Aastha got down at the Pune Station, hired an auto and reached her home. She was here... after ages! 15 long years... and everything around had changed. But their bungalow, her beloved home, was still the same... except for the thick layer of dust that covered it. The rusty gate creaked as Aastha pushed it open. The grass in the garden had grown tall matching her height. The huge Gulmohor and Mango trees had blossomed and were welcoming their little mistress back. Aastha entered through the gate with the nostalgia, her memories, her bonding with this home, her family... She felt great as she climbed up those four steps to reach the main door. She was back!
Aastha looked at the dusty nameplate. She blew on it and began coughing as she breathed in the dust. She looked around for something to clean the nameplate. Finally, she cleaned it using her dupatta. Her chest filled with pride as she read the letters on it that were visible now... "Mr. Avdhoot Kirloskar" and below was written "Mrs. Kalindi Kirloskar". Aastha cleaned the lock as well with her dupatta. She quickly took out the bunch of keys from her purse. She didn't remember which of those keys belonged to the main lock. She tried them one by one. Her eyes sparkled as she heard the "click" sound as the door was unlocked. Aastha walked in with her chappals on, as there was dust everywhere. She covered her face with the clean end of her dupatta as she looked around to see that it was just as she had left.
She saw the huge frame on the wall in front. It was one of her favourite photographs with her parents. It was very special as there was one more person in the photograph... her Ajju! Aastha called her grandmother as 'Ajju'. Aastha's eyes watered looking at the photo as she dusted it. It was the perfect picture of a happy family! Everything was so nice... until Ajju's sudden death.
Aastha could hardly remember anything. She was just 5 when her Ajju passed away. Things were not very same after that as she could vaguely recall. Aastha gently moved her fingers over those smiling faces in the photograph.
Looking at Ajju, Aastha spoke, "Everything changed after you went away... You shouldn't have left us, Ajju... Not so early..."
Aastha looked at her mother, her Aai, standing next to Ajju and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I wish you were with me now... I miss you so much Aai... See what has happened! Don't you see my condition, Aai? Why did you leave me? I miss you..." saying so Aastha broke down.
And then she saw Avdhoot standing between Kalindi and Ajju. She suddenly stopped crying. Because she had a task to do. She had to find Avdhoot. She knew he was in Pune. She had not met him since he had disappeared from Mumbai a few months ago. She had to find him soon.
Aastha looked at herself in the photograph standing in front of the other three. She was just 5 then and this was her last photograph with her Ajju. She looked keenly to realise something. Aastha was the one who had held all the three together for the photograph. She was the symbol of uniting them. She was the symbol of their strong support. She was the one they were looking forward to. She was the one to make things right. She remembered the day... the day that changed her life drastically...
*Flashback*
It was Aastha's first day at job after completing her graduation. She was very happy and excited to tell her parents about her office, her colleagues and all the other things. As Aastha left her office, she received a call from Avdhoot.
"Hello Baba, will reach in 40-45 minutes... I have just left office!" she said excitedly.
"Hello... Who is this?" she heard an unknown voice. Who was speaking from Avdhoot's phone? Aastha was confused.
"Hello.. Who are you? How do you have my Baba's phone?" asked Aastha.
"Madam, is this your father's phone?" the man asked from the other side.
"Yes... But who are you?" Aastha was scared now. "Where is Baba? What has happened?" she asked, worried.
"Madam, your father has met with an accident here... And here is a lady too with him..."
Aastha went numb. She couldn't believe what she had heard. Her heart was thumping. She immediately reached the address told by the man on phone. She was horrified by the sight in front of her. Their car was crashed badly by a truck, that's what everyone told her. And the truck driver drove away immediately. Avdhoot and Kalindi's bodies were removed from the car. Ambulance had already arrived. "This was no accident... Someone tried to kill them..." Aastha heard people saying. She was in shock. She couldn't speak anything. She couldn't even cry. She could see her parents lying there in a pool of blood. The doctor was checking their pulse.
Aastha ran madly to the doctor, "Tell me they are fine!! Please!! Say that they are fine!!" she yelled.
"I am sorry, Ma'am" said the doctor, "The lady is no more..."
Aastha couldn't believe her ears. "Nooo... This can't happen... You are joking, right? I know you are joking! Tell me this is not true!! Tell me!!!"
Just then Ajinkya reached there. He was shocked to see the scene in front. He went to Aastha and consoled her when he knew what had happened. Aastha seemed to be beyond control. She was crying madly.
"Control yourself Ma'am" said the doctor. "Your father is alive... We need to take him to the hospital immediately!"
Aastha stopped crying but her tears continued to flow. Now Avdhoot's life was her only hope. Ajinkya drove in his car to the hospital while Aastha went in the Ambulance sitting beside her dear father holding his hand. She constantly kept rubbing his hand. The doctor gave him some injection. His wounds were being looked after. He seemed to gain consciousness for a moment. Aastha's hopes gained life seeing him. He was trying to say something. Aastha tried to relax him... "Baba, relax... You will be fine! Just relax... I am here with you..." But Avdhoot kept murmering something... He tried to pull Aastha towards him. Aastha leaned forward so that she could hear what he was saying... "The frame... Uh... Aastha..." he was gasping as he spoke. "The frame... Pune... Uh... your... your favourite... Aastha..." and he became unconscious.
*****
Aastha and Ajinkya were waiting outside the operation theatre. Aditi came there and hurried towards Aastha. Aastha hugged her and began crying. The doctors came out after some time and declared that the operation was successful and Avdhoot was out of danger. It was such a relief for everyone. They decided to wait for another day before performing the last rites on Kalindi so that Avdhoot could see her for one last time when he became conscious. But everyone was shocked to know that Avdhoot had lost all his memory!
Aastha was shocked to the core. She felt as if the whole world had crashed on her. This was the 'black phase' is Aastha's life. She had lost her world. Aastha couldn't see Avdhoot's condition. It was Kalindi's funeral and Avdhoot had no idea that he had lost his wife. Aastha felt like giving up her life. Shlok and Aditi stood by her and helped her stand up. They made her strong.
Ajinkya came to Aastha's home to stay after this incident. Avdhoot and Aastha needed someone's support and Ajinkya was there for them.
Aastha gradually was getting back to normal. The shock was too hard to overcome, but she was trying. She resumed her job soon and life went on.
*****
It was a fine morning. Aastha left for office as usual saying 'bye' to her father and uncle. She began driving for office when she realised that she had forgotten her ID card at home. She came back to take it. She opened the door using the key and the sight in front shocked her to the core!
Avdhoot was sitting in a chair, frightened. He was shivering. There were some papers lying on the table. Ajinkya made Avdhoot hold the pen and told him to sign on the papers. Ajinkya was holding Avdhoot's face in his hand... "Sign on the papers I say!!!" he yelled. Avdhoot, having lost his memory, had no idea about anything at all. He didn't even know his signature. "Argh!!! Why didn't you die then itself!!" said Ajinkya in frustration, "Everything was perfectly planned!!! You ruined everything! Why didn't you die!!" He threw the pen on the wall in anger. "Everything is mine!! Do you understand!! All the homes, the lands... All the property in mine! Only I have the right over it and not you, you cheat!! How dare you take all this away from me!! Had you been dead, it would have been only Aastha in my way then! My crazy mother... gave everything to you... and not a single penny was given to me!!"
Aastha stood stunned in her place. Now she began recalling things. Ajinkya coming to their home in Pune after Ajju's death and quarrelling, her parents' accident, people around saying that it wasn't an accident but someone tried to kill them, Ajinkya coming to the spot even when Aastha had not informed him about the accident...
Everything revolving in Aastha's mind... How did he know where to come after the accident? That means Ajinkya Kaka did everything! He killed my Aai! Baba's condition is because of him! Just for the property? And why did he call Baba a cheat? Baba too has equal right over everything, she was his mother too afterall... And why did Ajju gave everything to Baba?
_____
Aastha wiped her tears. She had to be strong. She had to fight for justice...
She looked at the frame in front... Avdhoot was talking of the same frame before becoming unconscious in the ambulance... "This will always be my favourite photo, Baba" Aastha whispered, "And don't worry, I will always preserve and treasure it..."
*****
Anupamaa
Fan Fictions
