who it was, "what is she studying?"

"Law. She wants to grow up and become a lawyer," he said matter of factly.

Mishti's tongue stuck inside, the word lawyer made her numb. Her lawyer mother might know the law of the country, but she didn't understand the natural right of her daughter to receive the love of her biological mother. "And Varun..." she asked absently.

"He is good, as usual working in Bade Saab's business," he has been given a job there, she knew that too, but her mind was elsewhere. She recalled the last time she had seen her mother, how beautiful she looked. She didn't care to come to meet her even once. She looked out, wiping the tear off her face. Mohan looked at her from the rearview window, "Mishti beta, are you okay?" he asked her, worried he might have said something to upset her.

"I'm alright," she smiled bravely, fighting back more tears as the images of her mom kept clouding her eyes.

"Do you want to listen to old classics?" He knew her favorite playlist, as he pulled out the CD and placed inside the player. He turned to look at her, and she nodded at him.

As the classic songs played, she closed her eyes, waiting to calm her thumping heart. A few more turns and her destination would arrive. She pulled out her diary and decided to jot down a phrase that kept roaming in her mind. As she opened the diary, the diary opened to a page, where a rectangular sheet of paper was tucked inside, possibly used as a bookmark. As she pulled it out, there was a portrait of a young woman, short blunt hair, in light pink colored shirt beamed at her. She felt the texture of the piece and felt the rough paint on the tips of her fingers on the backside of the paper. When she flipped the backside, she saw another painted picture, but this time, it was of an older woman, round and dark complexion face, intense charcoaled eyes with special details to the heavy jewelry. Both the women were so different, yet something felt so familiar. When the car halted at the red light, she turned back to see the two images. "Abir!" a short whisper escaped her lips, "he must have used this as a bookmark?" He frowned why he would do that and return the book without removing it. She carefully tucked back it inside and waited for the car to move.

Her thoughts racing back to the day when she had figured she had lost her diary, how anxious and desperate she was. A series of questions exploded inside, imploring her to consider her choices. He would figure that he is missing this piece and would figure out that he had used it in for the diary. But what if he forgets, what if he didn't know where he put it, would he be looking for it desperately? Should she return it as soon as possible? No! She shook her head. She should wait for him to contact her. But that would be wrong, maybe he needs to have this picture? Who is it? She opened her diary to look at it again. Possibly, his mother? Maybe his wife? Could it be his sister? The best thing would be to call him and inform him.

She pulled out her phone and scrolled down to find the unknown number that had called her last night. Waiting for him to pick up, she bit her lip. Last night felt surreal, she didn't think she would be contacting him again. He knew too much about her, when she heard the other side, a voice, "Hello?" It was a woman's voice, on the other side.

"Hello!" she was perplexed, "Is this Abir Rajvansh's number?"

"Yes!" the voice confirmed, "you are?"

"Mishti," she frowned, "Mishti Agarwal."

"Ms. Mishti, he is out right now, I'd inform him that you called? Is there any message I could give for you?" She was polite and waited for Mishti to reply and then asked, "Are you from the NGO?"

"No, I...uh...I... I am..." she frowned at her stammering, maybe she was talking to his wife, "Just let him know if he could...."

"Just a second..." the woman spoke. Mishti heard a soft chuckle in the background, Bubbles was talking.

"Go change, I'll be right there!" she said to her and then spoke on the call, "Sorry, you were saying?"

"Could you ask him to call me whenever he gets back!" Mishti fastly said and ended the call without hearing a response. Flustered, she looked out, as she was on the street. Why did she sound so agitated so easily? She frowned at the sudden change in mood.

As she stepped out of the car, Mohan wished her, "Good gay Mishti beta," and then waited for her response but Mishti absentmindedly walked forward towards her office. When she nearly hit her foot on the step, she broke out from her reverie and turned to see Mohan Uncle step out of the car and look at her, "Are you okay?"

She nodded, "just tired, have a good day Uncle, you should go home. Thank you for the ride!" She politely said and then turned back to hit the code of the door, when it buzzed open, chilled citrus-scented air woke her senses. She stepped into the institute when at the reception, she saw a tall man, wavy-neck length hair man talking to Seema, the receptionist.

"Ms. Agarwal," she waved her to get her attention. Abir turned to see the stoic expression on Mishti's face. "Let me introduce you to Abir, Mr. Rajvansh's grandson. And Abir, this is Ms.Agarwal, though an intern, she is exceptionally good in her work." She beamed at Mishti and then gently nudged her to react.

"Good Morning, Ang..."

"Agarwal," Seema corrected, "please follow me!"

"Seema, you don't need to be formal," he winked at her and then tilted back to see Mishti following obediently. She hadn't reacted at all, he was getting worried now.

"Mishti, Mrs. Kamra wanted me to inform you that you would be collaborating with Abir for the next CSDS' ground report. You are already working on the report?"

Mishti nodded. They entered Mr. Rajvansh's cabin and she gestured them to sit on the couch, standing by the door, keeping vigilance at the reception desk's phone.

"Abir owns an NGO and knows local people around here. The NGO and CSDS will be collaborating on conducting household surveys." Seema briefed. She looked at Mishti, she had been nodding, "So you two and decided on what suits you best, I'll leave it to you guys, I need to go back to my reception." She looked at them, assuring herself, she had done her work properly.

Abir smiled and nodded, "Thank you Seema, just if you could ask the technician to fix my laptop as soon as possible."

"Of course, Mishti, any questions?" She looked at her, she was rather too silent today.

She shifted her bag from my shoulder and looked up, "No, I'm good, is Mrs. Kamra here?"

"No, she is taking a few days off. She knows you will produce a great report!" she encouraged. "Oh and Abir, thanks for the flower pot!"

Abir gleed, "my pleasure!" He turned to Mishti, "Angry Chorni is angry in the morning?" He asked her amusingly.

She looked at him, "Did you know about this?"

"About what?" he looked at her amusingly.

"That you will be working with me?" her eyes fixed on his face.

He looked at her wide-eyed, "I knew, but I didn't know I'd have to work with you. Just got to know that right now!" he replied honestly.

She sighed, she didn't understand why she was acting so aloof, "Abir." The name felt so bizarre, he looked at her curiously, last night had been very eventful for him. And it was important for him to dive into work instead of thinking about last night's guest.  

"Mishti?" he knew she had something to say, certainly, she hadn't moved on from last night though he prayed that she would. Though the remembrance of his sister's tale made him strong, her one right decision had cost her, her life.  And now, her's past was tangling with his future, with his daughter's future.  

She pulled out her diary, and opened it wide open, "You forgot this," she handed him the piece of miniature portraits and looked at him. His eyes changed color, or maybe it was the light. His eyes became watery and he looked at her with gratitude. 

"I forgot, I had tucked this in the diary," he warmly smiled and secured it in the wallet.  "Thank you." 

Mishti smiled sadly, "I know how painful it is to be away from something you love," as images of her mom flickered in front of her eyes.

Abir could feel the pain of her eyes, "and it is worst when you know it will never return." His eyes slowly closing to see the images of his sister and his mother, smiling at him.  Though his sister didn't get to take that decision, his mother certainly had a choice.