chapter 18

Everything went in a normal way from then on, only thing different from before was we got an another member in our family. From his behavior he doesn't seems like a bad person. He is also affectionate towards my kids. His injuries and medicines were taken care by me regularly. Some times he acts unusual, you can say he became shy whenever I touch him. But he was not like that with others and he was very close to kids.He would help me bathing kids and preparing their school bag when I was busy with cooking. Before I used to rush here and there while doing all those at a time but because of him I felt relaxed while cooking. We would have breakfast together then he would take  kids to their school bus. Kids also liked him doing all that for them. When kids were gone to school I would take him with me to the inn. Radhika knew his identity but others asked me what relation I have with him! I told everyone that he is my family friend but they didn't seem satisfied with my answer. But I thought answering them was not necessary.While I was working he would roam around and do some errands without even asking. He slowly became close to other workers there. Others also liked his innocence and hard working nature. It's nearly above fifteen days that he has been staying with us. Whenever someone asked for his name he said "Shiv....Shiv is my name". This is the name my kids choose for him. He also liked this name. He would go back home with me and we would pick up kids from their bus togetherThings were going well but one day while returning after picking up kids from school bus I met our society club president. "Mrs Shakti, can we talk for a while?" Our society club president asked."Yes, what is it sir?" I asked. "We are organising a meeting today at six o'clock at evening, please join us at the club room" he said.We made a club with the people we live in that colony. We would discuss there if any issue arises among residents or if we want to hold any ceremony or celebration. "Is it alright if I don't join it?" I asked because they would take a lot of time to discuss things and more than discussion all they do was gossip.So sometimes I skipped those meetings and no one complaints for it. "No..no... You have to come today in any way" he said with a nervous tone. Before he never forced me to join but today he looked persistent. "Alright I will be there on time" I said and went on my way.*****On that day at evening I reached club room. When I went in already everyone were there. They became silent as soon as I went in. I sat on my designated chair then president cleared his throat and said "so, we will start our meeting now. Recently some says they have seen some odd people in our colony"."Odd people! What is that?" Someone asked."It  looked like they are either theif or gangsters, from the information I got it looked like they were searching for someone and they have bad intention towards that person" he said.Gangster! Are they after Shiv! It's not impossible either. They might have really after his life, but why? A person can forget his memory but his attitude and his heart would never change. From his behaviour he doesn't seems like a bad person, he would never hurt anyone. Who is he actually and why they are after him?They discussed about it and wanted to keep a night watchman at our colony. Everyone agreed for this decision."Next topic, it's about Mrs Shakti...." While saying this he seemed awkward and his voice trembled."About me! What do you mean?" I asked."We live in a society with our family. We have kids and elders in our family but people says they are quite uncomfortable because of you" "Uncomfortable because of me! What do you want to say, say it properly without going round and round" I said."You are a single mother and your husband died, that was what we know about you but recently you have been living together with a man. Can you explain you what relation you have with him?" So this is the important matter for which they wanted me to join today! I know this day will definitely come but it will come so soon, I have never imagined it. "What relationship I have! Why do I need to explain it? Can't you just accept it the way it is, I already said he is a family friend" I said in rage."Which family friend would stay like this in someone else's house? We are leaving in a society and our children will get bad impression because of this" They said.This was laughable, their children will get bad impression! When their children are smoking and watching negative things at the alley they don't do anything bad but if they will saw something like this they will become bad!I wanted to expose all the truth I knew about their family but I can't do that. If I do that they will try to throw more mud at me and it will never end. As for Shiv, his memory is not back yet and he would never go anywhere else leaving kids in his condition now. If this matter grew then more people will know about it and they will doubt his identity then it may endanger his life and my family too. So, I have to control it for now. I started to cry while looking here and there."What happened Mrs Shakti? Why are you crying?" They became eager to know my reason for crying but they didn't stop me to cry.I also started my story with those crocodile tears."Actually he is my husband..." I said."Your husband! But you said your husband died" "Actually my husband was in army and one day I got the news that he was  missing while doing a mission. They all searched for him but couldn't get any news. I was so heart broken.. I had no one to depend on except him and he was gone. When I was seventeen we ran away from home because our family didn't agreed for our relationship, after he was gone I left alone with my two kids and worked at other's house for survival. I also accepted him as dead but recently he is back, they said he forgot his memory in that mission and recently due to an accident he got back his memory and returned to us".