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.