YEH TERI GALIYAN (Avinash Mishra and Marlene Favela)

Chapter one

'Mama!' Shan's voice cries, as his mother is being rushed into an emergency room, accompanied by three female nurses and a male doctor. He stays outside the room in helpless and devastated tears. He walks slowly to a nearby bench and sits with his head in his hands.
He suddenly feels a gentle hand's touch on his shoulder, before he is able to look up and see who it is, he is suddenly woken up by his father, who's actually sitting next to him on the plane. Shan's eyes move to see his hand on his shoulder, just like he saw a hand in his dream.

'Son, come on. We've arrived,' his father smiles at him. He looHa  up at him in emotions he can't make out. He stands up and grabs his luggage, which is just a half-full bag. After a few formalities at the airport, he finds himself all alone in a luxurious hotel room.

The first thing he does is sit on the bed with his head in his hands. Something he usually does when he is sad. A lone tear escapes and strolls down his cheek. Soon the tears get out of his control, but he is unable to wipe them away. Instead, he lets them flow even faster and harder.
Just yesterday he returned home from school, only to find his mother, Ragani Patel, lying helplessly on the cold tiled floor. He dropped his bag and rushed up to her as quickly as he could. Her eyes where shut, and her body felt cold.
'She must have had been like that for hours,' he figured.
A little distance from her body was her asthma tank. She was dangerously asthmatic and epileptic. He prayed to God everyday and night for him to sustain her, and he did for as long as he or anyone else can remember. Being in her age and having being diagnosed for over twenty years, she had managed by the Lord's good grace to remain alive. She started speaking a lot about the fact that she felt that soon she was going to die. She could feel her soul thrive to leave her body. And it happened, just yesterday. But Shaan never got to say his last words. It was a day different from the others. He was late for school, and hardly said goodbye to his mother. His dear mother.

His father Immediatly took a flight from India and rushed to where he and his mother were, South Africa.
His mother was the only family he had in that country. His father, Neil Khana Mazumdar, a wealthy businessman rooted in India, came to his rescue as soon as Shaan called him at the hospital. Convincing himself that it was time to introduce Shaan to his family. Shaan, his illegitimate son. A fruit of his childhood play-around with Ragani while on a business trip. He always loved her, but also always knew that their love story was impossible. His family wanted to pick his wife, and despite Ragani being an indian, she was Christian too. And so is Shaan.

There's a soft knock on Shaan's door. He quickly dries his tears and responds. His built up father comes in with a tray of food in hand. A sandwich and a glass of fruit juice.

'Have this, you must be hungry,' Neil says slowly.
'I'm not hungry,' Shaan waves him off.
'Shaan, you have to eat something. You haven't eaten anything for hours.'
He ignores him and walks to the window. Unable to take in the undeniably beautiful view of the city of Mumbai. He feels his father's presence behind him.
'Shaan, I know this must be very difficult for you. It is for me too. But you need to remain strong, please,' Neil tries to reason out with his son.
'I am strong, father, I am. Despite being only ten years old I devoted the past two years of my life studying the word of God in the church. I understand a lot of things. Just because I'm hurt, doesn't mean I'm broken. I know that life is a journey. And at the time God wills, after our purpose is complete, we have to go. She has to be at a better place. She knew this was going to happen. And I'm glad to be assured that she's in a better place of rest. Because I know she repented of all her sins. But she was my mother. If my body decides not to have appetite in mournig her, what is the wrong in that?' Shaan asks him.

Neil smiles and kneels down infront of him, so that they're at the same level of height. Then places his hands on both his shoulders.
'You're a very smart little ten year old. And I'm very proud of you. You are absolutely right. You can eat later. But there's something important I want to discuss with you,' he says. Shaan stares at him with questioning eyes. A tear quickly runs down Neil's cheek, but he quickly wipes it away, then smiles warmly, running his hand through Shaan's hair.
'We haven't stayed together ever since you were little. But I think now is time for us to be a complete family. I want you to come and live with my family. Your other family members. We'll live in a really big house with many family members you'll love. A granny, cousins, a new mama, you name it. You'll go to a good and reputed school. The house has large fields and stables  you can choose any horse you like from. You'll have many friends to play with. And you'll be closer to me. Do you want that?' He smiles.
Shaan nods slightly.
'Good, just give me some time. A little bit of time to arrange everything, okay? Is that what you want?'
'I want to stay with you, father,' Shaan says, making his father very happy.

Shaan spends the next few days in the hotel room, mourning his deceased mother. She was everything to him. He thinks about all the times she had to work hard even in her health condition in order to support him. To send him to a good school. She refused to let Neil help her with all those things. She was a very rooted Christian, and refused to be involved with Neil anymore because he was a married man. But Neil always came around for his son whenever he needed him. So, Shaan loved his father a lot too, regardless of the fact that he would probably only speak to him over the phone, or see him a few times a year.

Shaan, is no ordinary kid. He is a very smart and wise boy. Completely rooted in his love for Jehovah and his son Jesus. He is a righteous little boy who can't see any wrong thing happen before him, just as his mother always taught him.

He lies on his bed facing the ceiling, remembering most of what he can remember of his mother. He misses her badly.
'Shaan,remember what the pastor said yesterday at church? What is the greatest commandment?' He remembers her ask him one day in the kitchen.
'He said, love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul,' Shaan responded.
'Good boy,' Ragani smiled largely and hugged her son.
Shaan smiles to himself despite the pain. He is unable to even switch on the tv, and prefers to stay in the dark. And during the day he studies his books and reads his Bible. Along with brochures of sermons preached by brother William Marion Brahnam and other pastors.

Just then his father opens the door with a large smile. Shaan jumps off the bed and runs to him for a hug.
'Hey, my boy. How have you been?' Neil asks, walking him back to the bed. Shaan just nods and smiles. Neil gifts him a toy car. After Shaan thanks him with a grateful heart, he turns him to face him.

'I've arranged everything. I'm going to take you home today itself. But I need you to promise me something,' Neil says.
'I can't make a promise, but I can let my yes be a yes, and my no be a no,' Shaan says, making Neil marvel at how bright and straightforward his son is.
'Okay, when you're going to go home, nobody can know that you're my biological son. That's the only way we can both live together,' Neil says. Shaan is shocked and confused.
'Why, father?' He asks.
'I'm not ready to tell and face everyone yet. Everyone has to believe that you're adopted from South Africa.'
'But Mama says it's bad to lie. God doesn't like it when we lie,' Shaan says.
'Yes, Shaan, I know. You won't have to lie. Just let me handle everything. If any asks you, then just change the topic or something. But everyone there is expecting you to be an adopted son from South Africa.