Extra Ordinary

By Sailee Tiwari

A thought can change perspective, affect decisions and determine the outcome of every situation. The book emphasizes vivid thoughts, feelings, and life experiences with which a reader can relate, and which instigate many questions in mind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: One Point Six Technologies Pvt Ltd
• Release date: Jan 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9789354380167

Sailee Tiwari

Sailee is a software test lead with 9 years of experience in the Information Technology sector. She is active in various writing applications and has contributed to more than 10 published anthology books. She is expressive and her style of writing is heart-warming and elegant. She is a keen and passionate writer, adores writing poems, quotes, and stories. Her affinity for writing started way back when she was a teenager and was also an avid reader. She can make a reader traverse through various emotions in a short interval. Besides writing, she cherishes art, jewelry design, and handicrafts. She also likes to travel while indulging in nature and street photography.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The evergreen Palm trees

It was a usual day for me, only that it was a Sunday. I got up late at around 11 am. It was a cold day with temperatures dropping every hour. I was wearing pullovers, scarfs, and gloves to evade it but still, my teeth were crunching together. I headed to the kitchen to make a searing Cinnamon tea. I tried mixing some white pepper into the tea to let it generate some more heat inside and rescue me. I collected the daily newspaper lying carelessly at the entrance and sat peacefully in my balcony. The weather reported a temperature of 4 degrees in Paris. I bawled and huffed looking in the skies – there were barely any birds around. I closed my eyes, smiled, and uttered – Come on nature, freeze me. Consider I am a Snowman. As I turned some more pages, sipping in the soothing tea, I could sense a moment of relief after a tedious week at college. I was in my second year of master’s in an interior design course. Unlike any other day, Sunday was different – rather I kept it for unusual chores. I would do everything that I couldn’t do in the week – I would write song lyrics, watch an entire season of ‘Two and a half men’, bake few cupcakes, skype my mother and then meet my friends in the evening. I enjoyed living alone in my small, rented room. Life had never been better – a great career path, few great friends, and a beautiful city – a city of elegance and romance.

I was mixing the ingredients to make a nice chocolate pancake for my lunch – I put on the speakers to play my weekly favorite – Unforgiven. As I was continuously beating and whisking the ingredients, I was crooning the lyrics of the song, What I have felt, What I have known, never shined through in what I’ve shown. Never be, never see, Will not see what might have been. I was repeating the words in synchronization – the perks of a holiday.

In another hour or so, I was ready for my lunch while my stomach was making various churning sounds. As I was walking with my plate towards the dining table, my phone screen flashed – it was my mother’s call. I picked it up, swiped the screen, and switched it on a speaker mode. I heard an agonizing weeping sound; it was as if it tattered me in a second. Hello! Mumma? Are you okay? I got up hastily, concerned, and worried. The phone call got disconnected. I called up again only to hear a very distressing sound – Something was majorly wrong. Kayra, your grandmother., she trailed off. Hello Mumma, what happened to her? Please calm down and tell me. She replied, She is ill. She had a stroke in the morning and now I am here in Nainital with her. It broke my heart to hear the words. I imagined my mother crying like a child, I imagined my grandmother’s pale face – I had not seen her in years. Involuntarily, my eyes gushed a stream of tears. I felt weak and shattered. I gathered myself up and uttered, Mumma, I am coming. Don’t panic.

I booked the latest available ticket online. It however would take me more than a day to reach there. I had to go via Zurich – New Delhi – Pantnagar. When I looked outside the window of the flight, I could see vivid colors of the distant city sparkling like tiny stars on the earth. However, it could not lessen or ease my grief. I was battling with my tears. I had not seen my grandmother in years. I wished I could have, I wished to have spent some more time with her. I was drowned in regrets and memories. The memories of her when she was an art teacher in school, and she used to hold my hands to teach me how to draw. She would always try to resolve the problems when I used to fight with my mother. A sweetheart, a soft-spoken person, who always loved me with no barrier and no conditions. Whenever I visited her, she would cook hot aloo paranthas, chutney, and Dahi Wada for me. She would also make sweet Jalebis exclusively as a desert. I was a pampered, adored princess in her castle. She would caress my hair until I slept at night, she would recite poems, narrate mythological stories, play games, and do everything to keep me smiling. She would often tell me, You should always follow your heart. Your heart finds the right way no matter what. She would take me to her school where I made many friends who were her students. We would sit in the lawns, draw and paint together. She would then distribute our favorite chocolate candies for having put in so many efforts. Her kindness, her optimism, her attitude towards life, her values, her love was incredible. In the entire journey, I was pacifying myself to mitigate the sorrows – only if I had met her more often in the past few years.

When I reached Pantnagar, I was undergoing a mixed state of mind. I was happy to return to the place where I had spent so many wonderful days – my childhood days. I boarded a taxi as I stepped outside the airport and told the taxi driver the address – I had memorized it. As I opened the window, I could feel the air fiddling with me and whispering the giggles of my childhood days, the collective laughter, the distant lullaby of my grandmother while fondling my hair, the fragrance of her hands when she would grind the spices together and held my tiny palm. The glimpses were coming naturally as if the old days were appeasing me. I closed my eyes and let it ease my heart. It was needed for me – I had to be strong and unscathed to face her and see her like that.

As I rang the doorbell clumsily, my mother opened the door. I could see her swollen eyes, her lustreless face that had lost the charm. I had not seen her like this ever before. It was as though anguish had taken away every bit of her happiness. I felt a pang of pain rushing through me. I hugged her, fondled her hair, and told her that I was there. I could feel her warm tears dripping down my neckline. I knew I had to be strong and unblemished. "It’s okay Mumma, it’s going to be fine.

Where is Papa?, I asked. He is on his way.", she answered. As I was entering inside, the familiar smell of the rooms, the familiar décor, the memories played like a kaleidoscope right before my eyes. The time was playing a strange game with me, I was instantly catapulted between the past and the present.

As I entered her room, I saw a frail and mundane figure lying on the bed. I flinched, sad in disbelief. I stood there immovable just gazing at her. She looked different, the liveliness of her face had vanished, bereft of life. She opened her eyes and immediately smiled looking at me. Her marvelous smile almost instantaneously took away my griefs. It gave me hope that the old golden days were there yet again. It made me believe that she was still there, her warmth was dwelling in the aura. I touched her feet seeking her blessings, sat near her on the bed, touching her face I said, "How are you feeling Nanee? How did this happen? She was still smiling while she uttered, I am fit as a fiddle child. The doctor said I need to rest for a few days. My blood pressure soared up; it is just the doing of my old age. You had to travel from so far because of me, sorry sweetheart. I could not help myself and I hugged her and said, I should be sorry Nanee, I should have come here before to meet you. She nuzzled my hand, caressed my hair, and said, You don’t know child how much happy I am right now to see you." We met after so many years, we both had changed, time and situation had changed. But our relationship was still the same – priceless. I still felt like a small child when I was near her, talking to her, just like many years before.

How are the studies going on child? How is the city in France?, she asked in a slow hushed tone.

"It’s great Nanee. You imbibed the love for arts in me and see how I am heading in the same field. I give the credit to you, I said kissing her forehead. She had tears of joy in her eyes and she spoke, I have always been proud of you. I knew you would do something extraordinary one day. I nodded my head and realized how much this meant to me. I wanted to cherish every moment with her. It was as though every minute was making up for the times, I could not be with her – while I was busy in studies and work. I could not thank her enough for patronizing me, supporting me, being there for me whenever I needed it. I said, Nanee I am lucky that I have you. It is your love, support, and direction that has always helped me in my life so far. I still follow my heart and instincts. It will lead me to my destination eventually. She spoke, I know it will sweetheart", with the same hint of belief in her eyes.

I washed my face after the long journey and looked at the mirror. My eyes had become