The untold story of a Courtesan

Thirty

After the funeral,I sat there in my white sari and my hair hanging freely,tears escaping my eyes and watching the fire burning the final pieces of wood while Bajirao and his guards stood idol.

For some reason I couldn't leave my deceased sister side knowing that she must be in a better place and wonder what would she say to me which is something I will yearn for every day of my life.then sitting still there a voice whisper in my ear"stop crying!!!!!!you know I hate seeing you sad!".I looked to see Pooja sitting next to me smiling from ear to ear in a blue lehenga and silver earrings,her hair halved and braided at the end and I thought what was happening or am I dreaming.

"Are you really here?".I asked wiping the tears from my eyes.

"Ohhhh....my dear,you will never change.but I'm here to tell you don't worry about me.....I'm at peace!".she said while giggling to me.

"What do you mean?".I asked curiously.

"With time you will understand also remember that you life will see darkness and compel you to make choices you will yearn for the rest of your life!!!".she uttered with a smile looking at me and I got frightened and confused with her words and move up closer as we about to whisper a secret.

"I don't understand anything you saying Pooja!!!!!".

"Another thing is that your loved ones share a very deep bond with each other!!......more like tires of blood!".these strange things didn't make any sense and I was left so confused that I placed my hands over my face in agony not understanding at all and when I looked up to say something,she was gone and looked around everywhere but she was nowhere and quickly looked at Bajirao who caught my anxious body and asked"what wrong Meri jaan?".

I looked at him not sure what to say about what happened and said"nothing,just don't feel like talking today!".I replied and stood up and walked to Bajirao and embrace him while he held my child in his other arm.soon after we left and went inside the Mahal as ashes remain from the funeral pyre and I started cleaning the palace from top to bottom and a hour or two later,the place was back to it former glory and Bajirao was amazed with how the place look and said"you are taking me back to my childhood my love!".he said with a smile.

"I want to know everything about you,we now have all the time in the world!".I said with a yearning voice and smiled at him.

He smiled and stared at me for a while and I noticed to see this weird behavior and asked"why are you staring at me like that?".

"I can't believe that I fell in love with the most beautiful woman in my life and the best part is we have a son together!".he said with a giggle.

I instantly blushed but turned sad when he said the last words of his sentence cause I still hated myself for evolving them into this lie of who's child it is.I quickly showed him a smile so that he could not see me sad and I grab his hand in mine....."so what name will son have huh?".I asked since he never suggested one.

"Good point but he must be named after me!".he said with happy expression.

"Ohh please......one Bajirao is enough,two will kill me!!".I said with a giggle.

"Ohhhh...I'm enough huh,well there is Dev or Anurag.....or wait Virat!".he said with smile.

I thought about all three name's he suggested and the first two wasn't giving me a smile but the last one sounded like a perfect name for my little boy and said"Virat will be his first name and Sameer his second name!".I replied.

Bajirao was shock with my answer and asked"Why a Muslim name?".

It hit me with his question and realized that my tongue has slip with Zafar name suggestion and quickly thought how to lie myself out of it when it hit me"Pooja gave that name suggestion months before our son was born!".I replied with relief but at the same time I couldn't help to feel disgusted with myself and all for the sake of a lie.

He face turned back to normal and said"okay,I understand!".