Musings, Music & More

This is a work of entertainment fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental

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The sleeping pill did not help much. She had a nightmare at dawn. A character like Ghajini cornered her in the bedroom; showed off his toned up six pack body, laughed hysterically while she shivered.

“You want to kill Mickey and Gabby eh?” he shouted as they ran around the cramped bedroom.
She almost fell off her bed, trying to ward off the attacker; woke up, perspiring profusely.
Hearing the thud Paromita rushed into the bedroom and realized what had happened.
“It’s all right dear. Try to get some sleep”
“No mom, it is 5 O’clock in the morning. Let me get out of the bed.

They both sat at the dining table, sipping freshly made filter coffee. The electronic calendar blinked to announce it was November 26. Was the nightmare a foreboding of something terrible that was to happen? She recalled suddenly. It was Mickey’s birthday.
Would Mickey’s prophecy be a reality? Was Gabriela a fake?
Forget it Sarah.
But why did Gabby answer Mickey’s phone then? Was she trying to tease her; “Look who is with me now, Sarah?”

The mother – daughter duo found themselves watching the newly released film “Dostana” in a movie theatre. The trailer of “Gajini”, screened before the movie, fueled Sarah’s desire to take revenge for what Mickey and Gabriela had done to her.

After the movie, on their way back home their cab got stuck near Crawford market. They saw a huge crowd gathered in the direction of Victoria Terminus; fear writ large on their faces.
Had something unusual happened in the city?

The expert cabby finally wove around the lanes to get them to Worli Sea face.
Not a soul outside on the promenade!
Sarah wondered what had gone wrong. Usually the promenade would be teeming with happy couples strolling down the seafront. As the elevator slowly made its way up the unmistakable excited voice of news anchors could be heard from all the floors.

Hell had broken loose.
Some people thought some inter gang warfare had broken out in the Colaba area that spilled into the huge railway station of Victoria Terminus.

They switched on their big TV set.

It wasn’t a warfare but a full-scale attack by some terrorists. News kept flooding the ticker tape like a torrent. The cameras of all the TV channels were focused on the entrance to the terminus. A volley of gunshots could clearly be heard. The announcer at the station was frantically warning the passengers about something that was inaudible in the TV news.

The ghastly scenes kept repeating all night.

Sarah remembered Mickey’s words. The Mossad had tipped off the Consulate about an imminent attack by some terrorists.
So this was it. Spine chilling! Were Mickey and Gabriela right?

Paromita could virtually read Sarah’s thoughts. She saw Sarah’s lips saying a silent prayer. A bowl of soup was all that they had for dinner as they sat glued to the TV set.
Where would Mickey be right now? Would Gabriele be with him? Sure hope so?
Her thoughts of revenge gave way to concern for their safety.

Then she heard. A building called Nariman House that housed Chabad House, a Jewish outreach center, too had been attacked on the same night.
So this was what the Mossad had apprehended. Was Mickey there to fight the terrorists? And what was Gabriela doing?
She digested all the news about Chabad house with an intensity that she had never experienced before.

With such a serious threat of an imminent attack it was quite natural for the Israel Consulate to decline her request to see Mickey. What if a stranger walked in the Consulate and got all the details of Mickey?

Sarah cursed herself for the reprehensible thoughts she had been harboring ever since the lady at the reception had thrown a cold stare at her at the mere mention of Mickey.

Everything fitted into the jigsaw puzzle now.
Her prayers grew stronger by the minute.

The next day she learned the scale of the destruction and loss of human livers was much larger.

She watched from her 7th floor balcony. The traffic had thinned. There was a sense of fear in the city. The pitched battle between the security personnel and the terrorist was still on.

They had attacked the popular Leopold Café close to the Taj Hotel and killed several people including some foreigners.
The Chabad house had been taken over by two attackers and several residents were held hostage. The police evacuated adjacent buildings and exchanged fire with the attackers, wounding one. Local residents were told to stay inside. The attackers threw a grenade into a nearby lane, causing no casualties.

The news channel reported that NSG commandos arrived from Delhi, and a naval helicopter took an aerial survey. During the first day, 9 hostages were rescued from the first floor.

Sarah watched in horror as the commandos stormed the house, fast-roping from helicopters onto the roof, covered by snipers positioned in nearby buildings.
“God save my Mickey” she continued to pray.
On the 28 th November she saw a commando jumping down on the terrace of Chabad House and for a split second she thought she saw Mickey landing onto the terrace and run into Chabad house.
Oh my God that’s him! He would be fighting those terrorists in that house. Other commandos followed suit. It was straight out of a movie like situation – heart stopping operation – except that this was real. Her Mickey was there inside.

The coffee got colder on the table. She had nothing to do with that. Her hands, folded and eyes welling up, she prayed and prayed till she saw Mickey emerge along with 9 hostages freed.

The news channels announced that the commandos had succeeded in eliminating the terrorists but not before they had killed the Rabi and his wife. Their little son Moshe was rescued by the heroic Nanny.

It took several days for the entire operation in Bombay to be over.
—-x—-
They met up a full one-month after this sordid drama in Bombay. This time it could not be at the Sea lounge in Taj Hotel. The hotel was in shambles.

It was at Sarah’ apartment!
She hugged him and handed him a gift pack.
“What is it Sarah?” smiled Mickey
“Open it, you stupid man” she smiled back

Two exquisite shirts!

“But …..”
“They are not your birthday gifts – but
Christmas gift!”
“I feel cheated Sarah. No gift for my birthday?”
“Next birthday is far off” Sarah wore a serious look that soon turned into a surprised expression when Mickey knelt before her and extended a beautiful ring towards her “ Will you marry this black commando?”

Paromita hugged both of them and disappeared into the kitchen – to get some cappuccino.

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End of the concluding part of the story CONFESSION

Here are clickable links to the previous episodes for quicker access:

Episode 1
https://rajendranaik.com/2019/11/01/confession-a-short-story/

Episode 2
https://rajendranaik.com/2019/11/29/confession-episode-2/

Episode 3
https://rajendranaik.com/2019/12/05/confession-episode-3/