I Was Always Yours To Be

Happy Family

Daadi's P.O.V.

I sat and waited for Urvashi's answer. She took the locket from my hand and opened it and looked at the picture. "She's my mother," she said softly. I was stunned. I was dumbfounded. "Your mother?" I asked unable to believe what I just heard. She looked at the picture and nodded. "Urvashi is Uma's daughter?" I thought in my disbelief. I looked at her with tears in my eyes. "Her name is Uma," she said. "How is she?" I asked. She had tears in her eyes and replied, "She must be amazing." I looked at her with narrowed eyes and asked, "Weren't you with her yesterday?" She took a deep breath and said, "She's no more." I got another huge shock. "She passed away a month ago. Some days before my wedding and three days after my birthday," she said sadly. "Uma is no more?" I whispered in disbelief. She looked at me surprised and asked, "Do you know her?" I looked at her curious eyes and nodded. She looked at me shocked. "How?" she asked. I stood up and turned around. "This leads to way back when your mother had recently left your father," I said, "I saw her for the first time one day outside the market. She was begging a vendor to give her some vegetables on credit. She kept saying that she had to feed her daughters. She didn't have a penny. I thought that she was lying and making up stories. The vendor eventually ran her and I also went my way. When I was finished with all my shopping and was going back to my car, I got a call and wasn't paying attention to crossing the road. I didn't even realise that there was a speeding car coming to me. I would have gotten ran over by that car that day if Uma didn't come to my rescue. In the process, she herself got injured but didn't even bother. In fact, she was only worried about me." I went and sat back next to her and continued with my story, "I thanked her and went my separate way that day. One day, when I was passing by your colony, I saw that there were some men harassing her and I stopped the car. I managed to chase away the men but your mother were very tensed. I thought that I  couldn't leave her like this since she once saved my life so I carried her to a nearby park."

Urvashi sat and listened to my story attentively as I continued, "There she told me all what she went through with your father. She told me her entire story and despite my disgust to poor people, I listened to her. I thought that I would repay her with money for saving my life that day but what she told me, left me feeling ashamed." "What did she tell you?" she asked me. "She said to me that she surely needed money but she wanted money that she would earn from her hard work. She didn't save my life for money. Her words really touched me. I saw truth in her eyes. I made up my mind that day that I would help her no matter what. I gave her a job without her knowing and she started earning. That's how she raised you two sisters. I came many times before at your home to meet her. You and your sister were always at school. We soon became very close. A few months ago, I had to go to London for some tasks. I thought that when I return, I would meet her. I didn't know that she would leave us so soon," I said. I chuckled between my tears and said, "She gave me the nickname Mem Aunty." I looked at Urvashi and she looked at me surprised and exclaimed, "You are Mem Aunty?!" I smiled. "So this means that all those stories were true!" she said further. I looked at her with narrowed eyes and asked, "Stories?" She nodded and said, "Every night, Maa used to tell us stories about Mem Aunty. I didn't know that you really exist!" She bit her lip at the last part and said, "Sorry." I smiled and said running my hand through her hair, "It's alright." She looked at me taken aback by my gesture. "I have really been mistaken in recognising you as well Urvashi. You are Uma's daughter. And even if I tried, I cannot find any faults in her upbringing. Please forgive me for all the rude things I have ever said to you," I said folding my hands in front of her. She immediately held my hands and stood up. "You are elder than me Daadi. Your hand shouldn't raise to ask for forgiveness but to either bless me or slap me for my mistakes," she said. I looked at her and chuckled. "You are as fun-loving as your mother," I said.

She bent her head and smiled. "If I touch your feet, will you bless me this time?" she asked. I shook my head in negative. She frowned. "You don't have to touch my foot. You will remain here," I said and hugged her. She slowly hugged me back tightly. "You don't know in how many ways you have completely me today Daadi," she said. I broke the hug and cupped her face. Her eyes were filled with tears and she had a satisfied smile on her face. The room door opened and I turned around. Yash had come back. "Did you give your statement?" I asked. He nodded. He looked at both of us surprised and confused. Urvashi and I looked at each other and then looked at him and smiled. I cupped Urvashi's face and said, "You take some rest now, I am leaving. I will send your food in here." She smiled and nodded. I walked to Yash and he looked at me in disbelief. I smiled and walked out without saying anything, closing their room door behind me.