Where Rainbows End

Salomi hopped, skipped and jumped and ran down the path, with her friends in tow, to greet her father, but he was not to be seen anywhere. Instead, her eyes widened in visible joy when she saw who had come to pick her up from school…her favourite neighbour and Aunt Ms Cama!

“Auntie Cama…” Salomi rushed into her arms, hugging her tightly, while Auntie Cama took hold of her and swung her merrily, in glee. Dressed simply in a blue top and a knee-length bouncy skirt, with a scarf to match tied around her neck, Auntie Cama was the personification of fun and frolic. Grey wisps of hair peeped out from behind the scarf, but her eyes were bright, shining, and twinkling in mirth as she gazed lovingly at the child. Auntie Cama had freckles that reminded Salomi of currant buns that she so loved.

“Auntie Cama…” she called out eagerly.

Auntie took her satchel from her and walked to the vintage Morris car parked below the majestic tamarind trees fringing the school compound. 

“Salo bye…” a fair cherubic boy with an impish grin waved at her from the school gates.

“Bye Ram” Salomi waved back cheerily, beaming at him. Auntie Cama winked at the little boy and waved at him too. 

“Auntie, you know something? Sr. Lily made all the kids clap for me. You know why? I have come first in class and Ram got second rank. Later on this afternoon, we got to play hide and seek behind the tamarind trees, and then we had a lovely story-telling session under the trees.”

“Wow! That’s fantastic! You deserve a little treat for that. Wait till you get home.”

“Auntie, are we going to your Wisteria Cottage? How come you are here to pick me up?”

“Your parents had to go to your brother’s school… so, we have the entire afternoon ahead of us.” - Auntie Cama’s eyes twinkled merrily.

Salomi rushed out from the car as soon as she reached Auntie Cama’sWisteria Cottage. It was just next door to her house, and had a magnificent garden, with a profusion of flowers of varying hues and fragrance lined up on both sides of the cottage. Roses, petunias, chrysanthemums, dahlias, asters, zinnias, all swayed and nodded their pretty heads in time with the gentle breeze blowing. Salo ran to the swing hanging from a neem tree and perched on it, looking cockily at Auntie.

“Come on, my Cherub; let’s have some milk and your favourite currant buns.”

Salo whooped in joy and ran inside to the kitchen and inhaled deeply the delicious aroma of freshly baked currant buns. Wisteria Cottage never ceased to intrigue her, and it always had a lingering heavenly fragrance of cinnamon, chocolate cookies and freshly baked bread. Inhaling the lingering fragrances, she closed her eyes in ecstasy, with a beatific smile lingering on her lips.

Auntie Cama laughed in delight, and after a lovely tea of currant buns, chocolate cookies and hot chocolate, they settled down to make a scrap book of sorts from pictures Salo delighted in snipping from Auntie Cama’s treasure trove of old magazines. While snipping away, Auntie Cama regaled her with stories of her own making, of the pictures Salo cut out from the magazines. If it was a picture of a ship, Auntie had a yarn to spin of a shipwreck, or if it was of a house, then Auntie weaved a story of a good witch who used to live in that house. 

Salomi perked up at the sound of a car coming to a halt. She spotted her Acha and Amma alighting from the car with her brother Babu.

She bid a hasty goodbye to Auntie and ran to them.

.

As she walked in, she sensed that something was wrong. Babu, her brother, elder to her by five years, was reclining with a book and a cup of coffee on the couch. Her Amma, who usually came to her to ask her how her day had panned out, was sitting staring into space with a wistful expression.

“What prank did Ram play on you today?” grinned Babu mischievously. “Anyway, very soon you will have a fresh set of friends.”

Salo glanced at him quizzically.

“Why?”

“After my boards in April, we are all moving back to Kochi, that’s why…I am joining college there,”  grinned Babu.

Salomi stood stock still

“Amma, is that true?”

For the first time, her Amma realised that Salomi was back and was asking her something.

“Hmm… yes Mole, Acha is winding up his business here at Ahmednagar. We are going back to our home town Kochi, and building our own house there. Acha will start his own business too, at our home town” Amma sounded thrilled. 

The whole room revolved around Salomi and she sat down heavily at the table. This was home to her, with her friends, her favourite teacher Sr Lily, her favourite neighbour and Aunt, Cama Aunty. She did not want her world to change. This was her home, where she felt safe and secure. Her lips quivered, she bit back her angry tears and blurted out, “You can all go, I will stay with Auntie Cama”.

She snatched her satchel and ran out of the house, back to Wisteria Cottage. 

Salomi pushed open the thicket gate to the Cottage and noticed Sikander watering the plants. On seeing Salomi, said excitedly, “Arre, memsaab, how are you?” Sikander was a tall, thin man, and he always was well-dressed in trousers and a T-shirt. Despite tending to the gardens all day long, he was always immaculately dressed. That was how Ms Cama had trained him.

Instead of her usual childish banter with Sikander, she quickly walked up the path to the door. 

. 

Aunt Cama knew something was grossly amiss. Her cherub was a smart and happy girl at all times, and very rarely did she resort to tears. She pulled up a chair and sat down next to Salomi. “Come on cherub, what’s wrong now? Your face says it all,” she smiled.

Salomi tried her best to check in the tears that threatened to run down her cheeks unhindered, but finally she gave in and throwing herself into Auntie Cama’s arms, she wept bitterly.

Auntie Cama stroked her hair gently and queried ‘“What happened, darling? Did your Amma scold you?”

Auntie Cama loved the little girl as her own, and had always had a soft corner for the cherub, ever since she set eyes on her eight years ago, when the Menons had moved in next door. 

Mrs Menon was known for her fiery tempers and Ms Cama was worried that Cherub might have been at the receiving end this time.

Salo raised her head and looking teary-eyed, replied, “No, Auntie Cama, Babu and Amma say that after May, we will all be shifting to Kochi after my brother’s boards. I will have to study in a new school there,” her words petered off amidst fresh tears.

Ms Cama’s heart missed a beat. She felt her heart sink low but she kept her smile in place for the child’s sake. 

“Oh wow! You are going back to your home state! God’s own country! I have never visited Kerala. Now that Cherub is going to be staying there, I can always come down.”.

Salok livened up.

”Will you really come? Won’t you bring Sikander, too? I won’t let you go back to Ahmednagar once you come down to Kochi. I will look after you.”.

Ms Cama guffawed at this. 

“For the time being, let’s listen to some music to perk you up.”

Auntie Cama took out her guitar and started strumming softly on it, to cheer up Salo. 

“Come on, sing along with me…”

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens….”

Salo forgot to be sad while she sang along happily to her favourite song.

Ms Cama turned around to see that Ms Menon had come looking for her. 

“Hello, Ms Menon, Salomi is playing out in the garden. She told me that you are all moving back to Kochi by May? Is that true?”

Ms Menon sighed and said calmly, “Yes, Ms Cama, I know Salomi is taking it very badly, you have been more of a mother to her than I have been. I am worried as to how she is going to cope with this. Salo’s Dad wants to go back to his roots and build a house there and start his own venture, and the time is now just right since Babu will be finishing school here. He can enrol in a college there.”

“I will miss darling Cherub, she has been like a daughter that I never had the good fortune to have. But I am happy for you, Ms Menon” Ms Cama spoke calmly, yet her eyes glistened with unshed tears and she felt her throat constrict. 

A little later, Salomi went back home with her Amma.

At dinner time, in brotherly fashion, and in teasing tones, Babu quipped, “Salo, from June, a new set of friends, new school, two new languages to be learnt, Malayalam and Sanskrit, where will you find time to play?”

Salo burst into tears. She pushed back her chair and ranted, shaking her fist at Babu, “I am not going. I don’t want to leave behind my Ram and Sasikala. I will stay with Auntie Cama and Sikander.”

She ran out of the room, wailing.

Acha and Amma looked daggers at Babu. He smirked and fell silent.

Salo hardly slept that night. Early the next day, after a hurried breakfast of toast and a glass of milk, she scooted off to her Auntie Cama’s place. 

“Hello, we have an early visitor, Sikander” auntie Cama smiled at Salo. 

“Why are your eyes red, Auntie” Salo queried.

“Maybe I have a bit of cold,” Auntie Cama sniffed. 

Salo threw her raggedy Ann doll on to the couch and proclaimed, “I have decided that I am not leaving you and going to Kochi. I am going to stay here, study, be a big girl, and look after you and Sikander.” There was steely determination in her eyes.

Ms Cama’s eyes welled up and she felt a lump in her throat.

“So, Cherub, you don’t want me to come and visit you at God’s own country?”

Salomi was taken aback. “When I grow up, I will take you.”

“How will you know which all places to take me to?”

Salomi looked doubtful and crestfallen. 

Auntie Cama sat next to her, holding her close and said, “Cherub, you are going only in May. We are only in February now. We must not waste time in being sad. Do you know, every time we decide to be happy, God sends a rainbow over our heads? And colourful butterflies flutter around us?”

Salomi looked doubtful and gazed disbelievingly at her. 

Auntie Cama urged Salo to close her eyes.

“Let me show you some magic. Close your eyes, Cherub, imagine running around this garden outside, plucking your favourite flowers, playing pranks on Sikander, over the coming weeks, imagine going on long picnics and outings with Auntie and Sikander, doesn’t all that make you happy?”

”Yes”:  beamed Salomi with her eyes still closed tight. 

”Now open your eyes.”

Salomi opened her eyes and stared in astonishment at the sight that greeted her. Over her head loomed a spectrum of rainbow colours and colourful butterflies fluttered all around her. 

“How do you do that?” gasped Salomi.

“A bit of magic for you, believe in it, my dear”  Auntie Cama smiled mysteriously. 

“Can you do that again please?”

“Rainbows and butterflies will always appear over your head whenever you allow yourself to be happy. So, stay happy, my dear.”

A few days later, while Salomi was swinging on her gate, Ms Cama hailed her from the hedge.

“Salo, I have a treat for you.”

Salomi ran over to Auntie Cama’s place. On the dining table was set the most delicious chocolate treacle cake. Salo squealed in delight.

Ms Cama cleared her throat and said, “You are nearly nine years old, Cherub, Old enough to learn a bit of baking. When in Kerala, you can delight your new friends by baking some of Auntie Cama’s delightful little treats for them.”

Salomi was all agog. “Will you really teach me?”

“Of course! I have the next two months all well planned, for you to learn baking, go on picnics, sleepovers in tents, what not!”

Ms Menon was grateful to Auntie Cama for taking on Salomi. She already had her hands full with winding up, checking on her brother’s studies and packing. 

The next two months whizzed past in a whirlwind of joyful and productive activities for Salomi. Her school gave her a farewell party and Salomi made plans for Ram and Sasikala to visit her in Kochi. 

All too soon, it was May. In a few days’ time, Acha, Amma, Babu and Salomi would be driving down to Kerala in their car, while all their household possessions and furniture would be packed and shifted to Kochi by packers and movers. Auntie Cama hosted a grand dinner for the Menon family, and the night before they were to depart, she slept at Auntie Cama’s place. Both of them could not sleep and talked and sang late into the night, making plans to write, visit and to keep in touch. Ms Cama tried her best to stay dry-eyed for the child’s sake, even though deep in her heart she stifled sobs. 

As dawn broke out over the horizon, Auntie Cama took out a big black silver-edged book, specially made by her and spiral bound; “Salo, this is for you. I have replicated a copy for myself. This contains pictures of all our happy moments together. Here’s another book, I want you to promise to write in it every day, something that makes you happy each day. Compile all those happy moments and write to me every week. Remember, you made a promise to me that you will stay happy. And you know what happens each time you feel your heart well up in happiness? I will feel that happiness too and a rainbow would appear.”  she smiled mischievously. 

Hugging Auntie Cama, her face solemn, Salo promised to be happy. 

After breakfast, the Menons bid a tearful farewell to Ms Cama and Sikander. . 

Sikander had made a huge bouquet with all of Salo’s favourite flowers and gifted it to her , with tears streaming down his face. 

Salo hugged both Auntie Cama and Sikander and amidst tears streaming down all their faces , they drove off waving until the last glimpse. 

Days whizzed past. And the Menons got busy in getting admissions for Salo and Babu, and in settling down in the new city. Not a day passed without Salo missing Auntie Cama sorely, and she wrote long letters to her. She still treasured the box of specially made cookies that Auntie had gifted her. 

The day dawned finally, when she had to go to her new school. With a heavy heart, and thinking of her old school cronies, she walked down to her school. Her heart plummeted at the sight of the school, it was just an old building and there was no sprawling playground or trees dotting the premises. Her uniform was a pale yellow shirt and a drab brown skirt, while her uniform at Ahmednagar had been a red and white pinafore. As she ascended the wooden stairs to her class, she noticed a fat boy huffing and puffing up the stairs. He grinned at her when he noticed her. Salo couldn’t help staring, and before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “How fat you are!”

“How thin you are!” He retorted.

She noticed when the boy smiled, that he had the same kind of freckles on his face, like her Auntie Cama, and his round cheeks reminded her of her favourite currant buns. Suddenly, she couldn’t help giggling.

The fat boy’s eyes twinkled and he held out his hand.

“Hi, I am Ranjit. You are Laurel and I am Hardy,” he grinned.

She grinned back and shook his hand.

Suddenly, she looked up to see a rainbow over her head and butterflies, flitting around.