𝕊𝔼𝕍𝔼ℕ 𝕀ℕ 𝔸 𝕎𝕆ℝ𝕃𝔻 {𝙼𝙰𝙷𝙰𝙱𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙰𝚃 𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚃𝚁𝙰𝚅𝙴𝙻}

10. Once more

I would have cried my heart out, had I not heard, " Didi! Come fast! "

Mini only called me didi when she had something important to do.

I rushed out of the bathroom, looking into the drawing room.

My heart stopped in its chest. I couldn't breathe. All I could do is call the ambulance.

^•^•^•^•^^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^

Flashing lights. Sounds of crying. Once more.

Relentless pacing around the hall, clutching a small child. Clutching my grandmother.

Once more.

Doors opened. The same words. Wailing sounds of a wife. Crying sounds of a granddaughter. All that was missing was the roars of anguish of an old father.

^•^•^•^•^^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^

The same white clothes. The same chants. The same people. Aunts. Uncles. Cousins. People who didn't bother unless something severe happened.

The sounds of a wife's pain. The agony. Her silence. Her horrifying silence.

Yet again, the same rounds. The same doctor's office. The same words.

The same clothes yet again. The same chants.

The bright pyre burning.

Silence.
Silence.
Silence.

^•^•^•^•^^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^

" What will they do now? They lost both? " One aunt would whisper.

" What about the younger one. She won't care. She has to make a career. Who will look after the child? "

" Don't you know? She hates her younger sister. "

" Why I don't believe you. They might fight, but she has to love her sister to death. "

" Yes. To -"

" The child needs a mother. We should put her up for adoption-"

" Shut up. All of you! "

" Mind your tone Mini. "

" No didi. These people need to learn. She has been my mother than you all could ever be! She's rhe one who sat with me at night, when I would cry for my mummy. She's the one who would be there, surviving on shots of caffine. Pain. Endless pain I felt. She was the one who vanished it. So dont you dare stand there and say I need a mother. She's all the mother I will ever need and want. " Mini said, voice clear, unwavering, but eyes moist with tears.

" Mini? " Was all I could whisper.

That night, we had maggi for dinner. It was the best maggi of my life.....

^•^•^•^•^^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^

Yudhishthir and Ashwatthama were just tagging along. No one could see Yudhishthir and no one actually cared who Ashwatthama was, they were all busy with their own work.

When people left, I was the most relieved person in the entire world.

I sat down to study. Life doesn't wait simply because time plays its game. I heard the door creaking open. Must be Mini. She must be hungry. I'll make rice and daal later for dinner.

There was someone else however who watched through the door.

That someone had an idea.

Yudhishthir's Point of View.