Friends forever

There it was, sitting pretty on his cluttered desk. Meg had kept it right on the center of the table above all other papers, just so it would grab his attention the first thing in the morning. Meghna Kakodkar, the office assistant had always known what was most important and what was least, and as her boss's eyes moistened looking at it, she patted herself, a beautiful smile playing across her face, for having been so thoughtful.

As he openend the cover, hands trembling with excitement, all those memories came flashing back to him. Blinking hard to avoid tears, he read through, it was the invite. All of 25 years had passed and here it sat on his desk. Life had given Manoj Jain everything, almost everything. He was a strong head to conquer in the world of Money Markets. A Financial Consultant who practiced his magical art of making money out of everything with his Midas touch, and not to mention those movie star looks, he was a hot favourite of the banks as well as the newspapers. A few greys were showing up, now that he was all of 50 years, but that only added to that masculine charm women adored.

Meg knocked just in time, catching him staring into the picture on his table. On other occasions Meg would not have dared disturb him, but it was Nikhat waiting outside. And the man's love for his only daughter was legendary. He would go to any lengths to make sure she was doing fine, and what a fine girl she was! A medico by profession, a dancer by nature she was one of the beauties god had graced earth with. Nikhat Hussain, seeing her father engrossed in the picture, taken when she was just 5 years old, sent away Meg and walked right into Dada's office surprising him with a hug from behind. Instead of the deep laugh which she so admired, came a whimper and a shiver. She knew immediately her father was not in his elements as he walked across to the window.

She knew it was all her fault, not letting her father know that she would be out of the country for a week attending a medical convention but then he usually forgave her, as long as she was alright. This seemed something else. He saw the invite again and looked back at Nikhat and memories came flooding back to him.

25 years had passed. It was a friday and he was looking forward to going back to his hometown for the weekend after a particularly bad week, when the phone rang. He let it go to the answering machine, wary of any more work coming his way. And then the voice boomed.."Manoj..Manoj..I really need to talk to you....." and he found himself picking the receiver and cradling it with all affection. That was Ashraff, his best buddy at college, he knew his voice so well! They were the college Music Band, Manoj Jain - The Man, Ashraff Hussain - Ashes, Chris Baty - Kitten, the drummer, Zhang Yan - Zacky, the lanky Guitarist & Calvin Kodain - Cal, the lonesome pianist. Manoj and Ashraff were the lead singers. They looked so similar, what with them belonging to the same geographies but belligerant countries. Manoj was from a suburb near Bombay and Ashraff from Lahore, Pakistan. Studying business at the National University of Singapore, they all had dream careers waiting for them all over the world. But those carefree years of music and some macho fun, laughs over nothings and songs over everythings. Life was best though away from home. The graduation day was the last they saw of each other and they moved on from that point, into their respective worlds, leading separate and distant lives. And then came the call from Ashraff.

Even this minute when he thought back he had spoken to his friend on his last day of life, tears welled up. He wished they had spoken more but Ashes was in a hurry. As Manoj started off with, "What buddy, such a long time....." the reply came terse and to the point, "Listen Man, i've no time. To brief you of my situation, i'm now enlisted in the Pakistan Army and you know our countries are at war currently. They may be tracking this call for all i know, but promise me, take care of Nikhat if something happens to me. I've to fight for my country, dont ask me why. And by the way, Nikhat is my daughter, all of 5 years old, her mother dead on her birth and i dont want her to be alone. I've sent the address and photographs. Plz take care of my kid, she's too young and naive friend. Its only you in the whole world i trust. I need to go now. Khuda Hafiz Man" and the line went dead. For a few moments nothing registered. And that very Sunday Manoj got a call from the Pakistan Army. Major Ashraff Hussain had succumbed to his injuries on Saturday night and had willed his only surviving daughter some money and a gaurdian which was Manoj! His family was taken by storm. His father, the staunch Hindu cleric he was, would not approve of raising or adopting a muslim child under any circumstances, and this was a Pakistani kid!!

But Manoj had made the decision, it was his friend and he had to prove his friendship for Ashes soul to rest in peace. And what could a 5 year old girl do on her own anyway? He walked out of his father's house, never to return. And thats how Nikhat came into his life. Manoj never married, lived forever for a daughter he had not borne and all eyes envied the affection father and daughter shared.

Nikhat caught her dad staring out the window and pulled away the cover in his hand. It proclaimed a college reunion invite. She rang Meg and asked her to book two tickets to Singapore. Every year her Dada would refuse to go but not this time. She was taking him herself and she was so excited.

After the usual fuss, Manoj gave in to his daughter's whim and they went. Manoj told her of the music band and the lazy summers they spent singing away. About Ashraff, her biological father and the others. Chris, the kitten was waiting for them at the airport. As the men slapped each other's backs and exchanged hugs, Nikhat could not help but compare it with the image of her dada's slick handshake and the magazine cover smile he gave. Calvin had come to. All of them had made a mark for themselves with the education they had gotten. But two men were missing. Ashes, whose death was known but the reason for his joining the army was never deciphered by anyone! And Zacky, the lanky guitarist who had become a rock star with his music but somehow got muddled in drugs and was in and out of rehab.

As the evening set in and dinner was served, Nikhat announced the redemption of the Summer Band, and amidst the cheering of the crowd, Man, Kitten and Calvin performed. What a party that was!