"Mumma, where are we?" Madhu asks as she walks inside Rainbow Valley Orphanage holding Shree's hand and the other with the other hand she held a lace trim of the white frock she wore was wearing.

The orphanage was a huge bright building, standing amidst a garden and a play-area. The windows were open towards the garden, surrounded by tall hedges and taller trees.

The garden had germaniums, orchids and roses sprawling on the moist sand. The massive banyan trees and the ixora bushes in the garden were unkempt and shabby. Birds chirped from within the banyan tree's branches and squirrels chased each other down the white cobbly path.

The white cobbled paths, narrow like a sword's blade guided its way towards the entrance of the main building. There were children who were about Madhu's age running around playing in the garden and on the play-area.

"Ooooo so many kiddies to play with!"

"This is a children's orphange, Madhu." Shree says. "You'll find plenty of children to play together with."

"Can I go play with them?" Madhu asks excitedly.

"Actually the headmistress of this place wants to see you. She happens to be Nanna's good friend."

* * * * *

"It's been so long, Shree!" The headmistress Ms. Kapoor, remarks as Shree and Madhu sit on the sofa in the office room. "Last time I saw you was many years ago when you visited us with Madhav. Look at you now, married to that good man and blessed with healthy children!"

"I disagree." Shree breathes out as she looks down, her hands firm on her lap, tracing the patterns that ran on the simple black maternity gown she wore.

"Darling, bad things happen to all of us." She says sitting next to Shree.

"What wrong did Madhav ever do?" Shree asks. "Or is it all happening because of all the wrong choices I made when I was in London?"

"Madhu dear, why don't you wait for us outside in the lobby." The headmistress says with a smile. "I need to talk to your mother in private."

Madhu got up and walks out of the room. As she sits on the plastic chairs in the lobby, she notices a little boy about her age peep through the window.

"Psss come here, please!" He waves through the window from outside.

Madhu gets up and runs to the window. A thin and dark boy wearing a black tee-shirt with khaki shorts was standing on a pile of bricks on the tip of his toes.

"Are you Madhav Ramakrishna's daughter?" He asks.

Madhu nods.

"Meet me out in the corridor." He says and jumps off the pile of bricks.

"Who are you?" Madhu asks out loud.

"Your father's friend. My name is Siddarth." He says. "I'll see you in the corridor quickly."

Madhu runs out of the lobby and into the narrow corridors of the orphanage. She looks around both sides, looking for Siddarth.

"Madhushree!" He whispers as he stands at the big wooden main door of the orphanage. "Come with me!" He whispers as he runs up the stairs.

"How you do know my name and where are you asking me to come?" Madhu asks as she runs up the stairs following him.

"Come with me! You'll thank me later!" He says as he runs up the stairs faster.

He turns to the right towards the boys dorm room. The dorm room was an endlessly long rectangular room, with beds placed on either side of the long wall. The walls were a dirty shade of white and the floors were cemented. A big chandelier hangs on the center of the ceiling, the only source of light excluding the big window at the end of the room. Each bed had a different shade of color and on each bed, there was either a book or a few stuffed toys.

His bed was on the other end of the long room, right near the window that had a view of the garden and the entrance of the orphanage.

"Sit down, sit down!" He says as she asks Madhu to sit on the bed.

He quickly opens the little cupboard near his bed and pulls out a tin.

"Biscuits?" He asks as he offers Madhu a few butter cookies. "It's yummy."

Madhu takes a biscuit.

"Do you live here with all these kiddies?"

"Yes. I've been here my whole life." Siddarth says as he digs his cupboard. "Since I was a little baby. That's almost six years of living here."

"You never went home to live with your family?" Madhu asks.

"I don't have a family. My parents gave me to this place right after I was born. That's what happened to most of us here. We were given away by our families or we lost them in an accident or a bombing or the floods." Siddharth says. "I have never even seen them. The people here in this orphanage are my family. And your father."

"My nanna?" Madhu asks.

"He visits us alot. Every Diwali, Christmas, Children's Day and Independence Day." Siddharth says. "And he brings us presents and yummy food too! We get cake twice in October. One on the 8th and another on the 16th - to celebrate-"

"Mine and Mumma's birthday." Madhu finishes.

"Exactly. That's how I know about you! Your father is loved by all of us. He's my best friend. We write letters to each other." Siddharth nods as he gets something from his cupboard "And this was the last letter that your father wrote to me. I want you to have it. You can read right?"

Madhu nods as she takes the letter from Siddharth.

"Go home and read it." Siddharth says smiling. "More cookies?"

* * * * *

"Madhu, where did you go?" Shree asks as Madhu comes running back to the lobby.

"I-I just went to take a look at the garden."

"Alright, come on Mr. Oberoi is waiting in the hall for us."

Madhu holds Shree's hand and walks towards the hall at the end of the narrow corridor.

"I'm sorry I got late, Mr. Oberoi." Shree apologised as she walks into the big grey hall. The children were seated on the olastic chairs chatting with each other. "Did you manage to gather all the children? And are the caterers here?"

"Nothing to worry about, Madam." Mr. Oberoi says with a smile. "And for the tenth time please call me by my name - Robin."

"Thank you for checking on all the arrangements, Robin." Shree smiles. "And for volunteering to help us with this visit."

"You don't have to thank me, I love to spend time with children."

"Because it reminds you of your son who died when he was very young?" Shree asks.

Robin nods softly.

"Robin, you should adopt a child. It's been almost three decades since you lost your child and your wife in the Mumbai Metro Bombings." Shree suggests. "I can talk to the headmistress and make the arrangements for you to adopt someone from this very orphanage."

"I - I - I never thought about that." Robin says. "I never thought of adopting. Yes, yes I'd like to adopt a little boy."

"What's adopt?" Madhu asks.

"It means we can take one of these little children with us to our home and make them part of our family." Shree says caressing Madhu's head. "Mr. Oberoi wants to adopt a little boy from this place."

"Can he adopt my new friend Siddharth?" Madhu asks enthusiastically. "I met him outside and he's Nanna's friend it seems."

"You should introduce me to your little friend, Madhu." Robin says.

"He's over there!" Madhu says pointing to the back of the room.

"Let's talk to him later, shall we?" Shree asks. "If the boy is willing to we can make sure to adopt him today itself. Robin won't have to live a lonely life anymore. Say goodbye to your lonefy AF days man, you're going to be a father."

"I can't believe I'm hearing those words after three decades." Robin says smiling. "Thank you, Shree. "

* * * * *

"Did you speak to Mr. Oberoi?" Madhu asks jumping on her bed as Shree walks in. "How is Siddharth? Is he liking the new house? Is he happy?"

"Yes, baby girl. I spoke to Mr. Oberoi. Your friend Siddharth - or rather Sidhharth Oberoi is very happy with his new house and with Mr. Oberoi being the father. They went out for some ice cream afterwards and I heard they're watching a few movies together right now before going to bed."

"Mommy can we watch a movie too? Or Paw Patrol?" Madhu asks pouting as she wraps her little arms around Shree's neck. She leans closer to Shree and whispers to her ear. "I love you no, Mumma?"

Shree laughs out heartily.

"Alright. Go to the kitchen and ask one of the maids to give you some chips and some popcorn. I'll load the movie on the laptop."

"Okie pokie. Stay right here, I'll be back soon!" Madhu says as she jumps off the bed and runs out in a mad dash.

Shree smiles and adjusts the straps of her light pink sleeveless nightgown. The air around her becomes eerily cold and silent as she walks towards the barcalounger to get her laptop.

She could hear a conversation playing in her head.

"You know something," A voice echoes in her head. "You look so cute. SO. DAMN. FUCKING. CUTE."

She recognises it as Madhav's voice.

Shree closes her eyes - only to see herself comfortably cuddled up with Madhav in their bed at Elysium. Madhav was wearing a black tee-shirt with khaki shorts while Shree was wearing a sweatpants and Madhav's hoodie.

He kisses her knuckles tenderly, and presses kisses from her forehead, to her temple and down to her cheeks. His lips roam all over her face. One hand firmly held her wrist, his thumb lazily rubbing on the veins of her wrist.

He gives a lazy smile, her name coming out his lips.

"Chellam!" He says softly caressing her cheeks.

He holds her face with both his hands.

He smiles broadly, as he looks at her. Madhav softly caresses her hair.

Her kissed her gently on the forehead and their eyes locked for what seemed to be forever. Shree felt her heart pounding inside her chest as he softly ran his fingers on her lips.

He closes his eyes as he brings his face closer to her face. His lips almost tenderly brushed against her soft supple lips.

"Chellam! Chellam!!" She hears a voice again. This time louder and more agonised. She's brought back out of her trance as a loud thunder cracks in the night sky.

Shree blinks twice and collapses onto the barcalounger holding her head.

"Bhabi what happened?" Shyaam asks as he rushes inside.

"Shyaam - Shyaam! I heard him! I heard Madhav!" She panics as she dissolves into tears. "He's calling out to me, Shyaam. I heard him!"

"I heard him too." Shyaam nods. "I went downstairs to get Vasu's feeding bottle and I heard bhai'saab's voice echo in my head."

"Did he sound like he was in trouble?" Shree asks and Shyaam nods.

"I feel like he needs our help." Shyaam says. "He called me and asked me to come for him. I have to tell Anu and Sivaji about this. And I need to ask them if they heard his voice too. Looks like he's sending us messages from the afterlife."

"I doubt that he's sending us all these messages from the afterlife." Shree says. "I have a feeling that Madhav is stuck somewhere and needs our urgent help."

"I think you're right." Shyaam whispers.

To be continued...

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