stitches

019

SANJAY

Aditya smiles at me as I hold the swing for him. He has grown since the last time I saw him. It is at his birthday party. His eyes are light brown in the golden light, and his hair is covering part of his forehead. His red cheeks turn even redder with his smile.

"Will you help me?" He asks.

I smile as I nod. "Of course,"

He jumps and sits on the swing and looks at me. "You have to push now from the back. I want to go higher."

"How much higher are we talking?" He points to the sky. "See that blue sky. There." I push the swing slowly at first.

"Won't you be afraid?"

"No,"

"Why?"

"Nani says, my Dad stays there,"

My hands pause involuntarily, and he turns to look at me.

"Is it hurting?" He looks at my hand in the arm sling.

I shake my head as I continue pushing. It starts swinging on its own, but I raise my hand just near the chain to pull it if necessary.

"Won't you miss your Mama?" I ask him as he requests to go higher.

"I'll be back. I just want to get my birthday gift from him," Aditya says as he grips the chain.

I sit down next to him, and he looks up at me. "Is it hurting?" he asks, touching the arm sling. "

Yes," I lie. I don't think I can find a reason for him so that I can stop pushing the swing. I see him curiously trying to look inside the arm sling. I remove the strap and show it to him. He nods once he realizes that there is nothing inside. "You know who goes behind the sky?" I ask him as I put the sling back on.

He shakes his head.

"Good people," I say. "People who did good things. Like your Dad," He nods, taking in what I say.

 "But won't he miss me?""

He will, but he is always watching you,"

"But I don't get to watch him," He says, his lips pouting.

"One day," I tell him. "If you're a good boy, you can see him, and I have heard that you're a good boy,"

He blushes as he nods. "I am," He whispers.

I laugh as I look up at the sky.

"Is your Dad also watching you?" 

I look at him, and I'm unable to make words. I have been trying to push the news about my Dad into the back of my brain. I cannot avoid it, I know. He has only got months, and the fact that it is going to break my family is burning my chest.

I clear my throat as I look at Aditya. "My Dad is a good man too. He is here now, but the sky has been calling him,"

"Will he go?"

I have heard that adults don't have answers to children's questions. And I couldn't agree more. I hope he doesn't go, Aditya. I pray he rejects the call.

"Hello Mr? I searched you in the whole house," We both turn around to see Aadhya coming from Badepa's house. I suddenly remember how rude I was to Rehan the last time I saw him. She pauses on her track and eyes me. "Woah!" She says as she walks closer.

"I'm fine. It was a mild accident. Nothing much," 

She frowns. "But Liya said you were in a fight,"

I roll my eyes, and she laughs. "She will embarrass the hell out of me,"