Aaja Nachle....Nachle.... Part 4 (Series - Her)

 I yanked each garment that was drying on the clothesline. I sat on the bed, ringed by clothes. I folded, one by one, neatly and stacked into different piles. Sorting out my clothes, my husband's, kid's, daughter's and son's separately. And my MIL. She was very particular about the folds and the organised manner in which the clothes were put. But this was my daily chore and now it was just another mechanical activity like many others.

Be it cooking food or cleaning kitchen, be it arranging kid's things in the room or husband's table, be it organising wardrobes or kitchen shelves. These household chores had become my life, though there was no adventure or no thrill in what I did, I had got accustomed to it. Alternatively, I had trained my mind to adapt.

Dance was my passion, acting was what I wanted to do, posing in front of camera with spotlights on me, closeups of my glowing face, everything I had ever imagined few years ago was just a delightful dream now.

The reality for me now was my family, their well-being. I didn't want any mistake from my side to anguish my parents. So I had relented and made peace with my unwelcomed inclinations for years now.

I lifted the stack of clothes and was about to go to MIL's room, I heard sounds of ghungroos. The resonance was heard from my daughter's room. As I went closer I could hear the song 'Ghar more pardesiya...aao padharo piya...'. I stood outside the room, holding the stack of clothes and my feet automatically started tapping. The sound of ghungroos caused a vibration throughout my body. I felt a reverie and opened the door rhapsodically.

My daughter suddenly halted and turned her face. She was wearing ghungroos on her feet and was dressed up in a pink salwar-kameej. Her hair tied in a braid, with jasmine gajras, bangles jingling in her hands. I tossed the stack of clothes on her bed and rushed to hug her. "Mom what are you doing?", she said.

I looked closely, "Are you wearing makeup?", I asked. And I chance encountered her friend sitting on the chair opposite to us. "Oh I didn't know Preeti was here", I said.

"Mom did you forget? I had told you that Preeti will be coming home today. We have to practice for our annual function. You are always busy with work so she helped to tie this braid. Look she's wearing the same hairstyle too. She only brought these gajras", my daughter enthusiastically was flaunting her braid.

"And the ghungroos?", I asked.

"Ah! Our dance teacher gave us yesterday at school. We are doing this semi-classical kathak dance. It's a Madhuri Dixit's song. She's an actress of your time Mom. I wasn't able to do a step so Preeti demonstrated and now I'm practicing it", she smilingly said.

My eyes twinkled on hearing Madhuri's name.

"Can you show me the step too?", I asked both the girls.

They excitedly joined in. They played the song and tapping their feet in a one, two three and making a circle on four, stretched their one arm while other swayed in the air.

I was mesmerised on watching my daughter sway like this. I clapped my hands and told them they are doing great. I corrected their posture slightly and said, "Instead of taking a circle at one go, why don't you try to break it in half and then half. It would be easier and you won't lose your balance too".

"Aunty can you show us?", Preeti said.

The music was turned on and like a lightening that strucks the earth on a rainy day, my body got electrified instantly. I tapped my feet and circled around, swaying my hands. My feet felt lighter, I had experienced this thrill after ages.

The girls applauded with a "Wow". And my eyes welled up.

"Mom I didn't know you can dance ", said my daughter.

"Your moves are better than our dance teacher at school ", Preeti added.

"Nahi beta", I politely declined her compliment. If it stayed with me, I knew it would mess with my head.

"Ha Mom. You are a superb dancer. Why don't you join us tomorrow after school for practice? My friends' moms are there too. I will tell my teacher that you dance so well. You can help her with the moves and steps too. It would be fun", my daughter innocently suggested.

But this innocent suggestion of her's, literally moved my world. The dream that I had buried deep inside my soul, instantaneously decided to jut out. Watching me standing confused, my daughter said, "Mom I will tell dad to allow you to come to school, with me".

This teary eyed mom hugged her young yet understanding daughter. "How do I tell her it's not that easy?"....my mind kept thinking.

Fourth part of the series 'Her'.

Does the protagonist get to dance? Stay tuned to know what happens in the epilogue.

PC: Charmboard.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: When God closes one door, he opens another ~ Unknown. 

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