In the World of Confusion - A Shraman Story [Discontinued]

Nanu

A woman is getting ready in her room. She wears her nurse uniform and puts her spare pair of kurti and leggings in her purse. She then does some makeup to hide her beauty spots from her face. And then the last thing was to put a black burqa over herself. She hid herself well and get out of the hospital washroom. She gets inside her car and drive off. Her destination: Delhi.

She drives for a long time to reach the place she has been waiting to go for so many years. She stops her car a few blocks away and removes her burqa. She takes her shivering steps to the iron gates which were adjacent to the sign saying: Tiwari Killa.

She had been brought up in this house after her parents died. It was her home. Her safe place where her Nanu was, where her Shravan was. He was always here almost as if a part of her family. A small one but happy one. She was always scared one day they will leave her and she would be left alone but the destiny played a twisted game and it was her who had to leave. Leave her Nanu and her Chashmish. She made an effort to ensure Shravan's happiness by sending him to London but before she could do anything for her Nanu, time was gone. If only she had controlled her emotions and heart and not gone to meet Shravan. She just wanted to see him once before he left.

She took slow steps to the house where she found her beautiful short life. She went inside and saw the nurse there. The nurse Ashima had requested the hospital to relieve her for a few hours in afternoon because she had to meet her son's teacher at school. She was happy to the nurse hospital sent in her place.

"Hi! I'm glad you're on time. I will tell you what to do and then take your leave."

"Okay" her voice squeaked because of all the emotions she was hiding.

"I have given him lunch and he is sleeping as of now. He is in the room adjacent to stairs - here this one. And this is the medicine he should be given at 4:00 pm and the tea he loves to have at 6:00 pm. I always make it for him but he does not like it. He says its not his Special cup of tea that his granddaughter used to make for him."

"Hmm"

"Any doubts?" She nodded no.

"Okay then I shall take your leave."

"Bye"

As nurse Ashima leaves the new nurse found her way towards her room. It was the room where she had lived her beautiful years with her Nanu and her Chashmish. The door of the room still had a scratch mark. She and Shravan made this. She wrote Sumo's Room while he wrote Beware. She punched him for that then but it was cool. She went inside to find her old man grown more old now laying on his bed with a few medical equipment lying around him. His chessboard was there and a picture laid bedside. It was a picture of Shavan and Suman pecking Nanu's cheeks from both sides. He loved that one. He was asleep so she stood there at the door. But then a voice interrupted her emotional trip.

"Finally you came" he said still eyes closed. She thought for him she was Nurse Ashima.

"Sir I'm not Nurse Ashima. She took a leave. I'll be here for a few hours with you."

"Oh! Then what's your name Suman?"

"Huh!"

"Why did you take so many years to come? Didn't you miss me? Don't you remember your old man?"

"Nanu!"

"You can be anything for the world a nurse, or dead like Manju says but I know. If I'm alive, Suman will be there with me. She won't leave me and see you came."

"Nanu!"

"Teri aahatein pehchantu hoon main!" ( I can feel your presence.)

"Nanu! I'm sorry. I left you alone. And what had happened to you? You were my strong Nanu right then why all this? And where are others? They left you Nanu?"

"Suman! My child. They say you're dead. Even Shravan believed so. I never believed them and asked them to find you. They left me to die here."

"No Nanu you won't die. I know Ramnath uncle is helping your health and finance but Nanu trust me I will be back soon."

"I at least knew you were alive. But that stupid boy he doesn't understand whom should he believe facts or his heart."

"Nanu, I met him. "

"You met Shravan? Did he recognize you? You told him. "

"No Nanu. He neither recognize me nor I told him. But soon Nanu soon he will know."

"What are you hiding my kid?"

"Not now Nanu. Like ten years few months more. First I need to tell Shravan, I'm alive. But..."

"But? But what?"

"Nanu that Chashmish is idiot. His Oxford degree is fake. He couldn't even get the first hint I left for him. "

"Hmm so be more subtle."

"I know Nanu. But right now I'm first going to pay off my debt on the people who helped me. Nanu you remember Suman from my school. "

"The girl who asked you to hurt Shravan. How can I forget? It all happened because of her. If only you hadn't hurt Shravan he would have never left for London. This all wouldn't have happened."

"No Nanu! There are many things you still don't know. She was a God sent Angel that day she saved Shravan from the pain you and I had to go through for years."

"May be you're right. But what about her?"

"Nanu, I'm going to make her life happy soon. Shravan and a friend of my mine are going to help."

"Suman! Why don't you come back?"

"Its not that easy Nanu. Some one have to pay and some one have to be saved. Don't worry Nanu. I'm going to make you my special tea and just keep this number here. Whenever you want to see me ask your nurse to call the masseuse on this number. I'll be here for you."

"Masseuse? "

"Your granddaughter is everything but Suman."

"Huh!"

"I'll be back in a few minutes."

She went towards the kitchen where abode of memories lived. She made him his tea which he missed for years and spent her hours catching up. She left when Ashima came back. With a promise. To make a come back soon.

A/n:- Finally! Suman came. Mystery is going to unfold soon but not that soon. Shravan will have to reach her fast though because time is running out. Why? Because Suman's 26th birthday is coming soon and that is the final string of the mystery.

Love,
Zindagi.