The Path She Travelled
Parveen (Pari) comes from Bangladesh to work, as a nanny, in a Bengali household in London.
Her employers are from India and working as researchers in an institute. They have two children; Pari feels lucky to have Ashok and Seema Banerjee as her employers.
Monotosh Biswas (Monty), Ashok’s colleague, comes home for lunch. Pari’s innocent beauty catches his eye.
Monty sounds his plan to Ashok, who is totally bewildered at its absurdity.
Things fall into place fatefully, and Monty moves in smoothly as Pari’s sponsor. Her father is sick, and Monty agrees to bear the expenses, if Pari joins him in his business. Pari moves in with Monty, albeit temporarily, and they get into a relationship.
On a Dhaka-London flight Pari meets Roger Cuthbert, a small-time businessman, who is smitten by her. Pari too likes Cuthbert, but does not want to hide her profession to him, when she feels that they are getting attached to each other. Cuthbert is upset but soon realises that Pari’s profession does not alter his feelings for her. To Pari, Cuthbert is the first man in her life who is not concerned about how Pari might be of use to him.
One day she gets a text from Cuthbert saying that he is coming to London. Pari is excited and afraid at the same time. They meet and realise that their feelings for each other was just dormant not dead.
Cuthbert proposes marriage to Pari, who agrees.
They decide to get married in Dhaka, a Muslim nikkah and return to Canada for a church wedding.
After returning form her outdoor shoot Pari falls sick. Covid 19 has just been reported and UK hospitals start getting random cases. Roger sensing that Pari is severely ill, rushes back to London. He cannot meet her as she has been quarantined in the isolation ward. He does not stay in a hotel but makes himself at home in Pari’s London perch. As Pari gets well, Roger is taken ill.
Roger Cuthbert dies alone in a London hospital. By the time Pari, who has recovered enough, goes in search of Roger, its been two days since he breathed his last. Pari does the needful at the hospital and in informing Roger’s mother. She calls Monty and asks if she can come back to work. This time around, she knows, she will not be treated special.
sushmita_bhowmick · Urbain
