Dream's Sake

Chapter 3

Chapter 3‘Oh, love, let us be true

To one another!, for the world, which seems

To lie before, us like a land of dreams

So various, so beautiful, so new,

Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light

Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain.’

— “Dover ‘Mach’ by ‘Matthew Arnold.

‘Well, that’s a nice neighbour you’ve got yourself,’ said Sid soon after Aashi walked out of the door.

Yes, she seems nice,’ Abhi said, ‘but I’ve nothing to do in getting her here. That’s her own doing.’

Yeah, she’s a big doer alright, but I’m sorry to say, a little thinker.’

‘Hmm… judged that much,’ Abhi replied, ‘guess, we’ll just have to think up for her and help her as much as we can.’

‘That girl is foolish and immature and I don’t think she appreciates your helping her. She clearly didn’t like any of your ideas.’

‘But she approved of them,’ said Priyam.

‘Yes, she did. But I don’t know… she… reminds me of your friend Raj,’ Sid said as he stretched his full length on the sofa, putting his head on the cushion that had long been moulded to his skull’s shape.

‘How does Aashi remind you of Raj?’ Abhi asked with interest.

‘You know, she’s just the sort of girl Raj thrives on.’

‘Oh, come on, he’s no flirt,’ Abhi said.

‘I know he’s not, but only because it’s ungentlemanly to be a flirt. And Raj considers himself a perfect gentleman, though he’s far from it if you ask me.’

‘Come on, Sid, you are too unforgiving.’

‘I know,’ Sid mumbled. ‘But I can’t help it if some people get on my nerves. Raj, for example. But I must not say anything against him. After all, he appears to be an ardent lover. Right, Priyam?’

Priyam just smiled and put down the onion she was peeling to wipe her eyes. She gave a little sniff as a tear trickled down her face.

‘Oh, I didn’t know you miss him so much, Priyam! Just the mention of his name makes you cry!’ Sid exclaimed dramatically. He propped up his head on his hand and fixed his eyes on her.

Priyam was sitting on the floor near the centre table. Her long hair were neatly plaited and slung over her left shoulder. However, some loose strands had slipped out of the confinement and made use of their liberty by touching her tranquil face every now and then.

Half a smile appeared unawares on Sid’s lips as he looked at her. The sable depths of his eyes became alight with a buoyant glow, a glimmer that only Priyam’s smiling face had the power to evoke.

Had Sid’s colleagues or even most of his students seen him at that moment, they would hardly have believed their eyes. To them, Sid was just a surly person who rarely smiled and was always on the lookout for the opportunity of being rude and deprecatory. That he could smile too and be playful was a thing nobody could ever have imagined of him.

‘Well, let’s leave Raj alone now, shall we? Time for chess. We still have to finish yesterday’s game,’ Abhi called out to his friend.

‘Oh, yeah, yesterday’s game. Alright then, get ready to taste another defeat,’ said Sid as he jumped out of the couch.

Sid and Abhi settled down to resume their battle of the previous day. Priyam went on peeling onions as before.

‘She is so pretty, isn’t she?’ she asked all of a sudden as her thoughts turned back to Aashi.

‘Oh yes, she’s pretty. And I’d really advice Abhi to be on his guard against her prettiness. It’s no good for a guy to be living so close to a girl that pretty.’

‘You have no need to warn me, Sid, I won’t travel on that road again.’

‘But all girls are not like Neha,’ Priyam protested, knowing too well what Abhi’s words meant. ‘I’m sure Aashi is not.’

Maybe, but I’m still the same. Disabled, as Neha said.’

You are not so,’ Sid retorted at once. ‘It was she who was lacking. She was a fool. It’s good you got rid of her!’

‘I think…it was more like she got rid of me,’ said Abhi, smiling at his friend’s sudden rage.

‘Whatever. Now, are you going to make your move or do you intend to quit?’

‘Quit? Never,’ Abhi said as he quickly shifted his bishop on the board and put Sid’s in danger.

Soon the two lost themselves in the game while Priyam busied herself in getting the dinner ready. The two young men could hear her humming in the kitchen, and at least one of them found it hard to concentrate on the game because ofthat.

Aashi was quite forgotten as the three busied themselves in their own little rituals. It was only when they were going out for a walk after dinner that Abhi thought of her, and then too because he saw her standing at her doorstep.

‘Hey, Aashi, want to join us for a walk?’ Abhi asked.

‘Uh…okay. Let me just ask my mother,’ she said, vanishing indoors.

‘Great!’ Sid exclaimed, ‘now we can’t have even our walks alone.’

‘Come on, Sid, don’t be so mean. She has no friend here,’ Abhi said.

Sid said nothing but he still resented having to share his two friends with someone else. Their little group was nothing less than perfection to him. And it was his firm belief that perfection must not be disturbed. Certainly not by a bubble-headed girl who seemed to dance in air and never probably bothered to take a look at the ground.

But despite Sid’s resentment at Aashi, and despite her being quite opposite from them in almost every inclination, she was soon to become an integral part of their group.

Aashi indeed was very different from them, different in her carefree vivacity, her lively spirit and bubbling enthusiasm that contrasted so sharply with their grim pragmatism. She lived in her dreams, and of reality, she knew little and cared even less.

But Abhi, Sid and Priyam had long ago made peace with their realities. And all their dreams, they sprouted only from the solid ground of what actually was real.

Abhi was just seventeen and Priyam fifteen when their parents died. At an age when the youth is budding with desires of success and happiness, of love and romance, they were left orphans and at mercy of their relatives.

The accident which took away their parents had also maimed Abhi for life. His left arm had to be amputated and his left leg was shattered so badly that it could never regain its natural flexibility. Only Priyam had escaped unhurt and it was considered nothing less than a miracle by those who had witnessed the accident.

Abhi had little recollections of what followed after the accident. He lay unconscious in the hospital for days and Priyam was left alone to battle the demons of grief and fear. She was old enough to know what it was to be an orphan. But the realization of being one had not yet sunk in. It remained for her relations to pound it into her heart, and relatives, it can be fairly asserted, never defer from such kindly duties, though they may ignore all the rest.

Before Priyam could realize what had happened, she found herself surrounded by roomful of relatives. Some of them wailing loudly at the loss of those they had not seen in years. Some on the other hand tried hard to squeeze out some pious drops from stubbornly arid eyes. When all their attempts failed, they merely consoled themselves by rubbing their hands to dry cheeks and drier eyes.

‘What will happen to the poor children? Who will take care of them?. The questions moved around in the crowded rooms with considerable noise.

Priyam, who was sitting quietly in a corner, listened to everything without uttering a word. A steady flow of tears was the only indication that convinced everyone of the girl being sad enough. Her eyes remained fixed to the floor as she sat, watching through it, again and again, the accident that had transformed her world in an instant.

Sid, meanwhile, was sitting on a low stool right across Priyam, with eyes focused on her and ears searing with the all the kind words being spoken around. He didn’t care if many a curious stares were being directed towards him. He was with Priyam, and there would he remain unless in case Abhi needed him more.

‘Anil! My Brother! My Brother! My poor little Anil! What will happen to his children now? My brother is dead!’ Priyam’s aunt, Leela, was crying on unceasingly. ‘Poor child, what will happen to you now? Your father is dead. Where will you go now? Your father is dead! How can God be so cruel? And what would happen to our Abhi now? Poor child! It would have been better had he died too, instead of becoming a cripple!’

‘Shut up! How dare you!’ Sid murmured under his breath, gritting his teeth and folding his fingers into fists. He had to summon all his willpower to remain still and silent, when every pore of his person was itching to silence the lady forever.

‘Oh! What is to become of these children now?’ Leela kept on wailing, undeterred by Sid’s raging glare.

‘Well, that is for you to decide,’ a voice rose up from the swarm. ‘They are your responsibility now, yours and Rajeev’s.’

Yes, yes, of course. And I’m not the one to shrink from my responsibilities,’ said Rajeev. He was Priyam’s uncle, and now the only surviving sibling of Leela.

Yes, we will take care of them! Though God knows it is hard already to raise two daughters and two sons. But I won’t shy from my responsibility. I will take Priyam and raise her as my daughter. Though it is going to be such a trial to have another daughter to raise and marry,’ said Leela. ‘You have it easy, Rajeev. You are taking Abhi. He will be a support to you, even though he is a cripple now.’

‘Don’t forget the money I will need to spend on his treatment,’ said Rajeev.

‘Not as much as we’ll have to spend when it’s time for Priyam’s marriage,’ Leela said. ‘Nothing costs so much as a girl’s marriage. Fortunately, they have this house that can be sold,’ she said. ‘Too bad their car is wrecked beyond repair. But we’ll salvage what we can from the house. I just hope their mother’s jewellery and Anil’s bank balance is worth something. Otherwise it would be very difficult to take the burden of another girl.’

Sid had never thought it possible that he could hate anyone more than he hated his father. But his feelings for his father could perhaps be called benign in comparison to those that flared up against them. The man who was his father had cheated a wife, but these people were cheating two innocent children and depriving them of what little they had left in the world !

He could see that Priyam was listening to every word being spoken, and that every word felt like twisting of the knife that already had been jabbed into her young heart.

Though Priyam was two years younger than him and Abhi, she had nevertheless been an integral part of their camaraderie. She was a cheerful girl, always a pleasant company and a sincere friend. Moreover, Priyam was Abhi’s sister and that itself gave her an indubitable claim on Sid’s affections. She was a darling of her father and a precious companion to a doting brother. Her happy chatter never failed to bring smile on even the sulkiest of faces. Sid himself had often teased Priyam of being a chatterbox that never could remain silent.

Well, now she was silent. And her silence echoed more loudly in Sid’s ears than any other sound rising from around him. He wanted her to say something, anything! He wanted Priyam to rebel against those uncles and aunts of hers, to refuse to part with her brother, to do anything, anything, except remaining silent.

‘Come, Priyam, stop worrying now, child,’ Leela’s voice rose up again, ‘your aunt would take good care of you. Come to me now, my dear child.’

Priyam’s eyes shot up to meet Sid’s. There was neither pleading in those eyes, nor even any resentment or feeling of rebellion that Sid would have so liked to see. Instead, Priyam’s eyes filled up with terror, terror so intense that tightened every muscle in her face and drained all colour from her cheeks.

That was all that Sid could bear. ‘Wait!’ he shouted, ‘Wait till my father comes !’

In a trice a decision had been made. A decision that went against all his promises to himself. But Sid could not let his feelings ruin his friends’ life. There was a chance, and he would take it, no matter what.

‘Why? What would your father do?’ asked Rajeev with surprise.

‘He’ll adopt Abhi and Priyam and rid you of their upbringing,’ Sid burst out in undisguised hatred.

His exclamation was surprising enough for everyone to gape at each other in bewilderment. Then several voices rose up at once.

Tour father?’

‘Adopt both of them?’

‘Why would he?’

‘Both of them?’ one after the other questions poured in quick succession.

Tes, both of them. They belong together, and they will stay together. I won’t let you separate them.’

‘But…,’ Rajeev said, ‘why would he?’

‘He would,’ Sid replied, and without wasting any more words, took out his mobile phone and dialled his father’s number. Everybody watched in silence. Rajeev and Leela looked at each other, not being able to decide whether the new development was to be considered good or otherwise. Surely, it would rid them of a lot of unnecessary trouble. But then, all the time they had just spent in calculation of their brother’s wealth, well, it will have to come to nothing. Besides, what would people say?

‘But…we can’t let a stranger take care of our darlings,’ Leela tried after a little thought, ‘we don’t know who your father is, what kind of man…’

Sid turned his back towards her.

‘Mr. Vardhan…’ he said after a moment’s silence. ‘Yes, it’s me. No, I’m fine. Yes, I’m fine,’ he repeated a bit impatiently. ‘But I need you to come to Abhi’s house. Your driver knows where it is.’ ‘I don’t care how important your meeting is,’ he exclaimed after a few seconds of listening to his father. ‘You must come right now. No, later will be too late! It was then and it will be now…’ nobody could hear what his father said, but they all saw Sid take a deep breath and disconnect the call. ‘He’s coming,’ he whispered softly to Priyam and then turned to address others. ‘My father is coming,’ Sid declared, ‘he’ll be here in about 40 minutes. We’ll wait for him.’

‘Your father may be coming,’ a man spoke up, ‘but that doesn’t mean he’ll adopt them.’

‘He will.’

‘Why would our kids stay with strangers when we are ready to take care of them? If your father wants to help, let him give the money to us so we don’t have to separate Abhi and Priyam,’ Leela suggested.

‘No,’ was all the reply she got from the boy who stood there with folded arms, tall, firm and resolute. Sid’s face looked a shade darker than it was, but his eyes were steady and heart fixed at one point.

There was only one person in the entire room who knew what it had cost Sid to do what he had just done. Sid would not have asked his father for a penny even to save his own life. But he did it for them. It was a fact that the fifteen year old girl staring at him was to stamp in her heart and repay it forever with the earnest devotion and affection so deep that perhaps even rivalled what she felt for her brother.

It was indeed not easy for Sid to turn to his father for help. It had been almost seven years since his mother had jumped to her death. And during all this time, the gulf between the father and son had become so great that they hardly ever spoke to each other now. However, by asking for help, Sid had put himself under the obligation of the very man he scorned even to call his Dad.

But it’s the only way I could…it’s my only option…’ Sid told himself repeatedly as he stood by the window to wait for his father.

He did not have to wait long. This time, Mr. Vardhan had evidently made sure not to give his son an opportunity of blaming him for delay. His car stood in front of the gate before the forty minutes of Sid’s estimate were over.

The man who walked in the crowded room was perhaps just an inch shorter than his son, with the same athletic built and deep penetrating eyes. He was smartly dressed in a well-fitted suit and looked striking enough to make most of the younger ladies hush their babble and several men to stand up in respect.

I’ve come, Sid,’ Mr. Vardhan said as he walked straight to his son, ‘what do you want me to do?’

Sid lost no time in explaining everything to him. It was perhaps the first time in several years that he had spoken more than a sentence at a time to the man who stood in front of him. And also the first time that it dawned on Sid how out of habit he had become in holding any sort of conversation with his own father.

‘Don’t worry,’ Mr. Vardhan replied as soon as Sid had finished, ‘I’ll take care of everything. This must be Priyam, is she?’ he asked looking at the young girl standing close behind his son.

‘Yes…Dad,’ Sid replied.

‘Don’t worry, child,’ Mr. Vardhan said putting his hand at her head. ‘I’ll take care of you and your brother. I know what it is to be distanced from the one you love above everybody else,’ he said looking at Sid before turning again to Priyam, ‘but I won’t let that happen to you.’

Priyam looked bewildered as she turned to look at Sid. She wondered if the man standing before her really was Sid’s father. He didn’t seem as hateful as Sid thought him to be.

But Mr. Aditya Vardhan was really Sid’s father and despite the sliver of gratitude that Sid now felt compelled to admit, he still hated that man with all the passion and energy that a seventeen year old can be capable of. It was another matter, however, that despite all his bitter feelings Sid could not help but admire his father’s efficiency in manipulating everyone in such a way that they agreed to everything he said and yet considered themselves as faring better than him in the dealing that ensued.

In half an hour, Mr. Vardhan had had everything settled just as Sid wanted it. He had made everyone agree that it was best for all if Abhi and Priyam stayed with him.

Til raise them as my own kids. You don’t need to worry at all,’ Mr. Vardhan declared.

You’ll of course desire to sell the house…’ Rajeev ventured.

‘I desire no such things. Whatever belongs to Abhi and Priyam will be made secure in their name.’

Abhi would need a lot of medical help,’ Leela said.

‘He would get the best medical assistance possible. That would be my first priority. Their education will proceed unhindered and I’ll do everything in my capacity to ensure their happiness and prosperous future. All I want in return is that I’ll not suffer any meddling from any of you. You may come and meet Abhi and Priyam if you want, but you’ll not interfere. I hope you find that fair enough.’

That was, in fact, more than what most had expected. What better excuse could Rajeev and Leela have had for forgetting the kids than that their guardian didn’t want any meddling.

They held a lengthy discussion of full five minutes, and then, with bleeding hearts and tearful eyes, ceded their right of taking care of their brother’s children.

* * *