The Front Seat

She was checking her face in the rear view mirror. The greyness was hurtful and the lines on forehead were shocking her. She was scared on seeing how devastated she has been, since she died. How awful that night was? She thought. She looked back and the seat was showing her the past memory, memory of her death. How hard it was for her to sit in the back seat again? How her daughter-in-law, Aradhna, fiddled? She broke her promise. Back at home, Aradhna agreed on sitting on the back seat, allowing a mother to be near her son. But all went in vain when Aradhna hopped like a pink buffalo to acquire the front. Poor Sadhna couldn’t even complain in front of her son.

The ride was about to get over. Sadhna placed her head on the window, allowing some rest to her distressed heart. And then she died, just like that, with a flame of vengeance in her heart. She was in air, seeing Aradhna sobbing.

But now, as Sadhna was near them all the time, she didn’t miss any chance to take revenge. Since the day she died, she never left the front seat. No matter what happened. Today was no different. Sadhna made her shake a bit. Aradhna started feeling as if it’s an earthquake. She sat on the floor. Abhinav, Sadhna’s son, supported her to get into the car, she couldn’t sit though. Her head was heavy. Sadhna chuckled at the way Aradhna was laying on the back seat.

She hardly got three days to sit near her son, after the odd-even rule was proclaimed in the city. Sadhna was disheartened and the lesser opportunities made her needier.

“Are you alright now?” Abhinav asked Aradhna. She just nodded slightly. Past few weeks were hard for her, or were made hard for her by Sadhna. She often tripped, or her sari got damaged. She even fell from her seat. The sight was hilarious for Sadhna as her heavy weight was hard to manage by even two people.

“She is alright, really?” Sadhna said wickedly and blew some air on her face. In a second she fell from the seat. She got stuck in between, making it hard for her to either fall completely or get back on the seat.

“What the hell?” Abhinav parked the car in a corner and went back to help his wife. They had a little clumsy moment in public.

“There is something wrong with this car.” Aradhna complained.

“I also feel the same. You always get wounded one way or the other, every EVEN day when we can take our car. Otherwise you are fine.” They were anxious. But Sadhna’s focus was not on them. She was looking at the man sitting calmly behind Aradhna. His gaze was glued on Sadhna. It didn’t take a second for her to realize that he was a ghost too. Tattered clothes, gloomy eyes but a shiny face, a human doesn’t appear that resolved, she thought. He waved at her, as if he recognised her. She didn’t respond. Her face was enough to tell him that she isn’t enjoying a free audience in her car. He vanished in a second and Sadhna relieved her senses.

*****

Sadhna was all set for the darkest hour. It was nearly 3 a.m. and like usual days she was ready to take a ride nearby. She pierced the window of car and went out. As soon as she reached the terrace of her house, she heard a rattling sound. Even being a ghost, she turned here and there in surprise, finding the source for that noise. A man with a smile, stood right beside her after she blinked her eyes. She got scared.

“What?” She asked in haste.

“Nothing.” He stuttered.

“What’s this sound?” She waved her head, looking at his hand. He used to roll it and make that annoying sound, just to terrify his grumpy neighbour.

“I am sorry. I didn’t realize I am still doing that.” A sudden jerk he gave, and that sound was rested.

“What were you doing in our car yesterday?” She asked, without any hesitation.

“Actually my son took the metro and I had nothing to do, so I took a ride. I couldn’t follow him in the metro, it’s hard to breathe there.” He explained.

“By the way I am Arvind, Manav’s father. He lives on top floor of your building.” He introduced himself.

“I am Abhinav’s mother.” They shook hands firmly.

“I haven’t seen you much around?” She asked.

“Yes, I have shifted some days back from Lucknow.” She gave an understandable nod. There was silence for some time and she started looking at the tempting black wide sheet above her.

“Do you mind?” She pointed towards the sky, trying to make him understand that she needs to fly.

“Can I come along?” The statement raised her eyebrows. “I have nothing to do.” He added. She understood what he meant. The loneliness kills you if you can’t sleep at night. The feeling can only be told by ghosts or insomniacs. She held a sympathetic look in her lifeless eyes and they flew together.

The trees were rustling due to the chilly wind. Sadhna tried to slow down her speed, so that Arvind could catch up. He doesn’t fly much, she thought, seeing him lacking. They passed some huge buildings, met some creepy animals of night and they stopped on a castle’s terrace, away from the city. Arvind was still trying to match up and finally was standing beside her.

“You are unfit.” She commented in a jiffy, taking fast steps, her eyes searching someone in dark.

“I am sorry. I just roam in our building, I don’t move that much.” He followed her. She didn’t turn to reply.

Sadhna went in a corner and sat near a lady. She was younger than her, way too young. He was suspicious at first, but went ahead when Sadhna moved her hand, in order to call him near.

“She is my daughter, Bhoomi.” He smiled. She did the same, but more blissfully. She hasn’t seen anybody else with her mother, since long. She widened her eyes, asking about the man.

“Oh, he is Arvind; he resides in our building only.”

“How she...?” He asked after some hesitation.

“She had a car accident after I died.” She replied. He had a soft smile. Bhoomi smiled back, as if she had no pain.

“Mom, I need to go. I have to meet someone.” Bhoomi blushed, her mother smiled and hugged her tight.

“It was good to meet you Arvind.” And she disappeared in the height.

Sadhna had moist eyes. Arvind’s eyes were enquiring the reason for her tears.

“She has met someone after so long.” She explained.

“How long?”

“A fortnight.”

“That’s not very long.” He said. “Who is the guy?” He added.

“The one who killed her in the accident.” She said with a grin.

“What, really?”

“Yeah, she killed him too and now they have settled their equations.” Arvind was perplexed to hear such thing. After all, they were on a date with their killers.

“It is, she doesn’t have anyone here in the wilderness. She doesn’t like being in the city with me either.”

“Why?”

“Her sister-in-law, she can’t stand her.”

“You can’t either. I saw what you did to her in the car.”

Sadhna smiled but Arvind didn’t. That made her think that she might not be right in his vision. But she was certain that people deserve payback. He doesn’t know what Aradhna did, I am not the bad one; she comforted herself while thinking that.

“Look it’s not about what she did to you. It’s about how you took it.” Arvind held her hand and continued softly, trying not to scare her.

“What do you mean?” She asked, even though she knew what he meant.

“She did wrong but that doesn’t mean you should retrace her steps.”

Sadhna freed her hand and moved a bit away. She stood near a tree, holding a branch tightly, releasing her agony. Arvind took a turn and sat on the highest branch of the same tree she was holding. He smiled at her, as if trying to say the same thing again and she smiled back as if she understood.

“My son has an odd- numbered car.” She looked at him with suspicion, he suddenly switched topic.

“Do you mind if I take a ride in your car on EVEN days. I can take you around on ODD days.” He added after a brief pause.

“But I take the front seat.” Sadhna ordered. They laughed loud.

*****

The next week proved to be very delightful for Sadhna. The ride which they took together made things smooth for them. Sadhna never took the front seat. She felt at ease behind, with Arvind beside her. They talked all the way and then she realized that the fun was not in the seat but with a companion sitting beside you. Her son might be happy too, sitting beside his wife, sharing some quality time with her. Sadhna was in deep thought.

And then one day she suddenly popped in front of Aradhna.

“Ahhhhhhh... Abhinav... Abhinav.” She shouted loudly but Sadhna hushed her down.

“Sshhh, what are you doing?” She said and froze Aradhna with a blow of wind.

Sadhna waited for Aradhna to calm down. She asked in sign language and after she nodded, the magic was over. Aradhna looked around, baffled. She stared her mother-in-law and started squeezing at her place.

“Am I dreaming?”

“No dear.”

Aradhna was surprised when she addressed her in a sweet manner. Her eyes widened.

“I came here to say sorry. I have been troubling you since so many weeks.” Sadhna confessed, with some hesitation.

“What are you talking about?”

“You were not able to sit in the front seat no?” She asked Aradhna.

“Yes.”

“I was sitting there, that’s why.”

“Why did you do this?”

“Because you didn’t allow me to sit there just once, once, was it so hard for you.” Aradhna’s eyes lowered out of shame. If she had allowed her, the mess wouldn’t have been put in front.

“I am sorry. That night, if I didn’t play that trick, you... you... might have been alive.” She stammered a bit.

“Oh dear, that is something different.” Sadhna placed a hand on hers, tenderly.

“Are you done?” A voice came from outside. It was Arvind, flying. Aradhna closed her eyes on seeing a man flying in air. Sadhna touched her forehead and smiled, as if blessing her. She crossed the wall, held Arvind’s hand and stood beside him. They smiled at each other and he took her to another world, leaving her obsession of front seat, behind.