THE MAN HELP - By Ocean Singh

- CHAPTER 6 -

- CHAPTER 6 -

WHOLE TEN YEARS

Spending the whole day lost in thoughts, Vaani is walking back to her house. Living in a different apartment on the fifth floor, from last two years of the same old building, she has seen the difference along the way in her life.

A lifestyle of living away from parents, being independent, working as a manager of a pub, earning good and almost settled, was a relief for her and her parents. Still there was a lot to achieve and do ahead in her life but she could take a deep breath of calm whenever she wanted at the present time.

But this day, it was different, like the other times heading to her parents apartment first and then hers own, today.., her footsteps didn't walk to the lift area. In fact, she passes by the lift and feels like to visit her old friend after a long time. She rings the doorbell and Renu opens the door.

"Vaani beta! How are you? It's been so long."

"Yeah, That's why I'm here. How are you? And how's Sonakshi?" – Vaani says while hugging her aunt.

"She's good, in her room. Wait, let me just call her, she'll be happy to see you. Have a seat. "

Vaani sits on the sofa in the living room, and runs her eyes around the house. She feels a load of strong feelings inside her. It gets harder for her to decide whether she belongs to this place or she's a stranger. Suddenly, Sonakshi comes running towards her. She jumps on Vaani and hugs her. They both get into talk while Renu goes to the kitchen to bring some snacks. She comes back and sits on the other sofa in front of the girls. Smiling she starts a conversation -

"It's really nice of you to come and visit. We both are happy."

"I'm glad Aunty ji." – Vaani replies with a smile as well.

"You know, it's been almost twenty four years living in this building. But since that incident, since.. he has been gone, people have like forgotten someone lives in this apartment anymore. And all this is when every soul knows he's not a murderer. What would happen to us if it was true..!"

"It is not true Aunty ji." – Vaani gets a little defending.

Renu looks at her.

Vaani rationalise and tells - "I mean, he could never do that. He's just a victim of the system."

"If the court could believe so... We have lost every battle fighting for him. Wish we had some power... some contacts, some money... anything... anything which could help my little boy." - Renu starts sobbing.

Vaani goes to her and consoles her.

"Aunty ji, don't lose hope, He'll be back... soon. We all just need to stay positive and keep fighting by staying stronger. We have to do that. For Sonakshi. For her brother. For Gautam, Aunty ji!"

Renu smiles now - "Yes. We have to stay stronger. For her at least. (She looks at Sonakshi, who's sitting all silent now. She wipes off the tears from her eyes and cheek and smiles to Vaani.) It is really nice of you to come Vaani, you've been there as an older sister, always caring and loving towards Sona."

"I have to be there Aunty ji, Sona and Gautam were the first ever friends when I came to this place. No one... forgets, they just.. Stop missing, and I never do."

(She smiles and hugs Renu.)

Spending a few hours with the two, Vaani heads to her parents apartment now at the hour of nine. The whole two hours while sitting with her family, having dinner and a few conversations, Vaani was unable to erase the whole day from her head. In spite of losing the thoughts and heading into the bed, getting ready for a fresh start for the next day, her thoughts got deeper and intense, and motioned the whole ten years like all real in front of her eyes, since the time she came to this building.

She couldn't forget the phase where she herself struggled normalising the very fact. She recalled the deep and serious conversations her family used to have in the early days about the arrested boy and his family. She couldn't help herself recalling the meeting she had with that family and that little girl and becoming her dearest friend in that hard phase. She couldn't deny the sense of feeling responsible to that girl, like her own little sister. She cared for her, she saw her growing in front of her eyes in these ten years and the feeling of trembling when she realises the fact that she's still young and her whole life is ahead in front of her. She couldn't accept the fact that this little girl might not be able to meet her brother ever again. She couldn't accept even for herself that she might won't be able to see the face of the first friend she ever had when she stepped here.

It was just a week in between, since they met for the first time and for the last time. Vaani and Gautam, became friends the very first meeting they had, and in that meeting, they both got to know that they just love Sonakshi. The three did meet again in the night after the dinner and played in the park, until they got exhausted by running and hit the bed and fell asleep right away. The next few days, the three spent the time together playing along with other friends and Gautam introduced her to everyone. Being all new in the building, and finding a new friend, Vaani asked about everything. And surprisingly Gautam did tell her everything.

Vaani, had to do something. Something for her friend, something for her little sister. Something for the woman, who always welcomed her and always showed complete affection to someone's child while praying for hers own who needed it the most. She took a deep breath and gets out of her bed and quickly sits in the chair on her study table. She switches on her laptop and her fingers automatically starts researching for the murder case in which her friend was arrested a decade ago.

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