The Leaves of November | Complete✔

Chapter 3

'21 February '05

Yesterday Pihu and I opened one of the old boxes from the storage. We hadn't opened it since we brought it from Kolkata. Going through it, I found so many of your things from college and university. Books, art supplies, certificates. Do you remember the medal you won at the annual art competition in the first year? I gave that to Pihu and told her the story behind it. She wore it around the house all day long with pride. Someday she's going to grow up to have many medals and accolades of her own. I've also kept the books carefully, for her to read in the future, I'm sure she'll love them as much as you did. I want her to know you Geetu. She should know how amazing and talented her maama is, and how much she loves her. I will always keep telling her stories about you, but I want her to listen to them from you. It kills me to see her yearn for you like this. I can only comfort her so much. Every night before going to sleep, she says a prayer for you, offers her favorite toys to God, in return asking him to send you back to her. She needs you. I need you. Come back please?'

Pihu came down to the kitchen, rubbing her eyes and yawning. She was in her favorite unicorn pajamas and carried a soft teddy that she usually slept with in one hand.

"Good morning! I'm making pancakes today, want some?"

A smile spread on her lips as she nodded fast. She loved pancakes.

"Where's Nancy and dida?"

"Nancy's taken a leave today and dida has gone to New Jersey to visit chaachu. So, it's just you and me this morning buddy."

Shayan put a pancake in the plate in front of her and placed a kiss on her head. After breakfast they sat on the couch, both still in their pajamas and decided to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon watching a movie.

"What are we seeing today?"

"Finding Nemo!" Pihu jumped as she picked out the DVD from the box.

"Again?"

"It's my favorite movie. Please daddy?" The innocent pout that she gave him never failed to convince him.

"Finding Nemo it is then."

When the movie started, she leaned against Shayan's arms and snuggly held on to it with one hand, with her teddy in another. It was her comfort zone. Despite having seen the movie so many times that they almost had the dialogues memorized, here they were, watching it again.

A few minutes into the movie, a question from Pihu had taken Shayan by surprise.

"Dad? Do you think maama will leave me the way Nemo's maama left him?"

He was frazzled for a moment, with no idea what to say.

"Who told you that?"

"My friends say that they feel sad for me, that my maama won't come back. I told them that's not what it is but-"

She stopped in the middle of the sentence.

"Pihu, maama hasn't gone anywhere okay? Yes, she is not here with us now, because she is sick. But that doesn't mean she won't come back. You pray to God everyday for that don't you? Then don't you believe your prayers will be answered? Don't loose faith, okay buddy?"