To all my lovely readers, aap sabhi ko deepawali ki hardik shubhkamnaye! 🪔🎇

💙

|Tears shall escape each time till her emotions fade and breathing hails|

by medicallymessedup

•past•

A fully unconscious Ruchi had just been brought back to Batra house by Kartik and Prashant who faced uncountable difficulties on their way home. They both were equally devastated by the ugly turn of events and held themselves responsible for Ruchi's condition. If they would have been slightly careful then the fracas might have been avoided.

But what terrified them the most was Srinija's awful conduct towards Ruchi which was shamefully shocking for the entire community that the world knew by the beautiful title of mother.

A mother is a shelter to the fruits that are still raw and paving their way for its maturity to ripening. A mother is a boost of energy strengthening a young child who falls in her arms at the end of the day. A mother is a rich ore that's the sole reason for the gem staring back. A mother is an inspiration for the precious heart that was once promised to be loved unconditionally. A mother is an emotion which holds an uncountable significance in the life of a kid. A mother is a memory unforgettable to an existence that's a part of her inseparable being.

Yet, how can someone be so cruel to their own child? How? Maybe even a stranger could've consoled the traumatized little girl then how could her own blood-related mother shun away Ruchi's poor heart.

How could anyone punish someone like his sister? What even the Gods from heaven wrote for her fate that was yet to be endured and for how long? A fourteen year-old Kartik pondered as he carried her up in a shield of his arms. The room mostly filled with boisterous laughter and unending mischief was sorely dull. When his mother entered followed inside by deploring Prashant who urgently brought her here.

"What's wrong, boys?" Mamta asked tiredly, keeping a gentle hand over her protruding belly, "You came late too and why were you carrying her upstairs?" She referred to Ruchi, "I told you both to come early, beta."

Prashant sniffed, "Badi Mami, she-"

[Badi Mami - Elder Maternal Aunt or Mother's brother's wife]

"Baby won't even wake up now for having her dinner." She continued, "Did she fall asleep on the way?"

"No Maa!" Kartik said, his voice cracking with intact urgency while bidding to Ruchi, "She's not good."

"Choti Mami is very bad. She's sick, Badi Mami." Prashant remarked, fearfully. "She's so bad."

[Choti Mami - Younger Maternal Aunt or Mother's brother's wife]

Mamta rubbed her hand over both of their heads, "Tum bachhe bhi na! Kitni baar kaha hai maine, Srinija ki baaton par dhyan mat diya karo." She told and then stopped in between noticing Ruchi, "Baby!!!" She squeaked. She walked near the bed but her eyes were struck at her torn dress.

["You kids! How many times have I told you, don't take Srinija's words by heart."]

"Kartik! Did Srinija raise her hand on Ruchi? Did you leave her alone even when I asked you to take care of her." Her voice raised as she checked her forehead that was burning hot while her rest of the body was frisked as if ice, "Tell me!" She demanded hurriedly.

"They hurt her, Maa!" Kartik broke eventually, "Those bad guys hurt her and Chachi did too-"

"What are you both saying?" Mamta beseeched impetuously, "Kya hua hai, Kartik?? Ab bolega bhi tu jaldi-"

["What happened, Kartik? Will you speak faster now-"]

"They touch-" He stammered as she held back a scream, "They-y touched her in a bad way." Kartik cried rawly, unable to stop the heavy tears fuelled by helplessness and anger on himself. "I had been a worthless brother, Maa!! I couldn't save my sister from them."

A gasp of fright and panic anyway jolted Mamta out of her soul. If she was scared, it would have been a small word to describe her mental state. She didn't wish to imagine what her little girl had to go through just by watching the condition of her clothes that were torn to the ends, the nail marks evidently scratched away her untouched skin, the open wound manifesting an ugly abrasion on the neck or be it the bloodsoaked imprints of rings on her cheek. Everything screamed of the inhumanity dwelled upon the young shoulders of the little child.

Mamta was numb, unable to process things happening around her until Kartik and Prashant's regretful sobs filled her ears. She hurriedly moved towards her phone dialing both her husband and ambulance to aid the situation.

Beads of tears moistened her eyes but she had to be stronger than what her collapsing heart personaged because she had kids to look after, a family that relied upon her, a life that she was carrying inside her and most importantly the girl who stole her heart at her first sight. The one whom she called her daughter not by blood but by the connection of their destiny and a naive heart. She was her mother and maybe a failed mother right now because she couldn't prevent the awful days in Ruchi's life.

Soon, Ruchi was hospitalized for two days under the scenario of abuse reportedly spotted on her body, complained by the statement of her brothers and fellow passersby who came across the scene. Harjot too testified to the crime. She was injected, minorly operated and stitched for the abrasion caused on her neck and sent for recommended therapies by a legal doctor's advisory as depression was considered a major cause in victims of such molestation cases. The guilty men were caught and kept behind the bars for the severity of the attempted sexual assault on a minor for a prolonged period which still seemed less to many other victims like her.

🖤🖤🖤

It had been hardly a fortnight since the unforgettable experience in Ruchi's life that gravely toyed with her pleasant childhood. But she was unprepared for a final blow pacing ahead to taint her jovial innocence that shall exempt her from relishing the beautiful expanse of her blooming life.

It was another day when Mamta was fondly feeding Ruchi who was on a break from her usual school life until her routine was once again stabilized.

Her neck was bandaged and she could barely move it freely lest alone do her individual work. Kartik was off to school with his approaching exams and was going to stay back for extra classes added Samiksha had fought last night with Kartik on the pretext of who loved 'Ruchi' more and didn't give up or leave the Batra residence until she was declared the winner by Sujal who ardently adored the antiques of the rebellious girl messing with his son's composed nature.

But today he was compelled to involuntarily leave both his girls alone for work purpose as his boss was out of the town and for the starters, Sunil was abashed to face anymore criticism or pitiful glances from the relatives and onlookers for what his daughter had to go through and had secretly sought to drinking once again.

Mamta who was heavily seven months pregnant was left alone with Ruchi and she fervorously enjoyed the treat of being able to spend and engage their little sunshine into activities which could divert her consumed mind. It was as if the showers of overflowing happiness had seized itself in Ruchi's disturbing silence.

All this while, it was Mamta who spoke and Ruchi had been mutely listening, humming to whatever her BadiMa said regardless of knowing its meaning or demanding answers to satisfy her usual curiosity.

"Baby, you want to go to school right?" Mamta asked because Ruchi was scheduled to join school back tomorrow but her actions seemed otherwise, a debate ensuing through her countenance.

Ruchi shook her head afraid to step outside the house and meet people after the accident as she had solely resorted herself to her room or the company of her BadePapa, BadiMa and Kartik who cared and was there at her beck and call.

"But bacha, you have to go one day and meet everyone right." Mamta tried to convince her with love, "Sammy and all your school friends are eager to see and spend time with you." She said, "Aur maine to socha ki meri Baby kal special waale aloo ke parathe tiffin me le jayegi. Agar mera bacha school hi nahi jayege to paranthe kaisa khayega sabke sath?"

["And here I thought that my Baby will be taking special potato stuffed flatbreads in her tiffin tomorrow. But if my girl doesn't go to school then how will she get to eat with everyone?"]

Ruchi stopped chewing on the morsel and immersed herself in a deep thought thinking about her beloved friend.

'Aloo toh aloo ke bina kuch bhi nahi khata. Phir wo kya kha raha hoga?' She thought bewildered, 'Agar Baby school nahi gayi toh woh bhukha mar jayega kyunki woh apna tiffin to khata hi nahi hai. Uf! Woh to kissi se baat bhi nahi karta mere alawa. Woh sirf Baby ka friend hai na, isliye ab mujh ko toh jaana hi padega.'

['He eats nothing without potatoes. Then what would he be eating? If I don't go to school then he will die of hunger because he does not eat his tiffin either. Uf! He doesn't even talk to anyone except me. He is just my friend, so now I need to go to him.']

"Bacha!"

["Baby-"]

"Do aur paranthe, BadiMa!" Ruchi quipped. Her ambivalent tone turns positive and interests attentive, "Mere friends bhi toh khayenge na. Itne din ho gaye toh woh bhi toh aapka khana miss kar rahe honge na!"

["Two more flatbreads, BadiMa! My friends will also eat. It's been so many days, so they must be missing your food too, right?"]

Mamta laughed at her interpretation and kissed her forehead, "Of course, my love! Two more for your friends."

Mamta washed her hands, wiped her mouth and picked up the medicine bottles for Ruchi. "Yeh nahi, BadiMa!" Ruchi got under the quilt, "Yeh itni si bhi meethi nahi hai." She pinched a small space in between her finger and thumb. "Aaj mat pilao, na!" She requested slowly.

["Not this, BadiMa! It is not even a bit sweet. Don't feed me this, please!"]

"Jaldi theek hona hai na, Baby! Then you've to have it. Look, I've even brought a lollipop for you."

["You want to get well soon right, Baby!"]

Her eyes shined and mouth watered slowly, "Lolli!!"

"Yes. Now, come here!" Mamta took a spoonful of syrup and was about to push it into Ruchi's wide-open mouth when an acute sharp pain shot up her abdomen. The filled spoon fell on the floor while Mamta clutched her belly wincing in pain.

Ruchi got alert and immediately rushed to Mamta who began crying in pain. She was nervous and scared watching her BadiMa in extreme pain and inconsolable much to her spooking pleas. She hurriedly ran to Kartik's room for the phone to call her BadePapa as her BadiMa got hurt.

Mamta too in difficulty tried to climb down the stairs to ring her husband when unconsciously her feet slipped by the end of the two remaining stairs and she fell down.

By the time Ruchi ended up calling her BadePapa and ran back to Mamta after hearing her scream, the disaster had happened. Her BadiMa had now turned into a bloody mess and the sight made her stop at the top-most stairs, freezed. Just when, her father walked in through the main door abashed by the sight in front of him.

Sunil shouted at Ruchi who walked and tucked herself near Mamta's unconscious body without a word hoping for her to wake up. She didn't move from the spot until Mamta was taken under medical care by Sujal who was himself dumbfounded by the situation.

A few hours later, a heartbreaking news came by Batra residence that Sujal and Mamta's premature female fetus was born dead.

🖤🖤🖤

A weepy Ruchi was held by Kartik who tried to lull her to sleep as tears caused from the blunder mania hung on the frame of her mind without a break. The streaks of emotions overflowed inside her because Mamta, who was her only mother figure hadn't returned home yet. Her brother changed her bloodied clothes and had just made her eat food. He tried to divert her swollen mood by every means but refused to answer about his mother's whereabouts which he himself was clueless about and that ruined Ruchi's already shivering stance.

Sushma entered the room and asked Kartik to pack a pair of his clothes as he was going to stay the night at her house. Kartik shook his head, denial on his lips to leave a lightly-sleeping Ruchi alone in the house with her present condition especially when his parents weren't at home.

But Sushma somehow with her credible persuasive skills made a reluctant Kartik agree to comply with her wishes on the pretext that Sunil was going to take care of his daughter well because she had no qualms to invite Ruchi at her place, blinded by her dislike for her. Kartik kissed Ruchi's forehead, mumbling a small goodnight and left, unknown to the avalanche that'd blaze away his sister for eons.

Ruchi woke up in the middle of the night unable to handle the nightmare clutching up her feet and pulling her down into a pool of tedious angst along with a sense of jeopardy clouding her vision. She cried vehemently, unable to find Mamta or Kartik around to wipe away or console her panicking heart.

She walked out of her room on her shaky legs, hopeful to find her brother who she assumed might have returned to his room for late night studies but she instead met her father in the hallway who glared at her wearily.

"Bhai kaha gaye, Papa?" Ruchi asked, sniffing against her arm.

["Where did brother go, Papa?"]

"Papa!"

When she didn't get any answer she walked closer to him, "Sab kaha gaye chale gaye, Papa? Baby ko akele dar lagta hai." She mumbled hugging him to reach his waist, wishful that he'd hug her, succor her and put her to sleep but what she'd never thought that he'd bless her with a glitching trauma in the form of a lifetime with nightmare.

["Where did everyone go, Papa? Baby is scared to be alone."]

Sunil clutched her arm roughly appalling Ruchi whose ligament stretched painfully when he started to drag her towards the top-most built wooden attic in the house which was turned into a mini-storeroom with barely working lights. She tried to free her arm, stop him and tell him that his ruggish hold hurts but Sunil turned deaf ear to all her pleas.

While Sunil was senseless at the moment with the dose of alcohol bootlicking his rarely useful rationality to judge his malicious deeds. The words Srinija barked on the phone instigated his mind, her malicious words concerning Ruchi frolicking around men and turning out as a replica of her own self and calling his blood a hooker, turned him to go insane. The blind anger overpowered the ability to wonder upon the ill consequences from his aghast decision that would follow their lives.

Sunil pushed Ruchi inside the attic, bolted the lock and returned back to the living room resuming his drinking session until an ounce from the bottles were not over leaving a soul to torment for a life.

"Papa!!! Pa..pa..pa-" Ruchi cried, banging the wooden door hard with her small fists, "Wh-hy did you lock me here, Papa!!??"

"I want to come outside." She bellowed, "Papa, bahar aane do please, Papa..."

["Papa, please let me come out, Papa.."]

"I'm not able to see anything here, Papa!! Baby ko dar lagta hai idhar, Papa!! Please, open the door!!"

["Baby is getting scared here, Papa!!"]

"BadiMa!! BadePapa!! Ruchi ko bachalo." She whimpered in pain from yelling constantly. Along the wound on her neck that strained, opening the stitches from the push and pull done by her throat and the wound began bleeding profusely coloring the cotton bandages the darkest shades of sanguine.

["BadiMa!! BadePapa!! Please save Ruchi!!"]

"Bhai!!" She sobbed vehemently for no one to listen, "Kaha ho aap sab?"

["Where are you all?"]

"Please open the door, Papa!!"

"Main mar jaungi, Papa!!!"

["I'll die here, Papa!!!"]

Her voice cracked when her head burst in immense pain as if being hammered repeatedly. Her tears blinded the dim-ly lit vision and handicapped her to think straight and deal with the adversity.

"Aloo, kaha hai tu? Will you leave me here because I hurt my BadiMa?" She whispered agonizingly, falling on the cold turf of the ground unable to stop the inevitable, "Baby needs you all so much. Do you hate me just like Papa?" She hiccuped, "Kya koi bhi mujhse pyaar nahi karta? Par maine kya kiya hai? Why am I so bad?" Her eyes gave up as she mumbled to herself unable to bear the pain bestowed both upon her heart and mind.

["Where are you, Potato? Does nobody love me? But what did I ever do..?"]

"I miss you Aloo!! So much." Her mind undulated and she set upon purring breathlessly, "Please, save me Aloo!!" Ruchi sniveled before her brain rumbled out his every rewarding memory along the battling consciousness from her being.

Lots of Love,

ANKITA