Chapter 6 – Imapctful Exit

Tanvi was prepared to make an impactful exit. She looked at her parents for one last time. She was searching for acceptance. Till today, 35 years of her age, though Tanvi had debated and fought with parents but she had never gone ahead with anything without their final approval. But now, she knew neither would approval come easily nor did she have the time and patience to wait for it.

Mummyji saw her bags packed. She was at a loss of words at this behaviour. Tanvi was calm and composed while she was expecting her to be throwing tantrums and being stubborn forcing them to give approval to her decision. This was a different Tanvi.

Tanvi didn’t have the courage to look at Mummyji. Deep inside her heart she was always scared of Mummyji but she always looked for her approval. Throughout her life she has been competing and striving to be in her good books and to get few praiseworthy words from her. When Tanvi got 85% in board exams, Mummyji said these days grading system is so easy that anything below 90% doesn’t matter. When Tanvi got a scholarship in JNU for her pursuing higher education, Mummyji sarcastically commented that corporate job is always better in terms of money and flashy lifestyle…and this went on and on. Every time, Tanvi felt a little short of her expectations.

“Dad, I am leaving”, Tanvi said in a baritone voice.

And then her dad surprised her.

He lifted his head from the newspaper, pulled down his spectacles, looked up at her Tanvi, and said, “Don’t expect any financial help from us to fund this fancy idea of yours. You can take your car as you brought it with your own money. And, go live your dream but always remember that the doors of this house will be waiting to welcome you back”.

Tanvi felt a sense of déjà vu, the scene from DDLJ when Amrish Puri said to Kajol, “Jaa, Simran, jaa, jee le apni zindagi” being replayed at her house.

Tears rolled down Tanvi’s cheeks. Mummyji went into a trance like madness shouting at papa, cursing her luck and banging her forehead with her fist. Tanvi walked away from her and opened the door when Mummyji called her from the back and said, “You have listened to your Papa. Now listen to me. I will never talk to you, ever again. I am dead for you from now onwards”.

“Thank you. I am also fed up of your calls”, said Tanvi.

Mummyji dropped on the sofa with a bang. She was not expecting this from Tanvi.

Nobody came to see her off.

Tanvi adjusted her car seat thrice by now. Something wasn’t feeling right. Was it her confidence that was shaking?

Read the previous post here –Chapter 5 – Fine Tuning Life’s Navigation

Read the next post here – Chapter 7 – Let the Music of Life Play On

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.