A woman has a unique motherly side which comes out whenever she meets a child who needs it.

Connection

"Good morning. I'm Dr. Anaisha Thapar. Can I meet Ms. Radha?" Anaisha asks one of the guards of the orphanage.

"Sure, Madam. But first fill this entry register," the guard tells her, forwarding the register to her.

Anaisha nods and fills her details. She gives back the register and the guard asks one of the orphanage wardens to guide Anaisha to orphanage head's office.

"Good morning, Dr. Anaisha. I'm so glad you took time out of your busy schedule to pay us a visit." says Ms. Radha, the head of the orphanage. She gets up from her chair and forwards her hand for a handshake.

"Good morning, Ms. Radha." smiles Anaisha while shaking hands with Radha. "And please don't thank me, it's my duty to treat sick children. Anyway, where's the child for whose checkup you called me here?"

"Come, I'll take to him," Radha says, gesturing with her hand toward the door.

Anaisha gives a nod and follows Radha. While going towards the kid's room, Anaisha meets many other kids and passes them all a warm smile, who all return back her smile with small grins.

"Here, Dr. Thapar, here's the boy." Ms. Radha gestures towards a little boy sitting on a single small bed with his back to the door.

Anaisha follows her gaze and glances at the little boy. From where she's standing, she can see a few bruises on the boy's arms, which twitches her heart.

"What has happened with him, and why he was brought here?" Anaisha questions the head warden. Seeing the condition of the boy, she first wishes to know about him before starting her treatment, as it'll help her treat him better.

"He was brought here two days back by his paternal uncle. His parents have passed away only a week back. Neither of his families, paternal and maternal, wishes to take his responsibility as his parents are no more and he was adopted." answers Radha stoically.

Her heart breaks a little as Anaisha hears about his condition. He's just a baby after all. He doesn't deserve this.

"And his medical condition, what about that? How did he get these injuries?" Anaisha questions, looking at the torn clothes of the boy and bruises. It pierces her heart to see him like this.

"He was in the car with his parents when that accident took place. His mother had fallen out of the car holding him, because of which he hadn't sustained any severe injury. But he still has some bruises and a wound on his arm. Yet he's not letting anyone touch him. His paternal family hadn't tried much to get him treated and after the three days rites, left him here. And so you're here to treat him." Radha says, looking sympathetically at the boy.

"Okay." Anaisha sighs. "I'll try treating him. What's his name?"

"Arman," says Radha, walking towards the bed. But she doesn't see the effect the name has on Anaisha, who couldn't move for a minute.

She composes herself, though she only feels more sympathy for the child. She follows behind Radha and stands at the edge of the bed.

"Arman, beta," Radha softly calls out to Arman. But he doesn't respond. He turns his face away from her, his back facing Anaisha and Radha.

"Arman." she again calls, but he doesn't turn his face to her.

Helpless, Radha glances at Anaisha who passes her a small smile and gestures her to move aside. Radha sighs and moves away, making way for Anaisha to take her place.

Anaisha keeps her bag on the bed beside Arman and kneels down in front of him. She keeps her hand on his face, but Arman jerks her hand away. Anaisha doesn't mind it, and tries again.

She slowly tries to turn his face to her and succeeds. But it only moistens her eyes, as the frightened expression on the little boy's face breaks her heart. And out of blues, his face reminds her of her long lost son.

She quickly blinks her eyes to stop her tears and passes Arman a small smile before interacting with him.

"Hi, Arman," she sweetly speaks to Arman, who again tries to push her hand away. But Anaisha doesn't let him jerk her hand.

"How are you, Baby?" she asks him, still smiling. He doesn't respond to her, rather just stares at her with scared eyes and quivering lips.

With her free hand, she holds his arm, which has few bruises. Arman hisses and again tries to breakfree from her hold, but Anaisha doesn't allow that.

She observes him and his untidy clothes. His clothes are tearing out at several places and Anaisha wonders when was the last time he had a bath. His hair too are unkempt and somehow, reminds Anaisha of her younger son Ayaan, who never allows anyone to comb his hair. His cheeks are also quite chubby, reminding Anaisha of Ayaan. His face seems surprisingly familiar to Anaisha, astounding her.

"Do you have some fresh clothes for him? His clothes are dirty and can cause infection." Anaisha tells Radha, her gaze still on Arman, who's cringing away from her.

"We actually don't have any kid of his age, so it'll take time for us to get fresh clothes for him." Radha answers quietly. Anaisha gets irk on her reply but doesn't show that.

"Okay," Anaisha says, before taking out her phone and calling her sister-in-law Samyra.
"Sammy, can you bring some new clothes of Ayaan to this address? It's a bit urgent."
Her sister-in-law replies in positive and Anaisha gives her the address.

"By the time my sister-in-law comes, I'll clean his wound and bruises. Can you get warm water in a bowl and someone to help me?" Anaisha asks Radha, turning to her.

Radha nods and calls for one of her junior wardens to help Anaisha. The junior warden, comes soon and with her help Anaisha somehow cleans Arman's wound. Arman tries hard to get away from her, but Anaisha doesn't let him. Arman gives up after few tries, the boy being very weak and sleepy.

While cleaning his wound, she finds him scratching his neck. This bemuses her and she checks his neck to find infectious rashes. She immediately removes his shirt (with Arman's jerking her hand and crying) and finds that he has developed rashes on his abdomen and arms.

The similar rashes are on his legs too and Anaisha concludes it be allergic reaction. This reminds her that she, herself has faced this similar situation in summers several times, and again she feels connected to him.

She asks the junior warden to give him bath which the junior warden complies after some resistance from Arman. She brings Arman back and by then Samyra reaches the orphanage with Ayaan as there was no one at home to leave him with.

Arman gets dressed in the clothes that Samyra brought and after that Anaisha dresses his wound and applies ointments on his bruises. She then writes a prescription of medicines for his rashes and instructs Radha about the dosages.

While she is instructing Radha about the medicine, she and Samyra doesn't notice when Ayaan walks over to Arman and starts playing with him with the ball he has brought with himself.

"I hope, Radhaji, you'll take care of him. I'll visit him again after three days. And please, I told you I don't charge any fee for treatment of this small kids." Anaisha tells Radha, refraining her from giving any money to her.

Radha passes her a respectful smile and turns to look at Arman, who now is playing with Ayaan, which none of elders have noticed until now.
"Oh, see, Dr. Anaisha, how easily your son has gelled up with Arman. They must be of almost same age." Radha states.

"Yes, they must be," Samyra answers on behalf of sister-in-law, who for a moment zones out, imagining how it would've been if her Arman was with her.

Anaisha kneels down again and bids Arman a polite bye, which he responds with a sweet "Bye-bye" to both her and Ayaan. The Thapars soon heads for their house, but both Samyra and Anaisha feel restless, feeling an unknown connection with Arman.

In the evening when Kabir comes back home, Samyra tells him about their time at the orphanage and Kabir feels rejoiced to know that Anaisha was getting back into her profession, and her life.

Seeing Anaisha play with Ayaan, who continually giggles, Kabir doesn't pay attention to Samyra when she tells him of Arman's name. He's more happy to see his wife spending time with their son, which he doesn't realise was because of Arman.

Meeting Arman turns out to be a reality check to Anaisha, who realises how wrong she has been with Ayaan, who needs her more than anyone. She swears to repent her mistakes, as it makes her realise that the life Arman is forced to live now, Ayaan has been living it since the time of his birth. Anaisha feels guilty for her behaviour, but she'll make up for it.

Three days later, Anaisha again visits Arman who doesn't resist her this time and she easily do his checkup. She spends an hour with him, trying to make him speak to her, like he did with Ayaan. But he doesn't and she returns back home, halfheartedly.

The next visit happens a week later and this time Ayaan accompanies Anaisha. Arman happily meets Ayaan, but doesn't so gleefully respond to Anaisha. But she doesn't care about it. She do his checkup, and informs the warden his allergy and wounds are cured now.

Ayaan and Anaisha spend some really good time with him, leading to many such subsequent visits to Arman in the next couple months, with each visit leaving them restless. On the other hand, Anaisha's life starts to get back to normal and she slowly takes her responsibilities and her family couldn't express their elation. Only they doesn't know it is because of Arman.

On one such visit, while Arman and Ayaan play with each other, Radha corners Anaisha and informs her about a couple who is taking interest in adopting Arman.

"Sharma's seem as good parents for Arman and we'd be glad if they adopt him," Radha tells Anaisha, but misses to see the dejected look in Anaisha's eyes.

Anaisha glances at Arman, who's giggling while playing with Ayaan. A thought comes in her heart. What if she lost her Arman, God is giving her a second chance by sending this Arman into her life. And she won't let Arman go this time.

"Tell them no, Radhaji," Anaisha requests.

"But why? I know you and your son are quite attached to him, but he deserves a family, Dr. Thapar." states Radha, a little astonish.

"Yes, he deserves a family, that's why I'm asking you to tell Sharma's no because me and my husband will adopt Arman. He'll be a part of our family." Anaisha explains, making Radha smile. She's not oblivious to Anaisha's attachment with Arman and thus becomes happy to know about Anaisha's decision.

"Arman baby, just few more days, then I'll take you home with me." Anaisha smiles to Arman, leveling to his level.

"Really, Mumma?" squeals Ayaan, holding Arman's hand.

"Yes, Baby," answers Anaisha, still looking at Arman.

Arman doesn't speak anything. He continues to stare at Anaisha for some more minutes. He slowly moves forward and puts both of his hands on Anaisha's cheeks.
"Mumma." he softly calls out to her, imitating Ayaan's way of addressing her.

A few tears cascades down Anaisha's cheeks and she engulfs Arman for a hug. Arman hugs her back, holding her as tightly as he could manage. Ayaan joins them shortly.

Some minutes later, Anaisha breaks free from the hug and kisses Arman's forehead. Arman giggles. He'll soon be a part of her family.

"Kabir, please don't say no. Even Ayaan's attached to Arman. Let's adopt him na please." Anaisha requests Kabir. After coming home, she waits patiently for Kabir to come home. When he does, she confides in him about her decision. But she fails to see the anxiety in his eyes.

"We can't, Anu." Kabir rejects her plea.

"But why, Bir?" Anaisha asks, standing beside her husband in the balcony of their apartment.

Kabir stays silent for a moment. He takes a deep breath before answering her question.

"Because the cops have found our Arman."

A/N: I had initially planned to write this story in Third Person Limited with Kabir's perspective. But I felt this part needed to be written from Anaisha's perspective to show her bond with Arman. Next and the final chapter will be from Kabir's perspective.

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