Saathi Rey

Prologue (Part-2)

"Behti hawa sa tha woh

Udti patang sa tha woh
Kahan gaya usae dhoondo

"Chachu, Chalo na, please! Sab hai wahan, please! For my sake?" An eight-year-old Baby pleaded, her lips stretched into an insistent smile, as she jumped repeatedly on his stomach.

"Nahi na, meri Jaan! You know, don't you, that Chachu, does not like all these messes? These noises, this too much shor-sharaba curated by crowds of people. colored in the dirt!" He replied, grunting softly, as he closed his eyes to avoid the teary waterworks and blackmailing that he knew would soon follow.

"Aap-Aap, apni Baby ko mana karenge? Your only niece, your dil ka Chand, hmm? I- thought you loved me more than that, chachu! But, it seems that it was all fake, huh! Arre, what am I even asking you for? Heere, moti, Sona Chandi? No, right? All I want is ki-" But before she could continue, he cut her off, picking her up in his arms to place her down on the bed.

"-Ki I play Holi, with you and Bhabhi, right? I know, sweetie, but, haven't we already done that? I applied gulal on both of your faces, and you and Bhabhi did my tilak too, with Chandan! Then, why do we need to go outside, in the hot sun, and amongst so many people, and-" He whined, pleading with his eyes.

"Achha, achha ok! You don't want to go, don't! It does not matter! I-I will find someone else to play with, no problem!"

"You are agreeing? Just like that? No catch, no condition? Damn, this doesn't feel right, I smell something fishy!" He muttered, his brows scrunched in confusion.

"Toh ab what else, am I supposed to do? Drag you outside myself? You are a full-grown man, and I am all but a poor little soul! Aur vaise, bhi Soumya Shergill doesn't force people to do things against their will, it's against my sanskaars, ha!" She replied, disdained, turning around to leave.

"Sanskaars, huh? And blackmailing is per her sanskaars! This girl!" He replied, with a face-palm, before lying down once again, on the bed, "Chalo, whatever! At least, I will have my peace now!"

But, just as he was about to doze off, his eyes fell on something, lying in the corner of the room; something which induced him to get up.

"Inhaler? But-But, that's Baby's! Did she leave it here? Oh my god, what if she incurs a panic attack! Or what if she's unable to breathe! Hey Bhagwan, ye ladki, she will be the death of me one day, with her carelessness! But, anyways, ye sab chod Karan, I need to go and deliver this to her, right now!" He uttered, in a hurry, as he quickly dressed up and locked the door, to leave for the Holi maidan.

"Baby! Baby!" He shouted from the sidelines, as soon as he spotted his niece, who was dancing and playing in the center of the compound.

"Kya? Koi Bula Raha hai?" She shouted, before looking hither and thither, only to continue after spotting no one.

"Oh ho! Now, I would have to go to the heart of this all, to pass this to her! Hmph, the things you do for your loved ones!" He murmured to himself, shaking his head, before pushing gently through the horde of mad people, to reach his destination.

"Baby?" He called, finally reaching to her, as he tapped her on the shoulder, to gain her attention, "You left your inhaler, bachha, and, so-"

But, before he could continue, he felt someone dumping a bucketful of water over his head, before little kids surrounded him with his pichkaari, drenching him from head to toe.

"Happy Holi! Bura na maano Holi hai!" A voice shouted in his ear, and he turned around to come face to face, with a man, who looked the same age as him, wearing a white kurta with a colorful dupatta draped loosely around his neck, as a black headband adorned his short curly hair.