Chapter 40

TiaMaaaaa

@TianaWrites

~40~

The sound of the door opening brought them to reality. She released herself from his embrace and got up. Adjusting her saree pleats and setting her hair, she said

"It must be Kaka... let me go and make tea for him..."

He got up and took his shirt.

"Let me come with you..."

"No no... take rest... I can manage..."

"Mohatarma, sitting beside you in the kitchen is the best rest that I can ever get..."

"You know... nowadays I feel I waste my time asking you to do things..."

"You should try asking for things that I would do.... like this..."

He leaned forward and pecked her cheek. She giggled and playfully slapped him.

"Let me go and see Kaka..."

He followed her out.

As they entered the living room, they saw Kaka sitting on the couch his face on his palms. Sensing his unease, they ran towards him and knelt before him.

"Mummy..."

"Kaka..."

He looked up and his eyes held an unexplained emotion. They were happy yet sad, peaceful yet tormented. Looking at their questioning gaze, he whispered

"She loved me..."

"Sweetheart?"

He nodded and opened his bag to take out a leather box. He placed them in Anuj's hands.

"Aarav found these addressed to me after she passed away. He gave it to me today... open it"

He opened it to see a sheaf of papers inside.

"Kaka... what are these..."

"Letters... she had written to me but never sent... never once... if only she had..."

He gave a sigh and looked at Anuj.

"Anuj, beta... I want you to do something for me... would you?"

"Mummy... you know I would do anything for you..."

"All the years I spent with her, I never asked her about Aarav's father, never thought about asking. When I met her at Mukku's birthday party, she said he was her son and I didn't feel the need to ask more.... but now... I want to know who that man was...."

"Who?"

GK took the letters back and shifted through it. He found the one he was searching for.

"Here read this...."

Anuj opened the letter GK gave him and read out loud.

'My ever dearest Gopi,

Today when Aarav threw a tantrum because you didn't get him the mangoes he asked for, you dropped to your knees and calmed him down. You were calm yet stern.... you didn't raise your hand yet made him obey you. Just like a father would. You know you have never asked me who his father is. The entire world points it fingers at me, throws insults yet you... you truly care for both of us.... never asking for anything in return. How... how can you be so? Maybe that is why I am so in love with you. You deserve to know the truth. I really don't have the courage to stand in front of you and tell it but I can definitely write it here. Someday, maybe I maybe able to give this to you.

I was only 19 when he came to our village. He said he was a businessman and impressed my parents. He asked them for my hand and they agreed happily. Within a week we were married and he left me the day after the wedding night. He promised he would come back with the proper marriage certificate to take me with him but he never did. A few months later I found I was pregnant and I was so scared. My parents had already decided that the man won't come back. I knew if I stayed they wouldn't let me have the baby. Taking all that I had and some jewelry and cash, I ran away that night. Luckily we found a woman's NGO in Ahmedabad and stayed there. I learnt sewing and pot making there and started the small business that I now own. After Aarav's birth, I worked hard enough to save up the money and that's how we got here.

You know I never really knew who my husband was. He said his name was Anil Malik. I don't even know if his name is real. I never really loved any man but you. You were, are and will be the only one. I wish I could tell this out loud to you but... legal or not, I am still married to that man. If only I could find him and ask him to free me... Maybe... maybe then I could tell you what I really feel about you. I have been searching for him but I have not found a single clue. Oh how difficult it is to see your charming smile and turn away from you.

I love you, Gopi.

Yours... Always,

Aditi'

As Anuj completed reading the letter, GK sighed.

"She never even gave a clue. Not even a hint... if only she had..."

Anu clutched his hand and nodded her head understanding his pain. Anuj took in a deep breath.

"Mummy... tell me what I should do..."

"Find the boy's father... the least I could do now for her is give her search a closure."

"Shouldn't we talk to him before that?"

GK thought for sometime.

"We should... but what if the man is bad and refuses to see him. It would break him. No, Anuj, find him first, let me talk to him then we can let Aarav meet him."

"I don't feel good about this, Mummy... Anu?"

"He is right Kaka, let's talk to him. We have already had enough misunderstandings because of lack of communication. I think we need to tell Mukku too. She deserves to know."

GK sat quietly as Anu stood up and took her phone to call Mukku and Anuj rang up Aarav, his soul far away from the common world. His eyes and ears recollecting the memory of the woman he had loved so long. He had never forgotten her but today the revelations made her memory even more dearer to him. His Aditi... How proudly he could say that... She loved him... he loved her too.... they couldn't be together... but he promised to himself that he would keep their love alive as long as he had breath.

***

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