Colors: Final Part

                                         DAY 1

Time 4 past 30

Radha sat with her head down and tears were rolling down her eyes. A bunch of rupees were beside her. A man was wearing his clothes and hurried towards the main door.  She didn’t look up. Her head was down and droplets of tears were falling down heavily on the bed that had stories to tell, stories that were bad dreams to those who listened to it.

Thousand needles pierced her body and she felt the nightmare of child hood came to haunt her again. Her eyes cried for the little soul sleeping at the other room, a kid who was dreaming about the lie that had inspired him. Her eyes cried for her lost child hood. Nightmares of being a victim of child trafficking flashed in front of her. She was a prey to the male dominant society, succumbed to the sexual addiction of bunch of men. She stood up and looked herself in the mirror. She glared at the illusion that over powered her yet she had to live alongside the illusion.

Time passed as she kept looking at her in the mirror. But, it’s the life she was used to. It’s the hell she was living with. She went to the other room and saw her little kid sleeping. Her sorrows were being washed away by the sleeping innocent kid on the bed. She felt the warmth and walked up to him and kissed him.

Time 8 past 30

“Aadhi! It’s time kiddo, what ya doing? Have you got ready?” shouted Radha.

“Ya ma! Almost”, replied Aadhi.

“Aadhi, it’s time! School Van is gonna arrive anytime.”

Little Aadhi ran towards his mother and said, “I’m done.”

She fed him and helped him with his bag and walked alongside him on the way out. They waited for the School Van’s arrival. After few minutes, the van has arrived.

Radha Kneeled beside Aadhi and kissed and he kissed her cheeks and said, “love you Ma!”

The little kid walked towards the Van. Suddenly he stopped and turned towards his mother questioningly. He said, “Ma! You didn’t tell me Da’s name.”

“His name is Aadhitya” she said with a little smile at the corner of her lips.

The Radha looked at the proud face of the little kid. He turned back and walked towards the Van. He entered the Van and turned to see his mother who was standing there watching her only hope of life waving hands. She waved back and stood there till the Van left the place. Her hopes were getting stronger and a will to live this life were getting stronger. She walked back towards her home and her shadow followed her.

Colours:part 5

Night 5

Aadhi, 5 year old kid with round face, pointed nose and beautiful eyes, Radha’s only hope of her crestfallen life, sat near his mother who looked dejected and expressionless. Aadhi cuddled his mother and asked her, “what happened ma?”

Silence was the only reply from her. He asked again and again, finally he said, “if you are not gonna tell me, I’m not gonna speak with you.” he turned his face the other way.

“Really?” she tweaked her face.

“Really? Are you not gonna talk to me?” she turned his head towards her face.

“Yes, I’m not” replied the little kid.

She pressed his pointed nose with her fingers and said, “So my little doll is not gonna talk to me, okay, sorry please! Ma will not be sad hereafter, is that okay? My sincere apologies”

“I said I’m sorry, okay, okay; tell me baby how was the school today? Did it go well” Radha continued to pacify her son.

“yeahhh!” grinned the little Aadhi and continued, “Today, teacher kissed me on the cheek and said that I’m cute.”

“Is it? Doesn’t she know that on the first day?” replied Radha playfully.

“No, but today she asked a rhyme. Everyone was silent. I stood up and sang it you know, everyone clapped and the teacher came to me and kissed me here” he pressed his forefinger on his cheek.

“Really? That’s cool, I’m proud of you! What else has happened at school?” asked Radha.

He thought for a moment and replied, “ ma, Hmmm...mmm Madhi asked about da, I mean, where is he, what is he doing, why didn’t he come to drop me at school”

“What did you reply?”

“I don’t know what to reply; I told her that I would ask my mom and reply her tomorrow” replied the little kid with frustration.

“Hmmm”, Radha took a deep breath and said, “So, you want to know the whereabouts of Da?”

Aadhi nodded his head and held his mother’s arm very close to his chest. He looked upon her and pleaded, “can you tell me where is he?”

Radha cleared her throat and said, “He is with God now, he is no more.”

The sky came crashing down on Aadhi. He sobbed over his father’s death, with tears in his eyes, he cried, “How did he die?”

“He was shot by the bad people at the border in an intense battle” replied Radha while wiping the tears of her son. “Hey champ, he didn’t die for nothing, he saved the life of four of his fellow soldiers, and he is a patriot champ! be proud of your Da!” said Radha with pride in his voice and patted him on the back.

Aadhi mourned over his father’s heroic death. He cried and cried. Radha inched closer to him and embraced him and said, “It’s ok, it’s ok, be proud that he died for good, be proud that he saved lives.”

Radha consoled him and prepared him for bed. Little Aadhi cried and finally slept on his mom. After few minutes, she got a call. She reluctantly attended it and said, “Ok.” Her eyes were in tears after the call. She looked at her son who was deep in sleep and walked towards the main door where another life awaited her. A life she never chose to live.

Colors: Part 4

                                                              Night 4

Radha was applying lotion on the bruises she had on her cheeks. Little Aadhi was watching it curiously and he was on immense pain. He had tears in his eyes and asked his mother “does it pain a lot?”

She saw the tears and wiped it. She patted his cheek and said, “little kiddo, you don’t have to cry now. See, mom is fine now. Mom is laughing now” she beamed.

“Are you ok?” said Aadhi wiping the tears on his cheek.

“I’m good you little doll. I’m good. See I’m speaking now. It’s the stairs i can’t handle it. I’m often being pushed down by this stairs” said with the mischievous eyes.

Aadhi replied, ”Idiotic stairs, wait! I’ll hit it with a stick so that it would know pain.”

Radha laughed and pulled him back to her arms and lifted him. She asked him, “Aadhi, it’s ok kiddo. I’m fine. Forgive the stairs. Let me ask you something. What you wanna become when you grow up?”

Aadhi replied immediately, “I want to become me mom. I don’t want to be someone else.”

The answer was spot on and even startled his mom. She looked stunned and cried in pride. She stammered and said, “I’m proud of you!”

Aadhi didn’t know the reason for his mother’s tears and he gave a bewildered look on her mother. He asked, “Why are you crying? Is it paining? I told you right. Let me go and hit the stairs. Put me down.”

Radha replied,”I’m fine son. Hitting someone as a revenge doesn’t gonna earn you anything. You just lose, instead, forgive them. They will kneel and ask for your forgiveness someday.”

Aadhi nodded his head and jumped out of his mom’s arms and stood in front of her. “Ma! You know, today, I told about Da to my friends including Madhi. They looked at me in awe and they didn’t speak a word. They said that my dad was really a hero. I’m proud of Da Ma. They just wanna hear more about Da.”

“Oh oh. Dad’s story has created quite a buzz among your friends I presume?” asked Radha questioningly.

“Ya! And everyone knows my name in the class. It’s just the fourth day! Also can you tell something different about Da?” said Aadhi with excitement.

“Well, someone is being importance by Madhi I presume?” She asked playfully.

Aadhi rejoined, “ Nah! Now tell me please.. Please.”

“Ok..Ok.. I’ll tell you.” She cleared her throat and began her story.

“It was new year’s eve. My birthday falls on December 31. It was my first birthday with your Da. My expectations sky-rocketed and I was in suspense and sat on the couch waiting for your Da’s arrival. I was angry with him because he hasn’t arrived till afternoon. He came in but I didn’t speak with him. Not a word Aadhi. I sat in complete silence. A girl’s greatest treasure is getting the first wish from your better half with a surprise. But, I haven’t got anything. Not even a flower.”

Aadhi replied, “So sad!”

““Yup. It was. He came in and sat next to me. I didn’t wanna see him so I turned my gaze towards the window. He touched my hand but I refused it and let go of his hand immediately. He said, “Dear! What is the reason for your anger?”

I said, “Reason?? Are you asking for a reason? Come on don’t act. Leave me alone.”

He said,” Oh dear! I really don’t know why you are mad at me?”

“I am?? Oh yeah! I am mad at you. Leave it. Just don’t talk to me now”

“Ok. Come on! Get ready. We are going out” said your Da with his hands on my shoulder.

“Out?? Where are we going?”

“Don’t ask questions. You have 5 minutes. Get ready. Your time starts now” he said that and left the place

I sat on the bike behind him. It was a pleasant ride. We drove, drove and drove. I asked him, “ Can’t you tell me where are we going?”

He didn’t speak a word. The bike came to a halt near a house and he told me to get down. I got down and followed him. He walked up to the home and turned towards me. I walked near to him. All of a sudden he covered my eyes with his hands. He directed me inside the home and opened my eyes. Some 30 kids shouted “Happy birthday Aunty!”. It was awesome to see all the kids with candles and all the kids kissed me. They sang song and I cut the cake and gave the first bite to my dear. I came to know, it’s the home your dad grew up and it’s an orphanage. We spent the day at the orphanage and ate with the kids. Your dad said, “Life isn’t hard Radha, it’s in our belief. These kids have faith in themselves like me. You know, they are all abandoned by their parents yet these little kids believed themselves and living as a one family. I’m proud to be a part of the family. Till date, a part of my salary is being sent to this home. It’s little I can do.” He kissed me on the cheek in front of the kids and they cheered us in chorus. My face went pink in shy. Your dad was a great man Aadhi. He was an inspiration to all that budding talents at the orphanage and no wonder he chose to be an army man. He was a captain serving the Indian army and I’m proud of him.”

Little Aadhi was blown away and sat looking at his mom, admiring her without uttering a word.

Radha said, “Kiddo, it’s time. Let’s sleep.”

Aadhi lie on the bed and looked at the ceiling. He slept as time went on. After few minutes, his mom woke up and left the door ajar and went towards the main door.