Unique Short Stories| Sarita

As soon as I got the news I left the office and ran. Mr. Pandey, a retired police officer, was a close friend of mine and a neighbor for years. Suddenly he had a heart attack and said goodbye before the doctor came.

Sarita looked at me and started crying.

"Uncle, Dad left me alone ..." and she couldn't speak further. My eyes also filled up. I couldn't cry because of the shock. I kept moving my comforting hand on Sarita's back and head. Pandey's stable corpse was asleep. The picture of Mr. Pandey's memoirs started moving in my eyes.

I had a holiday that day. While walking in the market, I went to the police station of Mr. Pandey. Pandey was sternly asking a young girl. I was sitting in the chair in front of him listening to his conversation quietly. Pandey was as hard of duty as he was soft of mind.

"Since when has been doing such business?"

"Sir, it's been two and a half years."

"Aren't you ashamed to do such a thing?"

"Yes, it's a shame, sir ..."

"Then do some labor, why you hurt yourself?"

"Sir, I tried my best to fill my stomach by doing labor .. but wherever I go ..." and she stopped. Speak again,

"Sir, it's been four years since my father died. My mother is sick. I have to fill the stomachs of three younger brothers !!" 

And she cried with the feeling that she was tormented by the torment of this business. It is as if the only option in her life is to earn money ..to become a prostitute and break herself, to make people happy by taking money.

The childless and widowed Pandey's eyes sparkled for some inexplicable reason... He looked at me with slanted eyes and asked the girl...

"What's your name?"

"My name is Sarita, sir"

"Do you want to stay at my house?"

Pandey asked with a deep breath..and stared at me...

I had a little hatred for Pandey's behavior.

"Well, you will get money and your family will be well off."

Sarita was looking down .. standing still without saying anything .. helplessness was visible in her eyes...

Again Pandey spoke softly...

"Will you stay in my house as my daughter? " And the word 'daughter' shook me and Sarita too.

"I'm going to retire soon."

And he kept looking at me and Sarita with helpless eyes.

And this was the same Sarita in whose name the widower and childless Pandey had made a will of all his property, two days ago, in my presence, through a lawyer.

I was respectfully saluting Pandey's corpse..my hand was moving on Sarita's head to calm her down..like fatherhood...