Lost Again..

(1)

Current day –

He was staring hard into his book, doing all he could to read words in the dim light of the sun set. Sun was already dipped almost half into the horizon. He wanted to finish that paragraph before he could put the book back in bag. After that he would not get time to read it he knew Bangalore was going to be busy.

As the bus moved it became impossible to read even a single word, so he decided to fold the page to resume later. He took a sip of water from the bottle and leaned back into his seat. “Railway crossings are too painful” he thought “they made one wait an hour every time a train crossed”. He closed his eyes and murmured under his breather “pathetic!”

(2)

2 Weeks Back –

He was returning to his parents after 12 years. Such a long time 12 years is ! All this while when he was away he did not even know whether his parents were alive or dead by bow. He was sure his parents could not have been sure about him either. Back then he could not imagine a life without his parents and suddenly 12 years, almost a life time, passed without them. He had missed them. But he had to leave home, he did not have an option, he thought. He could not remember faces of his parents clearly. That argument with his dad set him on a separate path. He was successful today. Married to a lovely woman and father of the cutest son. Maria, his wife, was from a different religion. It was another of his worries, if his parents would accept his marriage? Would it matter? Will the return of the prodigal son mean anything to his parents ? “Mom would have missed me!!” he thought.

Maria was there with Rahul ( son ) at the airport to see him off. She hugged him good bye as he kissed Rahul on the forehead. In just 3 hours he was at Delhi airport. He could not wait to board train to Lucknow and then a 3 hours road trip to Bahraich, where his parents lived. He did not know if they lived in the same house anymore. There was no way to find out. But he was determined now to find them and tell them that their son was back, for good. The day passed swiftly in journey. He reached Bahraich before sunset.

Anand Nagar, his locality did not look anything like he remembered. He asked around for his father. "Do you know where does Mr. Mukesh Mishra live?" he asked a stranger "oh, apko pata hai ki mukesh mishra ji kahan rahte hain ?" he translated it in Hindi for that person. "Aaage se teesri gali me chale jaiye, master sahab wahin rahte hain.( Take the third street from here, he lives there )" stranger replied. His heart was pounding as fast as it could, his palms were sweaty , he was nervous as he knocked on the door.

(3)

Maria had always been supportive. She knew that he missed his family. She did everything to make him comfortable and fill the empty space in his life. Rahul's arrival in their lives definitely helped. He loved him for all the love that he had lost. He understood the attachment for his son and everyday wondered how his parents would have felt when he walked out, never to look back.

Maria had always wanted a complete family with Ronit's parents. But he was not sure if he should try to get in touch with his parents again. He was scared. He did not know how to face his parents. How to look into their eyes and make up for the 12 years when he abandoned them. Time, probably when they needed him most.

(4)

His mother stood stunned at the door, tears rolling out on her cheeks continuously, unable to speak a word, she could not even manage to raise her hand or call her husband at the sight of her long lost son. She looked older than he had imagined. He fell on her feet and tears made their first appearance in his eyes. She went down to pick him up as he hugged her in a tight embrace.

"Where is dad, ma ?" he asked , she managed to point towards the drawing room where television was on. India was playing Pakistan in world cup semifinals. He went in and bowed down to touch his father's feet. His father looked at him and took a few seconds to register and realize what just had happened. He did not know what to do he raise his hand gently touch Ronit’s head.

For minutes no body spoke a word. They just kept smiling at each other, tears did not stop.

Current Day -

(5)

Two weeks had passed in no time, too less to listen all the stories of past 12 years. Too little a time to gather all the love. It went so fast, that the pain of yet another separation had started haunting them. But this time, it was different.

He did not expect it, but his parents were more than happy to Know about Maria and the way she had been there for him all this while. They could not wait another day to see Rahul.

They talked to Maria and Rahul on phone every day morning and evening. God took away their son and returned him with interest of a daughter in law and a grandson.

Finally the day arrived when Ronit had to leave for Bangalore. He promised to bring Maria and Rahul to visit his parents in Bahraich the very next month. He got the tickets booked for the trip and asked his mother to prepare to meet her grandson.

His mother packed everything that she could in the check in baggage and his hand bag. She had so many things to send to her grandson, space in the bags was not enough. She was dying to hold him in her hands and hug him.

His mother was fighting her tears as she waved good bye. Mukesh was already planning for Ronit’s next visit.

(6)

After a long the Mishra family did not have any complaints with god. They had a lot of work to do, just in a month they were going to meet Maria and Rahul.

"Let's celebrate this day, our son has returned to us. We do not need anything in life now" Mukesh was ecstatic. Reena did not say a word, she just smiled. After 12 long years they had all they wanted. Happiness had knocked at their door once again.

They did not have to worry about their son anymore. Unending series of questions, where is he? Is he alive? What had become of him? Does he remember us? Would he ever come back, did not haunt them anymore.

With every passing year the hope of return of their son had faded away.

Now that Ronit was back, they had nothing to worry about. Mukesh thanked god in his heart as Reena handed him the tea cup.

They sat comfortably in the sofa and switched on television. With the screen still coming up the sound reached their ear

"In a breaking news TAir flight from Lucknow to Bangalore was blown away into pieces by a bomb blast. No survivors. We are waiting for more information."