Claret

e l e v e n

Anushka never thought she would ever be so much panicked after her parent's death. All of it felt familiar to her, the feeling of losing someone, the feeling of loneliness. She felt engulfed in darkness even when Dhruv rubbed his thumb over her palm trying to calm her down as he tried driving faster when it was eleven in the night and the streets of Mumbai still bursting with noise.

It had been three months and in these three months Anushka had realised things in her life, she had felt caged between the backyard and her room. She never thought she would be gardening but that is the only thing that kept her busy these days. Her heart would want to run away from the place where she never gets to talk, she would often go to the crowded beach with the driver just to feel people around. She would visit her daughter every week and would try making sure her daughter was learning the right things. Dhruv would visit her every night or maybe evening would check on her eating schedule and medicine and would ask her if she was fine and would go. She felt alone in the beautifully furnished duplex. 

Dhruv had warned her lot of times about his sister, and few weeks back when Anushka accidentally bumped into the lady dressed in pale blue saree with loose braid, without looking at her face and mumbling a quick sorry she had left from there back to her backyard. 

Anushka instead of glowing had started becoming dull, would try to busy herself with stuff but the environment kept her caged.

A sob left Anushka's mouth when the busy street came into her view. Today as soon as Anushka had the dinner her mobile buzzed with a notification from the app of local news. Looking at the news of the fire in a missionary hostel had made Anushka shiver. Her back had suddenly become gobbly as she tried calling her daughter's warden but the mobile responded with switched off. Gasping for air she had rushed to dining area where Dhruv was seated with his sister, caring less about his warning she had joint her hands and whispered muffled words passing him the mobile, meanwhile protecting her baby by her another hand. Dhruv had excused himself and had walked out of householding Anushka closer to himself.

"She will be fine," Dhruv mumbled. It was the nth time he had said these words and it was still going on deaf ears. Anushka really didn't care what was happening, where they were going all she wanted to see her daughter as soon as possible.

Taking the right turn Dhruv stopped the car to the right and looked at the crowd and smoke. He could hear the siren of the fire brigade. His eyes switched to Anushka who was sobbing beside him.

"You wait here, I will go and inquire." He asked

"No.No. You don't know her. I will come."She said unlocking the door.

"Anushka the baby."He ruffled his hair walking to her.

"I am carrying it. It is more of my baby too."She mumbled unknown of the impact her words had on him. He looked at her state, suddenly he wanted to correct her but letting go he took her hand and walked towards the fire.

Squeezing through the crowd and holing the palm on the nose they walked towards now died down fire. The crowd were yelling and all Anushka could hear was crying, she looked around to find her daughter and her eyes stopped at the shed on the right, her eyes running across small children crying. Running past the crowd she rushed to the shed. Dhruv ran towards her as he looked her pulling a small girl with two piggy tails in her arms. The small girl was crying her heart out, she had held Ansuhka tightly as if leaving her would kill her.

Dhruv tried looking at the little girl, her face but she had hidden in Anushka's hair, crying her eyes out when Anushka picked her in her arms. She looked at Dhruv with teary eyes preparing herself to ask his permission to take her scared daughter to home. Dhruv nodded looking at the little girl's back.

"I will inform warden," Anushka mumbled walking to old lady in nightgown holding few kids. Anushka after exchanging few words walked to the car. Dhruv again tried having the glimpse of Jr Anushka but the little girl had held her mother like any other skin. 

Driving through the streets Dhruv was now more sure that Anushka was perfect mother.

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