Many months ago (eight to be precise), I had planned to return home briefly in April for my best friend's wedding. As fate would have it, I was to have my evil final exams at that very time. My best friend, Trupta, was unbelievably calm about the whole thing. She understood that exams, evil as they may be, were important and entirely unavoidable. So we let the thing rest. But it saddened me to know that I wouldn't get to meet my parents, friends, or family for many more months. Then, my genius parents came up with a solution! My mum volunteered to come visit me for a few days... and then she did! : )
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The unbearable wait
When she confirmed her two-week trip, I was beyond ecstatic. I went about grinning so broadly that people must've thought I'd lost my marbles. Our family friends in Orpington, Mrs Anupama Deshmukh (Anu Maushi) and her son Dr Siddharth, graciously agreed to host us for the duration of her trip. At my end, I also made arrangements for her visit to the University.
The stressful spring term ended on the 20th of March and Mamma was to arrive on the 1st of April. I had to also start exam preparations around that time... and trust me, that was not easy! I had to really push myself to focus and not drift off into sweet daydreams of all the fun I would have when Mamma would be here. When I would step out, I would make mental notes of all the things and places I wanted to show Mamma. The days could not go by quickly enough. But before I knew it, the 31st of March had arrived.
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And there she was...
I travelled to Orpington that evening so as to go to Heathrow the next morning to pick up Mamma. Early next morning, I went to the airport. Her flight landed, and the wait was now unbearable. And then, I saw her... my mirror image... older, but far more beautiful. I ran to her like a little kid and hugged her tight. I felt like a weight had been lifted off me and I was filled with that warm feeling one gets when something wonderful happens.
We then made our way back to Orpington. Once we arrived, Anu Maushi welcomed us warmly and we spent the day catching up on this, that and everything, exchanging gifts, and enjoying delicious home-cooked food. That evening, Siddharth dada helped us plan our visits to my aunt's in Norbury, then to the University, and finally back to Orpington. It would be a slightly hectic beginning to her trip, but the latter half of the trip would be a relatively calm one.
So, as planned, we travelled to Norbury to visit my aunt and Mamma's cousin, Nirmal Mantri, whom I had visited in mid-January. We spent a nice day with her; we relaxed, reminised, went out for lunch, did some window-shopping, and then came back and relaxed some more. Early next morning, we made our way to the University.
Mamma at Victoria Station, then at the University***
Continued in Parts 2 and 3
Part 2
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