Prithvi... [Volume 4]

Chapter 108

The scream slashed through the air, its chilling effect magnified by the violence of Priyamvada's action.

In a numb daze, Prithvi stared at his furious mother. Although he had never seen her behave angrily in his childhood, leave alone scream and become violent, he had scarcely registered the shriek or the aggression. 

But her voice...

The voice he had not dreamt of hearing again. It was the sole aspect of her that had faded from his mind despite his desperate efforts. Every time he had thought of her, he'd grappled with his mind to remember how she had sounded. But her voice had vanished from his mind...until now.

And then there were the words she had spoken.

My child..

The enormity of everything that had transpired struck him with savage force.

Shaken to the core, Nandini stared mutely at the fierce-looking woman for a moment. Then, only dimly conscious of what she was doing, she hurried towards Sakshi.

Geeta was already at the side of the prone woman and was helping her rise. As Nandini approached and offered support, Geeta nodded at something Sakshi whispered in her ears, and scuttled off.

Sakshi held Nandini's hand to be steady. She was winded by the fall, and her chest and back were hurting. But her mind, toughened by numerous emergencies in the past, was racing.

Three security guards and some other people had been drawn to the spot by Priyamvada's scream and were gawking at the admittedly strange scene. Minu had also come running and was examining everyone avidly.

"I shouted because I lost my balance and fell down," Sakshi lied casually to the security guards. "Everything is fine. Could you please...." she said politely, gesturing to the onlookers.

The guards were clearly unconvinced, but they began ushering the onlookers away in a civil but firm fashion. Sakshi mentally expressed her gratitude to Vanaja, aware that the guards' obedience had little to do with her and everything to do with the considerable influence wielded by her friend's family.

Sakshi looked at Minu and sternly said, "Don't leave the stall unattended. And tell those men to stop anyone else from coming here."

Minu shot a look of disgust at Priyamvada and ambled away reluctantly.

Nandini hastily started to go to Prithvi

"Don't," Sakshi warned, holding her back. "It will upset her, and she may become more violent. That won't be good for anyone. Wait till she – she calms down completely."

Feeling wretchedly useless, Nandini gazed powerlessly at Prithvi. It was killing her that she couldn't even go near him and support him somehow. But she also didn't want to do anything that would exacerbate Priyamvada's condition.

Drawing jagged breaths, Priyamvada glared ferociously at Sakshi. She wanted to hit out again...to punish her for having the temerity to touch her baby...

Her baby...but Prithvi wasn't one anymore...

She looked at the silent young man, and her rage abated swiftly. Brutal shock rushed back to fill the vacant space.

"You can't be him," Priyamvada mumbled in tears, begging Prithvi to understand. She held up a shaking right hand about three feet above the ground. "He was so little," she explained with pitiful urgency. "And – and his hair...his hair used to fall over his forehead sometimes. And his cheeks were round and pink," she whispered lovingly, touching her own face.