Part 7(b): Overshadowed life-2 Matured

Part 7(b): Overshadowed life-2

8 years ago

Ajmer was usually hot, but it seemed that the day they wanted to go out ... Ajmer's temperature soared unnecessarily...  Abhir was sure of it... It was a conspiracy against the schoolchildren.

The four were on an outing. Abhir, Krish, Shivu and Sam (Shiv's friend) Saturdays were mostly given for outings, but only for high schoolers,  So they had to bribe Kiran(Krish's elder brother) to take them with his friends.

"I swear... He is the worst..." Krish said as Kiran and his gang left them at their usual place. Kiran got half of Krish's pocket money by this visit.

"Kiran became more horrible as soon as he became a ninth grader" Abhir agreed. It was a well-known fact that Ninth graders were just the worst... the only people worse than ninth graders were the eleventh graders... but no one ever talked to them... They are a bunch of scary long people. Some even had moustaches.

"Forget it,  you both", Shivu said while trying to cheer them up.

"But... you already paid... Why did he have to take my pocket money also" Krish cried in anger while Abhir nodded enthusiastically beside him.

"I'll pay for your ice cream and chocolates... just stop whining... Sam, what are you looking at?"

"Hey, That shop was not there last week right?"

A new Juice store was open. They decided that to be their first shop.

Ajmer's heat was horrible for Abhir. The rest of them, who lived in Udaipur and Jaipur all this time were somewhat OK... But Abhir, who was raised in the cold mountains of Kasuali, couldn't adjust to the heat of Ajmer's desert.

"I want a sister now... I don't want another Kiran in my life" Krish said as they walked towards the market square.

"Your mom also thinks that it will be a girl right?" Sam asked

"Yeah... But Kiran is 100% sure that it will be a brother..."

"You know... I think there s a test to show if it is a girl or a boy... I saw it in some movie..." Sam said.

"No... You can not do that test... Papa told me that you would be jailed if you do that" Shivu said. They reached the toy store.

Abhir looked at Shivu with concern. Shivu did not meet Parth Tauji after he came out of jail half a year ago.  Abhir heard that a judge told Tauji to not meet him. Abhir did not understand, why would someone else stop Shivu from meeting his father.

Shivu saw Abhir's eyes which were filled with concern. Shivu smiled to reassure him.  Sam loved to collect bobbleheads so he bought a Pikachu for which he was saving money for 3 months. Krish looked sadly at a Sasuke poster while Abhir and Shivu bargained for the handheld gaming console for the full 15 minutes only to pay the full price afterwards. The Shopkeeper was way too rigid.

Sam and Krish went to the first floor which had a bookstore. Abhir and Shivu knew better than to wait for them... Those book lovers will get lost in those books for a minimum of 2 hours. They went out and had an ice gola.

"You know... Shivu... Every parent fights... Not just our parents..." Abhir said after some. Shivu looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What?"

"No... Krish was saying the other day... His parents were fighting... He said, his father did not want the child as it would be dangerous but his mother was not listening at all... Maybe Shefali Taiji also thought it would have been dangerous."

"Yeah... I guess... " Shivu knew where Abhir was trying to go with it. But Abhir didn't know the full thing yet.

His parents fought a lot. But, they did not fight that much after Akshara Chachi and Abhir came. At first, Shivu thought everything would go back to normal.

Almost one year before, his grandmother happily announced to everyone that his mom was pregnant... while everyone was congratulating her, she was quiet. She stood like a statue and watched everyone's happiness. She looked confused and shocked. Shivu hugged her She hugged him back but did not look at him. Everyone was so happy, that they started an impromptu party. Suddenly his mom screamed and cried a lot. Shivu Abhir and Roohi got scared. But Shefali never stopped crying. Then she said she did not want the child...

Shivu can remember that day so vividly... It was like all hell went loose

"Bhabhi... What happened."

"Shefali... Come on.. beta... Everything is getting sorted now"

"Shefali... What do you mean? This is my child"

"Mumma.. don't cry"

"Bhabhi... You consider me your friend right?"

"Mumma, why is Taiji crying?"

"Arohi... take the kids away... They are getting scared..."

"Shefali... This is my child too. How can you decide it yourself..."

"Parth control yourself... let her talk"

"Dad... "

"Arohi.. take the kids..."

"How can you say that you want to kill our sign of love"

"Shut up!!!" Shefali shouted at Parth.

"Sign of love? Are you really saying that?" Shefali looked livid. Parth stepped back.

"Can you say that looking at my face?"

"Shefali... we can discuss it in our room."

"No! If I lost my self-respect.. then how can you have it? We both should be equal... That is only fair"

"Shefali... Not here..."

"I lost everything... I don't care!!!  I can't believe you did it to me" Shefali shouted as she held her head.

Roohi held the arm of the wheelchair. She was getting scared. "Matashree?" She meekly called her mother. Arohi was looking at Shefali

 with an expression as though she was afraid to hear her next words. All women in the house looked scared as they felt something in those screams.

"This, in my womb, is not the sign of your love." She spat at Parth

"This is the sign of your ....."

Shefali said a word which made Abhimanyu shout, "Bhabhi!!!"

Abhir and Roohi never heard of that word, but Shivu had heard it once.

He didn't know the meaning of it but knew that it was a bad thing that happened to a college student who was admitted to Birla Hospital. There were police and journalists outside Birla Hospital and their house after that student's death. That was when he heard the word.

But why was Mom talking about that student now?

"Akshara, Arohi... take the kids away...NOW!!!" Abhimanyu shouted as he glared at Parth.

They were taken to Roohi's room. The kids were super confused. Shivu who understood something was much more confused than the other two. What was wrong? Why didn't Mummu want a child?

And then, many things happened, Akshara Chachi brought the police and the police took Papa. Mama and Papa divorced. He was visited by many lawyers and child counsellors.. all of them asked about his relations with his parents.  It was later that Shivu understood that those were the process of his custody. He felt so scared answering many strangers.

Then one day Abhimanyu Chachu said that he could not meet his father for some time.

Shivu cried, but no one listened to him. Then, Abhir and Shivu were sent back to boarding school after the vacation ended.

Abhir and Shivu talked a lot about it... but they just couldn't understand anything on their own.

It's been six months since Parth came out of jail... but he never contacted Shivu.

"Does he not like me anymore?" Shivu asked Abhir as they completed their icegola.

"No... Tauji loves you... just like my Papa did..." Abhir said.

"Then why is he not coming to meet me?"

"Maybe that fat uncle in the black coat told him not to meet you..."

Shivu nodded.

"Abhir!! Can you lend me 100rs? I need to buy this book and I need more than 100 rs..." Krish came running towards them.

The day then went on to be uneventful, until Shivu saw a familiar car.

"Papa?"

The grey Audi car was parked in front of the pan shop. Shivu and Abhir ran towards the car. Shivu checked the car number. It was his father's car.

Shivu and Abhir cupped their hands and pressed them against the window glass to see inside the car like binoculars. Papa was sleeping inside. But he looked so dishevelled. His hair was messy and he grew a short beard. He looked so thin.

"Papa" Shivu shouted. Abhir knocked on the glass. Shivu banged his hands. Parth stirred. Sam and Krish also joined them and started knocking on the car.

Parth woke up with a start. He then looked at the car window to see four pairs of little hands banging on his car. He looked confused.

"Where was he?"

Then he saw his Shivu calling out to him. He couldn't hear him but could see that his lips moved as if calling him. He smiled.

He came out and hugged Shivu tightly. "Shivu... Papa loves you... Shivu Papa loves you... Papa loves you so much... Papa loves you to the moon and beyond..."

Shivu was getting uncomfortable... Papa's hug was too strong. He was not able to breathe.

"Papa.." he said softly. Parth released him and started kissing all over his face feverishly.

"Tauji?" Abhir was getting scared by Tauji's actions.

It's as if Parth just saw Abhir and hugged him tightly.

"Abhir... I am sorry... I did not get time to spend time with you at all... I should have... But I was not happy... Nothing in my life was getting better.. while Abhimanyu was restoring his... He was always better... I did not talk too much... But I didn't hate you... I know... I just didn't... I had a gift for you... for your birthday.. but..but... I was arrested that day... I couldn't give you... Sorry... It was.. it was.." Parth left Abhir.. he did not notice the breathless Abhir as he was trying to remember the gift. Parth was talking rapidly and in a disjointed manner.

"Why can't I remember that? It was that thing which you both played with.. bigger version... latest version... You both always played that... Neil also used to play that with us... But Anisha always won against Abhi in that ... Abhi hated losing... That crybaby... Neil broke it once though and we all hit it inside a flower pot. No... it was Anisha who broke it... I broke the flower pot... maybe I broke it because Nishita was a baby, But she hated when we played chess.. silence was... boring.... for her... and ....me... and see... now I want silence...away from all the noise.. "

Shivu and Abhir looked at each other. Parth never talked like this... And he never smelled this bad. It's as if he did not bathe for many many days.

"Papa? Are you alright?" Shivu asked slowly

Parth looked at Shivu as though he just noticed him. And he looked around his surroundings.

"Shivu? What are you doing here?" Parth asked.

"We came for an outing with Kiran. Today was an outing Saturday in school"

Parth didn't look like he comprehended everything but he gave a wide grin. "Oh Thank god!! I thought I would never meet you!! Before... before... I ... I... Go"

"Papa! You are going somewhere?"

Parth smiled at Shivu. Shivu didn't know why, but he wanted to cry seeing that smile.

"Yes... I am going to a very very far place"

"Papa!! I'll come with you!!" Shivu didn't know why he said that. He only knew Papa looked so sad. He just wanted to go with Papa and cheer him up.

"No" Parth looked shocked. "You can't come with me!! No... No.."

"Papa, please... I want to come with you... I want to.."

Parth hugged, "Thank you Shivu... Papa was scared to go... but it is ok... Papa should go... Then everyone will be happy..."

"Then let's have a vacation.. like the time when we went to Dubai... before you go," Shivu suggested. Parth smiled weekly.

"But I cannot take you... I cannot meet you... I am an unfit and dangerous person."

"Papa..we will go without telling anyone... And you can drop me off on Monday... No one will notice if I am not in the dorms on Sunday. "

Shivu looked at Abhir, Krish and Sam. The 4 of them then went somewhere secluded to discuss their plan.

Sam was brave enough to drop sense in the conversation, "Shivu, If you go with your Dad now, Kiran will report to the principal first thing." Krish nodded his head beside Sam. Abhir was scared of tauji. He looked really scary.

"Shivu... Tauji... looks...unwell... he looks.. really...sad." Abhir said after a lot of hesitation.

"I know... I want to cheer him up... he is going really far away.. maybe far away even from Dubai... What if I don't meet him for a long time... " Shivu pleaded.

"I guess.. we can handle Kiran.." Krish said. Sam looked at Shivu and sighed, "I guess... I can lie to the warden for one day...  And the other three will understand... We just have to bribe them with Sprite and burgers."

Shivu looked at Abhir, "Remember Abhir, You said you regretted not spending much time with your Papa before... I don't want to have the same regret."

Abhir nodded. "Don't worry... I anyone from home calls... I'll tell them you are sleeping... But come back on Monday... We cannot do much about attendance."

Shivu thanked them all and ran towards Parth.

"Papa!! let's go on a vacation... Let's go to many places.. do shopping.. eat many things... Let's enjoy before you go..."

Parth hugged him with tears in his eyes.

"Shivu... Thank you... loving a person like me..."

Shivu got into the car. They started. He guessed that Papa came straight from the hospital. There were many syringes littered on the floor.

"Papa.. the car smells really bad," Shivu said as he pinched his nose.

"Sorry Shivu beta... I guess I vomited in the car many times... be careful... there is a blade... here let me throw that..." Shivu saw that the tossed blade fall on a cloth. Shivu knew what it was. Once he, Sam and Dhruv had to deliver sports forms to 12 graders as Bakshi sir. When they went to the 12th graders' room there were many pictures of bad women on the wall. One of the photos had the same cloth as that.

"Papa.. what is that?'

Parth sweated, "Ahh.. that is nothing... I am having some medicines... She provides me with that... I guess she forgot it last time we... we... talked."

Shivu nodded. Papa looked tired. Shivu wondered what was his disease that he needs medicine for. Was his disease causing him to have many cuts and holes on his arms and wrists too? Some of those cuts had blood still flowing.

"Is that why you are going far away? To treat your disease?" Shivu asked.

Parth looked at his 10-year-old kid and smiled.

"I don't know if it will treat me... but I know... it will solve many problems"

"Then all the best Papa!!"

They first went to Akbar Fort. There were many tourists. but Papa never left his hand. They saw old armour, swords, and knives. Shivu was happy. When they reached Akbar's painting, Parth stopped and spoke.

"Shivu.. he is one of the greatest Mughal emperors Akbar... His grandfather was also a great Emperor Babur... They both shone like two great suns. But there was someone who was often forgotten because of his mediocracy. Humayun... the emperor overshadowed by his father and son. I relate to him the most. Born to a great illustrious father, and then, not being able to match people's expectations... Then seeing your son achieve things which you couldn't... Humayun must have felt so worthless.. but carried on... but lived on..."

Shivu felt his father's hold tighten.

"Papa?"

"I love you Shivu... I am happy that you are not like me... "

Shivu did not understand anything but, he wanted to cheer his father up.

"Papa... Let's get out... Let's go shopping... Let's buy you some nice clothes."

Parth smiled. They went shopping and ate many things. Parth did not eat much... but treated Shivu with every delicacy. Parth got a little cheerful by the end of the day. They checked into a hotel. Then the next morning they continued their ride... Two days passed in a blink. Shivu was afraid to bring up the topic of school as Papa looked sad about being alone. Sometimes he shouted that school was not necessary. Whenever he feels sad or angry.. he takes a packet of powder and whiffs it. And after doing that Papa becomes more energetic. But Shivu was getting scared of that energetic father. He rode the car way too fast. He wanted to go back.

"Papa... It is Tuesday already... I... "

"What?" Parth shouted over the loud music that was playing in his car.

"Papa... I want to .."

"Enjoy!! Chill!!!"

"I want to go to school... Abhir and everyone will be in a lot of trouble."

"You too?... Just like your mother..."

Parth started speeding the car more.

"I am such a failure... I could never make anyone happy... Not my successful father.... not my mothers who had high dreams... not my overachieving wife... A life filled with disappointment..."

"Papa... I am getting scared.. go slow.."

They were going through some forest-like region.

"Abhimanyu too had faults.. many faults.. but his mistakes were less as he was a genius... A brilliant surgeon"

"Papa..."

"He can kick his wife out brutally after a miscarriage... but still she would love him.. because he was great..."

"But yeah... That was my problem.. that was my curse... I am not special in anything..."

"After my first recording for Air India during my college day... The guy said.. that I was good... but there was nothing special in my voice to attract others... "

"his one comment.. and that was it... I lost my confidence in my only passion... Now that I think of it... He may just have said it offhandedly.. but I took it with all seriousness... Silly of me... Maybe I was used to taking everything seriously growing up in that house... Anisha.. stupid.. she did the exact reverse... took nothing seriously... We were all so confused..."

"Papa...."

Shivu saw Parth take the white powder again. Shivu was getting so scared that he started crying.

"Don't cry Shivu... Papa is alright... But I am not all right.. in fact, I am all wrong. I wronged your mother. I was feeling alone.. was scared of losing everything.. wanted to forcefully hold everything.. and in the end, I only broke everything..."

"A stupid excuse of a life..."

"Papa.. stop the car... I am getting scared..."

"I'll stop... I'll stop everything... This stinking mess... I'll stop everything... But I'll never stop loving you..."

Parth took a gun from his bag. Shivu shouted for help... but no one was there in the forest... No one to hear his shouts.

"I am sorry Shivu..." Saying this Parth shot himself. The sound was too loud. Shivu's ears pained and then there was only a buzzing sound. Blood splattered all over the place. Some of it was on Shiu's hand with which he tried to cover his eyes. The car sped on and fell off a cliff. The car toppled down onto a river. Something hit Shivu's head and the last thing he remembered seeing before losing consciousness was his father's eyes which looked as if staring at him.

Shivu does not remember anything properly after that... He remembered opening his eyes when he felt he was drowning... His head was paining.. his papa's blood mixed with water inside the car. It looked like Shivu was inside a pool of blood.  He could not open the car door... The water pressure was too strong. Shivu shouted for help. The car was mostly inside the river... It was getting difficult to breathe. The gun floated towards him..He cried.. cried for a long time... He called out for help... He was drowning...

Then He took the gun and shot it at the window... The window broke with force but The water flowed inside with too much pressure bringing the broken glass pieces along with it. Shivu got cut everywhere and he couldn't swing against this water force. The car door behind Shiveu opened with force and the water carried Shivu out of the car.

Shivu couldn't undrstand how he survived.. but he woke up in Birla Hospital after 3 weeks.

End of Flashback

To be continued