The New Delhi station was buzzing with people happily chattering & discussing their itinerary for their trip. Some of the kids were playing with their siblings; others wanted their parents to buy those toys from the hawkers. Their mothers were happy to finally get out of the kitchen and the routine household chores, happily thinking about a few relaxed moments. The evening sun was so bright, it seemed like it wanted to double the happiness in the air. Like every other summer vacation, the station had come to life with the happy faces all around.
The little girl was looking around at all the happiness
surrounding her and all she wanted was to absorb all of it at once. She was
wearing a new blue frock & her hair was tied nicely into two ponytails. It
was her first time on a train, she had only heard about people travelling by
trains to far off places and only the other day she saw a train on the TV. Her
mother was holding her hand tightly, it was hurting her a bit but she was still
smiling. Her father got her a frooti, she did not even ask for. She could not
believe if it was all real.
Pinky does not remember her own parents, she had only heard
from Priya Aunty & Amu Didi that her parents died in a car crash. She cannot
remember any of it, neither her home nor her parents, nothing. She was just
three when she came here; this has been her home since then. She had started believing
this was her home & all the other kids were her siblings but soon she realized
that no one is here to stay forever.
Two weeks back on the Friday, Pinky had just finished her
homework and started watching Tom & Jerry when Priya Aunty came & shut
down the TV and told all of them to get ready. Pinky was very bored of this
ritual on every Friday, from last 3 years. She did not want to go but Amu Didi looked
at her gesturing her to come fast. She loves Amu Didi and she knew that Amu
Didi was right. All of them wore the best dress they had rather the only nice
dress they had. Pinky did not like this at all, she knew that one of them will
again go away with a new family. Over the last 3 years all her friends were
gone, Ashi, Jia, Lata all went away and Akshay went with his family two weeks
after coming here. Nobody liked her; the families who came to find their new
sons and daughters always ignored her. Nobody ever liked Amu Didi too, everyone
said that she was too old and it would be difficult to adjust with a teenager.
Every Friday evening the both of them would sit in one corner & read a story
from the storybook about the long lost princess who found her own palace when
she grew up.
She got ready to avoid scolding from Priya Aunty & stood
in the line & waited for the couple to pass by and ignore her. They did go
ahead this time too but suddenly the woman rushed back to her. She sat down on
the floor and started weeping Pinky did not know what she had done to make her
cry. She got scared that she would get a scolding even though she did not do
anything this time. Nevertheless, the woman would not stop crying, so she sat
down in front of her & gently wiped her face. She looked up & smiled at
Pinky, tears rolling down her face and hugged her. In some time, Pinky was also
hugging her back. Pinky had not felt this warmth in a long time & did not
what was happening. This was a new feeling to her; she did not know how exactly
it felt. After some time the couple left, and while going they told her that
they will come back soon to get her. Amu Didi came running to her & hugged
her tightly and told her now she will also go with her new family. She will
also be loved by her parents like the other children outside are loved. She was
happy but also sad at the same time.
It was already two weeks since the day she met her parents
and nothing could compare with the love she felt when she was with them. They cared
for her like nobody ever did. They thought about everything even before she
told them. They played & watched cartoons with her and did not even scold
her once.
In the meanwhile, the train came to the platform & Pinky
got into the train with her parents. They were going to Nainital to meet her
family who were eagerly waiting to welcome their princess.
