TANGLED SOULS

Broken bonds -2

O Kaanha ab to murli ki, madhur suna do taan...

Ten minutes. It's been barely ten minutes since her feet touched the sand of her birth city but the painful memories, she's spent six years to block, already started assaulting her mind and sense.

She knew this. She knew that Udaipur was a very, very bad idea. That going back to Udaipur meant facing her past again, memories haunting her nights again. But how could she deny her son's happiness? Her only happiness was him. So, she agreed reluctantly for her son, after her friend, Abhinav convinced her that she didn't need to face her past if she didn't wanted to.

Hence, she didn't inform anyone about her arrival, except her Bade Papa. He'd promised her to keep it secret and in return requested her to meet him once with Abhir. She pondered about it before agreeing finally, as she was herself dying to the only fatherly figure of her life.

However, standing now, on the main bridge of Udaipur, has triggered her memories as her gaze fell on the lake, she used to go whenever she was alone. To sing. Sing. She gave up singing years ago, when she lost her music.

Main hu teri, prem deewani, mujhko tum pehchaan madhur suna do taan...

She closed her eyes, trying to snap the trail of flashbacks that resurfaced in her mind. Go away. Please, go away. Go away. Go... She chanted like a mantra as she bite her lip hard and controlled her labouring breathing. The Akshara who used to love music, who sang whenever she's sad or happy,—

Lag ja gale ke phir yeh

—the Akshara who sat on the steps of that lakeside and pray on the angel's time was dead.

Haseen raat ho na ho...

—She was dead. Dead. Dead. She said to herself forcefully under her breath as she held her head and bend over, breathing heavily, before her mind could show her a flash of him.

Thanks to her son, Abhir who'd came at the right time, sensing her panic attack as he played his mouth organ holding her hand. She concentrated on him as he played the instrument, her surroundings fading away as he ushered her to take deep breath breathes, eyes concerned. She did and a few minutes later, her breathing became normal again. Akshara took a final deep breath to calm herself before pulling Abhir, her lifeline, to her and hugging him, tightly.

The mother-son's embrace was broke by a voice as they glanced up to see, Abhir's tecaher, Ms. Sheela.

"Mrs. Sharma, are you okay? We can call the doctor for you..."

Akshara shook her head quickly stopping her. "No, Ms. Sheela, I'm totally fine. Abhir took care of it." Her tone dipped fondly as she gazed softly at her son.

His teacher tried to convince more but Akshara and Abhir assured that it's normal for them to take care of it so, Ms. Sheela gave up. Instead, knelt in front of Abhir.

"You love your Mumma, a lot naa? You're extremely caring to her, Abhir." She said as she smiled, honestly impressed how careful he was with his mother, because any kid would panic when they see their parent going through a panic attack. But Abhir was composed, he kept his cool and took care of his Mumma.

This kid, truly, amazed her sometimes. He out-stood all kids of his age at the village and he seemed to be brilliant for his family background. Ms. Sheela knew very well that his mother was educated, she even knew she's studying law while also working for Abhir's studies but despite everything, Abhir shinned differently from her observation. As a teacher she could say if a kid had a bright future or not, and this little boy, Abhir, definitely had one. Because at the age of five, the age where other kids, played and threw tantrums, he knew exactly what he wanted to become in future. Doctor. He wanted to become a doctor. And his presentation of a week ago, was enough to show that he will be an amazing one, in future.