Chapter 14

Aniash

@Aniash

Part 14

Tejo couldn't believe her eyes when she read the third and last page of the letter. Mihika revealed a shocking past that involved her mother, Sati.

Flashback of 21 years ago

5 pm , Hoshiarpur

She was four years and two months when she was playing with her favorite doll near the crop fields while her father who did a lot of charity programs for the farmers was in a meeting with the village headmen in a guest house not far away.  Some farmers were still working in their fields while the rest took off to their homes.

Then she ran behind a colourful butterfly clutching her doll in her hands and didn't realize that she was moving far away from the guest house. Suddenly a little mischievous boy who was also trying to catch the same insect came from nowhere and snatched her doll, flung it into a small shallow well nearby. 

She screamed at him and ran to rescue her doll . She was too desperate  as that was a special birthday gift from her grandpa that she jumped into the well and almost drown just to get her doll back. 

At that time Sati who was delivering tea with snacks for her  father and brother who were working at their crop fields , witnessed the incident and rushed forward to her rescue. She threw the empty bucket entangled to a rope above the well down towards Mihika and instructed her to cling to it. She obeyed and Sati instantly pulled her up . 

Mihika struggled to breath and Sati patted her back and turned her over to release the water from her lungs. Just then her aunt (mother's sister) who came looking for her took her away from Sati rushing her to a hospital. 

Mihika couldn't recall Sati's face as her vision was blurr at that time of the incident due to panic attack but remembered her touch and voice. Throughout the years she wanted to find out her identity but no one was present at that time of the tragedy. Even her aunt couldn't exactly recall Sati's looks. She told the little girl that the lady was fair and chubby. 

So Mihika named her

' Fair , round , fairy godmother'. 

Apparently Sati's background was from Hoshiarpur and she used to visit her parents and siblings on and off after her marriage. At the time of the incident she was pregnant with Jasmin and was being taken care by her mother till she delivered the baby. 

Tejo was in Moga with her father and grandma. She refused to tag along as she was more closer to her dad It was the month of harvesting and Rupi couldn't accompany his wife to Hoshiarpur . A lot of work at their crop fields and Harman wasn't able to handle all alone. 

In the letter , Mihika stated that the nite she possessed tejo at the lonely road was the same nite she discovered her rescuer's identity. The moment Sati opened the front entrance and greeted her with a hug , she recognized her voice and touch. This was the same fairy godmother who saved her many years back 

The next afternoon after lunch , Sati stated she wanted to call her parents in Hoshiarpur . It's been a long time since she had spoken with them. Mihika took the opportunity to confirm her doubt enquiring her .

" Mummy apko yaad hain na apney aek choti bachi ko bechaya tha?". 

Sati nodded , " haan vo bichari apni gudiya ko bechane legi hui thi. Ab to bedhi bhi ho geyi". 

Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her fairy godmother was right in front of her after so many years yet she couldn't even tell her that she was the little girl.

How she wished she knew her when she was still alive. 

It was never too late. Mihika decided to gift the kind woman her bungalow as a gratitude for her(Sati)  past actions. 

She also finally understood the reason she possessed  tejo after her death. It was a past debt that she owed her( tejo's) mother. It was karma that brought her to Sandhus to meet her fairy godmother. That's the main reason the Almighty granted her wish for four days extension to save tejo. She owed Sati. Her past connections with tejo's mother was the reason she saved the daughter. 

After reading the letter,

There was a box resting at the study table and tejo removed it's lid. She gasped.

It was the doll that she(Mihika)rescued from the well. She kept it throughout the years to present it to her fairy godmother whenever she met her. Unfortunately it was destined only after her death 

Tejo couldn't control her tears as she hugged the doll 

I am so sorry Mihika. Babaji was really unfair to u. 

Just then ,

Mr. Ashok walked into the room and handed to her a tissue box .

" God has really been unfair to my princess. She wanted to live her life to the fullest. She was a kind and generous woman .  Her sister destroyed everything. She just wanted to warn u Tejo. Do not repeat the mistake she did. Take a good care of urself " . 

Tejo nodded while wiping off her tears. 

He stated calmly 

" One surprise for u as well" .

Tejo was confused 

He took out a document from the desk drawer and passed it to her.

Tejo was shocked 

Mihika gifted her the condominium in Ambala that belonged to her sister , Risha Chauhan . 

The latter has been charged for her(Mihika's) death and was serving a full life imprisonment in the Central jail. Mihika's husband Dev went through the same punishment. Both cheaters and murderers were behind bars finally. 

The property worth 80 crocre and tejo will return again with her mother to sign the transfer papers.

She finally took a leave as her parents would be worried . She promised to be home by evening. 

At Sandhus residence 5 pm

After tea time,  she ran up to her bedroom and decided to show her mother the biggest surprise of her life time. 

Mihika's doll 

It was time her family knew the truth

( To be continued)

(Part 15 climax below)