After the Last Goodbye (15).

 

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Manasi didn't understand what Vipul wanted to say. "My daughter?", she exclamined. She thought he was blabbering in the drunken state. A male servant came with a glass of water. "Can you let the Madam know that Sir is here", Manasi told him.

"There's no Madam in this house", the servant was confused. The same lady that was at the office with Manavi came in too. "This is my wife. She looks after Manavi. And I'm the care taker of the house", the servant explained. 

"Where's Manavi's mother?", Manasi asked in a whim. 

"Do you know this woman?", the care taker whispered to his wife. "Yes, she was at Sir's office. Manavi knows her too", she replied in a low tone.

Manasi received a text from Kumar. "Is everything alright? Where are you?". She replied back. "Yes I'm alright. Reached home". Manasi looked around. Pastel curtains, soft golden lighting, plush carpet, comfy sofa, wood tones here and there, beautiful indoor plants, everything seemed cozy and warm.

"Clover aunty", Manavi came rushing towards Manasi. She hugged her.

"I thought she was sleeping so I came out of the room", the lady said in worried tone. "Take her inside, else, Sir will be angry", her husband said. 

"No! I don't want to sleep. I want to talk to clover aunty", Manavi said brushing Manasi's hand. And her gaze fell on her dad who was laying on the sofa. "Why is daddy sleeping here? Daddy wake up", Manavi patted Vipul with her tiny hands. But Vipul didn't move.

"Manavi daddy is tired. Let him sleep", Manasi tapped Manavi's shoulder. But the next instant, regretted talking to her. She was conscious of not breaking her promise this time. 

Manavi again hugged her and asked in a complaining tone, "I had told you on the phone, it was my 5th birthday. But you didn't come".

Suddenly, something clicked in her mind. "Manavi has her birthday on the same day as I delivered my baby. Vipul said I left my daughter. Why did he say that? Is Manavi my .....? But how is this possible? They told me I had a still-born baby". Manasi's mind was revisiting all the facts, trying to connect the dots if any. She couldn't reach to a conclusion. And gently caressed Manavi's hair. She looked at her carefully. Her eyes, nose, her lips, the features seemed familiar. Her face lit up with glee.

"No, it can't be true! This is not possible. She's Vipul's daughter. This...this is just my imagination", Manasi thought. "Vipul will be the only person to answer this. But he has told me to stay away from Manavi. I better leave. He doesn't have a wife though. There's no one in the house to feel offended, of me coming over. His mother? Yah, I should leave...". 

Manasi patted Manavi's head and told her maid that she is leaving. But Manavi held her hand tightly. "Clover aunty, I like you", she said. "Will you sing me a lullaby, I want to sleep in your lap", she added. Her innocent face melted Manasi's heart. "Your mummy.....", Manasi couldn't frame her sentence. 

"I don't have a mummy. Will you be my mummy? Atleast tonight?Nobody has sung me a lullaby, please...please", Manavi pleaded, joining her hands, her eyes twinkling with innocence. Manasi's heart sank. She couldn't resist her sincere and lovable request. Her eyes welled up.

"Manavi, you go to your room. I'll join you", Manasi said, in a cracking voice.

"I'll put her to sleep and leave immediately. Is it okay?", Manasi asked the maid. The maid nodded. "Can you please take your Sir to his room too?', she requested the care taker.

The maid lead her to Manavi's room. The room was a cute explosion of pink, purple and sparkles. Dolls, blocks, cars and numerous toys were placed neatly on a custom shelf. There was a wall left unpainted, like a canvas, wherein Manavi had made drawings with crayons. There was a similar drawing that Manasi had seen in the book at the office. A man, a woman, a girl and a house with a dog. On the bed was a fluffy green quilt. Manavi had climbed the bed and was sitting, holding the quilt up, for Manasi to join in. 

Manasi smiled. Manavi smiled too, "Come on, hop in", she said. Manasi sat on the bed next to her. The quilt had four-leaf clover print all over. On the side table there was a diary with four-leaf clover design. There was also a bag with clover design. She moved her hand over the clovers on the quilt. 

"See, I had told you. I like clover too. Just like you. Daddy has a sparkling frame of four-leaf clover in his room too", Manavi said.

"Sparkling clover....that was gifted by me to him, during our college days. I'd made it myself. He still has it!", Manasi recalled.

 "Whats your name clover aunty?", Manavi asked, moving close to her, breaking her reverie. 

"Ummm.....Manasi", Manasi said. As she looked at Manavi, her face beamed with joy. She had dreamt of this for years. Decorating a room for her baby. Telling stories, putting her baby to sleep. "Our names are matching", Manavi innocently blabbered and she quickly placed her head on Manasi's lap. "Can you sing? A lullaby! Do you have a baby?", Manavi asked, looking at her face from the lap.

Manasi fidgeted with her fists. She didn't know what to do. She stared at Manavi's soft face. All this was new to her. Her lap had never felt like this before. This weight of something which was definitely not a burden, but a coveted wish, felt both blissful and hesitant. She wasn't sure of what to do, pat, sing or just be in the moment. For she knew, this moment, could never again come in her life. Manasi's eyes brimmed with tears. She patted Manavi's head and tried to sing. The emotional roller-coaster throughout the day, had made her voice heavy, eyes dry, but her heart, suddenly, felt like a feather, wispy and her soul quenched. 

"Why did you leave your daughter?", Vipul's words were still resonating in her mind. She was, even now, confused about what Vipul wanted to say.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a fictional story. Resemblance of any sort in real life is purely coincidental. If you like the story, comment and share, keep following for more!