A lady who was in her mid-fifties opened the door adjusting her dress with her half-opened eyes just awake from sleep. Sunlight fell on her face and she closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she opened it slowly and suddenly her eyes become wide open seeing Chandra Sekhar. “Oh!” said the lady, closing her mouth and she greeted Chandra Sekhar bending her head. “Come inside,” said the lady with her bright eyes showing her hand towards her house.
“Hmm, it’s okay errr-” Chandra Sekhar stammered, nodding his head.
“What a surprise! I am seeing you for the first time! I can’t believe it! I don’t know what to do,” the lady waved her hand in air. Only now I understand from where Sara got those attractive eyes , thought CK.
“Okay enough of you aunty, call Sara I can’t wait a second anymore,” murmured CK.
“I never thought even in my wildest dream that I will meet you. It’s not even election time, is something special?” Sara’s mom asked, peeping out. Seeing her, CK moved back hitting his shoulder.
“No! No! No!” Chandra Sekhar shouted, bringing back her sight at him protecting his son. Sara’s mom was clueless.
“Ah” CK shouted in pain, which made Sara’s mom look at the gate again.
But she turned towards Chandra Sekhar hearing his voice, “I came to meet Sara.” Hearing the sentence, the lady’s excited eyes became dull and she faced down with a long face. CK was pressing his palm with his nails. No, no, nothing happened to her. She is fine! thought CK repeatedly, looking for her answer without blinking his eyes.
Chandra Sekhar said, “I am sorry,” unconsciously looking at her reaction.
“It’s alright,” said Sara’s mom holding her tears, bending down.
“Oh I was informed that some high official will come and meet me because of her death in the hijack,” she said in a low voice.
“What?” Chandra Sekhar shouted. Everything went out of focus for CK. The word ‘her death’ echoed in his ears. He left the gate and moved back a step and stumbled. He felt each of his cells burning. Tears welled up in his eyes and started to roll down his cheeks. The days with her flashed in his mind. The sunlight vanished, and it was dark all around. He felt the darkness both inside and out.
“Why is it only me?” CK cried, punching the air, bursting out in tears. I didn’t even have the chance to be next to her during her last moment. He cried. “Why did you leave me alone? If I were next to you, I wouldn’t have let this happen to you. I can’t live without you baby,” he cried. “No, this is not true. My mother will never allow this to happen to me.” He wiped his tears. CK rushed to them.
“She is lying, don’t believe her. I know she won’t leave me alone. She is very strong and above all she has my baby. My baby wouldn’t allow this to happen to her,” he cried. Sara’s mom was stunned and her eyes grew red hearing it.
“You would have ditched her because of my baby!” CK shouted at Sara’s mom. She held his collar
“You rascal! I was searching for you! I asked your name thousand times to her, but she didn’t reply a word. It’s only because of you we suffered a lot. A mom was put into a situation to lie that her daughter is dead, hiding her in the house to keep up her name in the society. How dare you ditch my girl and you are saying that I ditched her?” she shouted as she sobbed. CK didn’t hear any word after ‘hiding her in the house’. As soon as she released her hand, CK ran inside the house. “Hey!” Sara’s mom shouted, trying to stop him but she was stopped by Chandra Sekhar words. “He is my son, he didn’t ditch her.”
“Sara!” He kept shouting and searched the entire room. He then saw a staircase. She must be in upstairs . Next second, he climbed the steps, two steps at a time. There was only one room and CK took a deep breath and opened the door slowly. The room was dark and Sara was lying on the sofa watching TV. Hearing the door sound, she rushed to switch off the TV but she stopped at the glimpse of CK. Their eyes met after a long time, there was pin-drop silence and the remote fell from Sara’s hand and broke the silence. Sara got back her consciousness and to CK’s surprise she ran towards him. He lifted her up in happiness. Sara was crying and laughing. Only after feeling Sara’s heartbeat, his heart became normal. He smudged his head in her shoulder and he kept patting her but she was still weeping, holding CK’s neck tight.
“Finally, I’m holding my two babies. Thank you mom! He sobbed.
“It took you so many days to find me?” Sara started beating him and released his hands.
“I should beat you but you’re beating me!” CK shouted. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she wept, holding CK’s cheeks getting close to his face.
“I came to know about you in the airport and I thought our baby would be a hurdle in your life. But, I didn’t know that it would be this much painful. I was able to live only because of seeing your film. If it was not there, I would be dead,” she cried.
He stopped the word dead before she completed it by closing her mouth with his hands.
“You are my pride baby. My life is nothing without you and my family is ready to accept you,” CK held her shoulder.
He saw her smile after a long time so he hugged her tight. He then saw the CD cover in the desk with his picture and the words, ‘A blockbuster movie’. He felt like flying with success in his personal and professional life. He looked at the TV, ‘THE HAPPY END’ was scrolling up.
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NEVER BEEN A LOVED ONE Page 14
