Chapter 10
A Talk at the Stairs
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Nitin sneaked backed into his room with the photograph. Who was going to notice it was missing? He stopped by Vyom’s room, peering into his dark window. How much secrets was he holding from him? Why didn’t he ever tell him anything? What harm could it do to him? The staircase rose up from the end of the room, near the window. Nitin fell back on the steps. He produced the picture from inside his shirt. Though the hall was dark, he could make out just the linings from the orange lamp that burned in the corner.
Mansa was telling a secret. Nitin couldn’t understand what it was.
A hand placed itself over his left shoulder. Nitin shuddered and turned that instant. Vyom looked down at him from some steps up. His face was tired, drained.
“Papa!” He was caught.
“You will never understand, Nitin,” said Vyom. He descended some steps and sat down. Nitin dropped down too. He had been careless that night. How could he have!
Vyom drew his hand forward. Nitin looked into his eyes and handed the picture. Vyom savoured the photograph and smiled for a moment for himself. “You know, Nitin, I never understood her very well.”
Nitin had an immense emotional turnover. He felt guilty. Had he pressurized Vyom too much?
Nitin was just going to open his mouth to say sorry when Vyom continued. “But she was charming, always smiling. She was our tour guide.” Vyom never withdrew his eyes from Mansa.
Nitin eyed Mansa again. This time, she didn’t seem to have a secret.
“At the end of our trip, she confessed.”
Nitin remembered the confession page of their school. But he didn’t want to interrupt.
“I too had wanted to say the same thing to her. I thought we were meant to be together. We spent the last day together, roaming in the mountains alone. I promised her that I will come back. I returned to her the next year. We got married. But I didn’t have a house. I continued my studies and bought a house when I could afford one. I was an orphan, as you know.”
“So…so you went back to Kashmir, to get her home.”
Vyom looked up and smiled. “No. I was brimming with joy to fetch her. But she had a surprise in store for me. She presented me a baby. You.” Vyom smiled again. Nitin felt his eyes could glitter no more. They were already like black pearls. “I was very happy. Who wouldn’t? I already had plans. I wanted to take her home and live happily ever after. But when I reached Kashmir, she was already in the hospital. He rcondition was critical. The doctor told me that she would be able to save only the child. And I met Mansa the last time in that ward.” Nitin was surprised that Vyom wasn’t a bit sad. Instead his eyes were glittering. “I took her hand’s imprint, you know?”
I threw a questioning look at him.
“You found only that photograph, not anything else?”
Nitin shook is head. “I was too excited to go further.”
“The back cover of that same book had the imprint. You know why I always restricted you from doing something other than necessary? Mansa talked to me for the last time. She told me to look after you. She told you would be great. Not great great, but great great. You were born to do something big. She had a glint in her eyes that I never saw. She looked…different.”
I looked at him demanding further.
“That’s it.”
“I mean well, which mother doesn’t claim that his son is great? It was just a compliment!”
“It wasn’t a compliment.” Vyom looked at the picture.
“How do you know that?” Nitin stood up, unable to stop. He had been forbidden, these all years…just because his mother praised him?
“I just know,” Vyom crouched as if protecting his decision.
Nitin didn’t say anything more. It was just ridiculous. Totally ridiculous. How could his father be so stupid?
“I don’t know what she meant,” he said at last, “but you have made a mistake.” And he stormed upstairs.
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