Love in Time (English Version)

Ch. 2 I Found Her

*1909*

*Tulsipur ,Bangal*

*RC Haveli*

A heartbroken Anirudh returns back home with his kaka and brother. His baba is also coming after them with his mother.

As soon as they reach home, kaka asks their humble servant Bihari to make some arrangements. His baba also reaches there with his mother. The main hall was cleared and and her mother was laid down there. People start showing up to show their grief. Amidst all this, Anirudh hears the cries. Cries of the one who was responsible for all of this. He was sitting crying near his mother when he heard it.

He got up angrily and went near the baby, laying on a cot.

"STOP MAKING THIS NOISE.", he shouted and immediately his hands went near the child's neck to choke it. His kaka saw this and came running towards them. He picked up the baby and yelled at Anirudh. "Anirudh what were you trying to do?"

"Kaka, all of this is happening because of this stupid baby. If he wouldn't have come, then ma could be with us right now."

"ENOUGH! Stop crying like a kid, Anirudh. You are the eldest son of the house. If you will cry like this and be so weak, who will look after your brothers."

"No, he is not my brother." Anirudh shouted and ran away from there to his room.

He closed the door and sat down crying. Soon he dozed off to sleep.

*Anirudh pov*

When I opened my eyes, I saw a dimly lit room. I didn't know where I was. I saw a door and quickly went towards it. I banged on it and shouted, begging kaka and baba to open the door. I knew they must've locked me here since I misbehaved. But after what felt like an hour my mouth parched and I couldn't shout or yell anymore. Too tired, I dragged myself to a corner of the room and sat there crying.

'Men don't cry. And you belong to the family of the Roy Chowdharies. Stop crying like weaklings.' Baba's words were ringing in my ears. Maybe I am not a man because I want to cry at my mother's demise.

I had just went to baba because I unconsciously wanted him to console me. But instead he scolded me. And kaka, he suddenly loves that little brat because of whom my mother died. He is looking after Som too. Som is already down with a fever and passed out. When he will know about this news he will also hate that guy.

I was lost in my thoughts, sobbing profoundly when I felt someone was behind me. Finally, they opened the door but I won't go out now. I hung my head low on my knees and cried.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? What is this place?" I heard a soft voice that I didn't recognize. So it isn't them. I cried even more at the thought that they didn't care. Both baba and kaka.

Suddenly, that person in front of me engulfed me in a hug. Long hair surrounded me which menat that she was a girl. But I was too drained to care about that. This is what I was asking for from my baba and kaka. My family. They couldn't give it but she did. And it felt so warm.

"Please don't cry. It is not a good thing to cry. My ma says that when children cry, their mothers also become sad. And you are such a big boy. Look at me, I don't cry like that.If you keep crying like that and your mother finds out, she will be so sad."

She spoke again. Some utter nonsense.

"Neither will she find out nor will she be sad." I sobbed in a low voice. "No, no, I am telling the truth. Why won't she find out? You are crying so loudly. She will come looking for you after hearing your loud notes."

"My mother can't see or hear me now." I cried.

"Why? Does she have any vision or hearing problems? Wait I think your mother has gone somewhere. Otherwise, she would have come by now hearing your loud noises. Where has she gone?"