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Now that we’ve arrived to this point in the narrative where I must unfold before you a most unique episode, I must tell you all, my readers, that I was once a sceptic, a ridiculer of this thing called Fate. You may prefer to call it destiny or kismet or coincidence but since the mentioned episode I have known this entity as Mr. Fats. Though guiding my life since birth and, no doubt, yours, his movements were all but obscure to my eyes, until he chose to show up and how!

Now, lie back, all you lovers and let your mind slip back to that fortunate accident, that ingenious stroke of fortune which enabled you to meet your love. I do not talk about the moment you fell in love; no, I talk about the accident, that singular coincidence, when he or she, not yet your love bumped into your life. Now, forgive me, I ask you all to delete that incident from your life, though from it hinges your entire life, it is a scenario you shudder to contemplate, but do it; what remains is am also parantha without aloo.

So it was that Mr. Fate had planned a similar accident for me and had it been absent, no doubt, you would not be reading this book and I would still be a sceptic. But now a believer, as I continue the story, I urge you to become a believer too in the strange workings of Mr. Fate – destiny, kismet, coincidence et al – in whose hands we are mere puppets.

It was the eve of my birthday, I distinctly recall. Vineet, my dearest brother, was here on a vacation from U.S., along with our bhabhi (not Vineet’s wife) and it was going to be a grand birthday, what with their presence gracing the event after a long time. Although a character of significance in this story and my life, my brother has only a guest appearance here and I will talk about him in detail later.

And, now, I shudder to contemplate the scenario if she hadn’t done so. Would someone else have? If not, then how would I have met Shreya? There are other ifs and buts – the cinema halls could have been different, the show timings…what not… That it was meant to be is all that comes to my lips.

And so it was that bhabhi uttered:
“Let’s watch a movie tomorrow. Is that SRK starrer out?” “Yes; it is good, I have heard,” I said.
“Great, we’ll watch the eleven o’clock show and then head towards your home to celebrate your birthday with Chachi’s yummy cakes.”
My mom is famous for them.
“Tejas, cal Palak and ask her if she can come tomorrow; it’ll be fun if all kids get together. But Sneha will have school, I guess,” said bhabhi. If all kids get
“Yes, Sneha won’t be able to come, but I’ll ask Palak right away.”

Time to start the introductions, I guess. Sneha and Palak are my younger sisters, and if you are curious about the whole real sister and cousin sister thing which interests me the least, you’ll say that Palak is my cousin and that Sneha is the real one. For me both are sisters, dear and loving. We are of the same age group being born within two years of each other. As with all sisters, they are hugely possessive and do not approve of my uncivilized habits and frivolous nature. Their ultimate aim remains to tame me into a presentable young man. A pursuit which has borne no fruit and that despairs them most along with my mom and my didi, Ria didi, who is another cousin sister, the only one older and seven years that. There’ll be more on her later. A lot more.

So I called up Palak without wasting any time. She had been at odds with me and Vineet lately because we were spending most of our time roaming here and there, and not with her at home. And well, God save a brother when his sis has drawn the sword.

“Hi sis! College over!”
“Yes, I just entered home. And you must be enjoying yourself,” she said with sarcasm.
“Of course, you know I enjoy myself everywhere.”
“Blah-blah… People like you and your brother, who have no other work in life but to hop from one place to another…”
“Like a cat on a tin roof…”
“What?”
“Nothing, an English saying you may not be aware of. What was it that you were saying, dearest sis? That Vineet and me, who have no other work in life…”
“…always enjoy. At least you think you do. Mad nomads,” she said, mocking.
“You mind that? and don’t you be jealous.”
“Please, jealous and me? I am enjoying break from you two. Stay there as long as possible and relieve me from the stress.” “But sis, so unfortunate, that we have to meet tomorrow again, for my birthday.”
“I know, even I was getting depressed thinking about that. anyways, I treat it as a part of life. Sorrow follows joy. But joy will follow soon. But yes, I am excited about tomorrow…” “Precisely! You should be. After all, it is your dearest brother’s birthday and it calls for all the zeal you can muster. So, good! But let me increase your excitement a million fold by I informing you that tomorrow we all are going for your favourite Khan’s “Kuch Nahi Hota Hai”. We’ll pick you from home…”
“Excuse me. First of all, how did you get in that thick head of yours that you are my dearest brother? Sorry to dispel all your illusions for the millionth time; you are not,” she thundered. I could sense that her mood was such that she could break my neck and not feel sorry about it. I thanked God I wasn’t in her vicinity, “And sorry, again, to tell you that I an already gong for that movie. And not with you all. That is what I was alluding to when I said I am excited about tomorrow.”
“What? Now with whom are you going for the movie! Got a boyfriend?” I bantered.
“None of your business that, but tomorrow I am going with my friends.”
“Wow! What preposterous planning is that,” I said in anger, “You can go with your stupid friends anytime, sis. It’s my birthday. Tomorrow all of us are going. So, you have to come and I won’t take no for an answer,” I ordered.
“Well, that is what you’ll get from me. A flat no. and don’t you call my friends stupid.”
“But you can go with your highly intellectual friends later. Who can be more special to you than your brother?” I asked emotionally.
“Well as a matter of fact anyone would be. But yes, my best friend is here after a long time and so I got to meet her, and we all just planned a movie.”
“May I ask which one of your best friend is this now? You change them as frequently as one changes socks. Is she someone I know of or have you got a new one again? Girls, the funniest creatures.” Now I was getting hot too and I decided to take her on. “Shut up! I am talking about Shreya. My school friend.” “Oh, the same girl that went off to Chennai? Leaving her best friend here, alone,” I said agitated. Inwardly I cursed her friend. How idiotic of her to come to Delhi and meet my sister on the same day that she should be with me. All of us were going together for a movie after such a long time. And this girl had to ruin the celebration.
“Shut up and bye,” She raged.
“Fine, bye. But just an advice: You better go to the movie with me than hop around with pseudo friends.”
“But I am going to do exactly that.”
“Fine, I said angry but saddened.
“Bye…”
“Arre, wait a second. You are, you’re not coming? We’ll not book your ticket.”
“Yes, I have my ticket in my hand.”
“So which theatre and show?”
“At the Grand. Eleven AM show.”

Jumped out of the sofa on hearing that. We were going for the same show which completes the accident. But Mr. Fate’s job over, it is a man’s duty to do his work and so I did. I tried to recall what Shreya looked like. She was pretty, if I had placed her right in my head.

“Wow, we are going for the same show. How fortunate!” “Most unfortunate. Don’t you dare speak to me there. It’ll be ignominious for me if my friends see that I have a cauliflower like you a my brother.”
“On the contrary. It’ll be most honourable. I can see your friends talking to you – “Your brother! How charming!! Can I have his number?”
“Yes, why not! Don’t dream; get a mirror if you haven’t got one.” “By the way, how many of you are going? Someone pretty?” “Four of us. And what will you do if someone is pretty?” “Change parties. I’ll entertain you and your dearest friends.” “Thanks. But we are better off alone.”
“Your wish. By the way, is Shreya the one whose picture you showed me last time?”
“Yes. So?”
“She seems interesting,” I said full of hope and joy.
“Tejas, don’t you get ideas. If you come up and speak to me there, I’ll kill you.”
“I will not talk to you, of course. Shreya will be enough. So don’t be bothered.”
“Don’t you dare!”
“You know me, sis, I will”
“Good, make a fool o yourself in front of them. Your wish. Besides she has a boyfriend. So no hopes, Romeo.”
“Well, not a worry for me, they come and go, boyfriends…

Yesterday he,
Tomorrow me,
Day after I don’t care If she has any.

Sounds like a poem! Wow, I can speak in verse, sister. Wonder what Shakespeare would have said about that.”
“Shut up! I’ll warn my friends about you – what a flirt you are.” “Do that. bye for now, see you tomorrow.”
“Bye, but behave yourself tomorrow.”
“Let us see.”