Forgotten Love (fiction) chapter 2 (pg 3)

"Aarti...Aarti...wake up! What's wrong with you? Are you alright? You're dreaming again aren't you? Wake up Aarti..hey...wake up girl, you're scaring me now, ok!" Natasha spoke in a panicked tone while her hands were shaking Aarti's shoulders softly yet firmly.

"Ah...ohh..umm...wh..what is it? What happened? Why are you waking me up at this hour of the night...isn't it middle of the night? Don't you think that you're distrupting our "unseen" relatives peacefulness with that voice of yours? It's not nice to invade "their" privacy you know", Aarti said looking all innocent at Natasha, as if it was she who screamed in sleep earlier.

"Yeah, right madam, now I am to be blamed?" Natasha said rolling her eyes. "Girl, you just screamed your lungs out in your dream and in the process you woke me up...no, scare me from my beautiful sleep. Despite all that, I still get the blame for disrupting "our relatives", who's probably roaming around us in anger right now", Natasha said in her most faked irritated voice while looking to her left and right.

"I wasn't screaming! I don't scream in dreams...never, no matter how scary the dream gets, ok?". Aarti said rolling her eyes.

"Yeah right, carry on as usual..you've never admitted to your scary dreams. You know what, the next time you scream, am not going to wake you up, instead am going to place a recorder next to you and record your screams. Got that?" Natasha said pointing her index fingers accusingly at Aarti and walked back to her bed.

Aarti's sad eyes followed Natasha and heaved a soft sigh knowing that Natasha had been right all this while about Aarti's screams. Aarti in deep thought was wondering as to why she'd been having this nightmare frequently. She knew that she'd been thinking and missing her late mother very much of late, but she just couldn't put a finger as to why she's having those weird dreams almost daily now. Aarti heaved a deep sigh and laid her head on her soft pillow reminiscing her past

12 years ago

Aarti can never forget that fateful night in her life. It is still fresh in her memory, as if it happened only yesterday. That horrific incident on that fateful day had ripped off her childhood, her dreams and everything that she thought she had in her life...everything was gone in a split second.

The next thing she knew, she was standing in a hallway of an orphanage accompanied by a police uncle, who had been so nice to her from the time he took her into his arms on that day of the incident. He was talking to an elderly lady who'd draped herself in a long black robe and had her head covered with a scarf. She had the sweetest smile on her lips and her eyes twinkled whenever she spoke to the police uncle. She was continuously looking and smiling at Aarti too.

"Good morning Mother, this is Aarti. She'd recently lost her parents, who was her only living relatives in a most devastating way, that no child should ever encounter in their life", police uncle said in a hushed and sad tone while looking at Aarti pitifully.

"Umm...Mother, may I have a word with you in private please?" police uncle asked the long robed lady.

"Sure! This way please, Inspector" the lady gestured with her right hand towards a small cabin. "Oh, wait a minute, Shoba! Would you please take little Aarti to the play room, and before that please get her something to eat", the long robed lady told the other lady who passed by the walkway while holding onto Aarti's shoulder lovingly.

"Sure, Dolly ma" smiled the lady and extended her hand to Aarti smilingly with twinkle in her eyes.

"Come on little one, lets get your rumbling stomach filled first, then we shall head to the play room, okay? Shoba aunty said taking Aarti's extended hand into hers and they walked hand in hand towards a large room at the end of the walkway.

"Please have a seat, Inspector" Dolly pointed to an empty seat across her table in the small cabin.

"Please Mother, call me Satyendra and thanks for accepting Aarti into your orphanage" Inspector Satyendra said with gratitude dripping from his eyes.

"Oh no..not at all, please don't mention it and may I request you not to address this place as "orphanage". We call this place a shelter home...it is after all GOD's home for his favourite children. We teach the kids here to address one another as sisters, in fact the staffs too address one another as "sister" or "ma" among themselves. In order to strengthen the relationship between the staffs and the kids, we insist on the kids to call the staff members as either "mumma" or "bade mumma"...depending on the staff's age" finished Dolly ma with a smile and pride in her eyes.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Mother...I'll definitely keep that in my mind. Waise Mother, regarding Aarti...umm..am sure you would've heard about the Sharma's case recently, which has been getting wide publicity in all major newspapers and local news channels" said Inspector Satyendra in a quizzical tone looking at Dolly ma.

"Hmm...Sharma's case...ohh, yes, yes...I do...I do remember!. That was the most horrific incident I've ever come across in my life. Whatever in GOD's name was that man thinking when he committed that heinous crime, and that too in the presence of his only child? Jesus! What is happening to this world Mr.Satyendra? I just can't understand humans anymore; they're worst off than animals" Dolly ma sighed.

"Well, Mother...umm...unfortunately, that child is Aarti" Inspector Satyendra said looking at horrified Dolly ma.

"Sweet Jesus of mine!" exclaimed Dolly ma placing both her hand on her chest while her eyes looked like it's going to pop out of its socket.

"Oh Lord, bless us" said Dolly ma closing her eyes and crossing in the air. "What and how did that happen, Mr.Satyendra? Did Aarti actually witnessed the whole incident?" queried Dolly ma in a shocking tone.

"Yes, Aarti saw the incident but luckily not all of it. She saw her mother sprawled in a pool of blood while her father was lying next to her mother holding the blood stained dagger. The poor girl was trying in vain to wake both her dead parents when the paramedics and police arrived at the crime scene. Both Mr & Mrs Sharma's throat were slit and their bodies were in a hugging position when we found them" said Inspector Satyendra with a heavy sigh.

"Jesus! What a horrible way to look at your parents, and to think that an eight year old had to go through this ordeal, Jesus Christ!...I just can't digest it" said Dolly ma sadly.

"We don't know for sure what had triggered Mr.Sharma to commit such a cruel and gruesome murder, and that too on his wife. Everyone knows how loving both of them are, they've always been the most perfect and loving couple. They're regarded highly among our local society. Why, they're social bees!. Mr & Mrs Sharma are just perfect for one another, they are what we call "Match made in heaven"! That is why this case is so complicated to solve. No one were able to tell whether there was any huge arguments between them lately or whether either one of them were involved in an extra marital affair for us to put two and two together. There's simply nothing bad about them at all! Even their house maids doesn't seem to be aware of any triggering "red flag" in their relationship. All of them described Mr & Mrs Sharma as a very loving couple. According to one of the elderly house maid, on the day of that horrific incident, Mrs. Sharma was looking very sad and Mr.Sharma has asked all the house maids to leave early as he wanted to spend a quiet anniversary dinner at home with his family. That was the only clue we had. Mr & Mrs Sharma doesn't have any relatives for us to investigate further, they're actually...umm...orphans too. Both met in an orphanage home and had been together since," finished Inspector Satyendra with a long sigh.

Dolly ma nodded softly with tears brimming in her eyes. She knew Mr Sharma quite well. He has always had soft spots on any shelter homes. His donations to these homes are always in heaps, such a kind hearted person he was. From what Dolly ma had heard about him thus far is that, he'd never turned down anyone seeking help from him. Such a kindred spirit he is, but why this animal instinct? She just couldn't place her thought on his bizarre behaviour towards his wife.

"How was Aarti when you found her?" asked Dolly ma. "She was in tears crying out to her mother while shaking both her parents' lifeless body. When I carried her away from that place, she just hugged me tightly and asked whether her parents are really dead. I just didn't know what to answer, but I had to tell her the truth. Surprisingly, she took the news well, though her tears cease to stop flowing on her cute face. I guess the truth finally sunk in her slowly yet firmly" finished Inspector Satyendra shaking his head slightly with a sad tone.

"Don't worry Mr.Satyendra, we'll take very good care of her here. Though I can't promise that she will no longer miss her parents, but I can rest assure you that she'll be kept occupied at all times so that those bad memories doesn't haunt her. Her welfare will be taken care off until she's ready to face the world as a brave young woman" Dolly ma finished off with pride in her eyes.

"Ohh, you don't have to worry about the funds, Mother. Her parents had willed all their wealth to her and it is being taken care of by Mr.Sharma's trusted family lawyer, Mr.Schindia. He'd ensure that Aarti's welfare and education expenses will be well taken care until she reaches the age of 21. Thereafter, the entire wealth of Aarti's parents will be transferred onto her name. Anyway, you've heard of Mr.Schindia right?" Inspector Satyendra asked Dolly ma.

"Yes, I have...who hasn't anyway? He's such a high profile lawyer and a prominent member of the local elite society, but a very humble and down to earth human in person. I know his entire family. His wife Gayathri use to organizes charity events and all their three sons are well mannered kids, and a smart ones too!" ended Dolly ma smiling at Inspector Satyendra.

"Yes, mother. He's a very trustworthy person and a man of principle. That is why Mr.Sharma had placed the entire trust of his wealth distribution to him. Furthermore, both Mr.Sharma and Mr.Schindia are best of friends. They're always seen together in all social as well as private functions. Mr.Schindia was extremely shaken up when he heard Mr. & Mrs Sharma's horrific death" Inspector Satyendra told Dolly ma.

"Oh! Is that so, then why didn't he take Aarti under his wings..I mean, at least Aarti could've stayed with people she's familiar with and most importantly with a proper family" queried Dolly ma with narrow eyes.

"Well...he was my first option when our department were deciding on Aarti's future and welfare. I did ask him, but he refused out rightly saying he can't bear seeing Aarti day in day out in his house as according to him, she reminds him so much of Aarti's mother. He said he can't bear the heartache even though he knew Aarti has no one else in this world. Mr.Schindia further claimed that he'll ensure her welfare, education and safety to be of his utmost priority" Inspector Satyendra said to Dolly ma who was in deep thought.

"Mr.Schindia was the one, who suggested this shelter home to me and had specifically asked me to speak with you. He said he knew the condition of this shelter home as well as its staff members. He said Aarti will never have any problems here as he'll come to know immediately whenever anything goes wrong with Aarti. He even asked me to give his name as emergency contact for Aarti." Inspector Schindia said handing over a brown envelope containing some details of Mr & Mrs. Schindia.

"Sure, thanks Mr.Satyendra. We will keep Mr.Schindia informed. Anyways, thanks for bringing that little one here. She's such a pure and innocent soul. I can see that in her eyes. She's beautiful too, just like her mother." Dolly ma said with curved lips.

"Okay Mother...I guess it's time for me to take leave now. Please excuse me and please do not hesitate to call me if ever you need any assistance in future" said Inspector Satyendra handing his name card to Dolly ma.

"Sure Inspector Satyendra. Thank you" said Dolly ma looking at the name card. "Bye, Mother" "GOD bless you my child" said both Inspector Satyendra and Dolly ma to each other and bid farewell.

Chapter 2
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