Khushi was running down the streets wiping her tears clutching her bag. How could that cow pounce on him? Just because she was alone in this world with her kid doensot mean that she can be a pray.
She set him right by kicking him on the right spot where it hurts the most making him fall on the ground holding between his legs and wincing in pain.
"I will kill you, you b*****d" she screamed while hitting him once again with her bag and slamming the door behind him.
Instead of taking the lift she quickly ran down the stairs and was out from that bloody predetor.
"I need to be strong. I don't care I will leave this project right now".
Khushi sat on the bench and drank some water from her water bottle, a gift given by her baby on her last birthday.
"My eyes fell on the words printed on the bottle "WORLDS BEST MOM" a kangaroo holding a cute little baby kangaroo inside her pouch".
"I brushed my fingers across the bottle and grabbed some courage to sms that b*****d that from tomorrow onwards I am not going to do any work with him".
"This was not the first time he tried to hit on me. But what he did today was heights".
"I clutched my phone and took a deep breath and finally dialed Mr ashok's number".
**
Kush was a champ and each and every member of the club knew about it. But unfortunately they all were sad that he wont be able to enroll himself this year for the junior level competition.
Unlike other children kushi was very optimistic and he never took it on heart when it came to his mother. He was aware of his mother's hard work and dedication towards kush.
Every morning after dropping kush in the school, she used to slog like donkey running to the ongoing sites and switching to her temporary office for architectural drawings. Just to save one way car pool money she had to get up early and make breakfast and tiffin for kush and herself. Appy used to help her a lot buying veggies and ingredents and specially welcoming both the mother and the son to her house during weekends. Once kush was back from school, he himself used to warm his food which his mom used to keep it inside the microwave after preparing it in the morning. His mom was back by 6-6.30 but lately due to tremendous work pressure sometime she came back at 7-7.30. by the time she reached home, she found kush either playing in ipad or he is dozing off on the table just beside his used plate.
Khushi always had tires in her eyes seeing her little baby going though tough time. She could have easy asked for money during her divorce with shyam to take care of her kid but she refused to do that because it was against her principles. She did not marry shyam for money. She loved him'a lot. But he never acknowledged her love, her dedication towards him. And moreover he allowed her to have one night stand with another person being a married woman and that to his own wife. He respect for shyam died that day itself. After that day, khushi's and shyam's encounters became mechanical.
**
Kush was concentrating on his back hand shots, he knew he need to practice it and want it as perfect as his forehand shots.
"Hey! Champ, looks like you are all geared up for the last day's loss?"
Kush turned hearing a familiar voice. He looked at his watch and thinned his eyes "you are late master" showing with his palm he said "5 mins late".
Holding his ear the man walked towards his favorite boy. He knelt down and leveled himself with kuch and said "I am sorry dude, I know I am late but we still have 10 mins. How about a shot game? Are you in?"
Kush brough the racket infront of is face and looked at the man through the grids, "7 mins, it is".
The man gave a Hi5 and said "and the time starts now".
Smashing the ball the duo played marvelously. Sometime the crowd wondered who played better than whom. Kush? Or the man. The man is no doubt every experienced by kush is no less. Almost less than half of his age he played beautifully. The most amazing part was kush actually gave the man tough fight always. And he never failed to bring out his sweat.
"wow! Nice shot dude". he smashed the ball
"I have learnt from you master".
"that's what I like the most, you are a quick learner".
"I have to compete with you master and want to become the best squash player ever".
"One day you will take it from me".
"if you agree to teach me that is".
"If you can ever win a match against me champ, I promise I will teach you personally".
"that day is not far off master. One day I will win".
"I want that day to come soon champ".
With that kush tactfully smashed the ball making his master slip while running towards it.
The whole crowd and his trainer cheered the little one for defeating his mater.
He man whose sweat was dripping down his face and hair turend towards kush and clapped his hand to appreciate his great skills. It reminded him of his childhood days when he used to have similar passion. But kush was far more better than him.
"WELL DONE done" he got up and came towards kush pulling him in his warm sweaty embrace. "I am so proud of you and Mr. Ashok today" he patted his back and picked him up in his arms.
The master and the champ punched each other while walking towards the rest area.
Placing kush on the bench he pulled out his sweaty t-shirt.
"Erm! I hope you have enrolled yourself for the competition", he said unzipping his bag and taking out his towel.
"Umm! no not yet".
"why? Don't you know today is the lat day?"
Kush looked down.
He came beside him and placed his hand on kush's shoulder.
"What happened?"
"Umm! actually I want to enroll next year".
"didn't you tell your mumma?"
Kush bit his lips and remained silent.
"Kushav! What happened?"
Kush nodded in denial "nothing master".
The man sat on the ground seeing the kid who had suddenly became a little low. He held his small palm and said "you want to talk to me?"
Kush did not know what to say, whether to say or not, he has never ever discussed his family matters with any other-siders. But his master was no stranger. Though they hardly met. But whenever they met they were immediately drawn to each other.
Seeing him all silent, the owner of the club screamed Mr ashoke's name.
"Mr ashoke, I want Kushav to get enrolled for the upcoming competition".
"but sir, his mother has not submitted the entry fees yet".
The man glared at him and gritted his teeth, "when I am asking you to enroll him, you have the guts to question me?"
"I am sorry sir. Please forgive me" mr ashoke replied in a shaky tone.
"DO IT NOW", he ordered in a dangerous tone "I will take care of the other formalities. If you have so much of a problem then take it from me".
Kush threw his arms around his master and started thanking him whole heartedly.
"Thank you Thank you Thank you sooo much" he kissed his master, but the fear of facing his mumma was building up.
"Anytime dude" the man said smiling and ruffling kush's hair.
"but master, what will I tell my mumma? She will be very angry if she comes to know that you helped me".
"why, why will she be angry?"
"you know my mumma never likes to take help from outsiders".
"Tell your mumma that you are best friends with the owner of this club".
"i'I am your best friend?"
"if you are not also, banane mein kitna time lagta hai?"
Kuch threw his arms one more time and hugged him tight. "I love you so much master".
"I love you a lot too champ. And ask your mother to talk to me".
**
~FEW MINUTES BACK~
"I was wating for the connecting bus to arrive to that I can rush to kush's squash class and pay the admission charges".
"I have to find a job as soon as possible and with the money I have right now I have to enroll him before its too late. My baby never ever asked me anything and being a mother I cannot do this much for him? I have to do it. But why aren't Mr ashok picking up my phone?".
Khushi saw the bus and hopped inside it once it came on stop. She grabbed a window seat and sighed.
Brushing all my negative thoughts and ugly encounter, I closed my eyes to recapitulate yesterday's meeting.
His face, his voice, his way of speaking everything revitalized me. I so wanted to call him yesterday night just to listen to his voice. A smile Hi! from other end would have done for me. Maybe he was talking to his wife at night and it doesnot look good to call him up so late, so I chucked that idea and slept.
Her chain of thoughts broke once she reached at her desired stoppage. Quickly she bid bye to the bus driver and hopped down the bus.
**
~CURRENT SITUATION~
I saw kush hugging an unknown man. My heart thumped seeing him with a man. I have asked him repeatedly not to be paly with unknown people, then how can he disobey my words? My kush is not like that. What made him go against me and do this?
I started walking faster craning my neck trying to see the man's face, when I heard "I love you too champ, ask your mumma to talk to me".
"My blood started boiling in anger. The very thought of me again having an encounter with another pig started getting on my nerves".
"Why the hell would I call you mr?" I spatted angrily. And how cheap of you that you are asking this rotten things to a kid?"
The man was shocked at that instance. "What did I say to the kid, that a woman will react like this? The woman sounds like a weirdo. She is thinking I am trying to hit on her? CRAZY she is" he though while getting up and turning towards the woman.
Khushi's jaw dropped seeing the sight in front of her.
She blinked her eyes vigorsly trying to believe what she is seeing.
"AAArrrnav?"
"Khushi?" he twitched his face and looked at her.
"Mumma!" kush peeped sideways standing right behind Arnav.
**
SOME ANSWERS
The name of the baby Kush and Khush
Anjali's shyam and Khushi's shyam are different (it was actually a blooper by me)
