The Reunion

“Come on Manoj – do make sure you hide your grey! I don’t want Ritika and Manisha to think I eloped with a Buddha!! And not that shirt – it shows your bulging waist line. And Anuj – promise you will be at your best manners and let mummy have fun with her old pals!”

Manoj was amused. Mondira was acting as if she wanted to introduce her newly acquired boy friend to her school friends in late teens. After all that’s what they were when they bade each other farewell with teary eyes in the central bus terminus at Mussori. It has been seventeen long years since they left their boarding school in the misty mountains of Mussori after high school with a mutual promise to keep in touch - pen a letter every once in a while. Those were the days when mobile phone and emails were not in wide circulation. Exchange of letters was frequent to start with – at least once a month – then it became once in six months – then seldom.

“Manoj could you please put the dishes in the washer and turn it on before we leave? And please make sure you clear the trash.” Mondira and Manoj often conflicted on chores associated with their suburban single family home in Plainsboro, New Jersey – which they purchased six years back when Anuj was just two. Plainsboro made a perfect location since Manoj worked for Merrill Lynch at nearby Hopewell and Mondira could take the train to New York City from nearby Princeton Junction.

“I hope we all make it before the snow kicks in” – Mondira wished as they started their three hour drive towards their reunion venue – a log cabin the three friends had rented in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania for the Thanksgiving week-end. “How bad is the snow supposed to be any way?”

“Well, according to the forecast the snow is supposed to start in Poconos from tonight and continue through the Thanksgiving and the Friday. By the time the storm passes through, Pocono should get well over two and half feet. ” – replied Manoj.

“So it seems like we will be really snowed in to our cabin. Hope you hubbies and kids get along well. As for us - the Musketeers – we have plenty of things to catch up with. After all we had no clue about each other’s whereabouts for a good decade.”

It had all started with Facebook. Mondira was never much into social networking sites such as orkut or MySpace. Her job as a software engineer at Citigroup in New York City and the rigors of bringing up eight year old son Anuj plus the household chores left her with little time to spend on the web during the week days. And on the weekends she detested the idea of even touching the computer. It was Manoj who discovered Mondira’s alumni page in Facebook and got her enrolled after opening a Facebook account on her behalf. It did not take long for Mondira to get in touch with Ritika and Manisha.

“Guess what Manoj! Two of my best friends from school – with whom I have lost contact for over a decade – happen to be in the Tri State area. Ritika lives in Delaware and Manisha is in Long Island, New York. “ – Mondira had announced sometime in late August.

“That’s great! I have not met any of your school friends. You guys should plan on meeting.”

Much of air time was sacrificed between the three in last couple of months. All of them agreed upon celebrating the Thanksgiving together in a rented log cabin in the Poconos Mountain area in Pennsylvania with their families. “After all it will be wonderful to catch up those years over some good food and fine wine. The kids and the husbands will get to know each other as well. We can also do some skiing and visit the retail mall of course.”

The log cabin was rented in the beginning of September itself. It was not easy to get log cabins for rent when the ski season starts in the Poconos – which typically lasts from the end of November to March. A good deal of time was spent in deciding the food and the drink during the reunion. Thanksgiving will be in the true American style – of course the Turkey, the corn, the pumpkin and the cranberry – but the other days will be ethnic Indian. Mondira will cook Assamese cuisine for one meal, Ritika will do the Punjabi while Manisha will treat them to the Konkani recipe she recently learnt from her grandmother. As for Manoj, he was happy to learn that the other two husbands enjoyed some fine Scots Whiskey as well.

But as the Thanksgiving day came closer, it became apparent that the Tristate area will be greeted with the season’s first nor’easter. “But who cares as long as all the three families make it to the cabin before the nor’easter gains strength. Of course we need to be stocked with the food, milk and the water.”

“And drink – of course the intoxicating kind” – joked Manoj.

The drive to Poconos was fairly good despite the fact that it was the Thanksgiving eve and people were rushing to beat the nor’easter by starting early.

It was 8:00PM when the Barua’s made it to the venue of the reunion. It was a log cabin with a large family area with a very warm and inviting fire place, kitchen and three bed rooms – perfect for reunion involving three small families.

The other two families had already checked in.

“Oh my God! Can’t believe it! Look at you – kya baat hein – looking prettier and sexier.” – Ritika and Manisha welcomed with the widest grin you could see.

“Hey you two haven’t changed at all! Can’t believe meeting after seventeen years. So glad we made it happen. Helluva lot to catch up – you bet.”

Manisha’s son Roshan connected with Anuj immediately – they were both eight and were in third grade. Their common love for Harry Potter, fast cars and fighter aircrafts helped them to break the ice sooner than anyone expected. Ritika’s daughter Payal was just a year old. She has just started walking and Deepak would never let her out of sight as she decided to use her little steps to explore the curious new abode with strange grownups and two very noisy big boys. While Ritika joined Mondira and Manisha in updating each other with their life over past seventeen years – Deepak attended to the needs of Payal – change of diapers, warming the milk, attending to Payal’s tantrums.

The husbands succeeded in breaking the ice with some neat ice cubes over the soft golden liquid poured from a newly opened bottle of black label and some hot pakora’s – which Manisha had brought from home. Being a home maker, she apparently did indulge in experimenting with cuisines from around the world. The wide assortment of snacks and desserts she carried for the reunion stood as a testimony to her culinary skills. Her husband Vikram ran a very successful systems integration company and employed over four hundred professionals worldwide. He has plans of taking it public the next year. Ritika worked as a kindergarten teacher while her husband Deepak worked as a software engineer with JP Morgan Chase in Delaware.

It was well past mid night when the kids and the husbands retired in their respective rooms. The three musketeers decided to continue their chit-chat for a little longer before they retire. After all catching up on last seventeen years and revisiting those wonder years at school wasn’t something you get indulged in every day.

The Thanksgiving dinner was perfect. There was Lemon-and-Black Pepper Cheese Straw, Molasses-Glazed Turkey roasted meticulously over the old fashion oven in the log cabin, whipped maple sweet potatoes, bread and fruit stuffing, cranberry and apple chutney, caramel walnut pie, grilled salmon with choicest Italian spices and a fine bottle of vintage 1972 Chateau d’Yquem that Manisha and the family collected from the vineyards of Bordeaux in the last summer. “Roshan just loved the picture perfect sun drenched southern France” – declared Manisha.

“So who do you want to thank?”

“Of course the Facebook”-echoed the assembly in unison – “After all this grand reunion and getting to know all these wonderful people would not have been possible without Facebook.”


Manisha and Vikram along with Roshan proved to be the life of the get together. Roshan presented the clever magic tricks he has picked up while Manisha and Vikram enthralled the group with their mesmerizing bollywood duets and solos.

“Never knew you could sing so well”- exclaimed Ritika and Mondira while Manisha attributed her new found talent to Vikram and Roshan. Deepak proved to be most adapt at taking care of Payal and doing the chores such as cleanups while Manoj continued doing what he did the best – providing the group with warm ginger tea and hot chocolate every now and then.

“There is nothing like a nice chat over warm ginger tea and hot chocolate when it has been snowing for past 18 hours.”

As the husband and the kids settled down to retire, the three friends decided to continue their tete-a-tete over a newly opened bottle of Burgundian Pinot Noir – again courtesy Manisha.

“The setting is perfect for a trip down the memory lane – the flickering light and the utterly comforting warmth from the fireplace, the finest wine and the awesome company! ” – exclaimed Mondira.

“Especially when the Nor’easter is full throttle outside. I had just stepped outside to feel the air – and man! Freezing it was !” – joined Manisha as she took a sip of her Pionot Noir.

“It’s a déjà vu . Remember the hiking trip we made from school in the upper ridges of the Garhwal when we were trapped in the forest bunglow in Rudraprayag after freak snow storm.” – recollected Ritika.

“And how we chatted through the night talking about boys and what lies ahead.”

“Funny eighteen years later we are doing exactly the same thing. A déjà vu indeed” – remarked Mondira.

“Except that we have put on a few extra pounds and the boys have already happened” – chimed in Ritika.

“Well Ritika. I must tell you that Deepak is really a good father and bet a jolly good husband as well. I mean looking at the way he takes care of little Payal. I remember when Anuj was Payal’s age – believe me Manoj did not pick up Anuj in the first 6 months at all and never changed a diaper. Said he was too scared to pick up an infant. But look at Deepak!”

“Well, he is taking care of his own daughter. I do not deny that he is being good to her. But as a husband --- . By the way what do you think of Deepak?”

Mondira and Manisha were taken aback. They realized they have hardly noticed Deepak and Ritika engage in any conversation. Even when it came to the group photo, they appeared to be very reluctant in standing next to each other. When it came to attending to Payal, it was always Deepak.

“Ritika! Is everything okay between you two? You seem to be lost in something. It even seems you do not exactly enjoy being a mother. I hope I am wrong. But you appear to be very different from what you were in school. The lively and mischievous Ritika always with some tricks. What happened?” – quizzed a genuinely worried Mondira.

Ritika revealed Deepak and she grew up in the same neighborhood in Chandigarh. They were of the same age.

“He claims he was in love with me ever since his childhood. He would wait desperately for each vacation when I come home from Mussori. But I had no clue. When I was doing my graduation in Chandigarh, I became close to Rakesh – my teacher.”

She revealed the stormy relationship she shared with Rakesh who was a married man with kids and twelve years elder to her. Finally when the relationship ended, she was devastated. She knew she was a victim of Rakesh’s lust. But she was madly in love with Rakesh.

“When all was lost and I did not know where to turn, Deepak appeared and proposed me through my parents. His parents did not consent. But he was adamant and I consented. But there was no love from my end. My heart still belonged to Rakesh – although I realized Rakesh had exploited me. ”

“So what happened afterwards? I mean that’s no reason to be so indifferent towards him?” – wondered Mondira.

“Things were okay in the first few years. It all happened last year.”

Ritika’s father had suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized. She was in a state of shock and worried.

“And in spite of knowing my state of mind, Deepak forced sex upon me when I did not have a consent. I consider it as an act of rape although he may be my legal husband. Its lust not love and I have had enough of man seeking lust over love. He justifies the act as an act to console me – which I think is bullshit”- exploded Ritika - “Payal was conceived after that and when I see Payal, I remember that fateful night.”


Mondira poured another glass of Pionot Noir and walked up to the window. She peeked outside. The nor’easter was showing its full teeth and was dumping at least three inches of snow every hour.

“You know while growing up, I always felt I was an unwanted child.” – Mondira uttered softly while taking a sip from her glass.

“As you know, daddy was a business man in Singapore and mummy stayed alone in Delhi although we are basically from Guwahati. It always beats me why my parents lived apart from each other and why I had to be sent off to a boarding school in Mussori. After all Singapore with all the infrastructure and good schools is not Timbuktu that you cannot take your family. And they were not even divorced and my mother was not even working. In spite of that they lived apart from each other.” - Mondira’s voice cracked as she spoke.

“Mom and dad lived their own private lives. I always wondered if I was ever welcome in their life. Even when it came to picking up or dropping me to our school in Mussori, on quite a few occasions all my mom did was to send a car with the driver while she remained engaged in her own circle. Some vacations would go by without me meeting my dad” – paused Mondira as she took another sip from her glass.

“After hearing your case, now I wonder if a similar thing happened between my parents. My parent’s relationship had an impact on my psyche and for a long time I had difficulty in developing trust in any relationship. Me and Manoj had a stormy start because of my inability to trust relationships and I do blame my parents for it.”

By now Mondira was softly weeping. Manisha softly ran her fingers through Mondira’s long and flowing hair.

After comforting Mondira for sometime, Manisha got up and proceeded towards the door.

“The storm seems to be intensifying. We already have over two and half feet on the ground” – remarked Manisha as she opened the front door to get a feel of the nor’easter.

“You know our first child Amit passed away two years back when he was just nine.”

“Oh no!” – exclaimed Mondira and Ritika. They had no clue that Roshan was Manisha’s second child. Looking at Manisha and her family it was impossible to even comprehend that they were bestowed with such a fate. After all they seemed to be enjoying every moment.

“Amit suffered from an inherited rare genetic disorder – where few children survive beyond first ten years. There is no cure for the disorder.”

After a long pause, Manisha continued – “Roshan suffers from the same disorder. We are hoping for wonders, but chances are that he might meet the same fate. We want to cherish each and every moment we spend together.”

Moments passed by. The stillness in the room was occasionally disturbed by the flickering in the fireplace.

“The air in the room has become stuffy. Do you mind if I open the window to let some fresh air in?” – remarked Manisha as she proceeded to open the window. A chilly gust of fresh air blew in.

“Look the storm is over and it is dawn already” – observed Manisha as the faint winter sun made its appearance in the horizon.

Just then Payal, who was sleeping with Deepak, uttered the first cry of the day. Ritika went into to the room and came back with Payal softly smooched up against her chest. She gently ran her finger through Payal's tender hair, planted a warm kiss on her cheek and uttered – “Yes! A new dawn indeed!”