FAMILY TIME!
‘October 27th, Friday night 9PM’
“baby, please have some food, ma! Don’t be starved”, Priya was pleading Aaryana to feed her.
Aaryana was totally out and she terribly missed her. She wanted to know, where her father was. Of course, she is a kid but she could make it up without Harish. She was continuously crying and she missed him terribly. She refused to have food. Priyanka tried her level best and she was tensed at a point of time. She left her on the bed and she sat on a chair nearby.
By the time Akhil reached there. He came home with lots of chocolates, dolls and stuff but anything did not change Aaryana. She did not concern it. As soon as he entered, Priyanka tried to apologize but he did not stop. He went staright into the room. He saw Aaryana cried loud “daddy!...”
“did she have her dinner?”, he asked Priyanka.
“no…”
“why can’t you feed her? Should I teach you everything?”
“she is adamant and I can’t handle her!”, she sobbed.
Akhil could understand her that all these days she had been longing to have kids. Once her husband had gone, she had lost all her desires and now Aaryana had hurt her more. Akhil thought of consoling her but he did not.
“give me the food!”, he got it and went near Aaryana!
“baby, please have some food! If you starve, then you’ll have stomach ache…”
“daddy…”, she continued.
“oh, daddy! Where did he go?”
“daddy…”
“ok, if you stop crying, I’ll call him.”
She stopped at that instant. Akhil took priyanka’s mobile phone and called his own number. He gave the phone to Aaryana and he went out. As he had saved his number as Harish, it showed up the same…
“speak up if daddy attends…”, Priya said with hope.
“hello…baby!”, Akhil spoke attending from outside.
“daddy…daddy!...”, she exclaimed.
“…”
“why isn’t he speaking up?”, Priya thought.
“hello…”, he replied.
“daddy, where are you? Am here with this aunty in her home. Come and take me with you, daddy!”
“Aarya…I have come here for a work, da! I’ll return in few days. Until then, both of them will take care of you. Don’t irritate them, baby! Try to do whatever they say. Daddy will come soon!”
“daddy…am missing you!”
“am missing you badly, Aarya! See I have given some chocolates and dolls for you to that uncle. Get it and play with it. I will come soon buying some more candies…ok?”
“okay, daddy!”
“ok, ma! Shall I hang up?”
“daddy…”
“…”
“I love you daddy…”
“…love you too, ma!”
Akhil entered wiping his tears into the room. Priya smiled at him looking all his efforts to make her happy. She felt bad about whatever she did before.
“so…what did your daddy say? Han?”, Akhil started.
“will you take me to him?”, she asked.
“sure!”, he smiled.
“am hungry…”, she laughed.
“yeah, coming coming!”, he lifted her gently and placed over the table.
“are you my father’s friend?”
“han…”
She hugged him tight and said, “sorry...”. he kissed her on her forehead and took all those dolls and gave her.
“ha…nice one! This is you…”, she laughed pointing at a Teddybear.
“you should never leave, me”, he smiled.
“promise!”, she kissed the doll.
Akhil started feeding her and Priyanka was looking all of it silently. She wanted to make things right and she waited. She started admiring him again and she was constantly looking at him.
“uncle, she is looking at you for a long time. I think she likes you!”, Aaryana said.
“I know, ma! I love her but she never gets me! She hates me!”, he replied to both!
“hckk…hckk…”, Aaryana started.
“water…”, she asked.
“just a minute!”, he left the room.
Akhil entered into the kitchen and fetched a glass of water. He felt like someone approaching him. He tried taking his gun out. It was none other than Priyanka.
“sorry…”, she hugged him tight from the back. She made his shirt wet with her tears.
“I should have not doubted you. Am sorry!”, she sobbed.
“is this all your anger. Is that it? Before deciding something, think of what you are going through. Do you feel that I will leave you down at any cause. The word, you said over the phone…better you could have killed me!”, he responded.
“sorry…sorry!”, she hugged him more.
Of course, they tried to be intense. Before they could wet up their lips, there was a call…
“water…”, Arayana yelled.
Akhil ran towards her taking the glass. Priyanka laughed at him seeing all his acts to make her happy. The entire night was full of fun. They played a lot and atlast all the three were on the bed. It was a small bed and so all the three had to adjust.
Akhil was narrating stories to Aaryana and by the time, she fell asleep. She tried to make herself comfortable and she said,
“Good night, mom!”, she pulled her blanket.
Priyanka looked at Akhil with tears and he had nothing to say but just to smile. She kissed her hard at her forehead and smiled out of joy.
“Good night, mom!”, Akhil said holding her hands over Aaryana’s blanket.
“you…”, she kissed his hand.
“I love you!”, she said.
All the three slept tightly in that single bed…


THE SKY IS PINK…
‘October 28th, Saturday morning 8AM’
“say bye to your…mom!”, Akhil said.
“bye mom!”, Aaryana smiled.
Priyanka kissed her and looked at Akhil. She wanted to ask something but she did not. Both Akhil and Aaryana started. Akhil dropped her and he tried leaving. Suddenly he had a call.
“where are you, akhil? Did you drop her?”, Priyanka asked.
“what happened Priya?”
“what are we doing Akhil? That kid, she is calling me, mom! Her mom is no more and she is no more. Her father, she is striving to live emptying oxygen cylinders. What have we done?”
“calm down, Priya! Everything will end up this day. Just get dressed up and come there.”
Akhil reached the hospital and he was not so much surprised to see Martin over there. He knew that he would be violent as usual and he had to deal it.
“sir, where is my grand daughter? I wanna’ see her.”
“Martin sir, her father is not dead till date and based on all our enquiries he has no intention to leave her with you. So…wait!”, he insisted.
“but, sir!”, he had nothing to say.
Sidh was there and Priyanka reached there after few minutes. Harish was breathing hard inside the ICU.
“how is he?”, Priyanka asked.
“yeah. He is alive!”, Akhil replied.
“Martin?...”
“yup. It’s seems that he has come to take Aaryana back”, he left.
She could not take it. She felt really bad. She was totally attached to her and she wanted her to stay back and of course she knew what to do for things she want. She had a strong hatred on Martin and she looked at him starring him so hard.
Yeah her feeling is the same what we all feel but it matters in things what we do to make our love stay back. The only way to put back our loved ones with ourself is just to express it. Make them feel how special they are to you. Make them feel you and hold them tight back within your arms. The real love will definitely stay back. Love is all about expressing.
Hours later the chief doctor came out with a smile.
“what happened…doctor?”, Akhil asked.
“he is alright but he needs rest. Don’t disturb him. You can discharge him soon!”, he smiled again.
“thank you, doctor!”
“then…I have no job here. I have spent all my life in understanding people in a wrong way. Atleast now, I’ll do something worthy”, Martin entered ICU.
He came out after few minutes wiping his tears. He showed all his regrets in his face.
“uncle!”, Sidh approached.
“I should have done this much before. Take care of them”, he left with a hug.
Sidh had no choice what would have happened. He heard Harish’s voice and he went inside in a hurry. Both Akhil and Priyanka were looking all of it and they were just observing. Sidh went near him and Harish appeared as a complicated machine!
“hi…Mr. Terminator!”, Sidh laughed.
Whatever the situation may be, a single friend is enough to change off the mood and take you into his humorous world. Colleges may or may not give you job but they give you friendships for lifetime. That damn smile we make out on seeing them will tell you how our days were…
“oh shut up, man!”, Harish laughed.
“how do you feel, now! Shall we box…”
“I feel like am tied up all around. I cannot move, Sidh. Am badly hurt.”
“you’ll get well soon, man!”
“Aaryana… where is she?”
“she has went to school. She is not even aware that you are hurt.”
“is she alright? Is she hurt?”
“a slight injury on her head! She is ok.”
“did she stay with you?”
“no…she was with him. That ACP. Even I thought that he was not so good but he is not. He said that it would be a risk if I had took her with me. He took her yesterday and even today he took her to school. It seems that she is okay with him!”
“good to hear it but I wanna’ see her now! I miss her badly…”
“it’s school time, man. Just rest. She will come back by evening and try to hide things from her.”
“why is it happening for me everytime? Did I do something wrong? Nothing lasts in my life…”, Harish sobbed.
“what is your fault now?”
“I had no choice in my life all the time. I had to just cope up with it. I was married to a girl out of hatred. I had to love her and I did. I had no choice in my career. I had to take up this job as I wanted to withstand by myself. I fucked it up.
Suddenly one day she said me that she was pregnant. I was happy soulfully for the first time in my life being happy for someone else baby…”
“what did you say?”
“I still loved her and I do…”, Harish looked up with tears.
“Machan!?...”
“she is not my daughter. Actually I had never been intense with Sarah! She carried someone else baby and I accepted it. I have never disclosed all of these to anyone but now I need to get rid of all my stress. I can do it only with you…”
“but all these days, I have never noticed that in you. You are very good actor, man!”
“I never acted to be an actor. I lived it and I love it. Fatherhood relies in the love you have on your child not on all those stuffs under your bedsheet.
Whoever maybe her father but she is my daughter. Of course, Sarah is in headlines. Maybe he’ll turn up.”
“why do you wanna’ take care of someone’s child?”
“leaving loved ones with our remains in her is not masculininty…helding each and every moment of our loved ones life is Masculinity and I believe it.
Maybe she is not my daughter but even now, if you show someone else face as his father, she’ll ran away. She loves me and I do the same…”
“is that why, you had certain affairs with that Malayali girl?”, Sidh questioned.
“hey…never say that again, ra! She…is like my sister. We often had conversations that too because of you!”
“me…?”
“she is interested in you. It seems that she wants to date you and that is how we became close. I should have said you earlier but all these issues messed up.”
“Harish?!”
“everything will happen but one thing before that!”
“what’s that?”
“you have to give up all your drugs. We need not do that. We have our future and we should not let ourselves ruin it. Do you get me…”, Harish ordered.
“yes, sir!”, Sidh saluted.
Priyanka heard everything from outside and she could not believe anything. She had clear view and of course, she nailed the case…


NO REPLY…
‘October28th, Saturday morning 11AM’
Priyanka rushed out and she saw Akhil talking to random person in his mobile. She tried leaving the place immediately and she did not inform him anything.
She reached outside and she kick started her bike. She was about to go somewhere and she believed that that would be the end of the case. Suddenly she had a phone call.
“hello…Priya mam…”, a manly voice sounded.
“Raj?”, she replied.
“I wanna’ say you something. That ACP, he is collecting evidences about you. He has his crystal clear evidence in his hand to show up that you were behind that murder, we encountered years ago.
I was with him and I was helpless. See to it and try to get something, you never respect true love…”, he played his game!
The other day when they were together, he thought that he would make it out with Priyanka but all their relationships disgusted him. He wanted to make something that could part them. Whenever they smiled, he got tensed up. Of course, he was a good man but situations and all those voice overs in him turned him bad. He was offended by all their acts and he wanted to do it out of loyalty towards his department. Now he was clear in his idea that Priya would be caught for her act and she’ll do something to get rid of it.
Priyanka heard all of it and now she wanted to do something. She accelerated her bike with lot of anger. She reached the station. She walked towards Akhil’s room. She looked into all the case details and she had a clarity finally. Atlast she opened the rack in his table to keep it. She saw something over there…
Akhil entered ICU and he wanted certain privacy. He asked Sidh to wait outside. He sat near him holding his hands. He wanted open up to him.
“sir, thank you sir! You have been my greatest support! Things you’ve done for my family are so touching. You had no reason to do so, but you did. Thank you so much, sir!”
“never mind, Harish. Actually I had to…how do you feel now? Are you okay?”
“am alright, sir!”
“actually I have to thank you that you safeguarded her till the last second od her breath!”
“why should you thank me for that, sir?”
“Harish, I have to say something to you. You may be offended but I never mind…”
“what’s it sir?”
“all these days, I’ve been very truthful to my department but now, I am acting. I don’t want this anymore.”
“sir…I can’t understand!”
“very soon, you’ll understand things and you’ll have vengeance on me. I assure you but before you could do things ruining your life, you have to know that I did not do it wantedly. All of it was an accident!”, Akhil’s eyes were filled up with tears.
“sir, am already tired. I can’t get you. What are you talking about?”
“I…I did all of it. It’s a long story. I…”, Akhil started.
“get up…”, Priyanka banged the door.
She was accompanied by Raj and other constables. A nurse over there rushed towards them to make them get out. Akhil stood up turning around and he had nothing to say. Raj was waiting for the Priyanka’s move to save herself from him. Harish looked up hardly although he could not see everything clearly…
“arrest him!”, Priyanka ordered pointing towards Akhil…

TO BE CONTINUED....

© arvind