Loss

Survival be the natural instinct, nevertheless hope idealizes the taper flaring itself burning in the anguish and dread of dashing hopes.
My cerebrations do appeared quite philosophical, luckily a phenomenon occurring rarely.
I lighted my cigarratte, wishing to exhale the fear out with it's smoke.
Another instance of elements of hope driving us and our quessing.
I took out the envelope from my jacket.
The wedding invitation read,
Anumita
Weds
Suraj.
I smiled, not sure at what, but I did.
These years had definitely made me less assailable and simultaneously complacent over things that once seemed so crucial.
I looked around.
Everything seemed so familiar.

All of them are here,The bright red sun trading with the moon for its place, the infinitely stretching sea as calm as ever. The moist and the furious wind so much a trademark of Mumbai, struggling hard, on the battleground, my head, trying to blow away the hairs, but the military cut proved that a daunting and may be a boring task even.
Nothing seemed to have changed over these five years for them.
Except for a small intruder, who was now invading our territory.
A small girl, not more than 8 years in her white frock, occupied the throne, which once marked the occupancy of Anu.
Her long hairs very soon proved a healthy war front for the wind and the success was soon visible with her hair blowing as wild as possible.
Her mannerism looked familiar, her face too.
I looked at my watch, already, 30 minutes passed 6,
It was always a foolish idea, but hope again drove my senses.
I looked around for the girl' escorts.
There were none.
"hi, I am sunny, you alone here?", I asked her
she turned back, "yes, do you mind my sitting here alone.?",she asked with a tint of arrogance that made me smile.
Smiled I, again as she looked even more familiar.
"I am sorry, I didn't mean it, actually I came back to Mumbai after a long time.
I used to come her during my college days.", I replied rather politely.
"Ok, so where did you go?" she asked.
"Well I was in Singapore for last 5 years, actually its very far…."
"I know, I am not that ignorant,
why did you go?"
well that was rather blunt.
"For studies and work," I still replied.
"Ok, so why you came back?," she asked after a brief pause.
"well because I like my country a lot, especially Mumbai," I said smilingly with a sense of patriotism.
"Still you left it," she sighed.
There was silence again.
I again took out the wedding card, it dated 5 july 2003.
I looked at my watch again, it was already 7 pm.
There was no point in waiting back but I was rather bewildered by the young character.
Present.
"So, sunny, what are you doing here?", she asked as bluntly as ever.
"Well, I am here to meet my friend," I replied.
"Your girlfriend right?", she was definitely different then other kids.
"No, actually no more," I said.
"its ok, as it is I am not interested in you, so no issues with me."
this one took me right by my throat and I had to swallow my saliva to catch my breath
"I mean, she already got married, ",i replied."she got married, two years back. actually it was my fault. more interested in career and lucratives there.she waited patiently for three years, she could have waited for eternity, i knew but for her only guardian, her old grandmother wait no more was possible." i kept murmering and to my surprise she the younger one appeared quite patient in listening."So why are you here, and if i dare ask again, alone?,"she smiled, i think for the first time in the evening. "i used to come here regularly with my sister. she never told why she came here.""she didnt come today?""She died, 6 months back in a car accident, along with my brother in law.and if you ask, why still i am coming here, then sorry, i dont have an answer for it, as even i dont know why i keep coming here."sadness filled her voice, as she opened her heart out."i am sorry, your family must have felt terrible" could i say only this?, "i dont have a family, she was my only family. We lived with our grandmother, who died, a month after anu's marriage. now i live in an orphanage."lightening struck inside me.i immediately knew who she was and also why anu wasnt here. she was anu's sister sonu.tears gushed down my eyes, and the lightening seemed to have struck right at my heart.she didnt replied to my mails, now i know why.she always was here for me, but i was never.hope always bought her here and the same hope bought me here,"I know why anu used to come here.Now i even know why i am here.and sonu, why you are here, even that i know",Surprise filled her face as she heard her name "I am the one, who was to be here. i am sorry anu.i am sorry sonu. please forgive me for being late"i immediately got up."You no more are an orphan sonu.i very well know what drove me here. from now onwards i am your father."i kept murmering, though with high intensity."but i dont want to go away to another country", she said."Neither do I, once i did so, and lost everything. cant do it again.for the search of success, you never know what you could lose."i kept murmering, holding her hand and walking,towards her orphanage.i have to get her released from there.but the next task was a bit bigger. searching a job in my own country.