Free Love Lasts Forever by Vikrant Khanna Page A

part?’
                  ‘Oh,’ I sighed, ‘it’s gonna come sir, it’s gonna come. Let the marriage begin and you’ll know.’
                  He caught my gaze and smiled. When he asked me for the second drink, I didn’t refuse. Surprising myself I felt comfortable in his presence now. When he returned, I looked at him intensely. It was his cue to begin. He placed his glass on the table and settled back in his seat.
    ‘Um…..let’s see, so where do I begin?’ 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    1 3.  Captain’s story - 1
    September 1969, Nagpur
     
    I was eight years old when I first met Shikha. I still remember that day correctly. It was raining heavily and Baba had come early that day. He was accompanied by his old friend Mahesh and his daughter, Shikha. Baba was meeting him after five years and both the friends were very excited. Shikha was wearing a white frock with some floral carvings on it and a red border. Her hair was tied neatly in two pony tails on either side and little strands of hair lined her forehead. Her eyes were big and wide, flushed with innocence, and a shade of fear. A year younger to me, she was all of seven then. I took her in my room, gave her some of my clothes, and together we played for hours.
                  My mother had died on my birth but Baba never felt the need to get married again. He’d toil hard, had unrelenting spirit, and made sure I wasn’t denied of any worldly pleasures. My Baba was both my father and mother. His life revolved around me and my proper upbringing was his sole aim. We didn’t have any other relatives, but with so much love and support I never felt the need. We were poor but had a decent roof over our head and everything else in between.
                  Mahesh uncle’s wife had also died three years ago, battling cancer, so one day Baba asked him to move in with us.
    ‘ We won’t have to pay rent for two separate flats so why don’ we live together, we’ll have good company and the kids would get someone to play with.’
                  Mahesh uncle refused initially but with Baba’s constant importuning, he finally gave in. I was very happy as I was getting a permanent friend in the house.
    In the mornings both friends after serving us breakfast and dropping us to the nearby government school went to their respective offices and returned late in the evening. Since I was the elder one I was told to take care of Shikha. In the afternoon we’d saunter back to our flat, school bags slung over our shoulders, and held each other’s tiny hands. Baba would give us some money and on the way back we daily ate ice cream. Shikha was very fond of them; I’d just give her company. After the ice cream we’d hop and skip and jump our way back to our house. It was time for the toys.
                  Over dinner both Baba and Mahesh uncle had long conversations about politics, current affairs, business, and other times about their own lives. They enjoyed each other’s company just like me and Shikha. They often laughed over the fact that they were happy as they didn’t have a wife to pester them.
    ‘ No woman, no trouble.’ Mahesh uncle would remark facetiously.
    Baba would only smile back. But I was sure he never smiled from within. If he did, he would never slide the drawer open in his cupboard every night to look woefully at my mother’s picture through teary eyes running his fingers on her face before he went to sleep. I loved Baba for that, he never got married again. I learnt the lesson of true and everlasting love from him.
    Baba always emphasized the power of knowledge and education. He exhorted me to study hard and become wise; to get a good, respectable job , and earn enough money. He never wanted me to become a labourer like him. I promised I would make him proud some day.
    Life went on. We had a good time those days – oodles of laughter of playing and