BALI 100 KM (Book 1) ✔

Chapter 36

"Mother, look, our Babu is back." Nand's mother called out excitedly.

Nand was already up beside his grandmother and hugged her. Bending down, she placed a string of kisses on his face. She then held him apart for an overall glance up and down over him.

"You look well and healthy. Thank god you did not come to any harm," she commented and hugged him again.

"Mother, meet Mr. Bandu Raghav," Nand's mother interjected the interlude to introduce the guest, "He was kind enough to take Babu under his care and finally brought him back to us," with introductions over the figure now limped forward slowly.

"I am extremely grateful to you for bringing him back to us. God bless you," she said, "Had a fall recently, so cannot walk properly, it hurts at this old age," she added and emerged from the shadows.

A curtain lifted from Bandu's memory at seeing the face. Stunned, he set the glass back on the table. He was not the only one with a stupefied expression. The old lady too had stopped to squint at Bandu. They stood staring at each other unable to speak.

A violent storm was churning within him. He could not trust what his eyes were seeing. Was his fate playing games with him? His heart was already racing in anticipation, but he wanted to be sure. Yes, screamed a voice from within him, and he was sure it was her and no other. Age had wrinkled that face, but it had the same soothing smile, and those eyes were full of love for him even now. Years could not change that lovely face he loved to see even as a child. How can he ever forget her?

She was looking at him, trying to place him somewhere. There was hope in her wet eyes. Bandu stood up as if in a trance, his eyes fixed on the face, afraid of losing sight of it if he blinked. He came to stand in front of her. The audience was also confused and waiting to see what it was all about.

"Don't you recognize me?" Bandu had finally found his voice

"I recognized you in my heart, but it's my old eyes that I don't trust. I fear I see an illusion," the lady replied in a cracked voice full of emotion, "I can't even see you properly."

"That's because you have tears in your eyes," Bandu said and wiped away the tears that had spilled over.

"Tell me yourself whether you are an illusion or not," Bid the old lady in earnest.

"Your son, Maan, is standing in front of you, mother," he whispered before all bundled up emotions burst out from his eyes, and both clung to each other to weather the storm.The storm engulfed Nand's mother, who let out a squeak. Suddenly he felt the body in his arms turning limp but steadied her and carried her to the bed in the room.

"Nand quickly get some water," he ordered perturbed at the sight of his unconscious mother.

He sprinkled some water on his mother's face when Nand came back with the glass. She began to stir and slowly opened her eyes. Bandu sat down beside her.

"Stop crying, mother," he pleaded.

When Nand's tiny hands mopped his eyes, he realized tears did not favor any gender. They came and went as they preferred.

"You didn't recollect me, my dear brother," the sad and subdued tone prompted Bandu to walk over to Nand's mother seated in the chair, still wiping away the tears from her eyes with her sari.

"Sukhi, my dearest sister, don't cry!" he exclaimed, hugging her.

The storm was far from over, and now there was a lull. Nand gestured to his mother.

"Yes, that's your uncle, yes, real uncle," she replied to his gestures, and his face lit up with a smile.

Bandu helped his mother sit up on the bed, supporting her with his arms around her.

"After seeing you, I am hoping against hope, my son, to hear about your father." Bandu's mother looked at him with renewed tears in her eyes. He expected it but was certainly not prepared to face the question. For him, the question was soul tearing memory that he lived every moment. There was nothing he could do but to break her heart. The broken heart wailed as a strong wave that rushed in only to hit a wall bank and fall back dead. He held her tight against him.

Another broken heart wailed in the room. But Bandu remained oblivious, his eyes had fear in them, and he could only hear his thudding heart.

"What happened to him Maan, how did he die? Was he sick?" she asked in earnest.

Bandu had started sweating. He stood up abruptly and began to pace the room like a caged animal. All eyes grew tense at this strange, sudden change in behavior. They wondered what happened and how to calm him down. Even Nand took fright and went and stood behind his mother's chair, taking his sister with him.