A Day To Remember!

An Inexplicable Connection-2

"May I come in, Sir?!"

As Annika and Om turned towards the door, the arriver as well as Om and Annika were completely astounded.

"Shivaay . You here?!" Om tried to ask as normally as possible, lest the trustee of the Children's home got suspicious.

"You guys are here?!" He asked simultaneously. Annika just gave a blank expression and did not utter a word.

"Aapko fark padtha hai, Shivaay! This lineage is forever going to matter to you!" The words she had told him long ago echoed in his ears.

"Annika…." He tried to explain, but she just turned back towards the trustee.

"Sir, you could probably give us the details now" she requested, without bothering to respond to Shivaay. The man began referring to the adoption form and verifying details of the same from old records.

"These adoption forms are from this Ashram only. Looks like it has happened more than twenty years ago. But, back then, I was not in charge. Most of the authorities here have also changed. But, there is one person with whom we can try to confirm the authenticity of this. She is an old woman who was working here and still continues to stay here" he explained and the three of them looked on.

"Can we meet her?!" Annika asked anxiously.

"Of course! But, she is too old to walk till here. You may have to go inside to see her" he informed.

"That is okay. We can do that" Annika was too quick to react.

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All the three of them were now on their way towards the old lady's room. Annika had a chain of thoughts running in her mind.

When they were almost close to the destination, she found two kids conversing.

"Didi..this candy is for you" the little girl extended it towards her elder sister and the girl extended her hand to get it. A similar scene from her past played in front of Annika's eyes.

"Jiji..toffee for you and me" said an excited Chutki. But, even before Annika could take it from her little sister's tiny palm, someone snatched it away.

"This is the only thing that was left for undeserving people like you" the arrogant man snapped back angrily. "Go and clean that place!"

"Okay. I will, I will. Please let my Chutki go inside" Annika almost pleaded to the monster man. That was how she referred him!

"Nooo.." A loud voice shifted Annika back to the present from those agonizing thoughts.

"You both are not eating this now. Come have lunch first. And, then I will even give you each another candy also" the lady ordered lovingly to the little kids. Annika was a little convinced now.

"There are no more such people who torture the kids here, Annika. We have only nice, kind people around" Shivaay assured a worried Annika. He very well understood her emotional turmoil.
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They entered into a small room where an old lady with broad spectacles, probably in her late seventies, was seated, and reading a local magazine.

"Kamla Tai" Annika muttered, completely startled on identifying the person in front of her.

Shivaay and Om looked at her quizzically.

"She..she was the one who helped me escape from this place" she replied to no one in particular. Both Shivaay and Om were aware of the fact that Annika had fled from the same Ashram many years ago. Although Annika did not have a very clear memory of her childhood, she knew that Kamla Tai was the only one who gave some love to the kids and treated them well.