A Sew Through Time [Bandbudh And Budbak]

20: Holy divination

The little Khushi clung over the stiff, cold leg that felt like brick fallen in her way. She reached his face with her tiny fingers; curious, determined, frightened.
Touchinf his grey cheek, she whispered,

"Bhaiya?"

Trails of doubt and wonder began circling in the depths of Badri's frozen stare. He watched her jumping and waving her hands, tapping his dusty cheeks.

"Ganda" She chewed her pinky.

The rest stood awake, observing her suspiciously. Some looked around their surroundings, some noticed the wagon and the orange light, too afraid to hope.

Falling on her knees, she curled on his dusty lap and rested her head on his knee, glistening eyes turning timid with sleep.

It moved.

Khushi looked up.

Badri's shaky hand came down her hair, brushing over the flower behind her ear; though he did not know where it came from. Her head was soft and fragile; he did not press too hard.

Budh gripped his chest, neglecting all hope.

Khushi gripped with hope.

"CHUHA!" Bursting forth with guilt-ridden tears, Badri snatched her into his chest whilst shivering in pain and joy. He held her face and kissed her forehead, blood-curling sobs tearing out of his throat, "Kaha chali gayi thi meri nanhin shaitaan?!"

The toddler felt dumb to understand. Her brother was crying, but he was also laughing, both arriving so close to each other she could not find the difference. But before that, even if she could, Badrri quickly rubbed off his tears and hugged her closer, sitting in the dark, sobbing again.

Shrieking from wonder and excitement, the rest of the children approached the siblings and took turns in holding her, checking her health, whether her forehead was warm or not, a toothache, bruises, broken knee. It was really her in their hands, not any entity fooling them for fun. The few that stayed back watched the joy contaminate, appearing unbothered while hiding their chivalrous smiles.

One of them was Mukesh. Adjusting his glasses, he heard something clink on his wrist.

A bracelet.

"Where did this come from?"

"Ahem" Ramesh's glare was noticeable in the dark.

"I don't know how it got in my hand!"

He snatched it away and wore it back.

"You made me angry!" Badri scolded her, locking her hands inside his palms when she chewed her fingers, "Do you know how much tension you gave mummy and papa?! Do you know how..." he flinched, "How mad I was?!"

"Come on don't tell her such nasty things now" Gyan said, swaying her in his arms side to side, "Right Khushi?"

"Bhaiya mean"

"BADRI!" Budh shouted, skidding and collapsing, almost hitting his head on the wall before gaining balance-tears, snot and joy streaming down his dusty face, "Told you na she'll come back! Nobody listened to us! Nobody believed us! Now you understand you... you stupid monkey?!"

"Sachhi?" She mumbled.

"MUCHHI!" Budh held her to his chest and cried, "But please, chuha, d-don't scare us like that again! Chal promise kar!"

"Guys"

Whatever conversation had bloomed on the toddler's arrival dissipated. They noticed a decrepit young girl waving her hand almost awkwardly.