"In every lifetime, in every world, I would find you and choose you."
The envelope sat on the desk, untouched. Its edges were frayed, reflecting the decade that had passed. The handwriting on the front was unmistakable - sharp, deliberate strokes th...
Abhishek was taking a nap....... Well, his parents were to arrive in the noon, and he wanted to look healthy. Siddharth was reading a book, about....... parenting?? Well, his baby boy was growing up, without a mother, and he was anxious about being a young 'dad', although he never showed it. He had been having this book with him for a long time, but he felt somehow embarrassed to read it, while his friends or family were around. His family, especially his mother Khyati never liked the boy much, and would sometimes tell him off for giving the boy too much attention... He wondered why his mother hated Sam so much...
Soon, he was lost in thoughts.. His mind replayed the first day he had met Sam. 5 years before, he had found out that his father was secretly funding an orphanage... Usually all of the Kothari family's charity work was handled by their charitable foundation. But this particular orphanage, as he had found out, was funded by Mr. Raghav Kothari himself... He found it fishy. After delving deeper, he found out that, his father visits a particular baby boy in that orphanage often.... He also saw with his own eyes one day, how his parents fought about that baby boy. That made him determined to unearth information about this baby. After a relentless confrontation, Raghav had simply offered to take Siddharth along to the orphanage the next day. Siddharth complied, although furious at his father's silence about the baby's parentage.
And, as fate would have it, Siddharth had found himself in front of the door to this orphanage, fidgeting, thinking about whether to enter or not. He was not particularly attracted to kids, and this kid had somehow caused a rift in his family. His father was already inside. Albeit nervous, he finally entered and peeped to see the little 'demon'.
The sight that greeted him was far too heartwarming. ( Let's think that the baby boy looks like the picture in the topmost part)
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The baby, looking almost 2 years old, was standing in a crib, his eyes gleaming at the sight of a candy Raghav was offering him. He was giggling, showing off his milky white teeth. Something about the boy felt magical, and Siddharth was drawn towards him. The boy felt oddly familiar... His features were only too familiar.
" Bh.. bhaiyya...?" The boy had noticed him.... Siddharth was surprised at that, was there any chance that this boy was his brother ??? No way!! His father was too noble for that.
" Yes Sam, he is the Siddharth bhaiyya I have been telling you about.." His father replied affectionately, casting a meaningful glance at Siddharth. The boy was excited, and whimpered to be let out of the crib. One of the nannies obliged, and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he sprinted towards Siddharth. Siddharth thought the boy would collide with him, but he stopped one step before, and said, pointing to Raghav " Uncle tells, Sid Bhaiyya come...!" He giggled again. He was suddenly affectionate, and he squatted down to reach the boy. At that moment, he regretted not having candies with him.
That was the start of a great bond between the two. At first, Siddharth had his inhibitions, but Sam's charm was such that Siddharth actually started looking forward to meeting him every weekend. Gradually, he started bringing Abhishek along as well.. The three of them bonded quite well, and Raghav was happy to see that. It was something he wanted. Everything was alright, until one winter, when Sam was down with a pneumonia. Siddharth was worried like hell, refusing to leave the hospital. He was only 19 then, but he insisted on staying and taking care of the boy. Sure enough, Abhishek was there with him, to help and to comfort. Sam was critical for almost 4 days, after which his condition grew stable.
Raghav Kothari walked into the hospital room, where Sam was sleeping. He looked around for Siddharth, only to find him gazing out of the window. He looked immersed in thought.
" Siddharth...." He called out.
" Bapu... I want to take him home... " He said, without looking back. Raghav tried to comprehend what his son wanted, and said " Let me see. Once he is out of here, maybe we can take him home for a day" He did not sound sure.
" No Bapu, I want to adopt him, and give him a family..." Raghav was shocked. " Son, this is not a simple thing..... Think over it once again. Maybe you are just sympathizing with him, and he will soon become a burden for you.. You are young and..." He was trying to reason, but Siddharth interrupted.
" I am not being impulsive... I have been thinking about it for quite some time now.. That little boy has taught me to be responsible. My weekends have now become hectic, but he has changed my life for the better. I know that once I bring him home, my habits and my schedule will have to change, but I... I want this. I have spoken to Abhishek, and he wishes to help me as well. It was you who said that Sam is the son of someone to whom you were indebted. Think about it, isn't this the best way to repay them for their kindness??" The last line touched Raghav's heart. But he wanted to test his son's resolve, so he pretended to refuse.
But Siddharth was not someone to give up easily. He persevered, and after many weeks, Raghav said yes. Khyati tried her best to stop them, but failed at the end. Abhishek and the father-son duo were equally excited, now spending hours on finalizing what to buy - clothes, toys, books, a little bed, a crib, and god knows what more..... Soon, Sam became Samarth Kothari, the adopted son of Siddharth, but of course, only Siddharth's immediate family and Abhishek knew that. To the world, Raghav Kothari was his guardian. Upon meeting the boy, Abhishek's mother Mekhla had taken an instant liking to him.
So, the orphan boy had the time of his life, quickly enchanting both Abhishek's and Siddharth's family. Even the 'always serious' and strict Mr. Mehta was not immune to his childish charm. Often, servants would find Sam happily making a mess out of his office, and instead of yelling or sulking, Mr. Mehta would be seen looking at him, with a gentle smile. Such was the baby boy's magic. His wife was more vocal and loud about her love for the little boy, often making desserts and sweets for him.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Siddharth definitely grew more responsible, occasionally feeding Sam and tucking him in himself. His mother was worried about how things would change once Siddharth gets married, but he had made himself clear that his wife would have to accept and treat Sam like a son.
As Sam grew older, he attached himself more to his 'bhaiyya's. In the years to come, Siddharth was often seen holding the child, supporting him on his hip, one hand wrapped around the boy, and the other busy making something for him. Sam also loved to sit on Abhishek's shoulders, high above everyone.
When the three were together, they almost resembled the happy family, which they would grow to become.....
Sorry for the rushed chapter, my college had reopened, and I was quite busy. From now on, I'll be updating only twice or thrice a week, as my exams.... gosh, I can feel them approach. If you like this chapter, please do vote and comment.
