"This is not the END. It is not even the beginning of the END. But it is perhaps the END of the beginning." ------ Winston Churchill
About 7 Years later
A five year old boy was running behind his mother, asking her various questions, while his mother kept silent to whatever he said or asked.
'mumma, bolo na kya hoga waha? Aur kon ayenge? Batao na?'
'Ryan, ye question tum pehele 10 bar puch chuke ho, firse?'
'to ap batate kiyu nehi? Batao na...papa bhi busy hai, kya hoga waha?'
'bataya na puja hai waha...aur tumhare papa ussi mein busy hai,'
'kaisi puja? Mere kisi bhi friend ke ghar pe koi puja nehi hai, sirf humare ghar pe hi puja kiyu?'
'Ryan,' his mother called him angrily,
'Roshni beta kyu chilla rahi ho? Usse kaise pata hoga, baba tum mere saath chalo, mein batati hu, mummy ko pareshan maat karo,' masi came to his rescue and took him away, leaving behind an irritated and sad Roshni.
***********
Ryan was the five year old son of Arjun and Roshni. Arjun hadn't got married the day Roshni arrived in mumbai, but Roshni hadn't returned back after that. They got married a few months later and ryan was born about a year and a half later. It was their own family. They still longed for their parents and their love, but never returned back to them.
But Ryan, he was given every bit of the love, pamper, care and concern, his parents had missed in their life. Ryan was his dad's arrogance and mumma's heartbeat.
Arjun was still the chief at the ETF, but now he had learnt to control his anger to a great extent. He remained busy with cases still but being the diligent father, he never left his boy. He remained behind him, nurturing him the way he wanted his father to shelter and nurture him.
Masi too remained back with them. Now the most eldest member of their family and most of the time ryan's survivor from his mother's wrath. Roshni had left all her work for her son. For her there was nothing above her son and family.
So was their family, a member of four, soon to be five. Roshni was pregnant and the happiest man again was Arjun. He never cursed his luck and fate any more. Life had taken away his everything once but not he has more than anything he could desire. He was a son, a husband, a father and an ETF chief, whom the department respected like their own family member.
But among all this, there grave loss was still intact in their hearts. Arjun now owned the house he had shared with Sam earlier. He had settled with his family there. They felt Sameer was there with them, every instance of their life and for Arjun, this house had some bittersweet memories, which none could cherish other than them. Sameer was always there still. In their conversations, during their lessons, during their work, during every breath they took.
*************
Ryan settled on the kitchen counter while masi put the rice to boil. Ryan leaned forward to see inside the pot, when masi asked him,
'Ab pucho kya puch rahe the?'
'aj kya puja hai, dadi?'
'Aj Sameer baba ka shradd hai,' masi replied, with sadness all over her face, her eyes getting moist.
Ryan didn't understand anything. He had lots of questions more, but he had sharp eyes like his dad and didn't miss the moist in masi's eyes. He hopped down from the counter and held onto her dadi tight, masi holding him back fondly.
'dadi, ap ro maat, mein aur kuch nehi puchunga, promise,' ryan told her,
Masi held her grandson, tight and shed a few tears, while ryan wiped them from her cheeks. The usual happy and cheerful family was sad today.
Today was the day when 8 years back they lost their most close comandiere, their Sameer. Roshni was sad from the morning and kept a grumpy face, getting irritated and scolding ryan frequently.
Arjun had kept himself busy with the preparations of the shraad. He was avoiding facing anyone in the house, he would break lose at the other sad faces.
Even after 8 long years of their loss, they missed him, his friendship, his loyalty, his honesty, his natural aura, they missed their Sameer Rathore, their Sam.
************
Roshni was ready and Arjun called her to come to the temple, as everything was done and the rituals would start soon. Roshni took ryan and walked to the door, giving a look back at masi, who went inside wiping her tears with her palms.
They reached the temple where the shraad was to take place. Roshni sat a bit away from the alter with Ryan beside her while Arjun took over the rituals. Ryan looked on at everything that was happening against a picture of a smiling man. He leaned on his mother's lap, when he found her wiping her eyes and sniffing to stop the moist from flowing down.
Ryan was surprised at their sudden sadness. He looked at his father, who too had gone into complete silence from last night. He was silent during their dinner, even when he had broken the fifth glass from the rack. Roshni had erupted on Ryan but Arjun quietly went away, without sparing another glance at the broken pieces.
Now too, Arjun was completely engrossed in the whole ritual being performed in front of them. Ryan wanted to ask them, but kept his silent knowing the sadness they were harboring.
Finally everything was complete and done well, Arjun and roshni settled on the steps of the temple in complete silence. Their silence was assuring the other. Ryan came and sat down in front of Arjun and looked at him. It was the first time, arjun looked at him from the morning and ruffled his hair,
'kuch puchna hai?' he asked him,
Ryan nodded his head.
'to pucho' Arjun replied at his nod, pulling him between his knees,
'ye kaun hai Dad? Aur ye abhi kaha hai?' he asked,
Ryan had heard his parents take the name, but instantly a tensed silence followed, which had always surprised him. Though he had asked a number of times, none of his parents had given him a satisfactory answer.
Neither Arjun nor Roshni displayed their loss so easily. But neither Arjun nor Roshni wanted to hide their sadness today and arjun spoke up,
'ye mere aur tumhare mummy ke dost, ACP Sameer Dhamsingh Rathore..' arjun started,
and the story went on, with roshni joining him at times, to share her part of the life with Sameer. Ryan's questions didn't end and neither Arjun nor roshni's story about sam.
At the end of the day, Sam had become a part of Ryan's life now...
He too had started respecting and loving the known stranger, he had never met yet knew him more than his own self...
Bewajah har wajah to kya
Begunahii hai gunaah to kya
Beasar hai dua to kya
Ho gaye hum juda to kya
Raaz gehre hazaron bepanah
Lafz thahare hazaaron bejubaan
Fir bhi ban ke nishaan
Tere honthe ke kisi kone mein
Hansi ki tarah, main mehfuz hoon
Tere gesu ke ude pannon mein
Yaadon ki tarah
Mehfuz hoon
Teri aankhon mein
Mehfuz hoon
Teri yaadon mein
Mehfuz hoon
Teri baaton mein
Mehfuz hoon
Tere baalon mein
Faasle the hazaron darmiyaan
Waqt ki thi hazaron aandhiyan
Fir bhi ban ke nishaan
Tere honthon ke kisi kone mein
Hansi ke tarah, main mehfuz hoon
Tere kaandhe ke chipe til mein
Vaadon ki tarah, main mehfuz hoon...
THE END
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