"Papa!" Pari squealed. "Yes, Princess. I am home!" Samarth goes and hugs his daughter. He lifts her in his arms and kisses her. "Did you bring that P P medicine?" Pari reminds his father. "Yes, my mom, I've bought it!"
Samarth hands over the medicine to Pari and she hugs him. "Papa, Jiya aunty has the solution to every problem. She is so perfect na?" Pari praised Jiya that irked Samarth.
"Umm, yeah...now show me, have you completed your homework?" Samarth questioned as he settled on the couch. Pari nodded and rushed to her room to bring her notebook.
Samarth pinched the bridge of his nose thinking about the current day's events. He tried concentrating on the London deal and what all documents it would require but all the time his thoughts wandered to those black orbs, innocent eyed girl, Jiya.
He didn't know why, for the first time in his life, after his beloved wife, someone was occupying his thoughts so much. He shook his head to get rid of unwanted thoughts and breathed in. He smiled as soon as Pari returned with her notebook.
"Okay, so what was your homework." Samarth inquired. "Papa, these school people are so dumbos. They gave me table of 2, 3 and 4 to write but you know na, I know tables till 15." Pari stated with a cute frown. "Princess, you know your tables but other kids of your class don't know na, that's why, your school people do this." Samarth lightly hit her head as if wanting his explanation to enter her mind.
"I know, Suraj knows and Meena also knows tables till 15." Pari said after much thinking. "Okay? And, who is Suraj?" Samarth asked while going through her notebook. "Oh! He is Jiya Aunty's-" "Son?" Samarth interrupted Pari. Pari smacked her head and said, "No, Papa. He is Jiya's Aunty's nephew." Samarth didn't know why but he felt relieved.
"Okay, now show me your school diary, princess." Samarth instructed to which Pari brought and showed him her school diary after a few minutes. "Pari has gotten five stars in her school diary? Wow!" Samarth exclaimed happily. Pari nodded, "Papa, you remember na what day is it tomorrow?"
"Yes, tomorrow is your class test for E.V.S subject." Samarth said absent mindedly going through her diary. "Offo! No Papa. Tomorrow is something else, something special." Samarth looked at Pari and then towards the ceiling as if trying to remember what day is it tomorrow.
"Oh! I got it, I got it. Tomorrow is my princess's 6th bday. Right?" Samarth chuckled to which Pari said, "Yes, Papa. I thought you forgot." "How will I, my Princess?" Samarth laughed. "So, Papa. Tomorrow I want you to stay at home and plan for my bday party. I will invite all my friends in the evening and we all will enjoy so much." Pari squealed and jumped onto Samarth's lap.
"Yes Princess, your wish is my command. Your king will do as you say. We all will enjoy, party, have fun the whole day." "Papa?" Pari suddenly grew serious. "Yes, my girl?" Samarth asked looking at Pari's changed expression.
"Will my Mamma come to my bday party tomorrow?" Pari innocently questioned. Samarth's happy face immediately fell and he looked into Pari's eyes. All he could see was longing, pure longing for her mother. She is making it extremely difficult for Samarth to reveal the truth.
"Umm, Princess, about that, I'll have to talk to your Mamma beta. Only then will I know right?" Samarth stammered. "Yeah, but talk soon. I want my Mamma at the party tomorrow." Samarth signed Pari's diary and gave it back to her. "And, don't forget to call Jiya Aunty to the party tomorrow. I want her too. She is my best friend." Pari spoke and ran to her room with her diary excitedly.
"Jiya Aunty, Jiya Aunty, Jiya Aunty. All she thinks about is her. Gosh! Don't know what magic she has done on my Princess." Samarth sighed but instantly frowned in dejection when Pari's words rung in his head.
"Will my Mamma come to my bday party tomorrow?"
"Yeah, but talk soon. I want my Mamma at the party tomorrow."
--------------------
Samarth went to the store room. It was a small room and in a secluded corner, away from the main rooms. It was dirty and unkempt. He smiled as he remembered how his wife, Mihika used to keep it cleaned up always.
"Samarth ji, Samarth ji....give me the broom. You never clean the store room." Mihika yelled. "Mihika, is it necessary to clean the store room? I mean it's a store room for a reason." Samarth replied irritated. "It's necessary. What if the spiders and cockroaches and other insects hatch their eggs here. It won't take long before they capture the whole big mansion of yours, understood?"
"What the fu-" Samarth was interrupted when Mihika shouted, "Language, Samarth ji! If tomorrow our kids would be born, they will learn your language." Mihika said while dusting the caskets. "Talking about kids, why don't we make one now?" Samarth back hugged his wife and said in her ears. Mihika gulped and said, "You know Samarth ji, whenever our kids will born, we will keep them very very happy. They will always smile and laugh like laughing Buddha." The couple's laughter filled the whole store room.
Till now, whenever Samarth entered the store room, he envisioned a glimpse of his wife. His Mihika. He looked around the room and saw that now cobwebs dominated the room. He went to an old casket and patted it slightly. He coughed when the dust got into his eyes. He kept his hand on the casket and smiled.
"No, no, no" Mihika shook her head while entering the store room. "I don't want you to go to that stupid party." "But, Mihika they're my colleagues. I have to go there. It's just a small party." Samarth requested. "A small party? Yeah right! Now, you will go to the party. Your so called colleagues will offer you alcohol and then you will supposedly say, 'no no no, I don't drink Mr. Mehra.' Then they will force you and voila! You will land up in my home all drunk up."
As soon as Mihika completed her mini sarcastic speech, Samarth held her by her waist and pushed her towards him. "You very well know me, Mrs. Saxena!" Samarth raised his eye brows. Mihika wrapped her hands around his torso. "After all, you are my husband, Mr. Saxena!" She smiled.
Whenever he felt sad, or his dear wife's memories engulfed him, he opened this casket. He went to a cupboard and took out a small key. He dusted the casket a bit and inserted the key in it and twisted it. He unlocked the casket and looked at it.
naina.. jo saanjhe khwaab dekhte the
naina.. bichhaR ke aaj ro diye hain yoon
naina.. jo milke raat jaagte the
naina.. sehar mein palken meechte hain yoon
There were things that belonged to Mihika. All the things held her fragrance, her memories. He touched Mihika's red lehenga. This was the lehenga that his mother had given to her. Her wedding lehenga. She had looked ravishing in it.
"Aap...You please stay away from me. I don't want to consummate our wedding now. We barely know each other." Mihika cowered away in fear. Samarth took a step towards her. "Listen, to me, Mihika. It's not what you think." Samarth said in a calm voice.
Mihika took a step back in fear. "I--I told yo--you na. Go away, I don't want you near me." Tears dropped incessantly from her eyes. Samarth knew it was an arranged marriage and somewhere or the other, she wasn't ready to get married this soon. She was just 22 and his parents had explained him to take care of her and behave lovingly.
"Mihika, don't worry. I am not the type of person who will force himself on you. If you want, I will sleep outside. Okay?" He picked up his pillow and blanket and was about to go outside when she held his hand. This small touch made Samarth relaxed and he turned to face her.
"You sleep here only. I will sleep on the couch. Maaji, Baapuji will get the wrong idea if you leave your wife in the room on your wedding night." She said slowly lowering her head. Samarth smiled at her words. She was a gem.
He inhaled the fragrance of the lehenga. It felt as if Mihika was still present somewhere in the room. He kept the lehenga in the casket.
Next, he picked up a small box. He opened it and took out Mihika's mangal sutra or nuptial chain. He kissed it and remembered this one incident concerning the nuptial chain.
Mihika was kneading the dough in the kitchen. Her hair strand was disturbing her as it was again and again falling on her face. She pushed it back with the back of her hand. Suddenly, she felt two strong arms wrap her from behind.
Mihika gasped. "Samarth ji, Samarth ji ye aap kya karr ra-" Samarth put a finger on her lips. "Can't I love my wife?" He questioned innocently. "Samarth ji, I am cooking and Maaji, Baapuji are sitting in the hall. What if someone comes inside?"
"Let them come. I am romancing with my legally wedded wife. What's wrong in that?" He frowned. Mihika smiled and continued with her task. Samarth put his head in the crook of her neck. "My wife's ignoring me." He said with a pout.
"No, I am not. I love my husband. Why will I ignore him?" Mihika said in her defense. "Then why are you so much busy in your house chores always?" Mihika went to the basin and washed her hands. She came back to her husband and wrapped her hands around his neck.
"Okay, my dear husband. I am all for you now. Tell me, what can I do for you?" She chuckled. Samarth smiled at her childishness and kissed her cheek. He looked at her neck. It was bare.
"Mihika?" Samarth's sudden raised voice startled Mihika and she opened her eyes with a start. "Where is your mangal sutra?" He questioned. Mihika touched her neck and found it bare. She started panicking. "Samarth ji, I-I had worn it this morning. I do-don't know."
Samarth produced her nuptial chain from his pocket. "This! This, my wife should always be wound around your neck." He said authoritatively signaling to the nuptial chain. Mihika's eyes grew wide. "From where did you get it?" "It was on the dressing table. Looks like someone forgot to adorn it today." Samarth said.
Mihika looked at him with an apologizing look. "Sorry. I forgot!" She apologized. "Yeah! Forget me also some day." Samarth commented. Mihika instantly covered his mouth with her hands. "I would rather die than forget you." She hugged Samarth and hid her faced in his chest.
juda huye kadam
jinhone li thi ye kasam
milke chalenge hardum
ab baanTte hain ye gham
bheege naina...
Samarth's heart grew restless as he processed her words. He stopped the tears to escape from his eyes which were struggling to flow down any time. He rummaged through the small box and found a small box of vermillion in it. He picked it up and remembered his wedding day when he had adorned his beautiful wife with vermillion in her hair.
He kept the box inside the casket and his eyes fell on a half broken gift his wife had given him for his birthday. He picked it up. It was a beautiful show piece of pink fort which had a sphere in the center and two couples hugged each other in the glass sphere. It was the first ever gift that his wife gave her. From her own first earned salary.
It was a little broken now as she had mistakenly dropped it. He smiled at her clumsiness as his hands caressed the half broken but cello taped show piece. He remembered she had kissed him for the first time on his birthday and had willingly given herself to him making his birthday the best one ever.
saans hairaan hai, mann pareshaan hai
ho rahi si kyun ruaansa kyun ye meri jaan hai
kyun niraasha se hai aas haari huyi
kyun sawaalon ka uTha sa dil mein toofaan hai
He kept the showpiece back and saw a card. Tampered one as it had been in the casket from a long time. He took out the card and opened it. He chuckled at how she had given the news of her pregnancy to him.
"Samarth ji, I wanted to give you this." Mihika handed over a card to him. Samarth was fixing his tie and did not pay any attention to her. He was angry at her as she didn't want to go with him to the movie.
"Samarth ji!!" Mihika tugged on his shirt. Samarth finally gave in and looked at the card through the mirror. "I have to give you this card. Open it when I go okay?" She said shyly, her eyes on the floor. Mihika stood there holding the card in her hand wanting him to take it up but he didn't She kept the card on the table and ran out of the room.
Samarth looked outside and as soon as he grew sure that Mihika wasn't there he immediately picked up the card and opened it. What he read, left him speechless. Happy tears fell on the card and Mihika watched all this from outside.
"It it, is it--" Samarth didn't know what to say. "It's true" Mihika said softly drawing random patterns on the wall she was clung onto. She looked at him and he came in and took her in a bone crushing hug. "We are gonna be parents, Mihika! I am so happy." He broke the hug and looked into her eyes.
Mihika's eyes were moist at his reaction. She was shy to crack the news. She didn't know how he would react. Samarth walked along with her and made her sit on the bed. He sat down on her knee level and took her hands in his.
"Mihika, our baby!" Samarth exclaimed. Mihika freed her hands and cupped his cheek. "Yes, Samarth ji, our baby. Our bachha or bacchi." She smiled through her tears. "That's why I rejected your offer for the movie because I have a doctor's appointment in the evening." She said sweetly.
"I am sorry Mihika. You, you are gonna be a mom and I a dad, a cool dad." Samarth said as he wiped his tears. "Why only you a cool parent? I will also be a cool mom!" Mihika pouted. "Hey! Hey! You ain't cool. You are hot!" He whispered in her ears.
naina.. thhe aasmaan ke sitaare
naina.. grahan mein aaj tooTte hain yoon
naina.. kabhi jo dhoop senkte thhe
naina.. Thehar ke chhaaon Dhoondhte hain yoon
Samarth pressed the card onto his chest. Tears were warning him to fall any time. He put the card back and closed the casket. He went to keep the key and spotted an album. The album which contained her pictures.
He took the album carefully and flipped open the pages. There was a picture of her from their wedding day. He moved his fingers through her innocent, beautiful face. She was all tiny and timid in the initial days of their marriage.
He turned the pages and found a picture of them from their first anniversary. They were so much in love that time. She had worn a blue chiffon saree which complemented her curves. The backless blouse accentuated her neck line. Samarth had worn a tux with a blue tie to match her saree color. Mihika had hugged him soon after the cake cutting was done.
He kissed Mihika's photo and turned the pages. A picture when he had proposed her was taken by his friend. He had decorated the whole house with flowers and candles and as soon as she returned from her office, he had gone down on one knee. He was the first one to say those three words which she reciprocated with the four words of 'I love you too'.
He again flipped the pages. A picture from when she was taken to the hospital was also there in this album. The day when Pari was born. He smiled as his daughter's face flashed in his mind. But, he gulped when the horrendous day clicked in his mind.
"Mihika! Mihika! It's a girl. She looks so cute and innocent." Samarth exclaimed while looking at his daughter's face. Mihika looked at her and smiled faintly. She was having a lot of pain as a C-section was done for the birth.
Mihika sat up and rested her back against the head board of the hospital bed. Samarth gave the baby in her lap. She looked at her and smiled. She lifted her up in her arms and placed a kiss on her forehead. After all these pains, her beautiful daughter had finally entered this world.
"Mihika, what name have you thought for her?" Samarth asked her lovingly. "Umm...I think her name should be-" Suddenly, Mihika started gasping for breaths. She started inhaling forcibly due to the lack of air. Samarth panicked and instantly shouted for a doctor.
"Sam--Samarth ji, I-I don't know wheth- whether or not I will stay in thi- this world. Ple- please take care of our daugh- daughter. Don't grow we- weak. She'll nee- needs you. Stay for her pl- please. Take care of my---my Pari!" She collapsed in the bed with a loud thud!
The doctor came just then and handed Pari to Samarth. He pushed Samarth back as he checked Mihika. Samarth was seeing all this in a frozen state. He didn't know what to say or do! The doctor pressed the stethoscope on her heart and checked her heart beats. He looked towards the pulse monitor.
Samarth too followed the doctor's eyes and looked at the monitor. The lines which indicated Mihika's heartbeats were dropping by each passing second. And, there came the time. The time when the line went straight. Completely straight indicating her death. Samarth looked at the monitor with wide eyes.
"Mihika!!!!!!" He shouted in a loud voice. The doctor came towards him and held him. "Doctor, my Mihika, my Mihika! She---she is safe. She is safe right? No-nothing has happened to her. My Mihu is strong. Mihu!! Mihu!! Get up! You know doctor? Now, Mihu will get up and squeal, Samarth, it was a prank. Yes, right doctor? She is sh-- she is playing a prank right. Mihu, Mihu don't do this. It's not a good prank. Mihu!!! Mihu!!!" He blabbered and some of his words were incoherent to the doctor. Samarth fell on the floor with Pari still in his hands. The nurse took Pari and stood at a distance.
The doctor bent down. "Mr. Saxena, you'll have to accept this. Your wife is no more. She has had a cardiac arrest. We couldn't save her. We had already told you. Seeing her blood reports, either the mother will be or the child will. I am sorry, Mr. Saxena!" The doctor caressed Samarth's back and went out.
Samarth sat still on the floor, looking at his wife. Mihika had slipped in a deep slumber from which she would never wake again. This thought disturbed him. He was a crying mess right now. He was looking at his dead wife with a blank expression.
juda huye kadam,
jinhone li thi ye kasam
milke chalenge hardam
ab baanTte hain ye gham
bheege naina.. jo saanjhe khwaab dekhte the
naina.. bichhaR ke aaj ro diye hain yoon
A tear escaped Samarth's eyes as he processed the events of that day in his mind. He couldn't restrain the tears anymore. He let them fall and instantly his face was now all warm from the hot tears which flow from his eyes.
"Why Mihu? Why did you leave me so early? We had planned so much for our kid. You would go to her parent's teacher's meet. I would save her if she would score less. You would make food for her and I would take her out for eating. You broke all my dreams Mihu!! I hate you for this."
Samarth covered his mouth and sobbed. "I love you Mihu! I love you. I will forever love you. Remember, we had planned for a cricket team of babies? How you would hit me lightly whenever I talked that I wanted a full cricket team of sons and daughters. You left, Mihika. You left without making me complete my dream. It was you Mihu. All my life, it will be you. No one ever managed to steal my heart like you did."
He wiped his tears as fresh tears streamed down his face. "What should I reply to Pari? You know how much she misses you? You know how she always talks about you? Pari craves for motherly love Mihu. What should I say to her? I become tongue tied when she questions about you, your existence, your identity. How should I tell her that you are no more now? How should I make her understand that you are dead?" Samarth cried and his tears fell on Mihika's picture in the album. It felt like Mihika was crying too.
"Papa? Mamma's dead?" Pari's loud voice startled Samarth. He got up and turned around to see his daughter at the store room door standing with a confused expression on her face holding a teddy in her hand.