"Sometimes,all it takes is one email to turn your world upside down especially when your world runs on chai,gossip and pickle jars".
Natasha had never imagined one email could flip her world upside down.It was regular tuesday morning-the kind soaked in pressure cooker whistles, the dull hum of news anchors and the familiar scent of chai leaves bubbling away in the kitchen.But her phone pinged and there it was..
She blinked at the subject line: Job Offer Letter-Amsterdam
A strangled squeak escaped her lips as she dashed out of her room.
"Maaa! you won't believe this!" she yelled,phone in hand,nearly slipping on the halfway rug.
Sunita Mehra didn't even look up from the dough she was kneading."If it's another sale on those ridiculous shoes,Natahsha I swear..
"No!" Natasha grinned,panting slightly."Look"! She thrust the phone under mother's nose."I got the job,Amsterdam",they want me to to join next month.
There was a pause.
"Abroad?Alone?" Sunita's eyebrows rose as she finally looked at her daughter.
Lilly her elder sister walked in brushing her teeth,foam clinging to the corners of her mouth."Amsterdam? That's like the Netherlands,right? That place where people cycle everywhere and eat weird cheese?"
Their father Rajeev,peaked out behind from his newspaper,his voice calm.Hmm..good, very good." he paused for dramatic effect,"Don't forget your health insurance".
"And" he added,folding the paper,"take the green salwar.Looks descent.foreigners would respect our culture".
"Green salwar?" Lilly snorted."she'll be in jeans and sweatshirts,Dad. Stop pretending she's going for a yoga retreat".
But Sunita had already entered mission mode,"one year? I've to pickle everything! Mango,lemon,garlic...God help us! How will you survive without achaar?"
The house descended into its usual chaos,just louder now with excitement and unsolicited advise.Even the neighbor,Mrs Sharma,joined in from the balcony."Amsterdam?Beta,don't talk to boy's there.They're too modern and too tall!"
Natasha laughed breathless and overwhelmed it was happening.its was actually happening.
The living room transformed into a makeshift warehouse in no time.
"Carefull"! Sunita scolded,Natasha tried stuffing her laptop bag into the largest suitcase."That one's are for pickles".
"Maa,I can't take five kilos of mango achaar!"
"you'll thank me in winter"
Lilly lay sprawled on the couch,lazily holding up salwars."Are you really taking these?you'll wear them once and probably for a zoom call with mom.
"pack one traditional outfit," Sunita insisted,"What if you meet up a nice Indian boy at the embassy?"
Natasha groaned,"It's a job,not a proposal meet up".
Meanwhile,Rajeev tried his best to look involved,"you know what would be really useful?" he said,sipping chai. A multi-socket adapter,European plugs are weird.
He got ignored.
Three aunts visited that evening just to advise her on what to do Abroad."Don't cut your hair too short",one said.
"Don't forget pooja every friday"another added.
"Also don't trust anyone who offers you brownies at a party",whispered third dramatically."They could be..Drugged".
Even Karan texted: "If you get a dutch boyfriend I'll boycott you.
Just kidding. kinda".
It was all noise and love.loud and exhausting full bodied Indian love.
The night before her flight,Natasha couldn't sleep. She sat on her bed staring at the ceiling,her bags packed, her stomach tight with butterflies and a little guilt .Was she supposed to feel more scared?
Instead,there was something strange and electric buzzing under her skin.
The Airport Scene
They all came-Mom, dad, lilly, two aunts and even Mrs Sharma aunty who had no business being there.
"you'll call every Sunday",Sunita said,wiping her eyes for thr fifth time.
"And don't roam around at night",Rajeev added hardly not to tear up.
Lilly hugged her tightly."If you come back with a tattoo and a dutch guy,I'm stealing your closet.
Natasha chuckled,blinking back her own tears.she looked at them-messy ,over-bearing,loud and hers.
"I'll miss this"she whispered.
They waved until she disappeared past security. She turned one last time. Her heart squeezed.
And yet,as the engines roared and the plane lifted,Natasha smiled. She was secretly undeniably happy.