Mika (Part VI)

For those who missed the earlier parts, here are the links
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
Mika - Part III
Mika - Part IV
Mika - Part V

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Mika looked straight ahead and saw the old couple coming towards her.

"Hello, we seem to meet again. Amlu told me your son lives here."

"yes ... I am praying that he is all right ... he hasn't contacted home ever since the disaster happened ... ", said the grandmother almost in tears.

"Mother, be brave ... your son will have survived this."

Mika escorted the grandmother to a nearby bench on the road to comfort her.

"By the by, you shouldn't have brought Amlu to a place like this ..."

"You maybe right but ... Amlu might be just five years old but I get the feeling that she is much more mature than myself ... in fact, she believes that she will be the one who finds her father ... in fact, she believes in this to the extent that she said she would never forgive us if we let her behind ... she emanates the same strength of character as her father ... so we had no other choice ... But seeing her here I am not afraid since she is the one who has been the most active ... contacting her father's friends and neighbors and gearing them up to build a search team ... I really can't believe it is Amlu ..."

"Oh, Amlu did so much?", Mika was astonished. She looked at Amlu who was standing at the road with Arun and her grandfather. She turned around and looked at Mika and smiled.

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27th December, some unknown time

Hemanth opened his eyes weakly. He did not know how much time had passed. The loss of blood from the wound on his leg had made him extremely weak. It was extremely difficult to remain sane in the total darkness and there was no way he could end this. He cried and talked to God, "God, why me ....... this is not the way you want me to die!".

The memories of the day came back again and again in spite of him trying to push it back. Now, his mental resistance had died down. He just let himself be drawn to his past .....

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Hemanth reeled over with the unexpected slap.

"uncle .. sto.."

Sunita's father slapped him again.

"UNCLE!", Hemanth growled head facing down.

Sunita's father stepped forward to slap him again. Hemanth caught his hand in mid air and looked up into Sunita's father's eyes.

"UNCLE ... once more and ... ", Hemanth hissed. Sunita's father stepped back surprised by the ferocious anger that he saw in Hemanth's eyes. Just then, his parents entered the house and wondered at the situation.

"Raj sir, what happened? Why are you beating Hemanth?"

"Mitra, ask your son what he did to my daughter ... "

Hemanth's mother looked from her husband to Hemanth.

"Hemanth, what is Raj sir telling? What did you do to Sunita?", she looked beyond Hemanth and saw Sunitha crying.

"Hemanth!", she continued.

"Ma, I did not do anything! ..."

"Then why is Sunitha crying ...", she turned towards Sunitha.

"Ma, leave her alone ..."

Hemanth's mother turned back and started at Hemanth.

"Why? I must know what is going on!"

Sunita's father interrupted, "Mitra, he does not want the truth to come out. What else could be the reason?"

"UNCLE!!!", Hemanth turned towards Sunita's father and then said, "Sunitha, come with me!"

Sunitha stood surprised. "Sunitha, I said .. come with me!", Hemanth walked towards the door.

Sunitha's father opened his mouth to object ."But ... where ... "

Hemanth looked at him again with a deadly stare that conveyed "better not say a word more". Sunitha quietly followed him leaving everybody in the house astounded. They heard Hemanth starting up his bike and they were gone.

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Hemanth stood facing the sea. He had brought them to a deserted dock. This is where he used to spend his time contemplating in solitude. Sunitha sat at a stone bench some distance away. He
walked back to the bench and sat beside Sunitha.

"Sunitha, what is the boy's name? Maybe I can talk and convince ..."

"No Hemanth!", Sunitha interrupted him. "No!, I can't marry him .."

"Buy why?? .. that is the most obvious solution out of the problem ..."

"No!", Sunitha almost screamed.

A long pause.

Hemanth spoke very slowly, "Sunitha, I know you well enough not to do anything hasty like the mess you have got yourself into .... "

Sunitha was still silent.

"You are hiding something from me ... tell me what happened"

Sunitha burst into tears and collapsed on to Hemanth's lap for support still crying bitterly.

"Hemanth ... you are right .... I did not lose my virginity of my accord! ", she sobbed.

"What!"

"My family and I cannot bear this disgrace .... I dont know what to do .... "

Both were silent for a long while. Sunitha still crying.

"What .... is that boy's name ... and address?", Hemanth asked.

Sunitha got up and looked into Hemanth's eyes ...

"If I know you, Hemanth, then I know that he is a goner once I tell you about him ... I dont want you to do anything of that sort ... So I will not tell you his details ..."

Hemanth, sat quietly, smiled to himself and said, "huh ... You gauged me rightly"

Hemanth stood up and walked to the edge of the dock again and stared at the ocean for a long while. Finally he turned.

"Sunitha, I ..."

He saw Sunitha standing on the other edge of the dock as if planning to jump. Sunitha looked at him with a stricken face, gave a faint smile and then ... jumped into the void ...

"SUNITHAAA ...."
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Hemanth dragged Sunitha out of the water with a final heave and then collapsed with exhaustion. He took a few deep breaths and then stumbled over to Sunitha. She was sputtering water out of her mouth. Sunitha then saw Hemanth and started sobbing again.

Hemanth sighed. He got up and pulled up Sunitha by her arms.

"Hey, I can get you out of this ... but you have to believe me ... dont question what I do ... okay?"

Sunitha looked at Hemanth and nodded weakly.

"Okay then ... come on with me"

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Hemanth and Sunitha returned to Hemanth's house. Both their parents were still there. They noticed that Hemanth and Sunitha were completely wet.

Hemanth's mother came over. "What happened to you both?"

Hemanth walked over to Sunitha's father "I am going to marry your daughter".

Sunitha stood stunned. "Hemanth, what ..."

Sunitha's father replied, "there! I told you .. the truth has finally come out!"

Hemanth's mother came over to Hemanth and started beating him. Hemanth stood still.
"Hemanth ... you have broken the faith I had in you all these years ..."

"Ma, listen to me .."

"No! what more do I have to listen! ... oh god, all my prayers were in vain .... ", she collapsed on to a chair.

"Everybody .. please listen for what I have to say! .. "

Sunitha's father again interrupted, "You ... you ... whatever you say is not going to change the truth ... "

"UNCLE ! BETTER WATCH YOUR WORDS ", Hemanth's anger that he had a hard time controlling started rising again.

"Oh ! ... no! ...", Hemanth realized his anger was taking over him again.

"Sorry uncle! .. ", he said in a soft tone.

"Ma .. please listen, you see ...", he turned to his mother.

"Hemanth", his mother said slowly, "leave the house and never come back .. I can no longer call you my son"
"Maa!!"

"I said leave!"

"Aunty, you are making a mistake ! ... ", Sunitha intercepted.

"Sunitha, dont stop me ... tell him to leave ... "

"Aunty, let me tell you what happened ... "

Hemanth said, "Sunitha! ... no..", he nodded. Hemanth began to leave.

"Ma, remember one thing 'Don't doubt, learn to believe' and you don't hurt anyone."

Sunitha stood at the door. As he came near, she held his hand. "I'm going with you."
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27th December, 12 noon
Mika remembered the talk she had with her mother about three days ago,

Mika's mother:Mika, you are twenty six and still not willing to marry ...
Mika: Mother, I told you: arranged marriage is not for me .. ! I will marry only a boy I love!
Mika's mother: See Arun has been a good boy and married at the correct age. Why don't you learn from him?
Mika: Mother, let talk about this when I come to Chennai tomorrow, shall we?
Mika's mother: Okay, but remember my patience is running out!
Mika: Okay mother! ... we will make a firm decision in my visit to Chennai

A sudden commotion roused her out of her reverie. She turned and saw Arun running towards her.

"Amlu's father has been rescued."

Continued at Mika (Part VII)