Adhura Alviida 2

Prologue

Aadhya forced a smile as she began presenting her project in front of the classroom. She felt the tears come into her eyes as she began to smile and try to force them away.

"My word is: Papa."  She smiled as everyone looked at her, waiting for her to continue. She felt herself choking on her breath as her voice became wobbly but she tried her best to continue to carry on with the words.

"Papa is someone who..."

She looked down. Who was her father? What was a father supposed to do? Despite living in the same house as Aditya for the last two years of her six years of life, she still didn't know what having a father meant. She grew up under the shelter of her naana and naani for so long. Her earliest memories were playing with them and her Noor Khala & Arjun Chachu. Her mother lay unresponsive in a hospital, but she got to visit her every single day. She got to tell her ammi about her day and even though she never responded, Aadhya loved being in her presence. It felt like her mom's love was paramount whenever she was near her.

But one faithful day, a man came into her life. Storming into her home in Mussorie while her Arjun chachu was giving her a piggyback ride, their laughter stopped and she would never forget the look of horror on her Noor khala's face as the plate dropped from her hand seeing that man. From that day on, Aadhya became very scared of him. He was a monster in her eyes. She remember how quickly her naana  insisted she went to her room. But as she heard screams from inside the room, she peeked out. Her naana was yelling at the man, telling him he was responsible for her ammi's condition.  Her naana said that if he had not hurt her ammi, she would've been well today. Little Aadhya knew no better, from that moment on she decided she could never tolerate that evil man. He stole her ammi from her. But soon he began yelling at her chachu too, asking why they never told him about Aadhya.

She was confused. Who was he? Why did he want to know about her? Moreover, she was scared of him. What if he came to take away her ammi? Little Aadhya couldn't live without her ammi. She would give up all her favorite dolls and never be a mischief child again if it meant keeping her ammi. Before her thoughts could register in her mind, her aunt came to get her out of her room. She looked sad. Tears streaming down her eyes as she lowered herself to Aadhya's height and hugged her as if her life depended on it. Little Aadhya got scared asking her khala why she was crying so much. That's when she heard the words she would dread for the rest of her life.

"Aadhya...woh aadmi...aapke papa hai. You have to go with him now, baby." She cried.

"Aadhya!" Her teacher yelled while snapping her fingers in front of her.

"I'm sorry." She ran out of the classroom as the children looked at her in confusion. She went to the bathroom and locked the door as the sobs wouldn't stop. She slid down against the wall, burying her face in her palms as she began to wail loudly where no one could hear her. Why did this have to happen to her? She cried and prayed to God. First, he stole her ammi from her and then he hated her as well. Everyone's papa loved them, except for hers. Her father hated her and she could tell from his demeanor towards her. She just wanted his love. Being taken away from her family in Mussoorie, she was brought to a palace in Mumbai, but she felt caged. All she wanted was love. Her papa's love.

***

The caged bird sings  

with a fearful trill  

of things unknown

but longed for still.

_________

And we're back with a second season. I don't know what it is about this story that makes my day better and the words don't feel like chores...it feels like penning my own emotion. Adhura Alviida is my therapy. Hope you all will enjoy this journey just as much as season 1 <3