Love of my Life

36.

Sana woke up fresh to a new morning with new hope and enthusiasm. Though she slept late but had a good night sleep as soon as she hit the bed and slept like a baby, the reason being tired. She woke up very early at 5am, before her father today. She freshened up, took bath, washed her hair and wrapped it up in towel, wore a long dark blue Kurta and black leggings matching to the black embroidery in kurta. She prepared coffee decoction in filter pouring in hot boiling water in the grounded coffee. She put a tiny blue color bindi and kohl in her eyes, went to Puja room lit lamp, applied Vibuthi (The sacred ash), by pinching it in between her thumb and ring finger, in her forehead just above her bindi and throat. She prayed for energy, power to be mentally and physically strong, for her vibrancy and healing. 

Her father woke up next and was surprised to smell the invigorating coffee aroma mixed with harmonizing aroma of incense sticks. He has always been the first person to wake up in the house, boil milk, make coffee for himself and his sleeping wife. He dislikes awaking up his sleeping kids, so he made other ways to wake them up, made noises, chaos, switch off the fan and cooler, open curtains, window to light up the room with fresh sun rays. 

Today was different, he wondered who chose to work his chores. He was pleased and felt relaxed with the ambience at home in the morning especially after the eventful day yesterday. He went to freshen up and walked towards kitchen when he saw Sana coming out with two steel tumbler filled with hot piping coffee lathered to the top, with a steel cup beneath the tumbler, this being the traditional way of serving filter coffee in South Indian homes.

"Appa, good morning... Coffee?" she asked with a small smile in her face. He is after all her father who loves his daughter dearly. Always had a soft corner for her between his both kids. How can she be angry with him? She is like that, never take the grudge the other day. It's always a new day, a new start for her, that's is how her father is. He never prolonged any argument, any situation for long and she is greatly influenced by this nature of his. Like father, like daughter!

"Aaj suraj kahan se rise hua hain? How come you got up so early, Puja bhi kar li and also made coffee? I think it is my lucky day today! What a great start!" he said in his South Indian accent, taking the coffee from her hand and moved towards balcony attached to Sana's room, not before saluting God in puja room from his free right hand. 

"Bas, I got up early, so thought of taking bath and after that I wanted to have coffee... saw you waking up and made for you as well.." she said sitting down in one of the plastic chair placed in the balcony.  Her balcony faced East and parents balcony faced west on the back side of the community. They sat down watching the sunrise which was about to break, as it was 5:40am. Sun-rise is really very delightful to watch. The darkness of night begins to clear. The stars in the sky begin to grow dim.  The sun looks like a ring of fire glowing with orange colored light spreading around it. The birds wake up in their nests and begin to chirp. 

"Appa, I want to go to work. I am getting permanent today. I will have raise of salary with all benefits and PTO's (paid time off). Don't stop me from doing something I like, please Pa" she looking towards the sun requested calmly. 

He didn't reply her anything, kept mum. His eyes just observing the sun sipping in the coffee. 

"I am also planning to do MBA in HR, Sid got me the application form from IMT and their fee is also very nominal. I will get a student loan from company" she said in limited words, with no expression or emotion, just reticent self. 

"Good... when is the class starting?" he asked looking at her.

"Next quarter will start in September, planning to start then. I am late with the application submission but Sid has some Jugad there and he will help me out with that and also with student loan," finishing her coffee she kept her tumbler down in the floor and kept her foot close to her chest circling it with her arms.