Gone with the Wings

by Leena Clover

  Becky suddenly slapped her head and shrieked.

  “Oh! I forgot to tell you. I got the prints from the camera, finally. The Dandiya pics are here.”

  She jumped up and rushed off to the back to get them. Sylvie came and sat next to us

  “These I want to see. We have been waiting for them.”

  Inspite of my bad mood, Tony and Becky had persuaded me to go to the annual Dandiya dance. I rarely got a chance to dress up in my colorful Dandiya dress, made with vibrant tie dye fabric and studded with mirrors and all kinds of bling. Living in a small town, the only Dandiya dance we could go to was the one thrown by the Indian Students' Association. I have a standing invite to go to my aunts' in New Jersey where there are many such events during the nine day festival.

  Becky made a big show of revealing the photos one by one. We oohed and aahed at the right things. Sylvie clutched a photo of the three of us in her gnarled hands. Tony was in the center, wearing a traditional tie dyed Pagdi or head dress. Becky and I flanked him. We had the Dandiya sticks in our hands and were smiling into the camera.

  Sylvie’s eyes filled up. “You look precious. And so pretty.”

  “Who's the prettiest?” I teased her and she slapped my hand. “You are all pretty. And handsome, in Tony's case.”

  “Here's one more close up photo,” Becky handed us another one.

  I looked at it closely and noticed a group of dancers in one corner.

  “Oh ... we'll have to cut these people out if we want to get a bigger print,” I grumbled.

  Then something caught my eye. One girl was standing to a side with her back to the camera. All that was visible was a long plait that came down to her waist. I felt goose bumps on my arm. I looked at the other group that was caught on camera, and realized one girl was Ruby.

  “Unbelievable!” I cried, standing up suddenly.

  “What's wrong?” Becky and Sylvie both spoke at the same time.

  “That!” I pointed to the photo. “I'm almost certain that is Jyothi.”

  Becky and Sylvie stared at me.

  “Does that mean something?” Sylvie asked.

  “Unhunh,” I nodded emphatically. “I think it does, but I have blanked out at this instant.”

  “Calm down, child. Close your eyes and think.”

  “But Meera! If she was there, why didn't she talk to us? Or you?” Becky jumped ahead.

  I held up my hand and banged my head on the table. I was suddenly overwhelmed, and I didn't know why. I rubbed my eyes and tried to think back to the day of the dance. Becky and I had dressed at home, with Motee Ba's help. All the Patel men had been waiting for us in the living room, and they had clapped as we came out of my room and twirled around to show off our fancy costumes.

  “Saras! Saras!” Pappa had exclaimed in Gujarati. “Excellent!”

  Tony had come to pick us up and then we had ridden to the dance in Dad's Lexus, specially borrowed for the occasion. Jeet had been dropping hints about what he wanted for Diwali.

  “Wait a minute … when was the Dandiya dance?” I was almost afraid to ask.

  Becky mutely pointed to the date stamp on the photos.

  “And when did the girl come to the diner?”

  Sylvie spoke up.

  “29th September, another Friday! Now I remember. You were trying out the new Blue Plate Specials then, and one professor friend of your Daddy’s was here to celebrate his anniversary.”

  I was speechless.

  “So that girl was running around campus even after this so called standoff here when I supposedly threatened her.”

  “We can't be sure of that, Meera. She's not looking into the camera, so this could be anyone else.”

  My face fell.

  “But,” Becky continued, “we can find out. Easily. Do you recognize this other girl?”

  I looked at the photo, this time more closely.

  “Yeah. Looks like one of the girls we talked to. Jyothi's roomie who kicked her out.”

  “So why don't you ask her again about the dance?” Becky smiled. “If her room mates or anyone else admits to seeing Jyothi there, you are clear.”

  “I guess it’s too late to do that now. But tomorrow morning, maybe.”

  “We are getting together tomorrow to plan your Diwali party too,” Sylvie reminded me. “It’s Saturday.”

  “Oh right! I forgot. So no work tomorrow, but I can still go see Ruby.”

  Back home, I tried in vain to read something. When that didn't work, I went out and joined Pappa to watch Law & Order. I picked a fight with Jeet and when Pappa glowered at me and started tapping his cane, I went back to my room to call Tony.

  I poured out everything about the photos to Tony on the phone. Then I wondered if I was disturbing hm.

  “Why aren't you out doing some guy thing?” I asked. “It’s Friday night!”

  “So it is. And I can ask you the same thing. Why aren't you on a date, Meera?”

  “Why aren't you?” I threw the question back at him.

  Tony sighed.

  “You know why, Meera.”

  “Isn't it time?” I pressed on.

  “No. No it isn't.”

  Neither of us spoke for a few seconds. Then we both rushed in at the same time.

  “About tomorrow,” I repeated as Tony broke off. “Why don't you come here for breakfast? We'll eat and then go talk to those girls.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Tony yawned. “You cooking anything special?”

  “Come and see for yourself,” I replied.

  We both hung up after saying good night.

  Chapter 33

  Saturday morning dawned bright. I took a walk in the back yard, enjoying the crisp air of a Fall morning. I plucked some fresh cilantro from the garden and added some red and yellow peppers. The tomato plants were almost gone by this time of the year. I picked a couple of really ripe ones and went in.

  Weekends mean a leisurely breakfast and I love trying out different combinations of breakfast foods. Today, I planned to make breakfast quesadillas with eggs and cheese. I decided to make some skillet potatoes to go with them.

  I quickly rustled up some pico da gallo. I could hear the TV from the living room. Dad called out for a coffee refill. Motee Ba walked in and pulled out another mug for herself.

  “Good morning, Meera! Feeling better today?” She smiled at me.

  I hugged her and shooed her out.

  She looked around at all the things spread out on the counter.

  “You sure I can't help?”

  “Absolutely! Go and relax, Motee Ba!”

  I chopped potatoes and peppers and added them to some oil in a hot skillet. I stirred them around on a high flame to get them crispy, then turned down the flame and put a lid on.

  Finally, I turned toward the eggs. I took out a big carton of grocery store eggs from the fridge. I broke a dozen of them into a bowl. I added a big dollop of sour dream and a few splashes of half & half. I cracked some fresh pepper into it, added salt and half a minced jalapeno.

  I beat the eggs vigorously with a wire whisk until them became light and frothy. Finally, I poured them into a nonstick pan to which I had added a knob of butter earlier.

  Very patiently, I stirred the eggs on a low flame and turned the heat off half way through. I heard a truck outside and peeped out of the window. Tony sauntered in with Becky in tow.

  “I'm not missing anything this time,” she declared. “I have the morning off.”

  Tony took a deep breath and started opening lids off pans.

  “Hmmm! Something sure smells good.”

  “Can I help?” Becky asked.

  I shook my head. “Oh no. Take a load off. You are always in the kitchen as it is.”

  I looked at Tony and he took the hint.

  “Go and watch some TV, Becky! I got this. Really.”

  Becky looked relieved as she went out and greeted everyone.

  “So, how can I help milady?” Tony asked in a mock servile tone.


  “The lady needs some cheese grated.”

  I pointed toward the fridge and asked Tony to get 3-4 blocks of cheese out.

  “Get a couple of tortilla packs out while you're at it.”

  Tony started grating the cheese and I put another big flat griddle on the stove. I spooned some pico de gallo onto half a tortilla, added a scoop of scrambled eggs and then covered it all generously with cheese. I placed a folded over tortilla on the hot griddle and pressed down the top with a spatula. Once the cheese melted, I gently flipped over the quesadilla.

  “Can you add jalapenos inside mine?” Tony asked.

  I struck the gong and every one trooped in eagerly.

  “Where‘s Jeet? Is he still in bed?” I asked loudly for some shock effect.

  He came out rubbing his eyes, and pulled a chair at the table.

  “I’m here. No need to shout.”

  Dad and Pappa both frowned and muttered and I gave him a knowing smile.

  I cut the quesadillas with a pizza cutter and served two slices on a plate. A dollop of sour cream a scoop of potatoes on the side, and breakfast was served. There was more hot sauce on the table and everyone went for it.

  For a while, the only sound you could hear was silverware scraping against china and finally everyone was done.

  “What are you doing today, Meera?” Dad asked and I looked up in surprise.

  “We’re going out on an errand, Uncle Andy,” Tony spoke up. “We'll all be together.”

  Motee Ba looked at Dad. “What about the invites for the Diwali party? We need to finalize the list now. And you need to send them out this weekend, Andy.”

  Dad looked at Ba and nodded.

  “What do you think about the party, Meera?”

  He was subtly trying to ask me if it was OK to go ahead with it. My spirits had improved since yesterday.

  “I'm all for it, Dad,” I assured him, full of smiles. “Let's have a big splash. After all, it is Diwali!”

  Dad looked relieved.

  “Alright then!”

  “Let's make a move now, girls. Haven't got all day.”

  Tony ushered us out and we piled into the cab of his truck.

  We sped toward campus and Tony made a left onto Pine. This time we didn't have to search for any address. We knew where the girls lived.

  I looked at Becky and asked, “You got the photos, right?”

  She nodded.

  Tony pulled into the parking lot of the girls' apartment building. The crowd of smokers was absent this time. College kids are notoriously late risers. Our breakfast had taken a long time and it was way past ten as we scrambled out of the truck. The library clock chimed as if confirming my thoughts.

  I knocked on Ruby's door and we stood aside to wait. I knocked again a few minutes later. I walked around the side to see if I could spot an open window. I rapped on a window and heard someone groan.

  The door finally opened a crack and then wide open.

  “Maaaan. Not you again! Whadda ya want now?” Durga Bose growled at us.

  She was wearing a tattered robe over a skimpy cami top and boy shorts. Her bare midriff showed off a pierced navel. Her hair was green this time and was in total disarray.

  Becky smothered a giggle and I elbowed her to keep her quiet. A lanky pimply faced boy with a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes suddenly appeared behind Durga and squeezed out. He leaped through the parking lot and was gone in the blink of an eye. Becky giggled again and laughed out loud. Durga frowned at her and opened her mouth angrily.

  Tony rushed ahead.

  “May we come in. Please?”

  Durga Bose shrugged and stepped aside to let us in.

  “So you brought one more person this time?”

  Ruby walked out and said Hi. She looked fresh out of the shower.

  “Hi Meera. Tony. What brings you here today? Any news of Jyothi?”

  I was glad to see someone remembered her.

  “Hey Ruby. This is our friend Becky.”

  Becky said Hi, pulled out the pack of photos from her purse and handed them to me.

  I looked up at Ruby.

  “No news of Jyothi, sadly. But I may have found something.”

  I showed her the photo.

  “Is that you?”

  “Oh! That's from Dandiya, right?” Ruby spoke up.

  She handed the photo over to Durga who poured over it.

  “We all went. Durga, her guy, me and a bunch of our friends. I am from Mumbai, you know. Dandiya dances are big there. I wouldn't miss it for the world!”

  I then showed her the photo that had the girl with the long plait. She glanced at it lightly and then brought the photo closer.

  “I'll be damned!” Ruby looked at us incredulously. “That looks like …”

  “Jyothi!” we finished together.

  “Did she go there with you? Or did you meet her there?” I rushed ahead with my questions.

  “What? No!” Ruby looked confused.

  “Didn't I say good riddance when that girl went away? Why would we go after her?” Durga demanded in her usual belligerent tone.

  Ruby asked her to calm down and looked at us.

  “I had no idea she was there. She didn't meet us or come and say hello. I suppose she was still mad at us.”

  I looked up and saw a shadow near the back bedroom door.

  “Is anyone else here?”

  A face peeped out and went back in.

  “Come out here, Richa,” Ruby called out, as a fresh faced girl shyly came out.

  Unlike Durga or Ruby, she was fully dressed in jeans and a long sleeved tee. She had obviously been up for hours, because she looked wide awake. Ruby introduced us and gave Richa a brief introduction about us.

  “This is the lady who's looking for Jyothi. She brought over these photos from the Dandiya dance. One of these girls looks like Jyothi.”

  Richa barely looked at it. She looked directly at me and said.

  “Jyothi was there at the dance. I met her.”

  Her roomies exploded in shouts.

  “What? Why didn't you say so earlier? Did you ask for our money?”

  That was Durga Bose.

  Richa sounded guilty.

  “Actually, she came there to talk to you. She told me she wouldn't bother us again. I promised her I wouldn't say anything until she talked to you. But then, she disappeared. When I realized she hadn't approached you, I just didn't say anything.”

  We were all dumb struck.

  “What nerve!” Durga spit out, and Ruby patted her on the back.

  “Well, one thing's for sure,” Tony began. “Meera wasn't the last person to see her. And the dance happened a week or so after Jyothi came to the diner. So there is no cause for suspecting Meera now. Not that there ever was.”

  “We are going to update the police with all this. Please tell them what you told us.” I requested the girls, and we trooped out.

  We were all stunned and no one spoke for a while, until Tony pulled into a drive through.

  “What are we doing here?” I asked.

  “We, my dear Meera, are celebrating!” Tony sang and let out a war yell.

  Becky joined in.

  “Don' t you see?” Becky said brightly. “You are no longer implicated. They have to clear you now.”

  I thought a minute.

  “Well, at least not for offing Jyothi. They could still get me for doing Prudence in.”

  I was trying to be flippant, but I failed miserably.

  “So one down and one to go,” Tony consoled. “I say we still have cause for celebration.”

  I was emotional.

  “Thanks for being there for me, you two. I don't know what I would've done without you.”

  “But,” I punched Tony in the arm. “Ice cream at 11 in the morning?”

  “It's not ice cream …” Tony smiled.

  “Its custard!!” Becky and Tony both screamed together.

  “So do you want one or not, Meera? I am Not sha
ring.”

  “Neither am I!” Becky added.

  “Ok, I guess I’ll have the usual,” I said in mock surrender.

  “Three Boppers!” Tony called out to the drive through guy and pulled into the lot. We picked up our sundaes and sat out in the sun, licking the hot fudge and caramel and trying to steal the pecans from each other's cups.

  Chapter 34

  I was frying pakora fritters in the kitchen with Becky. Tony leaned against a cabinet, watching us lazily. Jeet was snatching the pakoras faster than I could fry them so I still didn't have a full platter to take outside.

  Everyone was gathered out on the patio to discuss the Diwali party. The days were shorter and the sun was close to the horizon even though it was just 5:30. Motee Ba had a silky shawl around her shoulders and socks on her feet. Sylvie had put on a cardigan and Pappa was wearing a cable knit sweater with a wool cap. Jon and Dad seemed alright without sweaters. The boys had gathered some dry sticks and dumped them in the small fire pit. We would light a fire later.

  I had crashed and taken a long nap after coming home around noon. I had skipped lunch after that big sundae. Now we were all making plans for the Diwali party, dividing tasks. My Aunt Anita and Uncle Vipul had both bowed out this time, so there were no house guests. That also meant there would be less people to help.

  I handed a bottle of ketchup and some small plates to Jeet.

  “Go take these outside,” I ordered.

  I picked up a heaping platter, finally lined with a reasonable amount of fritters and handed them to Tony.

  “Can you take this and pass it around? No tasting!” I warned.

  Tony laughed, made a mock promise and headed out. I knew he would pop a couple of pakoras in his mouth on the way out. They are that addictive.

  “Meera! Come on out. We are waiting!” Motee Ba called out.

  Everyone gorged on the hot fritters. I knew a demand for Chai would soon follow.

  “OK, settle down all of you,” Motee Ba called out. “I have an announcement.”

  Everyone looked at her expectantly.

  “Slight change of plans. I think we should have the party catered.”

  “What? Why?” Dad asked.

  Motee Ba held up her hand.

  “Anita and Vipul are not here, neither are any of the kids. Even with Becky, Sylvie and Reema pitching in, it is just too much. Meera will be in the kitchen all the time, and I don't want that.”