Arushi was excited to see a family occupying the flat adjacent to theirs after almost a year's time. It was a small family of only two women, a 42-year-old mother, Sugandha and her 18-year-old daughter, Pranita.
This flat was vacant for over a year or so as the previous occupant, a single male committed suicide in that flat. And before that, there was another family who left it soon after a death in their family. So the flat next to Mr and Mrs Dutta was considered cursed by the so-called educated people dwelling in that housing complex.
38-year-old Arushi Dutta and her husband Nilesh Dutta were living in their flat for almost 15 years when they moved to this city for Nilesh's work soon after their marriage. Arushi was a part-time job holder so after her work, she spends all her time alone in her flat. She rarely used to get along with the women of the complex. She was popular with a 'touch me not' tag and had no close friends of her own because of her unfriendly attitude. And at home she used to keep dominating her husband in every matter and was rude. Nilesh was subdued by her coarseness as he was a very soft-spoken and well-behaved man. So to speak, both of them were kind of loners in their own ways because of their personality traits; Nilesh managed his loneliness by staying busy in his work and Arushi escaped from it by venting on her husband all the time whenever she found him in the house.
There was something that never clicked between them from the very beginning of their marriage yet as many Indian couples they dragged it for the sake of society and family. So, when Arushi found a woman close to her age who came as her neighbour she was delighted with an expectation to befriend her as soon as they stepped into that flat as a tenant for a short period.
"Nil, there's finally a tenant occupying the flat adjacent to ours," Arushi announced as soon as Nilesh returned from his work and sat down for dinner after a shower. "Oh, that's quite a news, Aru. They are a family or just a single male or female occupant?" Nilesh gave a gentle smile as he posed a question.
"What is that with you? You will go out in the morning and return back in the night, so there's no point telling you whether they are a family or a single person." Arushi replied taunting him as always but Nilesh didn't react at all and continued to have his food quietly.
"Anyway, they are a mother and a daughter. That's all, just two of them. And they are very nice. By the way, this coming Sunday, don't go out, I am inviting them over for a friendly lunch at our house. Make sure to show your face." She added before she gulped her last bit and walked away to the kitchen leaving her husband on the dining table. This was nothing new between them. Nilesh finished his dinner and walked away to the bedroom and the lights were switched off soon without exchange of any more words between them.
Arushi became very close to both the mother and the daughter duo, surprisingly. Maybe because she and Sugandha found a common ground between themselves concerning their disastrous marital lives. Sugandha's husband was dead long back and Arushi had some disappointments with Nilesh after she lost her baby before it was even born. she never could become a mother again after that accident. She blames Nilesh for it and maybe that's the reason why it became easier for her to get attached to Pranita, Sugandha's daughter. Every day when her mother goes out for work, she comes in to be with her Aunt Arushi. Arushi realized she was not lonely anymore after the arrival of these two and she was happy.
Sugandha rarely restricts her daughter from anything so she lets Pranita visit Arushi almost all the time but she herself kind of avoided visiting their flat and kept herself busy packing and unpacking their luggage. Maybe she missed her husband or something, thought Arushi and didn't compel her much knowing the tragedy she went through. And truly it was Sugandha's mind that never allowed her to settle down on one thing even after what all had happened to her. She had always blamed herself for everything. But right now, she lives only for her daughter and for her she can do anything.
It was just three days after their arrival that she made an unusual request before Arushi.
"Dear, I don't know how to say this... but I really need your help at this moment", She said.
"What's it, Sugandha, don't hesitate, just speak out." Assured Arushi and waited for Sugandha to share.
"I have to go out of the city for a month or so, on a tour and as we are new here, I am reluctant to leave Pranita alone in the flat, if you can just be..." Before Sugandha could finish talking she was interrupted by Arushi.
"Oh come on, she is like my daughter or more like my younger sister. I will be more than happy for her to be with me. She can stay in our flat as long as you are not back from your tour. Yeah, Pranita should not have any problem with it. And moreover, my husband rarely stays at home so it will be only me and Pranita alone in the house. So don't you worry at all." Arushi assured.
"You relieved me, Arushi. I can't thank you more." Sugandha said as Pranita came inside the room and sat beside Arushi saying, "Yeah, it will be so much fun staying with you Aunty Aru."
Arushi was never happy so much before, but soon she realised that the lunch program on Sunday will be postponed as Sugandha will not be available till next few weeks.
Arushi was surprised at how the days simply passed away so swiftly. She had a great time with young Pranita. It really didn't take much time for Nilesh to get so close to this young girl as well. Nilesh even started bringing surprise gifts for his wife as he brought things for Pranita. Pranita literally became part of their family and there was quite a transformation in Mr and Mrs Dutta's marital life because of Pranita. Sugandha calls her daughter daily unlike the usual video calls yet Pranita wasn't bothered about it. But after three weeks when she found her mother's number was unreachable for a couple of days continuously she got worried. Her whatsapp messages were not seen by Sugandha as well. Even Nilesh and Arushi started to get worried.
But the very next day, when Nilesh was about to file a complaint there was a video call from Sugandha that literally startled all three of them.
"What happened to you, Momma?" Shrieked Pranita.
Sugandha was in a patient's uniform and she was sitting on a hospital bed with her head covered. She gave a faint smile at her daughter and at the other two in the background.
Nilesh could not believe whom he saw on the screen. "Sarita, you?" He mumbled, making both Pranita and Arushi astounded by the name.
Sarita and Nilesh were lovers 18 years back. But she ditched Nilesh for a rich businessman and married that man. It took two years for devastated Nilesh to come out of that depressive phase and he agreed to marry Arushi. Everything seemed alright when Arushi was pregnant and was ready to deliver. But when Arushi slipped off the stairs and needed Nilesh the most, he was with his old spark Sarita consoling her as she was grieving for her husband's death. When Nilesh returned back he found Arushi in serious condition and their baby was dead before it was born.
"Sarita was dead long back, Nilesh!!!" Sugandha said, bringing all three of them out of the trance. "I had killed Sarita 15 years ago and now, I won't stink anymore like before, because I am Sugandha now." She tried to give a wry smile to them. "Now, let me explain and clear the darkened clouds forever", she began to speak again as all three of them watching at the screen dumbfounded.
"Arushi, I have caused you great sorrow. Nilesh was blameless. He loved me before but after marrying you, he loved only you. I kicked him out of my life yet he came to help me when I was alone and in a desperate situation. And you lost your baby. Please forgive me, Arushi. Pranita, I ditched your daddy, please forgive me. Look, how I am suffering for what I had done in the past but before I die, I want to give back what I had taken from you all. My baby, I am returning you, your dad, Arushi, I am returning you, your daughter. And Nilesh..." She was choked with emotions. "I am returning you, a complete family. All of you please forgive me and accept all my gifts."
"Wait a minute, Sarita, I mean, Suganadha." Nilesh couldn't take it all at a time. He definitely had a lot of questions. "Where was Pranita when I visited your place, and how can you say she was born of me, but not of your husband?"
"Soon after my first sexual encounter with him, I discovered that I was pregnant with a month's baby in my belly. I hid that fact from him and from all, till I announced that I was pregnant with his baby. Pranita was raised by her grandparents initially as I was so busy touring with my husband. She was at her place when he died and I kept that fact secret from you, knowing you were already married. I didn't want to spoil your life further." Sugandha explained politely with her feeble voice as Nilesh nodded his head trying to grasp the facts that were revealed to him and to all.
"You may ask why now I revealed all these!!! Yeah, I am selfish, selfish because of this young daughter of mine. Whom I love so much and can do anything for her settlement. Where will she go and live without me? When I got to know my condition, the first thing I did was to search for you. As I didn't have much time, as the doctors said. I located you and came to live as your neighbours. To see how my baby gets adjusted to her new neighbours. Fortunately, Arushi and Pranita established a solid friendship and that assured me to go ahead with my treatment, secretly." She couldn’t speak more and a nurse took the mobile from her. She explained about Sugandha's sickness and how she came to America all by herself to spend her last days, with a hope that she can beat death for sometime and buy some more time to spend with her daughter.
The video call ended leaving these three in India quiet and confused. Tears were rolling down their cheeks. Arushi was sad, borken, angry and confused at the same time about everything that she heard from Sugandha. But when her eyes fell on young Pranita and saw how pathetic her condition was, her heart melted. She pulled Pranita close to her bosom, who was literally traumatized seeing her mother in that condition."You are my daughter, our daughter, my baby..." Arushi told her, embracing her tight as they both wept bitterly.
Next few days went on with lots of video calls as Sugandha had with Pranita and her new found family. She witnessed Nilesh's family being secured and settled with love and care. And she thought, now she can die happily as she felt free and relieved seeing her daughter in safe hands.