𝕍𝕚𝕣𝕒𝕙

《 Four - Shadows of the Past 》

Mumbai, India

"Abhir, we are getting late! Wear your clothes, fast!" Akshara shouted from the living room.

"Coming, Mummaaaa!" Abhir shouted back from the bedroom.

It was a Saturday morning, and while Abhir had a holiday from school, Akshara had to go to the office. Her house help, Preeti Tai, had taken a day off due to a family emergency, and because of this, she had to take Abhir to the office with her.

Abhir came out of the bedroom, a small backpack on his back.

"Ye kya hai?" Akshara asked her son, confused.

"Important stuff," Abhir said matter-of-factly as if an adult was talking.

"Oye! Paanch saal ka bhi nahi hua abhi tak, tera kaunsa 'important stuff'?" Akshara laughed.

"Building blocks, drawing book, color pencils, aur sabse important mera Rubik's cube!" Abhir listed while counting on his digits.

"Ye sab tu office lekar aayega?"

"Haan mumma! You will toh work there. Aise laptop pe," Abhir said while imitating Akshara typing on a laptop, "Main kya karunga?"

Akshara playfully pinched her son's nose, "Theek hain baba, take whatever you want. Bas remember you will not disturb anybody in the office. Okay?"

Abhir nodded his head and said, "Yes, Mumma!"

"Mera sona bach'cha! Let's leave, neeche car aagayi hai," said Akshara.

She held Abhir's hand as both of them left the house. Akshara locked the door behind them and set off for a new day at work, along with the apple of her eye.

~❈~

Mumbai traffic was killing that Saturday morning. Akshara and Abhir were stuck in the middle of a highway, the driver trying to maneuver the car through the packed road. While Akshara worried about reaching the office on time, Abhir was busy observing everything around him. Even with his limited reading ability, he kept trying to read every poster, hoarding, and board. As the car kept moving at a tortoise's pace, Abhir's eyes fell on a huge hoarding, and he immediately recognized the face on it.

"C-O-N-C-E-R-T I-N M-U-M-B-A-I," he spelled the word on the hoarding, "Conkert kya hota hain?" he asked softly.

Akshara smiled, "Conkert nahi, concert hota hai!" and corrected him.

"Ohh! But woh hota kya hain?" he asked again.

"Concert matlab jab koi singer live singing karta hai," she explained.

"Live matlab aise eyes ke saamne? Real real? Headphones mein nahi?" he asked his mother excitedly.

"Haan eyes ke saamne, real-real!"

"Wow! Matlab PB real-real singing karenge!" exclaimed Abhir.

Akshara was shocked at Abhir's statement, "What are you saying, baby?"

"Maine read kiya, bahar, wahan," he pointed out of the window, but the car had moved.

"Kahaan baby?"

"Mumma, maine sacchi read kiya. Aisa big board tha aur uspar PB ki photo thi! Concert in Mumbai was written too!"

"Aapne kuchh galat padha hoga baby," Akshara said, not wanting to believe what Abhir said.

"No, mumma! I read it right! Mujhe utna read karne aata hain!" Abhir protested.

"Parth bhai Mumbai mein? Matlab baaki ke Birlas bhi? Nahi," Akshara thought.

"Mumma..." Abhir shook Akshara out of her trance.