The sun shone and it lit the morning of winter a pleasant one. As the rays gave a relaxation over the chilly morning I opened my eyes still holding my shoulders tight. A smile which never left my lips was depicting my happiness to be here. I took a lump of fresh oxygen and rubbed my shoulders. Finally I”m here. Here in Darjeeling. The place felt homely and I don’t know why. I stretched my hands and got up from my seat. I took my bag and headed out of the bus. As I stepped on the snow covered land I felt new. New feeling to be in a new city. I started loving this city with the first meet only and now I believe love at first sight. I looked around towards the busy city. Everyone busy in their works. I walked to a shop.
“Uncle can you tell me way to Kapoor Villa” as I spoke the shop keeper looked at me and gave me the directions. I thanked him with a sweet smile and walked further to follow his instruction. As I walked on the lane it looked like I’m in some Desney movie. I smiled looking at small kids playing around. Their innocence is something soothes you always.
“Hello Uncle” I greeted Mr. Kapoor Dadda’s best friend. He welcomed me with his warm embrace and smile. As I walked with him he called Sumona aunty his wife and she welcomed me with her sweet smile. She accompanied me to the room where I will be staying for next two years until I finish my medical internship in one of the best medical institute of India “Medical Institute of Darjeeling, the MID” in short. I arranged my cupboard with my clothes.
Dadda did not wanted me to stay in hostel. So he specially requested his best friend Mr. Ram Kapoor one of the leading businessman of Darjeeling for my accommodation. Ram uncle and Sumona Aunty were no less than Mumma and Dadda to me. I missed them so much. I missed everyone. My twin storms also. They might have made the home hell by this time. I imagined mom sitting in between the messed up house and Shona and Vikky still fighting around. I laughed remembering them and my phone buzzed. I know they miss me equally….
********.******
“Adarsh” I said as he closed my eyes like a small kid. He came and stood beside me and I held his shoulder and placed my head on his shoulder. He placed his hand over mine and smiled. We walked on the snow covered roads and were exploring Darjeeling. It is my second year as an intern and Adarsh who was my senior expressed his feelings I have been flying in clouds. As we walked over the street I found a man shouting at a teenage girl. Her face wasn’t clear. I neared them with Adarsh. She was staring ground and shivering. “i…I…..
I” she fumbled and I understood she was having difficulty to talk. “What happened bhayya?” I asked the man interrupting the man who shifted his gaze to me. “See madam ji She spoiled all the apples” said he complaining and showing the apples scattered around. “So you will shout at her like this” Adarsh spoke. “I will pay for it” said he and took the money out of his wallet and handed to the man. Then we looked at the girl. She was still staring ground. I don’t know why. But she reminded me of someone. Someone I hate the most. I couldn’t stand anymore. I held Adarsh’s hand and walked from there when she tried saying thank you with stammering voice. Adarsh asked me what am I doing and why. But I was not in a position to answer. She occupied my mind made me furious.
The lady I hate the most. The lady who gave me birth. “Maa” what others call but for me she was just a lady who gave me birth.
******Flashback******
“You can take care of her Sumi. Please let me go” said Janaki walking with her luggage. Sumi walked with Janaki. Little Pari watched her hiding near the door. She ran to her mother. “Maa don’t go maa” she pleaded as she held Janaki. Janaki sat in front of Pari and caressed her cheek. “I’m sorry baby. I can’t stay with you. Now onwards Sumi maa is your maa. Take care of yourself” she kissed Pari’s hair. “But maa….” said Pari as tears continued to pour out of her eyes.
“You are my brave bacha na. Let mumma go” said Janaki and controlled her tears. She stood up and faced Shekar who was standing. They looked into each other’s eyes. There were thousands of words which were unspoken. “I’m sorry Jaan…” before he could complete she showed him her palm to stop.
“I… I can’t take it anymore Shekar. Think I’m dead for you all” she said with stiffness in her face. He again tried speaking but she cut his words again and said “And if you ever loved me for a second also promise on that one second don’t ever try to find me” she stormed out of the house.
He collapsed on the floor. “I have only loved you Jaan” he thought in his mind and burst into a bitter cry. Pari ran to her dad and hugged him. He wrapped his hands around her. “Dadda don’t cry please. I promise I will never ask you to get mumma. Now onward Sumi maa is only my maa. Pakka promise” she pinched her neck cutely and wiping his tears.
*****END of Flashback*****
I don’t hate you mom that you left me in a fit of rage. I don’t hate you that you did not wanted to take me with you but leave me with Dadda. But I hate you for the pain you gave to Dadda. You never gave him a chance to explain you.
****Flashback*******
“Shekar” Janaki screamed as she entered the house with Sumi who was holding Swara and Vikram who were 4 years old. Shekar who was smiling while he was teaching Pari something looked at her. His eyes widened and he looked at Janaki whose eyes had the pain.
“Jaan” “Don’t take my name from your filthy mouth” she screamed. Pari watched them confused. “From five years you have been cheating me with my own sister?” she asked holding his collar. “Jaa…” she slapped him across his cheek and he looked at her shocked holding his cheek.
“You are mistaken…” he held her shoulders. She jerked his hands. “Dee” Sumi approached her. “No…. I don’t want to listen anything. All I have got for trusting and love is betrayal and that too from whom? From my own sister and my husband whom I thought loved me only but…” she looked furiously at Shekar.
She stormed inside her room and packed her stuff and left the home.
“Why you did not tell her the truth Jeeju” Sumi asked. “And let you face the humiliation? We don’t even know where that moron had flew away. He just cheated you and disappeared. I couldn’t tell this to Jaan. She will break down. I only had signed all the hospital papers from the time we discovered that you are pregnant. Though I sent you away sighting your education as reason this has to come out some day” Shekar spoke helplessly.
“She did not give me any chance to speak Jeeju. I couldn’t explain her that Swara and Vikram are not your kids but a moron’s whom I loved immensely but in return got betrayal”. She stopped when she found Pari at the door of their room.
Sumi and Shekar looked at her blank. “Maa” she stood near Sumi. “Pari tujhe..” she was cut in by Pari who said “Aap abb bhi meri maa ho aur hamesha aap hi rahoge. Aur uss aurat se mai nafrat karti hu. She left Dadda and never gave him a chance. I just hate her” she said as hot tears tripped out of her eyes. “Pari” Sumi caressed her hair and she hugged Sumi immediately.
*******END of Flashback*******
And Mrs Janaki Shekar Gadodia I hate you. And I don’t know why that girl reminds me of you. I don’t understand why is it so difficult for me to hate her. I tried sleeping but the sleep was far. Why my memories had to come back. Why?
*****A new day*****
We had organized the camp for the villagers in Tinchuley village just few kilometers away from the town of Darjeeling. I was enjoying the serene beauty of the nature. I heard a voice.
“D…..D… doctor” a scream of girl. And why do I feel I have heard this voice before. “Koi.. Hai?” she screamed again. I rushed to the camping area which was some feet away from the place I was standing. I stood stumbling when I found her again.
My blood boiled again. But I’m an on duty doctor and I have to control my emotions. “Yes” I asked her with utter coldness in my tone. “D…d…dee” she held my hand fumbling. I felt as if my mom touched me. I wonder how my senses still remember her touch. And why I’m calling her mom. She is no one to me. “Dee” her voice brought me out of my trance.
“I’m only dee to my Shona and Vikky. As for others I’m just doctor” I spoke as I jerked her hand. I was not understanding why was I behaving so rude with her. I looked at her face. Her innocence and tears were squeezing my heart but my mind was strong.
“d… d….doctor. Nanny maa na… nanny maa” she struggled to talk but I could understand she was talking about some one whom she calls Nanny maa and may be she is her Nanny. “Sorry?” I asked her to be more clear. She was sobbing and was trying to talk.
“she fell down…” she showed her back and bent a bit like a small kid. She is not normal. I told myself and a soft corner developed for her in my heart which was struggling to voice out. As I understood that someone is in need I ran with her to the place from where she came running.
We entered a building which was like an asylum. I just blankly followed her. As we entered a room the scenario made my heart flinch. An old lady was struggling with her breaths. We helped her and made her lie on the bed. I checked her. She had got a minor heart attack. Luckily it wasn’t very severe. I treated her and consulted my senior if we need to shift her to the hospital. He said that it wasn’t necessary.
I looked around the building. It was old. Very old. I wondered how people lived here. I had to stay here as the camp was over and my colleagues had left the camping place and in a misunderstanding they left me. My phone buzzed and my smile returned to my face.
“Hello love. You told you will return today. Ram uncle told me that you were left behind. You stay there I’m on my way I will reach there in half an hour” Adarsh spoke worried. “Adi. Relax. I’m fine and why are you coming this way. I will board the bus tomorrow morning to Darjeeling” I tried cooling his anxiety. But I knew when it was about me he never listened to anyone.
And as expected he was in front of me in 20 minutes only. He almost ran to me and hugged me in a bone crushing hug. I never could understand why does always behave like we will be away from each other in any moment. But I loved his possessive nature too like all his other shades.
I helped him to settle down. It was dark and riding the bike at this time wasn’t safe. So I somehow convinced him that we will stay for only tonight. He looked behind me. I looked at him confused and looked back. There she was standing with timid eyes.
After the dinner I sat beside Nanny aunty. She caressed my hair. She looked at the door. “Ragu” she lovingly called and signed her to come inside. She sat beside Nanny aunty and placed her head on her shoulder and slept like a small baby beside. Nanny smiled caressing her hair. “You will also g…go l…leaving me” she fumbled. Her pain was squeezing my heart.
Nanny aunty kissed her hair. “She did not leave you Ragu bacha. She told me whenever you missed her to give you this” she said and took a photograph and handed it to her. My eyes widened as her and dad’s face was visible to me from the photo. It was the photo they had taken on their honeymoon. It was her. Yes it was surely her. I looked at her with shocked eyes.
Is she my sister? A tornado of questions formed in my mind.
*****.*****
How was this. Do let me know ?