PYTHON

Epilogue

"I think it's a year and a half since we last met......" Viraj said, softly stroking the back of his three year old boy who laid quietly on his chest, looking around with his big round eyes. I smiled timidly.
"Yes." I replied feebly. He chuckled and nodded.
"Well I am glad to meet you....." paused shivanshi as a three year old tried to scale up on the sofa on which she sat.
"Um yeah, I mean I am really into books...." a little girl threw a pillow across her on the boy and he yelped.
"These guys have told me you write their stories......" a pillow flung upon her face as the kids started fighting. I sat awkwardly as I could see she was already so worked up.
"Are yarr kiske hai ye......." she shouted lividly. Two good looking men came running outside, their hands stained with spices.
"They are ours......" they said panting. She looked at the kids faces and grimaced.
"Shakal to mujhse hi milti hai........leke jao inhe yaar....." she said vindictively and the men took the kids and left. I chuckled inwardly.
"I am sorry........I know you have tons of questions as to who they were, who am I???? Well, I am pretty sure you will want to pen down my novel......I mean my life story is no less than a full fledging drama, I am telling you." she said with a smile and I nodded. Beside viraj sat samrat with his daughter sleeping on his chest, both their elder kids were playing close by, they were hardly four.
"OMG, I am so glad that you came......" I heard Mr. Python's voice from behind me, I turned and found him proceeding towards me with his 1 year old son smiling in his arms. I instantly fell in love with that beautiful baby, he was the carbon copy of his father except for the dimpled smile which he inherited from his beautiful mother. And I saw her moving behind them with a baby napkin in her hand.
"Hello Ms. Author.......so glad to see you........" said she with a heartwarming smile playing on her lips. I smiled sheepishly. The baby made a feeble baby sound and all of us went awe.
"Is that our junior python....." viraj said as he softly poked the baby's nose to which the latter giggled, his son smiled at the baby.
"Python......Mahant Ji is here, come quick....." raghu informed from the door. Python safely kept the baby in madhushree's arms and whisked out to welcome the chief priest. A moment later he came in and one by one everyone touched his feet including me. Mahant ji smiled at the baby.
"Hmmm....... blessing of Surya Dev......." he whispered as the baby looked at him with his small twinkling eyes. Python looked proudly at his creation.

Mahant ji took his throne while we all sat across him.
"I hope his anger is under control now. Did you made him complete the Bhagavad????" asked mahant ji, his rosary wrapped around his hand. Shivanshi nodded.
"Yes it's a lot better now Mahant Ji!!!! Should I make him start the Vedas...." she asked. Mahant ji shook his head.
"After he turns 13, not before that. Keep him connected with the dharma, bhagvad should be read by him in every six months. It will help a lot in curbing his temper." he said and she nodded without protest.
"Mahant ji, should I also start this with vedant, he's already four now....." asked viraj. The chief priest shook his head once again.
"After 13." and viraj asked no more. Meanwhile rudrakshi entered with her usual dominating aura clinging around her. Samrat's daughter started bouncing on his lap, she had woken up from the sound of the car rolling to stop outside the house.
"Boo........Boo........" she was overjoyed. Samrat chuckled and kissed her. Rudrakshi quickly took her in her strong arms.
"Boo boo is here.......did you miss me my heart....." she said and the little girl's smile never vanished. Rudrakshi pinched viraj's son cheeks and he giggled. She placed the little girl on her father's lap and moved towards python, well technically his baby whom she scooped in her arms.
"Junior python......." she said tickling his tummy and the baby laughed.
"I am so upset with you thakur sahab. Why did you came so late??? I told you to come yesterday itself......." madhushree complained. Rudrakshi chuckled and hugged her, she kissed her forehead and said.
"I am so sorry. These days I have to frequently visit my cousin's house....... I promise I will try to be on time since next time...." she said and madhushree smiled. Rudrakshi passed me a smile and sat near python.
"Mahant ji, what about my daughter??? I can't wait to have one......" asked viraj desperately. The chief priest chuckled.
"I told you already that you have a daughter but her birth is very late. Until your sons hit twenty, there are no chances of third baby but after they are twenty you will be blessed with a daughter." said he and viraj sighed, he really wanted to have a daughter soon but he just needs to wait for so many years.
"The same's for you Mr. Suryavanshi. Your second child will be born after your first had hit 20." and python pouted. He looked at rudrakshi with a crying face and she rolled her eyes at him.
"Thakur, why don't you ask about your future????" asked shivanshi. Rudrakshi chuckled.
"I don't need to ask anyone about my future. I already know that it involves guns, money, alcohol, my responsibilities...... and nothing else......" she said confidently. Python frowned as she didn't mention him. Mahant ji smiled mysteriously.
"Future is not what we believe, it's simply what he believes is best for you........" his equivocal statement unsettled her greatly. I felt an odd one out but I just needed to pass time anyhow here before I could leave the bungalow and set forth to my upcoming journey.
"Rudra please for me....... just go and show your hand. You don't need to believe, just do it for fun......" python said and she was apparently reluctant.
"Come rudra....... just go....." viraj pushed. She wasn't wanting but she had to after all she was fed up of their constant nagging. She got up and moved towards mahant ji, extended her hand and the chief priest dug his eyes into her hand.
"Do you see any life partner????" asked shivanshi curiously. Python frowned, he wasn't happy with the idea of her life partner. He didn't wanted to share his best friend with anyone else. Rudrakshi looked at her and chuckled, there was nowhere out there that she's gonna have a partner, at least that's what she has always wondered.
"Thakur sahab, aapke bhagya mei to sabse pyara saathi hai. Bhola, sundar aur aapse bohot pyaar karne wala, par haa bohot sataane waala bhi. Aapki zindagi mein pyaar hai, saccha pyaar......" i swear I saw her eyes watering. I even saw python's deep piercing eyes brimming with tears. We all were flabbergasted.
"Tell me more....." she whispered as tears blurred her vision to some extent. Mahant ji stared at her palm lines for a moment before a broad smile smacked upon his lips.
"Thakur sahab, in sabse zyada pyaari beti to aapki hai. Bohot sundar, bholi aur sabki kadar karne waali." he stopped as creases formed on his forehead. "Beti ke bhagya mei ek yog hai......." he tried hard to study but perhaps he just wasn't able to for some reason.
"Is there something wrong mahant ji....." she asked as a mere thought of her daughter in a problem just worried her greatly.
"No it's not bad but...... it's different......I don't remember exactly if I had ever came across something like this........" He said still looking into her palm. Python came forward.
"C'mon mahant ji, let her take birth first and we'll see what's all about after that......" he said with a smile. Rudrakshi withdrew her hand and smiled but perhaps the chief priest wasn't all happy, for a moment our eyes met and I knew something just wasn't right. But I said nothing.

Finally in the evening I was given an opportunity to say goodbye. Mr. and Mrs. Python came to see us off, I wasn't alone who was leaving, with me were viraj and samrat. Shivanshi had already left. Rudrakshi was going to stay for the night in the bungalow, because python blubbered like a baby when she mentioned that she wanted to leave.
"So where next Ms. Author......" asked rudrakshi in her deep husky voice. I smiled.
"Yercaud, Tamil Nadu....... someone has invited me to share their story." I replied. Viraj furrowed his brows.
"But I think you have visited Tamil Nadu before......you visited Chennai, Nataraja mansion I suppose......" the silence swept over the lot of us, except for Python and rudrakshi, as she mentioned about the mansion. I smiled uncomfortably.
"I think I should leave......" I said nervously. They nodded.

I sat in my car accompanied by my usual people.
"Is this a vacation?????" asked my brother. I sighed.
"No it's not, however we can walk around in the hills as an 'adventure'...." I replied and he frowned.
"I don't even know the correct address...... besides I think that place is quite different.......I need to reconfirm it......." I whispered. He plugged his key into the engine and the car started.
"Yercaud.......here I come......" I sighed and looked outside the window as the car sped off.

The end
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Thank you for all the love you have showered upon python and madhushree and it's the time to say goodbye to Mr. Python. The new novel will be available on Saturday.