Part 24

Late Evening in the Village

Shobha Amma brushed the hair away from her face, as Vedant stared at Saroja.

"She is all right, I think it was just the shock of seeing you here, all of a sudden. You know she had spoken a lot about you, but you were always a nostalgia for her; I don't think she ever expected you to find her here, in this quiet corner of the world. After everything that happened.

And yet, she doesn't complain. I wonder how and why."

He was now seated by her side, so that she would see him first when she awoke.

Saroja looked tired and ill; he could see her collar bones clearly. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she looked like a child curled up on the bed.

He looked at Shobha Amma now, there was so much love and affection in the way the older woman was caring for Saroja; it made him tear up.

Shobha Amma looked at Saroja and continued

"You might want to wait outside Vedant. I am not so sure how she is going to take it ..."

He nodded and stood up, taking a stock of the room. And it saddened him further. There was nothing else in the room except for the old, rickety bed; the old wooden cupboard with a glass pane in front to serve as a mirror, and a table and a chair.

And the next moment, he felt angry; angry with himself for not having fought for her more. For letting her linger on. It was his fault that she was there, in that state.

He walked out in a huff and sat down on the stairs leading to the balcony.

Deep breathing, he whispered to himself as he looked around.

He could see the fireflies glowing in the distance

He could hear the trains whistling out off the station, one by one

He could see the diamond encrusted night sky above

His thoughts returned to Saroja; he couldn't still believe his luck that she was back in his life; all he wanted to do was to hold her close and cry his heart out. He desperately needed to heal, and she was the only one who could help.

...

An hour earlier

Once Dayal had scampered off to call his Ammamma, Vedant remained seated on the floor of the balcony, nestling Saroja in his arms. He could not believe that he had finally found his Saroja. After all this time.

He could not tear his eyes away from her face, willing her to wake up.

He recalled his discussion with Shobha Amma earlier. When Shobha Amma had stepped into the room, Vedant had been surprised. He felt as if a slightly aged version of Radha Mami had come to meet him. And the funniest thing had been that that the lady in question had exactly known about the confusion; hence the smile on her face.

They had gotten talking; Vedant had informed her that both Gopi Mama and Radha Mami had now returned to their village; but that he had not spoken to them for long. He hadn't wanted to mention about Saroja, but on hindsight, he realised that Shobha Amma had known.

Because she had broached the topic herself. Of how some time back, a young girl had come to her house; she had been put up in the same room as him and had stayed with their family for some time. Before she became a Maths Teacher at the local school, and was now staying in her own room, just across the field.

Both Vedant and Shobha Amma had stared at each other all the while. Vedant's heart had started pounding; he had known that Shobha Amma was talking about Saroja, but he had wanted to be sure.

"You are Saroja's Vedant?" she had asked him point blank, after her son had left the room.

And Vedant had not been able to control himself any longer. The days, the months of separation, the desperation, the hurt, the fear had all fallen apart like a sand castle, and he had ended up crying. Shobha Amma had not uttered a word in between; she had simply sat there, patting Vedant's hand.

And when Vedant had finally been ready; she had called for Dayal

Vedant placed a gentle kiss on Saroja's forehead, as he waited for Shobha Amma to come.

...

He had effortlessly picked Saroja up and carried her inside, placing her on the bed. Shobha Amma had sent Dayal to call for the village doctor.

"Weak pulse, extreme fatigue and exertion. How is she functioning?" the Doctor had said as he wrote down the prescription.

Vedant had hurried to the medical store, with Dayal in tow.

While returning, the shy guy had asked

"Athan? Are you my Athan? Are you Saroja Akka's husband?"

Vedant had slowed his pace. The question was simple enough ...

"Yes, if she will let me be" he had responded.

Dayal had looked at him intently

"Then why is she over here all alone? Where have you been all this while?"

Thankfully, they had arrived and Vedant had been spared further questioning by the teenager.

But the questions kept on reverberating through his mind, as he waited for Saroja to wake up.

...

Sometime later

Vedant nearly jumped off his skin as he felt someone touch him. He turned around; it was Shobha Amma

"She is asking for you ... go" She smiled at him.

Shobha Amma climbed down the stairs, with Dayal supporting him

"In fact, I will send diner over here. You two could eat together"

...

Vedant sat down on the chair in front of her bed. She smiled as the chair creaked ominously

"Not much to talk about this rickety chair, right?" she asked, indicating towards the same.

She was sitting up now, a faint smile on her face. She looked extremely calm and in control.

"You want to talk about this chair now?" Vedant asked gently

And then had she started crying.

Vedant had crossed the distance in a heartbeat and pulled her into a bear hug, holding her close to his heart. Letting her cry to her heart's content, as he held her securely, her hands clutching onto the lapels of his shirt.

"I am so sorry, I couldn't be here earlier, I searched for you high and low, but ..." he whispered, cooing into her ears.

She burrowed into his chest even deeper; all the hurt, all the fear, all the pent up emotions finally finding an outlet.

It continued raining heavily outside.

...

After a while

The rain continued falling.

Saroja had stopped crying by now. She realised the position they were in, and she moved away. Vedant sighed at the emptiness once again. But he knew that he had to give her time and space.

"Tell me Saroja you did not wipe your nose on my shirt? My favourite shirt ..." he tried joking.

It was a poor joke but it made her smile nevertheless.

"Go away, you and your shirt ..." she smiled back at him

Vedant shook his head

"Nope. I don't think so. How many times do you get an opportunity like this? To wipe off somebody else's snot ..."

"You are disgusting" she retorted playfully, reaching out to touch the faint scar on his face, from his left temple to his ear. She shivered, she knew how and when he had gotten that scar.

Oh how could she forget! She was the one who had called for the ambulance once Jimmy's gang had left Vedant bleeding on the street.

Jimmy and his gang!

The past, the past, the past ... it would never leave them, never. Saroja started shuddering as she moved back, her back hitting the wall. She pulled up her legs together and wrapped her arms around them, before hiding her face in them.

Vedant looked at her dumbfounded. This sudden change, this pain, this struggle - it was all too much.

He could see her body wrack with tears.

"Saroja ..." her name was soft on his lips.

She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears

"I am so sorry Vedant, I wish all this was not happening ..."

"Come here" Vedant was gentle and composed. She moved back into his arms slowly, flinching as he kissed her head. He sighed, he knew they had a long way to go

"You can now go back to wiping your nose on my shirt once again. I promise Saroja, I am not going to crib. And I am not taking this back either ..."

He believed he felt her smile against his chest.

This was just their beginning.

End of Part 24