Free Love Lasts Forever by Vikrant Khanna Page B

running under the sun, having long juvenile chats, singing old Hindi songs, and the ilk. Soon, Shikha and I became best friends. We’d fight regularly though, but seldom, they lasted for more than a few hours. We’d become so used to each other’s company that being angry with each other was so unnatural, as if that emotion never existed. With her around I never felt the need of any other friend. In fact, we never even had any other friends. Not by chance, but I guess, by choice.
    Few months later, one day over breakfast as they were talking about business something hit them. They were both working as labourers in a textile mill and thought of starting their own venture. They knew they had the brains, right attitude, and both were hard working and driven. Moreover after working in the same industry they had a fair amount of an idea of how it worked.
    Over the next few days, they did their research while working in their respective companies. They would toil late into the night analyzing and organizing their thoughts. They had very little savings which they would have to put at risk if they were to start a business. That got them thinking. Eventually they decided in favour of it and one day I saw Baba transferring his clothes from the cupboard to an empty suitcase.
    ‘ Are you going somewhere Baba?’ I asked him hurriedly. I was playing with Shikha outside and came in to grab a bottle of water as she was thirsty.
    Baba smiled and stopped packing. He beckoned me toward him and I sat in his laps.
    ‘ Yes, we are going to Bombay for a few days to meet some people.’
    I flinched . ‘But Baba, why? How will I live without you?’ I felt the warmth of tears on my face. I’d never been away from him.
    Baba gave me a reassuring smile. ‘It’s only a few days, it’s not like we are going forever, and then when we’ll be back we’ll start our own business. We’ll have more money, a better house, and I’ll send you and Shikha to a better school. We’ll have a much better life Shekhar.’
    I nodded meekly. ‘But why can’t we come with you if it’s only for a few days.’
    ‘ No,’ he said quickly, ‘I don’t want to you to be missing your studies.’
    I made a face . ‘But Baba why do you want to do business, we have a decent life,’ I asked, my mind wandering outside. Shikha would be waiting for me, she was thirsty.
    ‘ Oh Shekhar, you are too young to understand this. Now go and call Shikha, Mahesh wants to speak to her.’
    I heard Shikha’s wails in the next room, the moment she tottered inside excitedly. She thought she’d be getting a chocolate.
    ‘Okay Baba, but please be back soon, we don’t know anybody else here.’ I begged him when I returned back in my room. Baba was done with his packing and was holding his suitcase in his hands. He gave me a reassuring wink.
    An hour later both were at the door with their bags giving us their final assurances and advise. Just before leaving, Mahesh uncle bent down on his knees and held my shoulders firmly looking me in my eyes.
    ‘ You are a brave boy Shekhar, promise me you’ll take good care of my daughter and never let her cry.’
    ‘ Of course, Mahesh uncle, I’ll take care of her.’ I gave him my word.
    He kissed me and Shikha on our forehead and then they were gone. Shikha hugged me tight and tears trickled down her eyes. Suddenly I was the only one she had, at least for the next few days. I wiped my tears first and then Shikha’s. Slowly we made our way back in the empty house. We hoped they returned soon.
     
    They never returned. Two weeks later we got the news that their bus met with an accident killing all the passengers and they never even reached Bombay. The owner of our house threw us out as we didn’t have any money to pay rent.
    With a heavy heart and tears in our eyes we stood alone and dejected on the road, the thought killing us that we had nowhere to go in this big, insolent world.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    14.