Kanyaka [Sequel to Durga] | ✓

Epilogue

Rudra was patting the back of a five-month-old baby girl. Her face was round with pink cheeks and rosy lips.

"Did she burp?" Yellamma Avva asked.

He shook his head and continued to pat her back. A few moments later, he heard a small burp. Satisfied, he handed over the baby to Yellamma Avva. She cradled the baby in her arms until she was sound asleep. Rudra took one glance at her and left to his room.

He walked to the balcony and saw the coconut trees swaying. He laughed. I can't look at her. Her eyes, her smile everything about our daughter reminds me of you, Durga. Why did you do this?

Why didn't you listen to the gynaecologist that you should go for caesarean section? Why did you insist for natural birth at the cost of your life? Had I known this before, I wouldn't have listened to you. Why did in the world did Raghavendra had to create a drug that affects oestrogen?

"The doctor said that maybe caesarean section could have helped. She didn't assure that Durga will be survive this."

Rudra turned to see his foster mother, Yellamma Avva standing next to him. He closed his eyes. "But I wanted to try everything; every possible option."

She patted his back and reasoned, "The doctor pondered upon the reason after she suffered seizures. That drug reacted with her oestrogen and they gave her some medicine to stop the seizure which was the final nail on the coffin."

"Durga told that her blood report was showing her haemoglobin levels are normal. She had said that it was not possible because she had anaemia. I ignored it too."

"Rudra, everything happened very fast. No sooner did she gave birth to your child; her heartrate was fluctuating. Don't you remember how the whole hospital had panicked? Don't you remember that Durga got attacks when we were still in front of the door and the nurse had left it open, accidently?"

How could he forget that the nurse handed over their child to him and rushed inside? How could he forget that his Durga had started shivering violently as she looked at him? How could he forget that his Durga had breathed her last moments in front of him?

"It's better that you stop crying in her loss. Your daughter needs you more than she needs you. I am sound harsh, but you know that I speak truth," she said coldly and left the room.

Our daughter needs me more than you! Everyday she reminds me and every day I forget it. They say you can't predict whose looks the babies would have inherited until they are a year or so. But she looks exactly like you. A mini version of my Durga.

Wiping the tears on his cheeks, he sighed. What mistake did you do if Abhilash found out that the book had nothing but how to make gunpowder? Nanhe Bache decided to finish them, that was their deal and problems. Why did Raghavendra had to inject you another dose of his drug? Why wasn't I careful? How didn't I come to know that he had mixed the mind influencing drug in the sweets in that had come for your baby shower function?

He flopped himself onto the bed and curled into a ball. Soon he was in deep sleep and he had a dream.

His Durga was sitting next to him, raking his hair. She looked the same, like he had seen her, five-months ago. She was wearing his favourite white colour silk saree that he had gifted her on their fourth anniversary. She smiled at him.

"Durga! Where were you these days? Do you have any idea, how much I miss you? Come back here, stay with me."

She shook her head. "Probably this was my fate. I was destined to live until I delivered my child."