A Heart of Gold

Chapter 3: Cradled Love

Vrishali was a practical girl. She understood that they were poor, and although they always had enough to bring cereal and lentil home, they certainly did not have enough to buy one of the pretty, colorful wooden puppets from the market. So, she buried her desires of toys, and went about playing make-believe games. Sometimes, much to her mother's  relief, she played cooking with her sister. Sometimes, she played house. Here, her sister would be the fastidious mother-in-law, Shon - the errant son, and invariably, Radheya would be the horse. Other times, to her mother's chargin and her brother's amusement, she would accompany the boys of the colony to their trysts into the forest on the other bank of the Ganga while her sister learnt to cook and clean. During these trips, she always stuck close to Radheya. Either because they were closest to each other, or because he easily accepted people and their shortcomings, or because he was surprisingly empathetic for such a young boy, Radheya never laughed at her fear of lizards and other forest reptiles. Sometimes he would help her and Shon jump across protruding roots, and if she ever lagged, he would wait patiently for her. He was also blessed with the ability of keeping quiet, a characteristic lacking in every other boy she had met. While the others would scare away all birds and animals with their raucous laughter and ill-timed scuffles, Radheya would look around in wonderment, often asking questions. Once he asked her, "Why do you think young stems are green but the big barks brown?"

She had honestly confessed her ignorance. He had thoughtfully looked at her, and then leaning conspiratorially towards her said, "One day, I am going to find out everything and then, I will tell you." 

She hadn't thought much of it but for some inexplicable reason, she hoped he would  learn and tell her too. 

One day, she went down with a fever. Her mother brought her pastes made of mashed herbs and gave her warm soups to eat. She missed going out, but bhaiyya promised that she would soon recover. When Vaishali conveyed this news to Radheya and Shon, the two brothers - practically inseparable by now - came to see her. They chatted for sometime, Shon proudly showed her a bruise he'd got, Vaishali squealed at that and Radheya rolled his eyes. "He has been showing that to anyone who'd see it."

"Bhaiyya, it's cool."

"I assure you, it is anything but."

"You are mad because you don't have one."

"I'm mad because you were blind enough not to see the stone sticking out, stupid enough not to rub the place after you'd fallen and crazy enough to flaunt that and give everyone an eyesore."

"It's not an eyesore"

"Of course not." Radheya's voice was dry.

Vaishali chimed in, "Don't you mind Radheya, it is most impressive."

Vrishali leant against the worn pillows and drowsily listened to the familiar banter. She was feeling better already. At length, Radha chachi came to call the boys and the company broke up, with the brothers wishing her a quick recovery and promising to come again.

"As soon as maa turns her back." Shon reassured her.

At the doorstep, Radheya stopped, turned and returned. Shon was already skipping ahead. He marched right upto her and asked, "Can I get you anything? "

"What thing?"

"Anything, to cheer you up. This" - here he made a broad gesture - "must be singularly tedious."

"You can keep me company."

"Oh! That I will, have no doubt. I will come everyday, thrice a day -"

"To chew my head?"

"- to cheer you, and that too. But, is there nothing else you wish to have?"

Despite herself, Vrishali thought of the pretty wooden dolls and carts from the market, and the colourful bangles she had seen on a short wooden frame. Outside, she could hear Shon calling for his brother and chachi making pitiful threats about the late hour. Radheya leant forward, the violet pools in his amber eyes shimmering and Vrishali blurted out, "Toys."

"Uh-huh?"

"Toys ", she repeated, "Wooden toys. Carts, puppets and the like. I really want one."

Radheya gave her a short curt nod, clapped her lightly on the shoulder and left.

Over the next couple of days, although both Radheya and Shon visited several times, the subject of toys was not raised. Vrishali expected it, really, for where would Radheya - whose family was poorer than hers - get it? He was not the sort to grab hold of his father's dhoti and nag, or throw a tantrum clutching his mother's sari. But on the third day, before leaving, Radheya dug between the folds of his dhoti and loincloth and produced a small pouch. Silently he handed it over, smiled mysteriously at her and left.

"What is in there?" Vaishali asked, entering almost immediately. Vrishali felt a foolish pang of annoyance. Normally she didn't mind her sister's interruption, they were after all twins, but this was something Radheya had given her because she had explicitly asked for it. Surely, this was one thing that she did not have to share. Besides, she could already feel a hard humanoid outline through the cloth. However, she could not send Vaishali away without creating a fuss. If she did throw a tantrum, then her mother would come and find the pouch. Irrationally, she wanted to keep it a secret. Without answering, she pursed her lips and tugged at the string holding the ends together. It gave away under the ministrations of her fingers. The cloth fell open, revealing a small wooden, female figure, as big as her foot, with long black hair made of some sort of thread and an open childish face. It was dressed in a red blouse and a skirt that was green like the tenderest of newborn leaves, and its bangled arms were stretched outwards, as if embracing someone. Even though it was not even remotely close to the ones in the shops, it was a startling piece of work, in her eyes - the most perfect doll in the world. When she turned it over, she found written on the back of its right leg in long, scrawled script, "To Vrishali from Radheya - get well soon".

"It looks like you. Can I see it?" 

Vrishali cursed, she had completely forgotten about Vaishali. Sighing, she passed it over.

"Radheya made it. WOW! Our Radheya! I can't believe it!" Vaishali gushed. Then noticing Vrishali's expression, she said suddenly, "Hey, I won't tell anyone."

"What?"

"I won't tell that Radheya gave it to you. He might get in trouble. God knows where he got all these from. And this is yours. Don't worry. I know you wanted these, I won't fight about it."

Vrishali felt a rush of affection for her sister, immediately followed by guilt. "Don't you want one?" she asked.

"Honestly? No. Besides, if I did, we can always bully Radheya into making another." 

She winked at her and patted her condescendingly on her head. Vrishali swatted at her hand, Vaishali pulled her hair and the two pounced at each other like wild animals. The doll nearly fell from the cot and Vaishali leapt at the last moment to save it. Then she carefully placed it on a table and enthusiastically returned to the catfight.