Someone informed this to Trisha and she was shocked.But she did not come to meet her mother.She sat in her room and felt that she was unable to move.She also could not understand what was going wrong but Trisha knew Soumili.She reacted like this….that means something was seriously wrong.

 Some women knocked at Soumili’s room,she opened the door and found Taukir or Albert Stevens (whatever the name readers like here) was standing in front of her.But Soumili did not pay any attention.She just looked at him once.

 One of those women told Soumili, ‘Panditji asked for you.What happened?’

 ‘This marriage will not be happened.’ Soumili strongly uttered this.

 The women widened their eyes in shock but they did not dare to ask Soumili anything.Gradually the news spreaded over all the house.It also reached to Trisha and Jeff and they both forgot how to react in this.

 Two hours passed like this.Panditji left and all the invitees left.The music had been stopped and the outside lighting was off.Only Jeff and his friends were sat in front of the stage.

Trisha,in her bridal dress,stoodat her balcony making her eyes closed and Soumili sat in her bed looking at the dark outside through the window.

 Someone pushed her door.It was half-closed.

‘Soumili…’Albert Stevens called.

 Soumili closed her eyes,took a deep breath and turned to him.

‘I don’t know what to say.’ Albert said in a low tone.

‘I  don’t want to listen anything.’ Soumili vented angrily.

‘I didn’t know that Trisha is your daughter.’

‘Make it correct….Trisha is your daughter.’ Soumili sounded strongly.

There was pause in the other side for sometime.

Then a shocking and the most surprising tone said,

‘Is Trisha my daughter? Are you sure?’

Now Soumili could not resist herself.She shouted like anything.

‘you are inquiring me about Trisha’s birth?Now in this time you are asking me to show you any prove that Trisha is your daughter.You may not be sure that how much you damaged one’s life but I am sure that Trisha is my daughter and I am ashamed of myself to say that she came to me by you,you are her father.’ Soumili pented.

Albert Stevens now held the handle of the sofa in Soumili’s room and sat over there.He did never know that Trisha is his daughter.

‘you did not tell me anything?’

‘Did you give me any chance to say you anything.You left that place.Infact you fled away and only for you I left my home,I left my parents.But what a duffer I was that I believed you.How could I know that everything was a game,just a trifling play.You met me only to have me,only to cheat me and only to make me pregnant and to make my life a hell.How could I know that you never loved me,just enjoyed me.’tears already started to roll from her eyes.

Now Taukir could not keep quiet.He was also shocked listening all these things that he forgot to say even a single word.He never knew that because of him Soumili gave such a penalty for her whole life.

‘Don’t say like this Soumili.I know I should not have uttered these words but I did not cheat you.I really loved you.’Taukir voiced it.

‘Actually that time your father called me and he requested me to back his girl to him.He told me that only because of me you are going to oppose them and if we marry then your father would not be able to show his face in public.All his prestige and reputation would ruin and as I was Muslim,he would also detoriate from his family tradition and his family would rent every relation with him.He urged to me to return his daughter and begged his all social reputation and his whole-life-earned honoured image from me,and I decided to leave that place immediately.I did not tell you anything because your father made me promised that I would not tell you anything about this phone call.Infact I can’t tell you all these things because I knew that if I tell you then you would not allow me to leave that place and I also knew that if I met you once then I could not go anywhere leaving you alone.’ Albert narrated this and he began to cough.

‘So,you honoured my father and left me alone.’

‘I did not know that you were with my child.If I knew that I never would go.Why didn’t you try to contact me?’

‘Don’t ask me anything Taukir,I don’t want to recall all these days.I left no way to find you.I mailed you hundred times but there was no reply.I called your mobile but it was always unreachable.’ Soumili moved and stood another corner of the room.She could not stand in one place.

Taukir sighed and uttered,

‘yes,may be,I was wrong.May be,I did mistake on that time.’

‘wrong?....you don’t know Taukir how much you were wrong on that time.I needed you most on that time.You can never expect how much it was painful for me to struggle alone against everybody and against everything.’

‘yes…I can understand,but on that time I was so terribly pissed off that I lost my power to think that what was right and what was wrong.I was so horribly trying to forget you that I lost all my sense.I gave pain to myself,I suffered myself,I fasted,I drank like anything,but still it was you who everytime came in front of me and my eyes.’

‘why Taukir?why we both suffered a lot when we could get a better life.Because of you,you made everything hell.You listened to my father and punished me.You did never think of me,infact you did never think of us.You wanted to be great in front of my father but became looser in your whole life,and my parents….see…what they did to me!They left me alone when they heard that I was having your child.They suggested me to kill your child but I did not.My father got a severe stroke because of this and died within three days and my mother left me alone,cursing me that I made her widow.’ Soumili stopped.

Taukir was silent.He could not measure that how much terrible it was for Soumili to tackle all these things alone.

Soumili again began to say,

‘and…Jeff….he is your son?I think you changed your religion and so your name has been changed.That’s why,not for a single time it came to my mind that Jeff has any relation with you.I talked with you over phone but your voice has been also changed,may be,because of your asthma problem.’

‘yes….I also forgot your voice over phone and Jeff never told me your name.He also referred you as aunty and infact I too did not ask him much about you.That’s why I did not realize that it was you.’

‘not only voice Taukir,infact you forgot me completely.’ Soumili hinted him.

‘so…Jeff is your son?’ Soumili again asked.

‘No….Jeff is not my own son.’ Taukir uttered.

‘what?’

‘yes….Jeff is not my son.We adopted him from a Christian missionary.’ Taukir paused for sometime then he began,

‘After leaving your place when I could nor forget you al all….I decided to leave the country.That time one of my friend had a good contact in UK and I shifted over there.I stayed in a village in UK and worked in a small school over there.In my near by building there was a poor man lived with his only daughter Catherine.Catherine was a nice girl but she could not walk.It was some paralysed case from her birth-time and she suffered from this in her whole life.

That man sometimes helped me a lot.I also found some relax when I talked with him and gradually we became friends.We were nicely tuned with each other.Oneday he invited me in his house and told me that his daughter’s marriage had been fixed in the next month.He was very happy on that day but after one month on that particular weddind day the groom did not come and informed by someone that he was not going to marry Catherine.That man was at a loss and extremely upset and suddenly he requested me to marry his daughter.I became puzzled and could not decide anything what to do.

But after that I thought that I am a worthless person.I never helped anyone in my life,moreover l left my beloved in her most urgent time,if I could help that female,may be,God will forgive me a little.I decided to marry Catherine.In the next morning we got married and I got a new name Albert Stevens.

We adopted Jeff when he was only 3 months old.But Catherine did not last for long.When Jeff was only 2 years old Catherine died.I still stayed in that house and took care of Jeff.Catherine’s father was also with us but one day he also passed away and we became quite alone.

From that time I lived on that house and now I run a school over there.But no where I cheated you Soumili.I was there,far from you,but still my mind always rushed to you.Sometimes I wished to contact you but as I thought in these days you would also forget me and may be would get married with someone else as your parents wanted.So….I controlled myself to call you and to make contact with you.’ Taukir stopped.

After hearing all these things Soumili also became confused to tell him anything.

‘Did Jeff knew this?’ soumili asked.

‘No….I did never tell him.By the way what’s the difference.I never treated him like this.I love him more than my own son.’ Taukir replied.

‘still….he should know the truth.’Soumili regarded at Taukir.

Jeff stood outside of the door.He was serching for his father and when he came close to this room he heard that inside there was strong discussion going on and that time Soumili was shouting at Taukir.He stilled there and overheard everything.

Now he could not stand over there.He entered the room without any permission.

‘I know this Dad….’ Jeff stated.

Taukir and Soumili both got a shock for a moment.

‘Who told you this?’ Taukir asked him.

‘When grandpa was in hospital and doctors said that there was no hope for him,he told me this.’

Taukir was quiet.Then again Jeff started to say,

‘but Dad….i don’t mind for that.I know that you and mom loved me and cared for me,infact you have done everything for my career,for my education and for my better life.My own parents left me soon after my birth.I don’t know them.But I found you and mom to protect me.When grandpa told me that I am not your own son,I thought for once to ask you about my birth,but then I think,may be,you would be hurt if I ask you that question.You love me a lot Dad…..I know.So,what’s the difference if I am not your own son and you are not my real father.I love you so much Dad.’

Taukir eyes became wet but he managed himself.Soumili was quiet,listening to Jeff.For 3 to 4 minutes no one did tell anything.

Then Taukir asked,

‘Soumili…..whatever happened it happened in us and may be because of me everything went wrong and may be I am guilty enough to spoil our both’s life but these children are innocent.I don’t have courage to meet Trisha but please Soumili….you don’t punish them for us.’

‘I would not allow my daughter to marry your son.’

‘Don’t say like this Soumili.They are innocent.They have no fault.Our life has been spoilt…..yes…I agree that I am guilty for that but we never want it happened in our children’s lives.You just think of your daughter.She loves Jeff.How she would be able to marry someone else?How she would be able to live without Jeff? You can feel her pain.After all you are her mother.You know how much it was painful to forget your love. I know how much it ruined me to leave you….so how could we want our children to go through the same situation?’

Now Soumili got some consciousness.Till this time she was so overwhelmed by her own feelings that she completely forgot about Trisha.It’s her wedding day and Soumili spoilt it.She was,may be,still in her wedding dress.Since these days she expected a lot particular in this day,she dreamt for this day but everything had been ruined.She moved and sat on a chair tiredly.She left a deep sigh and remained quiet.

‘Soumili….please…don’t be silent,say something.In this case I can’t go further without your permission.’ Taukir again urged to her.

‘Ask Trisha….and also tell her about our relation.If she has not any problem then I have no opposition for this marriage.’ Soumili sounded mildly.

Trisha was still standing in her balcony but she overheard each and every conversation between Taukir and Soumili through the side-window.She lost her power to think,she was just hearing and consuming.