The mountain girl - Prologue

"It's corona- corona everywhere. How lucky, Shona! It's vacation time for the kids here" Minissha squealed over the phone. 

"You think this is funny? It's not the time to rejoice, Mini. This is a virus that is killing people" I said.

"Jahan, it must be scaring time for people around the world. But this is a land of god- Dev Bhoomi Himachal. No evil can even touch people living here" she boasted. "Anyway, what's the plan for this untimely vacation? A trek to Kaza would be wonderful I guess."

"It's WFH for us" I emphasized with least excitement. I wondered if she thought Corona thing to be a mere pun circulated in whatsapp groups by the lazy wannabes.  

" WFH? What's that? "she shouted over the phone, her voice mimicking her irresistible self. Minissha had always been that super excited girl at school who got frenzy even for simple things. Even years after we passed out, her habit of squealing  and squeaking never abandoned her, and that's the way she grew up pampered by her grandmom , who was like everything for her.

"It's called work from home. I'm not on a summer vacation like you think " I replied not losing my balance in spite of myself.

"Work-from-home? " she said, uttering each one as if she heard something Jakoslovakian.

"But I remember you saying that you never really worked. That all you did at office was stared at the screen waiting for the clock to tick six."

"Forget all that I said. I'm working quite sincerely now" I said stumped by her memory.

"Jahan, you just said that last week when we met for Holi that you don't  really work at office."

"Oh! Holi? Yeah...I guess it's that white liquid. It really got into my head and made me say things that otherwise wouldn't have been in my league. I do work. But not as much as people on the hills do. By the way, how's your granny doing now? Did she allow you to take her to the doctor?" I said.

"Don't change the topic, Shona. Are you coming or not? Granny is doing well. She never came to hospital with me, but she recovered the very next day you had left. Now you tell me, are you coming or not?"

"That's good to hear! But Shoni, listen! I don't know if you are serious about this. Corona is taking a toll on people's lives here and you are concerned about us being together?"

"Do you think it can affect us?" she said as if she challenged everybody who was affected.

"Why not? It's virus. It doesn't consider if it is beauty or a beast to feast on" I asserted. 

"For ages, people have been exploiting the nature at their free will. Now it's natures turn to give back as much as they have taken. We Himachalis have been worshiping nature while the world was busy destroying it. Nature is our savior here at Himachal because we have been its saviors" she argued. There was nothing I could do to sideline her faith on the mountains and the Deodar tress. But yes, I concur to what she said. We humans have exploited the forests and rivers to an extent from which recovery seems highly unlikely.

"I agree. But I'm bound to do my work."

"You can work from here as well. We've good connectivity at my place in Hamirpur. Please Shona, I know you won't disappoint me" she implored.

"You know what, I miss you again. I'm not sure if I'll be able to wait for the next Holi to come" she purred over the phone. I could see her pouting image taking shape in my head as I smiled meekly at her stupidity.

"Mini, you are just the same little kid who cried over a wasted ice cream ."

"And you are just the same stubborn asshole who never liked other person winning" she quipped.

"You know what happened after that," I said, and I could see her blushing with her cheeks turning crimson red.This was the thing I liked about Minissha. Her blushing would make her more and more desirable. 

"What happened? I forgot " she said teasing me again with her intoxicating voice.

"I won you."

"I won your heart" I repeated.

"Poor little Shona. I know how hard it must have been for you to fight that fatso" she chuckled softly.

"Not as hard as it had been to make you smile that day," I said. "You had always cried even for simple things. Do you know that? "

"Because I knew, that you were there to wipe my tears even if I cried," she said.

"I'm there for you all the time. But you got to understand, Mini, that I've  some responsibilities to fulfill before I become yours."

"I cannot just come and get settled with you in the mountains. Everything has a time and we got to wait until it arrives. "

"But when Shona? I don't see the time coming. It's getting almost annoying spending the time without seeing you. Remember, it's been eight years since you left the place. And since then, I've believed that you'd come some day to never return to your mainland forever. My grandmom is waiting for you to take me with you."

"Bear with me, Mini. We have time."

"Really? Do you see it coming?" she said, her voice turning into a little whimper now.

"Do you trust me?"I whispered on to the phone so as to match her tone.

"I guess. But not as much to the extent of believing that you are busy at home."

"I consider that as a bad joke" I smiled. "Of course, I'm busy. I'll be busy with my new series."

"New series? Did you start writing again? You never said that to me."

"Yeah, it's a story about a girl" I said without revealing much. 

"A girl? Which girl?" she prodded. And how much I loved that. I could see her face shooting up her mascara lined eye brows when ever she became too inquisitive.

"It's about a girl from the mountains" I said.

.............................................To be continued.........................................................