"Why are you asking all this?"
"I don't know"
She took a deep breath, then let it out, "Look, I didn't give birth to her, but that doesn't mean anything. She is very much my real daughter; and I am her mother. There is nothing more to it"
"There must be. Who are her real parents?"
She gave me another cold look, "Me. And me."
I sighed. I kept on saying the wrong thing, "Okay, then who are her birth parents?"
"I don't know them, but they weren't capable of taking care of her"
"Tell me.." I urged. I wanted to know her story; Anu's story.
"You know my brother, Baji?"
"You have a brother?" I frowned. She nodded, and lowered her head.
"Yes..I have a brother. His name is Baji. He is a doctor and a social worker, and he has been living in India for 2 years, helping people in need." She smiled, "The first year, when he went to India, I went with him. After all, I needed to see where my brother would live for two years, without me. I ran a small womens' school, for the week that I was there. Ladies in their 30s and above came, I taught them how to count, and some other basic things; everything I could possibly teach in 14 days.
The last day, a girl came. She wasn't too old, just 17 or 18, but she was wearing a mangalsutra, and had sindoor in her maan, which meant that she was married. She was pregnant, it was obvious." A tear trailed down Naku's cheek, "She was so young, I imagined my friend's younger sister, about the same age as her, getting scolded by her mother for being out, partying till midnight. That girl, she had a bruise under her eye, and when I asked her how she got it, she said that she had fallen down. Dutta, did you know, the poor thing was shivering when she said that, her whole body was shaking like a mini earthquake was going on under her feet, and it was one of my hottest days in India." The single tear turned into a sob, "Before I left, I took a stroll in the village. There was a small cottage in the outskirts. I could hear her scream, I knew it was the same girl. A little girl- oh Dutta, she was so beautiful, I fell in love with that toddler- poked her head out from the window, she had a small scratch on her forehead, and it was bleeding. She was wearing a torn floral-printed dress, and she was holding tightly to a teddy bear with one eye. She was crying so badly, wailing for her mother. I ran, I took her out, and called the police. Baji helped me, he organised everything. We couldn't save her mother; I couldn't save her mother. But I had to save Anu, I had to. I owed her that much" Naku took the tissue that I passed to her and covered her face with it, sobbing silently. "Dutta, I am hopeless. I haven't fulfilled any one of my promises; not the one to papa and mama, not the one to Tina, not the one to my Bhai, nor the one to Anu's mother. And I am sitting here crying about it. Hopeless."
"Shhh" I hesistantly put my hand on her shoulder, "Everything will be fine"
"Everyone says that"
"But this time, I said it. And I am an awesome face-reader. It is written, in big bold letters, on your forehead, that I am Nakusha, a lioness, and an Angel. Lionesses don't give up."
"I ain't a lioness; I am just a good actress." She chuckled half-heartedly, "And angels are meant to be perfect"
"No one is perfect, not even angels."
"Whatever, dude. I am not going to psycho-talk with you. I should take Anu home, she's tired" She wiped her face, and got up, "Thank you for your time, Dutta"
"You're welcome. Bye, Naku"
"I will come tomorrow?"
"Yeah, okay" I don't know how our conversation turned into this, but with Naku, I guess anything was possible.
(Naku)
I told him everything about Anu's mother, and started crying in front of him. That's nice, isn't it? Making myself a fool in front of him. I tried to get control over myself,I eventually did. I guess he was right, if I truly wanted something, I could get it. Maybe if I tried really hard, I would be able to make up for the year that I missed with Anu.
-
Tina was sprawled on the sofa, watching TV.
I tucked Anu in, and came back downstairs. Plopping down next to her, I tapped her shoulder "Oye, Tweety, pass the popcorn"
She looked at me with a bemused smile on her face, "Sure. What's up?"
I scowled, "You don't get to ask questions, missy. It's my turn." I pointed my index finger at her nose, "You got that?"
She nodded meekly, "Sure, Ma'am"
"Come on Tina. You can't avoid this for any longer. You have to tell me everything."
"Hmm. So where do I start?"
"Where was Anu this whole year?"
"At a convent"
"Which one?"
"The one in Switzerland, near Uncle Monte's house. The one I went to"
Tina had lived in a convent for eight years of her life, when her father engrossed himself in work to overcome his distress about his wife's death. Before she had turned five, she had lived with her Uncle Monte, and his wife Ursula, but then Ursula became paraplegic, and to relieve his brother-in-law's family of the burden of taking care of Tina, Mr Mehra put Tina in a convent.
"Okay. How was that place?"
"Not bad. But it was extremely strict, about everything. From how to dress, to what to eat, to how to talk." Tina gagged, "But it was beautiful. Near nature. All kinds of birds, and the little garden, where I played, had heaps of flowers, which attracted the most gorgeous of butterflies"
"That's very nice, but was the place hygienic? Did you get decent food?"
"Naku, don't you trust me? Of course I would send Anu to a place where she stays safe, and is taken care of properly. I didn't send her to live in a slum!"
"I know, I know. I was just worried" I sighed. Tears were on the verge of coming out, I knew it. I tried to hold them in; if Tina saw, then she would think I was too weak to handle whatever she was going to tell me, and I didn't want that.
"So, she lived there, it was all good. That's fine, Naku? Or should I provide a more detailed description? Would you like to give me a word limit?" Her voice was wrapped with sarcasm.
"No, no! Um..so how come she remembers me? I mean, I am not dumb, she was little back when she was with me, so after a whole year apart, how can she just kiss me and say 'Mumma'?"
"Because, I am just that good at convincing people to do things, especially little kids"
I raised an eyebrow.
"What I mean is, that I made sure that Nonna made sure that Anu had a TV in her room. And the only things she could watch on that TV was videos of you and her" Tina grinned, "I am so smart, na?"
"Yeah, very smart. But is that it?"
"Hmm" Tina tapped her chin with her finger, "That is it. Unless you want to here more from me"
"Yes, I.."
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