Chapter 2. Shifting 2

''Wakey wakey sweetheart.'' My mother's voice said and I felt a hand removing my hairs from my face and tucking them behind my ears and a kiss on my forehead. And I just hummed in response.

''Wake up and go, wash your face, brush your teeth and hair. We are going to reach our destination in an hour.'' My mother's voice again said as I snuggled more in the train's sleeper seat, my eyes still heavy with sleep despite my alarm and mum's frequent calling.

''How many times have I told you not to play games and read novels late at night? Now get up, you can sleep how much you want when we'll reach the hotel room.'' Maya shook Tara's (Nickname of Nayantara) shoulders a bit aggressively and Tara whined a little but woke up anyway.

''Morning mum.'' I greeted my mother who kissed my cheek and patted my head. Making my way to the train's washroom, I freshened up, brushed my teeth, washed my face and combed my hair while standing in front of the washroom's mirror and made my way back to my seat.

Sun's angry rays pierced through the train window as I opened the curtains of the train window and saw desert passing by where cattles, cows and buffaloes were grazing and shepherds were strolling around them. The train slowed down by each second when it neared the Jodhpur station and the voice echoed throughout the whole station about the arrival of the train. Loading our luggage in the taxi after unloading them from the train, we made our way to the hotel as my mom has planned to stay here in Jodhpur for a few days so that she can catch up with her friends and do shopping for our relatives as gifts.

''It's going to be a long journey.'' Tara thought as she leaned her upper body towards the taxi's door and rested her head against the window.

Days passed in a blink and before I knew it, it was the day before we went shopping.

''Sweety, wake up now and get ready. You can sleep early in the night to complete your sleep. As you promised me, we have to visit one of my friend and later we have to go for shopping, remember?'' I groaned as my mom reminded me of the shopping. Being an only child doesn't have any perks but how can I say no to her, she is the only one I have in this world.

''Ok. I am coming downstairs in an hour. I am hungry so have breakfast ready.'' I said and she left my room without saying anything else with a kiss on my forehead. The day hasn't even started yet and I am tired even before waking up. Another oh so normal day of my life.

After 2 hours or so, we went shopping with my mum's friend. She is a very sweet lady, old yet so beautiful. I wonder how beautiful she had been in her early age? And to my relief, only a few people were scattered here and there in the different shops doing shopping with their friends and their family. In situations like these, I always thought of my dad. He was a family man, me and my mom were his first priority. He loved us with all his heart and we were a happy family of three people but everything had to come to an end. When he left us, mom was left heartbroken and me, I didn't know what to feel when I heard about dad's death. But when I registered what happened, I became distant, my friend circle grew so small that I barely had no one to talk with.

I glanced at my mother who was talking with the aunt, discussing whether they should buy the cloth in their hand or not. I sighed and made my way towards her, slumping my shoulders in the process trying to clear my eyes that were fogged with the unshed tears. We did a lot of shopping for my uncles, aunts and for my cousins whom I never knew existed a few days before. We had a few hours before the day ended and it was the last day for our stay here, so mom hung out with her few friends around the city. We ate so much unhealthy food. The dinner in the aunt's house marked the end of our day without any problem and with so much fun. It was hectic and tiring for me but the smile on my mother's face said that it was worth it. We packed our belongings and when we were done with that, the moment our head touched the soft fabric of the bed, we were out like a light because of the whole day's tiredness.

''Darling, get up and be ready. You have 30 minutes to get ready or else we'll miss our train.'' My mum's tired voice said while shaking my shoulders.

''Ok, I am coming downstairs in half an hour after I get ready.'' I said and headed towards the bathroom to get ready for the day ahead, sleep still prominent in my eyes.

After I was done with my morning routine, I packed my dirty clothes in my bag and headed downstairs to see that the driver was loading our luggage in the taxi and my mom was sipping her morning coffee with a newspaper in front of her. I greeted her good morning by touching her feet and with a kiss on her cheek and in return, she kissed my forehead and caressed my head. Planting my butt on the sofa, I started eating the sandwich that was served as breakfast in the hotel we were living in for the past three days.

''Mam, we have loaded all your luggage in the taxi. It is time for you to leave." The manager of the hotel I assumed said and mom thanked him while we were leaving the place.

''Have a good journey Miss.'' Said the manager and some staff of the hotel waved their hands towards my mom. What can anyone do? She is a popular fashion designer and with the bubbly personality she has, she wins everyone's heart easily. She is the social butterfly of our family and me and my dad on the other hand, are the people who have nothing to do with the world, are socially very awkward people and are people who are hiding behind her mother's and a wife's strong, confident and successful personality.

My mom smiled in response to their smile and waved back as the taxi started moving with steady pace. To me, it was like a kid is leaving his parents for further studies and they are giving him an emotional goodbye. The thought made me laugh silently and my mother rolled her eyes when she understood why I was laughing. After a few seconds or so, she laughed with me as well for the emotional drama she caused a few minutes back outside the hotel.

It's a long way ahead to the train station and to Barmer. So I let my head fall on the shoulder of my mom and closed my eyes once again in order to take some rest because ever since I woke up in the morning, I was feeling drowsy.