Episode 13
Shehnaaz pulls out the documents required for Aadya's school admission. Sidharth finds her tensed.
Sidharth: What happened Shehnaaz?
Shehnaaz: I have all the necessary documents of mine and Aadya but will need your documents as well. Do you have your Aadhaar card?
Sidharth: Yes, I do.
Shehnaaz: But the surnames would be different. She goes by my surname.
Sidharth: I don't think that would cause any problem. I had a client who had his mother's surname.
Shehnaaz: We need an individual photos of us and a family photo. We can show our rental agreement for the proof of residence. Also we need to get photocopies of everything.
They go to the photo studio and get their individual passport size photo clicked. They then sit together and get a family photo clicked.
Sidharth: Shehnaaz, I will get the photocopies of the documents. You just wait here with Aadya until he gets the photos printed.
Shehnaaz nods and gives him the folder along with money. Sidharth goes to the photocopier and carefully gives one document at a time to the person so as to not lose any document. He looks at Aadya's birth certificate and gets shocked.
Aadya's date of birth is the same date when Gunjan passed away. Oh my God! How can there be so many co-incidences? The hospital is also the same. It means when Shehnaaz gave birth to Aadya, Gunjan and I were in the same hospital at that moment. If at all my child would have been alive today, it would have been of the same age as Aadya.
Huh? Shehnaaz said she was 19 year old but as per her documents, she is 22 year old. There is no father's name on the birth certificate. Who is the father of Aadya?
So much ambiguity. It's turning out to be rising more curiosity within me to know about these two. It would be wrong to ask her questions about her life when I am nowhere related to her.
He pays the vendor and cross-checks all the originals and photocopies before leaving. He goes to the studio and finds Shehnaaz sitting and gazing at the family photo in her hand lost in her thoughts.
This looks so surreal. We look like a real family. Aadya does look like her papa. She is part of him and his family. Infact, I am the only misfit and not belonging in this photo.
I am feeling guilty every second, of hiding the true identity of Aadya to him. I am scared of telling the truth because if I tell the truth, he will not only take her away from me but will hate me and leave me as well.
I understand the fear of losing Aadya but why does my heart aches to think that he would hate me and leave me? Is it possible for us to stay like this forever?
Sidharth goes and stands behind her and looks at the picture.
Sidharth: Shehnaaz, that is such a beautiful picture. How many copies do we have of it?
Shehnaaz: (Comes back from her trance, turns and looks up at him) Huh? I didn't realise your presence. Under the package, he gave us 6 copies of Family picture and 18 each of individual pictures.
Sidharth: Can I have one copy of all for myself?
Shehnaaz nods yes. She picks out 1 family photo and gives it to him. She pulls out 1 passport picture of Aadya and hands it to him. She gives the entire pack of 18 photos of him as well.
She looks at her individual picture not knowing whether he meant to say her individual picture as well when he said copy of all. She thinks why would he want her photo.
He looks at her again lost in her thoughts holding her individual photo. He pulls out an individual picture of him from the pack and presents it infront of her face. She exchanges it with one of her individual photo with him. Her face was all the time down and red due to blushing.
He places the pictures in his empty wallet over Gunjan's picture. The picture on top was now of his current family. He didn't even bother to answer or give excuse to himself for replacing the display picture.
He gave the documents folder to her and picked up sleeping Aadya from her lap. They both started walking together in silence. Their minds were still occupied with the same thought which they had before leaving. Sidharth was unable to bury the thought of wanting to know Shehnaaz's life secret. Shehnaaz was drowning in guilt of hiding a secret from him relating to his life.
A bright light shone on Sidharth face and he looked beside him only to find Shehnaaz walking on the road than the pavement, lost in thoughts. The road wasn't big enough for two vehicles to pass by leaving any gap hence the dairy van honked as it approached closer to her.
Sidharth immediately held her arms in his one hand and pulled her towards himself. Sudden realisation of the threat scared Shehnaaz for the first time in her life. She hugged him by his side terrified. But Sidharth was more terrified than her as he remembered how he lost Gunjan. He hugged her with his one hand as he was holding Aadya in his other arm.
Sidharth: (Yells) Have you lost your mind? In which world were you wondering? He didn't have any space to avoid you and would have hit you. Do I have to baby sit two kids now?
Shehnaaz: Sor... Sorry..!!
Sidharth: (calmly) Please be careful.. (he patted her back to calm her)
Shehnaaz realised his touch. The first time she didn't feel uncomfortable of a man touching her. He touched her to save her unlike others who touched to exploit and malign her. She pulled herself back and starts walking again.
Sidharth: Shehnaaz.. Can I ask you something?
Shehnaaz: Hmmm..
Sidharth: What's your correct age? 19 or 22?
Shehnaaz: I know why you are asking. 19 but I had to show myself as major at Aadya's birth, so I faked it. By the way, I will be 20 soon.
Sidharth: So you delivered Aadya at the age of 16?
Shehnaaz: (nervous) Hmmm..
Sidharth: That's a very young age to deliver a baby. You were a baby yourself.
Shehnaaz was annoyed as she didn't wanted him to treat like a kid.
Shehnaaz: I am not a baby. Do you doubt my level of maturity? Do you feel that I have left any stone unturned in raising Aadya? (In a serious tone)
Sidharth: (surprised) No! Infact you don't cease to amaze me by the way you are raising her. I am awestruck by your approach of parenting. You are undoubtedly doing an awesome work.
Shehnaaz: Then don't call me a baby or a kiddo in future.
Sidharth: Okay! Okay! Sorry! (Smiles)
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Principal: Okay Aadya. Can you tell me little about your papa?
The smile and happiness on Sidharth and Shehnaaz's face is overtaken by worry. Shehnaaz had spent time with Aadya to revise some basic questions usually asked by schools during interview but she hadn't expected this question.
Aadya: (looks at Sidharth) Papa ish a good boy. Papa ish very strong jus like mumma. He plays with me jus like mumma. Papa shleeps on the mat but mumma shleeps on the bed jus like Aadya.
Sidharth and Shehnaaz give a faint look at each other feeling embarrassed.
Principal: Okay Aadya. Good! Do you want to play in the play pen outside for a while until I talk to your Mumma and Papa?
Aadya looks at Shehnaaz and Shehnaaz nods to her. The principal calls the office attendant and asks her to take Aadya to the play pen.
Principal: Mr. And Mrs. Grewal, I am impressed with Aadya, she is very good.
Shehnaaz: Thank you Ma'am. It's actually Srivastava. Grewal is my maiden name.
Principal: (confused) So Aadya goes by your surname. Though there is no issue in it but it's very rare. What's the reason behind it?
Sidharth: Aa.. Ma'am it was my decision. Shehnaaz kept her in her womb for 9 months and took pain in giving birth to her so I felt it was wrong on my part to include my name then hers. Moreover when Aadya was born I was out of town due to some urgent work.
Shehnaaz was feeling more guilty since she hadn't done any such thing mentioned by Sidharth.
Principal: That's a great ideology and I appreciate your thinking Mr. Srivastava. I have one more thing to say. I know it's your personal matter but it affects Aadya's mental health hence I would to tell you this. Aadya just told about sleeping arrangement. I understand that there are fights or issues between every husband and wife but you should avoid it infront of kids and not make obvious by doing drastic changes which would give hint to them. I hope you both understand.
Sidharth and Shehnaaz put their head down and nod okay since they couldn't specify the reason behind their sleeping arrangements.
The principal looks at the documents submitted with application.
Principal: I am surprised, Mr. Srivastava's name is not there on the birth certificate.
Sidharth: The.. the hospital staff forgot to mention it in the form so it was issued without one. We didn't notice it then and since we moved from that place so we couldn't rectify later as well.
Principal: Hmmm.. There is no documents stating your relationship with Aadya. I suggest you to produce a marriage certificate atleast to show your relationship with Mrs. Srivastava and Aadya.
Shehnaaz: But we don't have any marriage certificate.
Principal: What? Oh, so you didn't register your marriage after traditional ceremony. I suggest you to get one now. We will keep her application on hold until we get the required document. But please don't delay since we can't wait for longer as we can't deny other deserving kid the admission.
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To be continued.. ❤️❤️
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