Time will fly by and things will change,
but my life will remain rooted in the
memories I have shared with someone
who has seen me through it all.
***I tried to explain this Chapter from the POV of little Amrita ***
Amrita didn't have many memories of her Maa, Sharada Mehta. The few that remained were etched firmly in her mind though. The way her Maa always carried her in her arms, as she fed her favourite kheer. Or when she tried to catch her, while her Baba ran around carrying her on his shoulders.
And then she remembered that day when Maa had a big tummy. She was told that she was going to get a little sister or brother to play with. Amrita was so happy. She never liked playing with dolls or silly games. She wanted to run around, go out. But sometimes it was boring to do it all on her own. A little brother would be fun, she thought. Everyone called Ammu a tomboy, although she didn't know what that meant.
Ammu just had her 3rd birthday and there were lot of guests in the house. She loved the chocolate cake her Maa made especially for her. Their new neighbours also came; Vasumathy and Arjun Singh Rathore and their 4 year old son Ajay.
"What's your name? How old are you?" Amrita asked him, but he just looked at her, and went away without speaking.
How rude!! Amrita thought.
She found Vasu Aunty to be very nice though. Ammu liked her more, because she gave her a nice picture story book to read as present. Thank god it was not another doll like all other presents. Baba always read stories to Ammu when she went to bed. He read from the new story book from Vasu Aunty that night.
"Ammu! Vasu Aunty is also a teacher at school like me. So when you go to school next year, you should call her Teacher and not Aunty anymore."
Ammu was confused but too excited to go to bed. But her Baba forced her to sleep, promising that he will read the rest of the book next day at bedtime.
Next day when Ammu woke up everyone was worried, and Janaki amma was crying. Baba was with Dr Sharma and they were taking her Maa somewhere. Maa's face was crunched as if she was in pain.
Amrita heard her Baba asking Sharma uncle
"It is too early. What is wrong?"
Dr Sharma said something but little Ammu couldn't understand. Brijesh saw Ammu and tried to smile. He asked her to stay with Janaki amma like a good girl, and promised her that he will back soon with Maa and little baby brother or sister, and she gets to play with them. Amrita was very happy!!!
Amrita tried to play with Janaki Amma for some time, but she looked too preoccupied. It was almost bed time, and Amrita was waiting for her Baba, as he promised her that he will read the story. But neither her Baba nor Maa came back. Suddenly Vasu Aunty and Ajay came. She too looked a bit sad, but she smiled at Amrita and invited to come to their home. But Ammu refused.
So Vasu Aunty sat with Ammu in her room, and read the story from the new book instead. Ajay was sitting in her lap, raptly listening to the story. The story was so good, and both kids were laughing so much. Vasu Aunty had a wonderful way of telling a story with different voices. Amrita fell asleep, but when she woke up again, Ajay was sleeping next to her on her bed. For the first time, she didn't mind. She "let" him sleep. She was still feeling sleepy, but then she heard someone crying loudly outside. Amrita got up and walked outside, to see lot of people gathered around her Baba, and he was crying too.
Brijesh saw little Amrita looking all lost and scared, and called out to her. He hugged her tightly in his arms, and started crying even louder. Everyone came around and asked him to stop crying. Amrita was confused as to what was happening, and felt like crying too.
"Where is Maa? Baba why are you crying? And where is my little brother that I can play with?" Ammu asked innocently.
Dr Sharma and Mrs Sharma came forward and tried to console Brijesh. There was a tiny bundle in Mrs Sharma's arms, and Amrita looked at it curiously.
Mrs Sharma sat down on the floor and invited Amrita to sit next to her, and showed her the bundle.
"This is your little sister Ammu. See how cute she is. She is sleeping right now, so we all have to be very quiet ok." She whispered to her.
"What?? Is this my sister? But she is so small... like my teddy bear. How can I play with her? Baba you promised that I will play with my sister. You lied to me." She started wailing loudly.
Mrs Sharma didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"I want Maa, Where is Maa?" Amrita remembered once again, and started to cry even louder.
Vasumathy gently took her in her arms, and carried her over to the front veranda.
Arjun Rathore and Dr Sharma tried to stop her.
"She is too young to understand, she might be too shocked and distraught. Please let's spare her." Arjun implored his wife.
Brijesh slowly walked over to join them.
"What would we tell her whenever she asks about her Maa for the rest of her life then? Of course she would be shocked and cry a lot, but to know the truth is most important thing, for all of us to achieve acceptance and later closure. What do you say Brijesh Sir?" Vasumathy looked calmly at the grieving father.
"I think what Vasuji said is correct. Let me explain this to my daughter." Brijesh took Amrita in his arms, and slowly walked over to the veranda outside, where Amrita's Maa Sharada Mehta was lying peacefully.
The moment Amrita saw her Maa, she ran to her.
"Maa! wake up wake up. It is morning now. See... everyone is awake. You keep telling me to wake up early but now you are still sleeping." She shook her with her tiny hands, trying to wake her up.
Brijesh wiped the fresh bout of tears than engulfed him, and sat next to Amrita.
"Ammu... Ammu! Maa is not going to wake up anytime soon now. Maa got some problem inside her tummy, and that's why she won't wake up now beta. After today, you won't be able to see Maa at all. So please give her a big hug and a kiss, on the forehead... just like she used to give to you." He choked as he explained it to his little girl.
"What do you mean Baba? Why won't she wake up again? What is the problem in her tummy? But you told me that my little baby sister was in her tummy. Did she give Maa tummy ache?" Amrita's questions were non-stop and Brijesh, deep in his own grief, didn't know how to answer her.
Vasumathy came and hugged Amrita gently. Amrita liked her touch and her soft saree. It felt just like her Maa's. Ajay came and stood next to her, holding his mother's pallu of the saree.
"Ammu, your little sister has got nothing to do with your Maa's pain. Ok? It's just that Maa was not feeling well, and when the pain became too much, she asked God to take away her pain and that's what God did. She is now without pain, but with God now." Vasu said softly.
Ammu looked confusedly at her.
"You are lying... you are all lying. My Maa is right here so why are you saying she is with God...I don't believe you." She screamed and ran in to the street. Ajay ran after her, followed by Vasumathy and Arjun.
Ajay caught up with her and pulled her arm, stopping her.
"Don't you dare call my Maa a liar? She never tells lies" Ajay shouted at Ammu.
Ammu looked at Ajay, hiccuping with sobs.
"My Maa also never lies to me. She told me she will come home with little sister or brother." She retorted angrily, wiping her tears.
"Yes, she did come home with your sister. Didn't you see? Because we were both sleeping, maybe she had gone off to God. I don't know where God is, but I am sure my Maa will tell us." Ajay tried to reason with her.
Vasumathy and Arjun caught up with both kids and brought them back inside the house.
The following days were a blur to Amrita. There were lot of people who came and went in the Mehta house. Vasumathy usually took Ammu to their home in the morning, and afterwards Ammu, Ajay played a lot in the backyard all day. Brijesh would pick her up and take home, and still read to her in the night, but sometimes she would sleep with Ajay listening to Vasu Aunty.
Ammu would think of her Maa and cry often, but in the company of Ajay and Vasu Aunty, she seemed to be less distraught.
They named her little sister Vidya after her mother and grandmothers names. For Amrita though, she was just like a fluffy teddy bear. Brijesh took upon himself to look after the baby, with the help of a nurse from Dr Sharma's Clinic and Janaki Amma.
Two years passed since the terrible incident.
Life was returning to normal in the Mehta household.
Vidya was now an adorable toddler. Everyone hovered around the mother less baby, taking turns to take care of her, along with Janaki Amma.
Amrita and Brijesh have taken Ajay and family to all their favourite spots like the mango orchard, small waterfalls and lake nearby.
Ammu had joined school, and began to learn all her lessons quite fast. She was quite sharp for her age, and quick to grasp anything newly taught. Ajay was one year senior to her. Ammu didn't have many friends at school. Most girls shunned her, because she never played with dolls or did girlie stuff, and the boys wouldn't allow her in their groups either. She was quite temperamental too, which resulted in her being not very popular at school. She was quite athletic, and Arjun uncle and Ajay started teaching her how to play cricket in their backyard.
One day, all the boys were playing cricket in the street. Ajay was 7 year old now, and was a natural player, and had impressed his playmates with his batting and bowling skills. They all vied to get him on their teams. Amrita too joined their play, and asked for her turn to bat.
None of the boys wanted Amrita in their teams.
"Why can't Ammu join in our team?" Ajay asked his friends angrily.
"She is a girl, who wants to play with girls? They have no Idea how to play cricket." They mocked her.
"Ammu is my friend, and I won't play in the team unless you take her into the team as well." Ajay declared.
The boys had no choice but to accept her as their team mate, as they didn't want to lose Ajay.
Ammu looked at Ajay. She felt so happy. Nobody ever fought "for" her.
From that day, Ammu decided that Ajay was her best friend.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you liked this first chapter which details the friendship
and backstory of Amrita, Ajay and Vidya. I tried to explain the
situation from the way a child looks at it. I had to start from
the day Ajay and Amrita met as this laid the foundation for
everything that happens later.
Thank you for all your support, votes and feedback
and please continue to do so to help me write better.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------