Chapter 8

The school was over..Ayush was sitting on the steps of the school waiting for Geet to pick him up. After a while, he gets bored and takes out his camera...(yeah folks he carries his camera with him everywhere...that is his best friend...) he sees a butterfly on one of the flowers near him. He quietly goes toward the flower being as quiet as possible. He was about to take a picture when Annie comes up to him and yells his name. He looks behind him annoyed.

Annie: What happened?

Ayush: I was about to take a picture of butterfly but you scared it away.

Annie: Ohh sorry. (she holds both her hands on her ears and says sorry. Ayush smiles at her) Where did you get this camera?

Ayush: This is my camera. I carry it with me all the time. You know I make scrapbooks of every picture I take. I have four scrapbooks so far.

Annie: Oh really? What do you do with the books?

Ayush: I am saving it of course silly. I will show them to my dad when he comes back from his business trip.

Annie: ohh where is your dad?

Ayush: He is on business trip. You know my dad has the biggest businessman in the world. I don't see him at all but he never forgets to send me my birthday presents.

Annie: ohh I don't see my dad much either. He is always busy with his work.

Ayush: Where is your dad? My mom said my dad is in London and it is really far from here.

Annie: My dad lives with us at home. I know he would be at work right now.

Ayush: ohh...(he gets happy) Here let me take your picture. I will show it to him when he comes back from his trip.

Annie: Ok...(she puts a big smile on her face...)

Ayush: stupid what kind of pose is that...you don't look nice like that...

Annie: What do you mean? (she gets mad)

Ayush: I mean hmm (he looks around) ok go stand near that tree. (She does so and Ayush takes her picture...Annie comes running to see her picture...)

Annie: Wow...let me take your picture...I will show it to my dad when I see him tonight...

Ayush: hmm ok...(he hands her the camera...he puts the camera around her neck...) ok this is the button you press and don't drop it...

Annie: Stupid I know how to take a picture..now go stand there...(Annie clicks his picture...Ayush comes and sees the picture..) ok I will take your picture and you will take my picture.

Ayush: Ok...(just then Annie's driver comes to pick her up)

Annie: Ayush do you need ride home?

Ayush: No...my mom told me to wait for her. She will come any minute now.

Annie: umm ok let me wait with you then. So you don't get bored...(she tells the driver and he nodes and waits in the car for Annie...both of them play together...)

"Hey Babaji I am late in picking up Ayush. I hope he is ok"...(she runs to the school and sees Ayush talking to a girl..Geet smiles and sighs in relief after seeing he is ok. She couldn't see girls face since her back was toward her. She slowly walks toward Ayush...Ayush sees Geet and waves at her...Geet gets shocked seeing Annie..."She is the same girl that I saw with Maan. Babaji what game are you playing with me. What do you have in mind..." Her legs felt heavy with each step she took toward Ayush. She looked around to see if Maan was also here and sighed in relief when she only saw the driver sitting in the car outside of the school.

Ayush: mama this is my new classmate Annie...Do you know she started the school today because she was on vacation. (Geet pats his face as he talked. She couldn't bring herself to look at Annie. Her heart broke into million pieces seeing her. The right that Ayush meant to have Annie got. Maan's betrayal kept playing in her head again and again. The same thoughts that she repressed from her memory came back haunting her. Her only strenght, Ayush, made her weak today. She could fight the destiny and her fate but how can she fight against her son?) Mama mama (she comes out of her thoughts when she felt Ayush tugging her hand to catch her attenton...) Mama Annie invited me to her house tomorow with the rest of my friends...can I go?

"house? the same house where he will be at...how can I send him there. So far I have been lucky that Maan didn't find out the truth but I can't let Ayush be attached to anyone related to him. He is only my son, I am his mother, I have raised him, only I have the full right on him. He went in front of Maan by accident without my knowledge I won't let it happen again."

Geet: umm we will talk about this at home. We have to go...Say bye to your friend...(Geet quickly turned around unwilling to look at Annie...Ayush says bye and holds Geet's hand as they both walk home...Geet looked at Ayush who was upset...she stopped and bends down to look at him) What happened?

Ayush: I want to go to her house, all my friends are going to be there. You know she said that she has her own play room..its very big...and it is filled with toys and games...

Geet (if only he understood why I said no. I can't let him slip away from me.): Ayush how about we talk about this at home? and plus don't you want to know about your mumma's job?

Ayush (looks at her...) fine but I want ice cream for dessert...

Geet (smiles) Ok fine promise...

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Ayush sat on his usual chair eating away his ice cream. Geet watched him in amazement..she wished he would always stay like this. He is so innocent and full of life. She dreads the day when she would have to tell him the truth about his father. How he doesn't exist but does she have the heart to break his heart his dreams? It pains her to see him in pain...she rememebrs when he first got sick...she was so afraid to leave his side for one second fearing that he would be gone if she does. As if in a blink of an eye, Ayush and all her dreams would come to a halt and vanish forever. Now, she feels like she is at that stand point. How can she make him realize the world that they live in and the world that Annie lives in. In her world, money is everything. No one has any emotions or heart but how can a five year old understand that? She was now at a two crossroads on one side its the world filled with inhumane emotions/money and on the other side it was her son looking fondly at the new found world. How can she stop him from seeing that world? The protective shield that she built around him is slowly breaking away.

Ayush: mama you didn't tell me about your job

Geet: huh ohh it was good..you know your mama was offered a higher positon and higher pay...do you know what that means? (he shakes his head no...she takes Ayush in her lap) it means that you can buy whatever toy you want.

Ayush: Really? (he gets excited..) yay I will make a list (he hugs her) but mama please can I go to her house. Please mama...please

Geet: Ayush you know I don't let you go into strangers house.

Ayush: She is not a stanger mom

Geet: No but her family is. (she cups his face) Ayush I don't know anything about her family.

Ayush: but mom...

Geet: Ayush don't argue with me. You know how I feel about that.

Ayush: What if I have them come over here instead?

Geet (should I really blame a kid for the mistakes of what Maan did?): umm fine but during the weekend.

Ayush: why not tomorrow night?

Geet: Because I won't be home in fact you won't be either...

Ayush: Why?

Geet: Because mama is performing for this event...i will be on stage...Won't you see me tomorrow on stage?

Ayush: Really? yeah I want to see you..and I will take some pictures so that I will show it to dad when he comes back from his business trip. (Geet sadly smiled and carried Ayush to his bed...)

"Dad? it is as if someone has slapped her right on the face...I knew he would mention it one of these days but still all the practices that I have been doing just blurred away. The word dad seemed funny to her. Her dad was never there for her ever since she was little and when she did needed him the most he abonaned her forever...leaving her alone in this world to fight by herself...the same faith played with Ayush...but the only difference being his dad broke all the ties before he was even born or before Ayush even came to existence. What a cruel faith she and her son has. Dad..(she smiled from within) what dad? Whose dad? All the lying to Ayush about his father finally caught up with her. What should she tell him? That the person you talk on the phone once or twice a month is not your father but..but..a stranger? A stranger that has no blood ties with you. He is no one to you not by relation or by blood...the gifts you recieve on your birthday are actually from me? The scrapbook you have been collecting all these years are for no one...no dad will come and look at each of your scrapbook...you don't exist Ayush to him...you never was and you never would be...how do I tell you the truth? How? How can I put a stone on my heart and tell you the cold hard truth?"

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Everyone is seated in their seats...A lady dressed in gold lengha sits in the center of the stage...Ayush sits in the front row with his camera all excited...and elderly women smiles at the little kid sitting next to her...he was about to stand on seat when the event started...the elderly women touched him on his shoulder and made him sit...he smiles at the lady and looks back at Geet and starts taking her picture...He claps the women couldn't help but smile...Geet smiles at Ayush...Ayush waves his hand...

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k76iZzd7NOUl[/YOUTUBE]

Geet rememers her time with Maan...the betrayel he did to her and her son unknowingly

In aankhon mein thi ek raat saji
Haathon mein kabhi choodi si baji
Par aankh khuli to aaya nazar na raat saji na choodi baji
Mera toota tha dil, uski jhankar thi
Saara voh rang tha mere khoone dil ka
Yeh to hai rona dil ka
Haan, yeh to hai rona dil ka kaahe ka taraana
Ab to kisi ko bhi apna ke hai bulaana

Sab ki baaraatein aayi doli tu bhi laana
Dulhan banaake humko rajaji le jaana
Sab ki baaraatein aayi

Ayush gets up from his chair with a camera to go to the different side of the stage. The elderly lady shakes her head no...she makes him sit on his chair...

Everyone stands up and claps for Geet. The announcer comes on stage at end.

Announcer: Wow that was an excelent performance. Please give her an another rounds of applouse. Now I would like Savitri Devi to come on the stage and present a trophy to Mrs. Geet for her lovely performance and thanking her for organgizing this event for the childern. (The elderly women that was sitting next to Ayush stands up and goes up on stage...Geet comes and stands next to Savitri Devi. She pats Geet's head and hands her over the trophy...)

Savitri Devi: Out of all the events I have attended I have never seen such a beautiful and graceful dancing. Ms. Geet did a wonderful job in displaying the emotions in her performance making everyone cry in the audience including myself. I am glad I attended this event tonight. Thank you...(she hands back the mike to the announcer...Geet and Savitri Devi walk back stage...) Beti you did a nice job today.

Geet: Ji thank you.

SD: Joh aansu aur gham maine tumhari aankone main dekhe hai woh tabhi aate hai jab uski zindagi main koyi bada hadsa hua ho. Mujhe nahi maloom tumhari zindagi main kya hua. Magar main dua karoongi joh khushia tumhe milni chahiye woh tumhe zaroor mille.

Geet: Woh khushiyan kisi aur ko milgayi hai...aab mera uss khushiyon ka koyi vasta nahi hai...thank you ma'am (She left leaving Savitri Devi in confusion...Geet saw Ayush as soon as she left the backstage. She went up to him and hugged him...)

Ayush: mom you did good...look at these pictures...(he showed every single picture of her...) I don't like these pictures though...

Geet; Why?

Ayush: you were crying...why?

Geet: ohh umm something had went in my eyes...anyways lets go out for ice cream huh?

Ayush: Yeah lets go...(she holds his hand and both leave the place)

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Maan sat in his room closing his eyes. Ayush kept appearing in front of his eyes. His smile, face and his talks reminded him of so much of Geet. He wanted to see Ayush spend time with him for a reason even he don't know why. He had no relation to him but yet he felt connected to Ayush. Why? There was something that kept bothering him...where was her husband? How come he didn't see any picture of them together? Could it be that she never moved on? But how can it..Ayush said his last name is Singh. If she hadn't moved on then her name would've been Handa not Singh. (he stands up being fursturated..he punches the wall in anger) What is happening to me? Why am I thinking about them? Why? How come each time I try to forget them they come in front of me in some shape or form. What kind of game is destiny playing? (he looks at his bloody hand...)