Aarzoo...

2.Ehsaas

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"So gaya yeh?" Shehenaaz asked Maa, entering the living room. She walked towards the relatively small sleeping figure caressing his temple, softly pinching his cheek in between her fingers, nearing them to her lips and feebly kissing those fingers that had the touch of his oh-so-soft face as he was asleep on the sides, one side of the face adorably squeezed on the cushion for the weight of his head.

A special small bed was arranged for Arth by keeping two cushiony chairs across the couch, covering the risk of him falling down his temporary bedding. He was the center of focus for everyone at home including the extended family who often visited them. The sister duo and their respective families where equally fond of the child. They somehow felt complete, as if found the missing piece from the puzzle like life of theirs.

"Haan...ye le...Maa's special chai for my special bacha" Maa replied handing a refreshing cup of ginger tea which Shehnaaz would usually request for when she is down with tiredness or generally when she would experience the infrequent bouts of downheartedness while thinking of him. And many a times it was Maa herself who would recognize her despondency towards the day-to-day undertakings, working flawlessly to up her mood with the invigorating head massage followed by a stimulating cup of Maa's special tea.

Though she had made peace with most of it, vowing to only smile at his memories but it's with the stupid heart which has its own mind sometimes when it gets tough to breakthrough a smile amidst an extreme yearning that envelops her entire form. On those days, in fact all days from then, Maa has been a constant support, a rescue to her every problem even at work. Her years of experience and the wisdom that she has achieved all through those years were all in play along with the limitless love that she would shower on her.

"Hmm...niche baith ja ab..." Maa added making herself comfortable on the empty side of the couch where Arth was lying the other side, his legs now on Maa's lap as she gently pulled them.

"Ab bata...kya cheez pareshan kar rahi hai...Usko muskura ke yaad krna hai na?" She urged, placing her cup on the side table, one hand already resting on Shehnaaz's scalp stroking fingers through her soft tresses. The other hand joining soon.

"Uski table par kuch papers the...London ke hotels ke naam likhe the usne...hum...hum... sath jaane wale the Maa..." Shehnaaz spoke, voice broken. Eyes moist even after the cold water splash, the humanly droplets overpowering. The more she tried to control, the more they threatened to make way out of her brimming eyes.

"Shehnaaz...hum yaha hain ek dusre ke liye...uski baatein kar paa rahein hain ek dusre ke sath...uski pictures aur videos hain jinme uska hasta muskurata hua face hai...jaise tune abhi uski T-shirt daali hai...vo bhi to ek remembrance hai na? Ek pyaari si yaad...uske paas hone ka ehsaas...?" Maa stated, in an attempt to teach her the most basic lessons of life, which she herself was discovering from her observations and on goings. Old age does not mean, one has all the worldly knowledge, it's how much you have experienced life, that makes you wise.

"Hmm..." Shehnaaz mumbled nodding, trying to grasp what Maa wanted to reflect through her words, lower lips slightly sticking out naturally.

"Uske itne voice notes hain tere paas to listen to and smile...I remember when you were in Canada, kaise voice notes pe lad rahe the tumlg just because ek dusre se directly baat nahi krni thi...aur reason kya tha? That he didn't drop you a 'Good Morning' text...such kids...mere bache...the most beautiful inside out... " Maa smiled towards the end, reminiscing those days when Sidharth would mostly stick around her for Shehnaaz was abroad for few months.

Maa's mentions taking her to a different phase of time.

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