Unique short stories|Virtual Dad

"Mommy .... look... Daddy .... came."

Malti came out of the house. "No..son .... uncle..is .."

"Mommy! When will Daddy come?"

One question a day !!

"It will come ... Yes... son, take your breakfast.. it will be too late for you to go to school. The school bus will be coming now! Come on .. my wise son." Holding the child's hand with pampering, she took him home.

Mayank laughed.

Mayank's bike broke down today. He thought that he would take a rickshaw to the station and reach the office in a bus. This child saw him passing in front of his house and he shouted ".... Daddy .. came"...

He was a newcomer to this city. He was an IT engineer. Got a job in the company. . That is why he came from his hometown leaving his parents, wife, and youngest daughter Sweetu. Once settled, everyone should be brought here.

Dad was settled in a small village for thirty years, repairing and polishing shoes taking a small box under a tree at the end of the village, to survive the family. And his mother doing retail labor. 

He was able to get higher education due to the gumption of his father and the thrift of his mother. The parents' assumption that the son would now ease the burden of the family was not wrong. Because the newlywed Mayank's wife also learned to live by the conditions at home, they were happy and satisfied.

Mayank reached the office on time. But his mind was restless. If his daughter Sweetu was with him !! And wife Hina..poor.She never is alone. Due to Bapu's age, he can't work anymore, and his mother's illness ... Mayank thought. Then the voice of that little child came back .. "Mommy ... Daddy came .." Then Malti, who was taking the little child home holding his hand, rolled her eyes towards him ...

Mayank had come away from home for work, so the memories of his family or the child's "Mommy...Daddy came ..." and Malti's squinting eyes were making him anxious. He couldn't understand. !!!

He did not enjoy working in the office today. It was in his mind to take a leave and go home, but the solitude of the house would eat him up, so what to do? Here, time will pass in work.

But today, the boss, while asking for leave to go home earlier than usual, asked the reason: what answer does he have! He said, "Sir, I'm not feeling well."

"You're new, so the effect of the weather.. go home, relax, and yes... if you don't come tomorrow, call me." The boss gave me leave without even asking for it! Not even a month has passed in the job yet.

  He came in the bus .. thought of walking instead of the rickshaw. On the way he thought of buying some snacks from the snack shop and lifted his legs towards it..but he saw Malti and the child in the snack shop.

He was stunned. He didn't look at the child or at Malti. But when the child's eyes fell on Mayank, he let go of his mother's hand and ran away to Mayank as if he was not clinging to his father! and suddenly he clung to him. Malti stared at him with reproachful eyes. She slowly approached Mayank.

"Are you new?" Malati asked

"Yes", just a short answer.

"Have a job?"

"Yes"

"In the company?"

"Yes"

"Do you live alone?"

This question made Mayank sweat profusely. A stranger woman, taking interest in him, surprised him. Yet only he shook his head. After paying the money, Malti started walking. Even the child was doing "Pappa ... Pappa" and his mother was pulling with him. He was standing stunned like a fool.

The shopkeeper may have said, "Sir, let's talk if there is a quarrel between husband and wife, what's the fault of a poor child in this? Are you divorced?" He avoided answering the shopkeeper's misunderstood question.

 Before entering the society, Malti's house came first. Going to the front of Malati's house, he felt as if his legs were tied.

 The child was screaming loudly by shouting "Pappa...Pappa" .. Malti was trying to calm him down... She was beating the child with boredom... The child's crying and Malti's behavior were unbearable.

Slowly he came home. His restlessness was making him uneasy. On the one hand, he suffering from memories of loved ones in the homeland, on the other hand, a unique experience in an unknown place !!!

The next day, he was thoughted to go to Malti's house..to know the real facts and to help as much as he could ..

After much thinking, he rang the doorbell of Malti's house. As soon as the door opened, he saw the child sitting quietly and silently ... and the child seemed to have a new consciousness after seeing Mayank. He clung to him with a voice of joy,  "Daddy..Daddy". Even Mayank could not stop himself. He took the child in his arms and started showering love.

 Malati was watching the scene with wet eyes.

                 "I'm sorry. Madam, we have no acquaintance. But this child ..."

              "I know." Malati just said and mentioned Mayank to sit down and she went to the kitchen.

But Mayank was looking at the picture hanging in her living room with torn eyes. The picture was of Mayank.

Malti brought water. She was looked at Mayank. She asked Mayank: "Are you surprised? Seeing your picture in my living room?"

And her eyes got wet .. so Mayank became speechless. And stare at Malti's face. Somewhere... He reveals himself to remember any identity. The child was playing peacefully in Mayank's lap .. with caress .. with love ... with love ... with affection.

Mayank and Malti's eyes were searching for their past. Mayank did not remember where Malti met him. But Malti ......

"Madam, can I ask you something? You have this picture of me. What is the point of a child considering me as 'Daddy'?" I don't even know you. And this city is very far from my hometown. What is this circumstance? , How ? for whom? , Who raised it? Mayank spoke with a sigh...

 Malti stared at him calmly.

"Is your name Mayank Joshi right?"

"Are you from Valsad?"

 Mayank's astonishment increased.

"You're also interested in acting, aren't you?"

Mayank just nodded.

Didn't you act amazing in the play "Sea of ​​Tears"?

"Is acting really commendable?" Mayank listened.

Pictures of the play were printed in most of the magazines in the city..and then you didn't appear anywhere. Not in a play or in a movie? "

"Why?"

The answer to this "why" was no longer given to Mayank.

"The financial situation of the house was poor, education was a necessity, and it was more important to support the family by getting a job, so ..."

Well, my husband and I saw your play three times in the theater of Ahmedabad. My husband was very impressed with your performance. This photo of you in the magazine was hung in the living room by his choice. You became his favorite artist. You had an indelible place in his heart.

But .... but the curvature of the destiny, ..that he has died in a car accident two years ago Then this is my son's "Shrey". He was one year younger. But as he got older, he remembered Dad. Because "dads" of friends used to come to his school to pick up his friends. And I used to go to pick him up.

I don't know why I made a mistake. I showed this picture hanging on the wall and said, "Daddy has gone abroad, I will call him here". Even a child would believe. But look at the tricks of nature. The same artist can be seen here in the same city .. in my living room and in the picture on the wall as well as in the mind of Shrey, exactly and face to face.

Mayank, I don't mind if you pretend to be fake but pretend to be his father and give him love ..! ..Yes...Mayank .... yes ... and again she shrugged ... shrugged .. cried .. !!!

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