THE LADY IN THE RAIN

IT IS LOST FOREVER

  ‘Where were you?’ confronts Vani.
‘Police station,’ replies Ritwik .
‘Do you think sarcasm to be the perfect tune for now?’ asks Vani impertinently.
‘I don’t know.’
He goes upstairs.
Vani questioningly keeps on looking at him.
                            ************
Ritwik  and his family are together sitting and watching television.
‘How’s your Erica Ma’am’s teaching?’ asks Palash.
‘Too good. I’m literally in short of words,’ says Ritwik , nettled.
‘She is indeed an iron lady. She is all alone here. She has neither family nor friends,’ informs Palash.
‘Isn’t she married?’ questions Vani.
‘No. As per the news she has chosen to stay single and independent. It’s her belief that you always don’t need a man to stand in the society.’
‘I think something has gone wrong in her past. That’s why she has lost her faith in love and relationships,’ suggests Vani.
‘You’re right, Maa,’ says Ritwik .
His phone’s notification beeps. He checks and gets bewildered on seeing the message.
‘Fuck!’
‘Ritz, language!’ exclaims Vani rudely. But Ritwik  has no time to listen.
He immediately gets up and runs towards the exit door of his house. His parents and Arya look shockingly at his sudden exit.
                                **********
Ritwik  rides his bicycle quick as a flash. He applies the brakes before Emma’s house. He sees a crowd of people standing before a hanging body. Most of them were busy filming or clicking the body’s picture. Ritwik  freezes there, his mouth wide-open and tears down from his eyes. The police reaches the death scene very soon and asks the people to move from there. They take the body with them. All the people start heading back towards their respective destinations one by one. Soon, the entire area becomes isolated and looks creepy as hell. Ritwik  returns to the real world and hears the weeping of a girl. He gathers up some courage and follows the direction of the voice. He sees Pari sitting on a rock in an isolated corner of the garden and mourning.
‘Pari!’ Ritwik  calls her.
Pari gives him a tight hug.
‘Ritz, Mamma left me alone forever. I don’t have anyone left in this world. Where will I go now?’ she goes on crying.
‘I am always there for you, darling. Now wipe your tears and tell me exactly what happened.’
‘After you left, Mamma was in tears. She was slapping herself continuously. I anyhow managed to stop her. And then she returned to her normal state. She told me to go inside and do my homework. I obeyed her and went inside. She came a while later to my room and handed me a letter. And then she went out of the room. But there was a complete silence for about an hour. Then I heard the voices of people from the outside. They were all taking my mother’s fake name repetitively- Erica Fernandez, right? What has happened to her? I came outside and got the biggest shock of my life. I was paralyzed for a moment. I didn’t know what to do. She was gone.’
She again starts crying.
‘Ritz, Mamma has given this letter to me. She has asked me to give it to you.’
She hands over a letter to Ritwik .
Ritwik  opens the letter and starts reading it by heart.
Dear Alex ,
I know that I have wronged nth times in my life. I regret about all the decisions that I made. Not a single decision of mine was right except trusting and making friendship with you. I have hurt you and your feelings. You were the only one who understood me. You were the only one who gave my daughter genuine smiles. I didn’t know that I would end up killing Amrit. Trust me, that day I hit Amrit on his head out of self-defence. I didn’t do anything deliberately. But today I realized that I finished a life. And I deserve a tyrannical punishment. And I will get so. I know suicide is a sin. It will drag me to Hell. And this is the place that I deserve. I am sorry once again for everything. I am leaving my Pari under your responsibility. I know that you are not that well-developed to look after a child. But I can’t trust anybody else other than you. And yeah! Kindly don’t hold yourself responsible for my death. You know I was thinking of dying then. But I had no reason that could evoke me to die. It’s not that easy to kill yourself. But today when you confessed the truth to me, I got the reason. I was anyway done with this life. And you don’t worry about the police. I had left another suicide note stating that I am dissatisfied with my life. I am terribly depressed. That’s why I committed suicide.
I know that when you will be reading this letter, I will be gone. Gone forever!
Last but not the least, I have and  always cherish you.
Yours lovingly,
Emma.
Ritwik  doesn’t say a word ahead. He is expressionless. He does not know how to react. He is completely shaken.
                             ********
The doorbell rings. Vani goes and opens the door. She finds Pari with Ritwik .
‘Who’s this little girl, Ritz?’ asks Vani.
Ritwik  doesn’t says anything and directly falls on Vani’s feet.
‘Maa, please let her stay with us. I promise that as soon as I start my own earning, I will take up all the financial responsibilities of hers,’ he begs.
‘Get up!’
Ritwik  gets up.
‘Tell me the story.’
Ritwik  confesses everything. Vani remains flabbergasted.
‘Okay, calm down,’ she pats Ritwik .
Pari’s three-feet six inches height and teary eyes makes Vani to adore her. She gives her a kiss on forehead.
‘You are so pretty, do you know that?’ Vani smiles and says to Pari.
‘Don’t worry. She may stay with us as long as she wants. She is like our daughter from now on.’
‘Are you serious, Maa?’
‘Yes.’
Ritwik  gives a tight hug to Vani.
‘I never say this. But I really do love you,’ confesses Ritwik .
‘She may share my room,’ Arya declares.
‘Arya, you sure?’ Ritwik  asks.
‘I may sound bitter sometimes, but I am extremely good by heart. I have got a sweet little sister for myself now. Come...’
She extends her hand to Pari. But Pari looks sceptically at everyone except Ritwik . She tightly holds Ritwik ’s shirt.
‘No Ritz. I can’t go with anyone else. I want to be with you. I am scared. Please Pri, don’t leave me alone,’ she joins her hands and begs.
‘Okay, fine. I won’t leave you alone.’
He takes Pari with him.