Okay, so here is an another OS... Do read and let me know if it is an okay-ish one or a complete disaster...
Joote-chappal phenkne ka man kare to yaad rakhna... UK size 7.
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A Treasure Trove of Memories
Nishant opened the door of the store room and tiptoed ahead, trying to avoid hitting any of the things kept there. His eyes were searching for that box where he had kept all the belongings of his wife and his daughter.
His mind went back to the conversation with Ansh a few minutes ago... He had invited him and Saavi for Pia's birthday party. It was Pia's first birthday after their marriage and they all wanted him and Saavi to be there as it would make the day even more special for her.
He smiled and tears came to his eyes remembering Pia's last birthday which they all celebrated together.
He found that box stashed away in a corner, pulled it out and opened it. Inside it were the different gifts and toys belonging to Pia, some old photographs of the entire family together and a few other items.
Even if he had asked Divya to leave him and Saavi forever, he was never able to forget them. He could not bring himself to throw those things away.
Whe he came to know about their death, he locked away all their belongings, photographs etc as they continuously reminded him of his loss...of the guilt that he wasn't able to save their lives.
Every year, on Pia's and Divya's birthdays he used to open that box and take out all those things... This was the only way he could remember them and also remind himself that he was unable to save them.
Today again he opened that box because he was missing Divya and the time they spent together. He was missing Pia's childhood... He was missing the past... Ah!! The past...
He rummaged through the contents of the box and took out a beautiful Barbie doll. He had gifted that doll to Pia a few months before her fifth birthday... Pia had fallen down and had fractured her foot and he wanted to cheer her up. So, he had gifted her that doll...
His mind was automatically transported back to that day...
[Flashback:]
Pia was sitting on a sofa in her room, drawing something... Nishant walked upto her with his hands behind his back... He asked her,"Kya kar rahi hai meri gudiya?"
"Drawing... Ye dekhiye baba... Maine banaya hai..."
Nishant took the sheet of paper in his hands. "Arre waah... Ye to bahut hi sundar banaya hai... Aur isi baat par aapke liye ye gift..."
He brought the wrapped box forward...
Pia was really excited to see that. She hurriedly opened the box to see the contents inside it. It contained a Barbie doll...
Pia's face was beaming with joy. She looked at Nishant flashing the brightest smile. "Wow baba... Ye to meri favourite doll hai..."
"To meri Gudiya ko gift pasand aaya?"
"Haan... Bahut sundar hai."
Nishant picked her up in his arms and made her sit on his lap... "Ye gudiya bhale hi bahut sundar ho par meri Gudiya se zyada sundar nahi hai."
Saying this, he kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly...
[Present time:]
Tears came in his eyes as he remembered those days...
He then opened the photograph album which contained their old photographs, photographs from Pia's birthdays, festival celebrations and other occasions...
He flipped through the pages of that album, recollecting all those past memories... Tears were continuously flowing through his eyes.
He stopped at a group photograph of the entire family... It was of Pia's fifth birthday, the last birthday they celebrated together.
Pia was in his arms as usual and Saavi in Divya's. Pia's cheek was smeared in chocolate... The inscription on the cake read: 'Happ Birthd To Pia' courtsey Saavi.
He was again transported back to that day...
[Flashback:]
It was Pia's fifth birthday. Nishant had brought her favourite chocolate cake for her. They stood in front of the cake and Pia was ready to blow the candles.
"Gudiya, taiyar ho cake cut karne ke liye?" Nishant asked. "Haan Baba." Her face was beaming with happiness and excitement.
"Saavi, kya hua hai aapko?" Divya was trying to pacify Saavi who was crying and creating a fuss as she wanted to be in her sister's arms.
Pia took her in her arms and bent down to blow the candles when Saavi dipped her fingers in the cake, smearing the inscription.
She then pulled Pia's cheek with the same chocolate smeared hands causing the chocolate to be smeared on her cheek and kissed her on the other cheek.
They all burst out laughing seeing her antics. Finally, Pia blew the candles, cut the cake and they all fed each other.
"Chalo, chalo... Ab hum sabka ek group photograph hoga." Divya called out to them while setting the camera in auto mode. They all grouped together. Divya picked up Saavi in her arms and Nishant picked up Pia in his.
He never knew that it was their last group photograph that they were clicking.
[Present Time:]
He wiped his tears and smiled remembering those moments that they spent together. He was about to close the album when he came across one more photograph... Both he and Pia were sitting on the couch and were holding papers in their hands.
He remembered that day... Both he and Pia were drawing smileys on a page. Pia had held her smiley upside down... And since that day, it had become a code between them. Only they were aware of this upside down smiley face. He rummaged through the contents and found a crumpled sheet of paper. It was that same paper which Pia was holding in her hands and on which she had drawn that smiley. He had picked it up when Pia had crumpled it to throw it away. He had kept that sheet with him till now.
He remembered how he had left this sign on that tree along with that Panch Nakh Baan as he was aware that she would immediately recognise that he had left it.
He again started going through the photographs and stopped at another one. It was of Pia and Divya. He had clicked this picture just a couple of days before he and Divya separated and she had left his...no their house along with Pia.
Tears again came in his eyes as he remembered that look in his daughter's eyes as she turned back to look at him for one last time when they were leaving.
"Kaash... Kaash us din maine tum dono ko rok liya hota to itne saal tum dono ko apne parivaar se alag hokar nahi bitane padte." He thought to himself. "Lekin us waqt main itne gusse main tha ki...ki mujhe kuch samajh hi nahi aaya."
He again opened the box and started going through the other contents. Amongst the other things, he came across a beautiful carved wooden box. Inside it was a locket...no THE locket which he had given to Pia and through which he had identified those dead bodies as his wife and daughter's.
He picked up the locket delicately and opening the silver pendant, caressed the photograph inside it with his fingers. He had clicked that photograph when Pia was only a few months old. When he gifted her this pendant, he had put that photograph along with theirs.
He remembered how he had refused to believe that his wife and daughter had left him forever till that officer gave him this locket. That was when he was convinced that the dead bodies belonged to Pia and Divya only. He remembered how much he had cried that night holding that locket close to his heart.
A small metallic clink broke his train of thoughts and brought him back to the present...
He saw that the locket had slipped from his fingers and had fallen on the ground. He picked it up, caressed the photograph for one last time and placed it carefully inside it's box. He was about to put that box inside the chest when he stopped and thinking something, put the box inside his coat pocket.
He was lost in thoughts when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Saavi.
"Dad, aap yahan hain aur main aapko poore ghar main dhoond rahi thi."
Nishant closed the box and turned around to face her.
"Haan... Kya hua?"
"Dad, yaad hai na hume Pia Di ki birthday party main jaana hai? We're getting late."
"Hmmm... Bas ek minute."
He closed the box and put it back in its place. Then he turned around and left with Saavi for Rathod House.
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Phew... Done.
I hope it is at least an okay-ish one...
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