FF: Living Without You: 4: Part 59 (Last) Updated

Arnav had urgent work in the office, but he deputed Akash to see to it. He had to go to the orphanage with the others to check out Deenanath Gupta and Anand. How could he let Di work with them without knowing more about them?

Khushi, Munna, and Krishna remained at home, having to make bins and bins of jalebis and samosas to meet an order. They had to man the shop too. Babuji remained in his room. Mami & Mamaji went shopping.

Buaji, Amma, Anjali, & Arnav went to the orphanage and school. They were accommodated on a sprawling campus on the outskirts of Lucknow. Deenanath Gupta was waiting for them at the door. He greeted them cheerfully.

Anjali said, "Chachaji, I hope we are not being a nuisance."

Chachaji said laughing, "You are. You most definitely are. The punishment for you is that you have to spend the whole day with us. I will let you go only after dinner."

He took them in to see the school, a huge building with airy classrooms in which 10-15 students sat in comfort and learnt. The school was meant for the children in the orphanage, and provided education free of cost. The orphanage was huge, with a main building and 2 separate buildings to accommodate girls & boys. The dormitories for small children and rooms for the big ones and teachers were all spotlessly clean and spacious. The kitchen, the dining hall for about 500 children, the prayer room, yoga hall... It was a self-sufficient world. They were also introduced to two couples who worked as wardens.

"Anand Bitwaa?" Buaji asked the question that Arnav wanted to ask.

"We have an organic farm behind the school. He is there with some of the kids, working in the soil. He will be in for lunch.", replied Chachaji.

Lunch time came soon. A huge gong sounded and a large number of children poured in to the dining hall like bees going to their hive. Laughter and chatter filled the air. Arnav looked around. The boys and girls of varying ages looked healthy, well-dressed, and cheerful. Chachaji invited them in to the hall. They sat among the children, and were served healthy, nutritious food. The children were very happy as they didn't have to return to school. It was a half-day for them.

Arnav, Anjali, Buaji, Amma, and Chachaji were surrounded by children. One chair at their long table was left unoccupied.

Seeing Arnav glance at it, 4-year old Gayathri sitting close to him lisped, "Ith is for Anand Bhaiyya!"

"Oh!"

"He will come now.", she said, sure of her Bhaiyya's habits.

True to her word, Anand slipped into his chair, murmuring a greeting to his father and the guests.

A smiling man came to serve Anand.

"Thea for Anand Bhaiyya, Gopi Kakka!", reminded Gayathri.

"Without sugar.", added Nikhil sitting across her.

"I know, I know.", smiled Gopi Kakka. "How can I forget when you remind me 4 times daily?"

All of them laughed. The children giggled. Arnav & Anand cracked a slight smile each.

Anjali asked, "Are you diabetic?"

Anand looked surprised to be thus addressed.

"Err, no. I don't like sweet things.", he said softly.

"Chotey is diabetic.", Anjali confided, looking at Arnav.

"Oh!", said Anand.

Saurav spilt some water on his shirt. Without missing a beat, Anand took a napkin and gently wiped his face and shirt.

After lunch, the family accompanied Anand to the garden/ farm. Arnav stood wonderstruck at the variety of plants and trees around him. He asked intelligent questions of Anand, who, glad to find a fellow gardening enthusiast, took him around and showed him the plants, tools, and organic fertilisers, both men silent and happy. Arnav realised to his shock that he was having fun. The children were a jolly lot, looking after the adults in their midst with a sense of responsibility. They held Anjali's arm, helping her to walk over uneven ground, and brought tall glasses of water for them to drink as they meandered through the vast farm with cows, dogs, cats, a couple of horses, donkeys, chicken etc

On their return to the orphanage, Anand took Arnav to his room. It was spartan to say the least. A single bed, extra long to accommodate Anand's long legs. An antique table and swivel chair. A laptop. A CD rack. A washroom. Most of the room was taken up by big racks of books. Arnav looked at the titles. Architecture. Design. Horticulture. Cooking. Education. Vocational training. Child Psychology. Bringing up Babies. Yoga. Music. Exercise for Children. All the books belonged to these categories. Anand lent Arnav 2 books on a certain plant he was very interested in.

Soon it was time for the children to freshen up and go to the prayer hall. The adults joined them for prayer, and Chachaji introduced them to the teachers.

Dinner was a noisy and delicious one. Arnav looked at the kids with grudging respect. Their energy after a full day's work astounded him. And their good manners. And the way in which they took care of each other. And the way in which they included adults in their conversation. And the way in which they accepted that Arnav & Anand did not care to talk much. The children let the adults be themselves in their company. Arnav felt a rising sense of respect for Chachaji and Anand.

Anand's phone rang during dinner. The entire table fell silent, the silence spreading rapidly to the other tables. Arnav realised that it must be some kind of an emergency. All of them listened to Anand murmuring 'yes' and 'theek he' and 'OK'. He switched off the phone, and turned to look at the children in the hall, his eyes liquid with an emotion that Arnav could only call kinship.

"Doctor Aunty is bringing a baby boy for us.", he said simply. Smiles grew on the faces, till the whole hall was smiling.

The children, Anand, Chachaji, Buaji, Amma, Arnav, and Anjali were waiting at the door when a car came to a stop, and an elderly lady got out with a cloth-wrapped bundle in her arms. She came in, and said, looking at Chachaji and Anand, "A young girl delivered in the hospital. She...she left the baby wrapped in a newspaper in... in the dustbin. It cried. And...and the watchman heard..."

Anjali gasped. Buaji said, "Hai Re Nandkisore!". Amma stood with her mouth open. Arnav clenched his jaw. Chachaji sighed. Anand alone nodded, calm.

She held out the baby.

Anand extended his arms, and gathered the baby close to him.

"Don't worry. He is ours now."

The children and the others watched as Anand bottle fed the baby expertly and burped him.

"Whose turn is it to name him?", he asked softly.

"Mine, mine", said Gayathri, jumping up and down.

"What shall we call him?"

She came close to the baby and looked down at his sweet sleeping visage and tufts of soft, brown hair.

She said decisively, "Chotey!"

Anand and all the others smiled. Most of them had tears in their eyes. Anjali held on to Arnav's arm tightly.

Gayathri whispered in the baby's ear, "You are our Chotey now. Grow up fasth. You are on my cricketh theam, noth Nikhil's."

Part 42:

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/fan-fictions/3024313/ff-living-without-you-4-part-59-last-updated?pn=13

Edited by smitar - 13 years ago

339

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Varsha

@Psychedelic

Dazzler

+ 5

Posted: 13 years ago

Eeeps! New thread! Congo Shongo Smita! :D

Res!! :D

Oh my! That was such a heart touching moment! I loved how Anand and Arnav bonded silently. :) The orphanage and the kids were beautiful! Gayathri sounds adorable! :D Even without Arhi that was a very nice update! ;)

Edited by Psychedelic - 13 years ago

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sheanuzz

@sheanuzz

Voyager

+ 3

Posted: 13 years ago

smitha!!!!! I left the forum 3 days ago because of all the negativity and was pulled back again by the fantastic creative guys sending me PMs of their work!! I promise I will not leave again!!

Am I glad that I have come back! What a beautiful 41 Chapter!! Girl!! Here is my standing ovation for you!! I wish the CVs took some of your ideas!! Thanks so much for sharing your work!!😃