Prologue
Shlok came home late from college as he was practising for football with his friends. He was sure that his team was going to win the inter-college championship this year. He wanted to share the news with mom but could not find her or anyone else at home. He became worried. He was about to call mom on her mobile, when he saw Varad coming through the hallway. He seemed very sad and lost in thoughts.
He called out to him, ''Bro''
Varad seemed to come out of a daze and replied.''shlok, where were you, i tried to call you on mobile for so long but you did not pick your mobile. Why do you even keep it when you are never picking it up when needed.''
Shlok felt a surge of anger but controlled it, varad was a very caring brother and he never got angry. Something big must have happened, feeling a wave of panic, he blurted out,''everyone's okay? baba, ayi, Jyoti, Vani uncle''
Varad took a deep breath like he was trying to calm his self and replied,'' no, everyone's is okay, i mean no physical harm or anything. Shlok, yash uncle and liz auntie died in car crash today. baba was...'' he trailed off unable to say anything. His father was a good natured and calm man,there was always a smile on his lips and he spoke so quietly and gently. He had never in his life seen him shout but today on the death of his best friend, NA had wailed like a child. He had been inconsolable , vanayak and Varad had to take care of him and varad could still hear the echo of his fathers shouts and wails.
Shlok ,who was initially rendered speechless at the news, finally asked him,'' and baba?''
varad,''he is still at the hospital. Doctors gave him tranquillizers. Ayi went to their home to get aastha, she was at home with the nany. vani uncle is trying to contact yash uncle's family but.''
Both brothers looked at each other, they knew that Yash had married against his family's permission to Elizabeth , a foreign student in his college. and his family hadn't forgiven him, and despite yash's countless effort refused to meet him or even see the baby girl yash was blessed with after 16 years of marriage.
Shlok asked varad,''what about liz auntie's family?''
varad,'' Her parents died when she was young. She was raised in different foster homes. I think she has a sister but she was raised in a separate foster homeand they are not close. We don't have any contact number of her. ''
Shlok felt sad. Although, he was not close to yash uncle who mostly stayed abroad and he got to meet him only a few times but he knew yash was very close to his dad. Yash had shifted to India few year ago but had to go to elizabeth's home country when she became pregnant but he had come back to India last month with his family.
Varad told Shlok,'' go take a shower and change to suitable clothes, ayi will be here soon, she will tell us what to do. Also, i need to go back to hospital soon to be with dad. Vani chachu will take care of everything else. ''
Shlok nodded and silently went to his room.
...Evening...
Shlok was sitting on floor with other men, some were yash's neighbour's and other were his colleguese. Everyone was waiting for the bodies which were at hospital but now were brought here at Anjaliniwas.
One of the servants came to him and told him jyoti was calling him in her room. He nodded and went upstairs to her room. He opened the door to a baby's wails and there jyoti was standing with a small bundle in her arms.
jyoti looked relieved at seeing shlok and told him,''Bhai,see the baby keeps on crying, i think she has a fever or something. Mum is sitting with other ladies and i don't want to disturb her but i am worried.''
Jyoti was the surprise kid in the family, she had been born unexpectedly and was 5 years younger than him, and was pampered a lot. She was at that stage of age where she panicked at small things. So, he tried to muster as much confidence as he could in his voice and replied,''babies cry, thats what they do kido, did you give her food ? or checked her nappy?''.
jytoi was noded her head even before he finished speaking. ''I gave her a milk bottle which mom gave me and then after that rani changed her nappy too. I need to go to wash room, please, bhai can you hold for a little time,she cries more loudly even if i sit down, Rani is needed downstairs or i would have called her and geeta is at leave and mum asked me to not give baby to anyone other than us.''
Shlok was unsure what to do, jyoti looked so miserable, but what did he know about babies? Still Jyoti was looking so hopefully at him, he let out a sigh and took the baby from her jyoti's arm. Jyoti instructed him how to hold the baby and rushed into wash room. He looked down at the baby for the first time, and the first thought which came to his mind was . She was so small. Her big brown eyes had tears in them and she was all red from crying.
It started feeling like he was holding some delicate china vase , so he went to sit down on bed as he was afraid he might drop the baby and hurt her. But the moment he sat down,she started wailing loudly.
He got up again, put the baby slightly against his shoulder and started to walk around the room, he lightly rubbed the baby on back (which was so soft that he was afraid that he might bruise her) and tried to make the sushing sounds, he had seen some women making at children. After some time, the baby's wails lowered and finally she stopped crying.
Shlok moved the baby so he could see her face, she was busy looking at her own fingers and then putting them in her mouth and sucking. Then, she moved them out and they were dripping with saliva, shlok loudly said,''yuck''. the baby was startled and looked at him for the first time. He stared back and said,''that is so gross, you know.'' The baby kept looking at him.
Shlok looked around and saw the tissue box on bed side table, holding the baby securely he took out few tissues and then removed the saliva from baby's fingers. He was amazed, the fingers were so small. The baby's entire hand was equal to his one small finger. he smiled satisfied at her clean hand. He turned to throw the tissue paper and the baby put her fingers in her mouth again. They continued the silent war for couple of minutes, he kept cleaning the fingers and she kept putting them in her mouth, Finally shlok had to admit defeat and he said,''okay tiny, you win.'' The baby actually smiled at hearing this. Could she understand what he was saying, how old was she?. The baby took a big yawn and pressed against him and closed her eyes.
The wash room door opened and jyoti came out and took in the whole scene,''bhai you are really gifted with children, see how cutely she is sleeping. okay, give her to me, i will put her on bed and then we can put pillows on side so that she won't fall down''.
Shlok asked jyoti while still looking at the baby, he felt a soothing feeling in his heart melting away the sadness he had been feeling since he heard about yash, ''how old is she? can she turn?''
Jyoti came toward where he was standing and held out her arms for the baby,''no idea, but i think its safer to put the pillows anyway.'' Shlok gave the sleeping baby to jyoti and watched her put the baby on bed. He thought about her parents who were dead and felt bad for the baby. It was so sad that she won't have any parents, he thought sadly.May be they can keep her here, ayi will take care of her.
Jyoti sat down beside the baby and shlok quietly closed the door and went downstairs.
...
Shlok and Varad were standing together watching NA setting the pyre on fire. There were no tears, no wails from him anymore but anyone could see the cloak of sadness wrapped around him. Everyone started to leave one by one and soon it was only Agnihothri's left standing there. Vanayak went to NA and said,'' lets go home bro''.
NA did not answer and simply kept looking at the ashes which were the only remainder left of his friend. Vanayak quietly took the jar of ashes given by the pandit and looked at his silent brother who was still staring at the burnt pyre.
Vanayak again tried,'' bro, everyone is worried about you. You need to get yourself together, think about your children, they have never seen you like this. They are worried for you and vahini, you know how much she loves you,you need to be strong for her and also think about aastha.''
At the last words, NA suddenly jerked his eyes away from the pyre and looked at Vanayak.
''Aastha'' he muttered to himself, yes, these ashes were not the only remainder. Aastha, yash's daughter lived. A single tear escaped his iron control. He looked at the pyre and promised his friend, ''don't worry Yash, i will take care of the little one, I will love her like she is my own daughter, i won't let a single tear come in her eye.''
...