SS: BALDEV'S REALIZATION(Updated, Chapter 2:Page 2)

CHAPTER 2

Morning in Lal Mahal, was usually spent in silence, with everybody busy doing their own chores, and hardly having a moment together. The family was dysfunctional since forever, and ever since Vatsalya left, even the little functionality that they shared earlier had perished. Most of the times, the members would have breakfast in their respective rooms, and even when the breakfast table came in handy, everybody would eat in complete quietness.

Baldev had expected to live the entire day in perfect monotone, enjoying the regular, mundane life any abandoned, usurped king may lead. Staying in his own room, away from the crowds, spending his alone time grieving, and perhaps cursing his own fate, in solitude and undisturbed. To add up to his miseries was this new-found nuisance he recently discovered, his so called daughter whom he could not at all stand.

"DO NOT MEET HER EYES, NOR BE ANYWHERE NEAR HER, DO NOT TALK TO HER, AND ALSO DO NOT THINK ABOUT HER., another clause was added to his to do list for today. But he could not just forget the night before. He saw her tears, he saw her crying and for the first time since her arrival he had found her genuine, and he did not why, but his heart hurt seeing her in such a miserable state. NO! He could not grow weak, or rather he should not grow weak! She was a mere impostor, a fake, who could never be what his son was.

Submerged in his own thoughts he did not realize there was someone at his door. Only after being called out thrice, did Baldev feel the presence and move out of his tranquil. Narottam, the bas***d son of his, it was. "Leave me alone right now! Humein kisi se baat nahi karni abhi, Baldev said in his regular commanding tone. "I only wanted to ask if you have seen Anami, by any chance. She has been missing since morning., the poor lad stuttered. "No, I have nothing to do with the girl, came the reply. Though the words came out with a straight face, Baldev had a storm raging inside. Missing?!'

Unlike everyday he decided to leave the room this time and go out, to look into the matter and check for himself what was wrong. He was not concerned, he told himself, intrigued maybe, yes, that was it.

The ruckus outside was clearly visible, Satrupa had the entire house go upside down. Every room, every corridor, every nook of the royal palace was being searched, but there was no Anami. Where could she be? This was one of those few times he had seen his otherwise calm and composed wife, with creases on her forehead. Was she truly worried for Anami, or was it just that she was afraid to lose the throne she was sitting on, Baldev wondered. Did she really care about Anami that much, or is this another of her many games she was playing?

"Ye sab kya ho raha hai Satrupa? Kya ab hum shanti se apni subah bhi nahi kaat sakte?, Baldev demanded.

"Anami kahin chali gayi hai. I found my keys in a completely different place this morning, from where I had kept it last night, and I found Anami's bracelet next to the keys., came the reply.

"I saw her last night. She was in Vatsalya's room.

Satrupa's eyes widened, and she swiftly ran up the stairs, to check the only room which was not yet checked.

Baldev stood there for a moment, perplexed by Satrupa's actions. It's true in their twenty years of marriage he could never understand Satrupa, but he was also not completely unaware of her antics. He could sense her concern.

Up the stairs he went, following the same path his wife had walked a few minutes before, and straightaway to Vatsalya's, only to find an agitated Satrupa, holding a piece of diary in her hands, her eyes rolling across a page, perhaps written by Anami, Baldev guessed. Off she went, completely furious, leaving Baldev by himself.

After her departure, Baldev decided to pick up the diary and know the reason for his wife's fury.

It was Vatsalya's diary where he used to write his mind out. Baldev caressed the diary as tears rolled down his cheeks. The same old diary his son had left, filled with nothing but love.

As he flipped over and reached the last page, he realized that the last page was not written on by his son, rather it was Anami. He read the contents, and the further he proceeded, the more he regretted. He regretted for not believing his wife, for not having faith in his mother's faith, and for treating Anami the way she was treated, for calling her illegitimate, and mostly for losing his final hope, his own daughter, over his own misdeeds and mistreatment.

He stood there in silence, as he read the final stanza.

'Logon ki pane khone ki tamanna ne humse hamara sab cheen liya hai. Jo bach gaya hai, usse bachaye rakhna bahut zaroori hai nahi to woh bhi iss lalchi duniya ki bhet chadh jayega. Vatsalya hum ja rahe hain, wahin jahan tum humse mile the, Ganga maiyya ki godh mein. Humein Banaras jana hi padhega nahin tho woh ghar bhi ujaad diya jayega. Humare aur tumhare mann ka rishta koi tod nahin payega'