Blast Of Hope

26 November 2008 -Mumbai-India

Arya’s nostrils flared as the pungent stench of gunpowder, smoke and blood hit her in powerful waves. She swallowed hard as nausea threatened to shoot up her throat. Covering her ears she shook her head desperately trying to drown out the cries- anguish cries for help that resounded in defining decibels. Arya frantically scanned her surroundings as her vision slowly cleared. Blood, so much blood! Arya inhaled deep, steading breaths, willing her mind to focus.  

“Aarav!” Arya’s heart plummeted as she shot off the ground. Her knees buckled, and she tripped over a body lying motionless on the ground. Eyes profoundly empty stared up at her. Arya choked on a sob and grabbed the wall beside her. Flattening her back against the stoned wall, she slid past the body of a young boy. Averting her gaze from the cadavers scattered all around her, Arya stealthily made her way out of the building. “Aarav! Aarav!” she shouted out in a strangled voice. The sound of her feeble voice dying down among the ear-splitting havoc around her. Her eyes welled up as she surveyed the mammoth damage enveloping her settings.

Arya’s frightful gaze shot up-wards as blasts of shattering glass echoed in the air. Enormous puffs of smoke emitted from the domes and windows of the legendary ‘Hotel Taj.’ Arya’s heart galloped as her eyes continued anxiously searching for Aarav. Blinded by the haze of fear, Arya charged through the throng of people calling out for Aarav. 

Suddenly the ground gave way from under her and Arya fell forward, colliding into a hard surface. “Ow!” she yelped out as a zing of pain sizzled up her right arm. 

“Oh god, I’m sorry.” A deep male voice penetrated her throbbing brain. Arya staggered and his arm wrapped around her waist to steady her. “Easy, easy," he soothed her. 

Arya’s glistering eyes glanced up at the man before her. “I need to find Aarav.” She trembled.

“What’s your name?” he enquired. She took a moment to answer, her mind turning blank in terror. 

“A...Arya.”

“Arya, I’m Rishi.” He took a step back to give her some room to breathe. Her right hand flew to message her aching head, and she immediately cried out in agony. “Arya, let me take a look at your arm. You seem to have injured it.” She began shaking her head. “It’s ok I’m a doctor. I’ll just take a quick look.” 

“Aarav,” her lower lip trembled.

“Arya, we will go in search for Aarav together as soon as I check your arm, Alright?” His eyes captured her soft brown eyes, and she nodded her consent. Rishi gently lifted her hand. He could feel her pulse racing under his fingers. Rishi’s stormy grey eyes darkened as he accessed the extent of her injury. Arya flinched as his thumb dabbed her arm slightly below her elbow.  “It seems like you have fractured your forearm. There is a slight swelling," he concluded.  An ambulance with its blaring siren drove past them. Rishi leaned forward and uttered close to her ear. “Can I use this?” His fingers grazed the silk scarf wrapped around her neck. Arya blinked. He untwirled the scarf and quickly but efficiently made a makeshift sling. “This will hurt ok?”

Arya bit her lower lip as hot tears tumbled down her pale cheeks. Rishi’s hands itched to wipe away her tears, but he diverted his attention to placing her arm in the sling. “Okay, it’s done for now.” Rishi slowly released his hold on her arm. “We will tend to it once we get to a hospital.” 

“Thank you.” Arya whispered. “Please help me look for my boy,” she pleaded. “He’s only eight… he’s this tall,”  she positioned her hand a little above her waist. “He’s wearing his favourite… Captain… America t-shirt… and a pair of denim shorts," she said between sobs.  

“Is there anyone else I can call? Your husband?” Rishi questioned as his gaze roved around him. 

“No… it’s just Aarav.. and myself.” Rishi squeezed his eyes shut as a feeling of dread flowed through his body. He did not want to imagine what her life would be like if she ended up losing her son. With determined strides she stormed past, shouting out her son’s name. Rishi was right there by her side, as he promised. “Who could be so cruel and perform such a heinous crime?”

“It was a terrorist attack,” Rishi’s jaw clenched hardning the sharp edges of his face. “They are holding hostages in ‘Hotel Taj’ as we speak.”  

“Oh, my god!” Arya began to sway on her feet. 

“Whoa, easy now.” Rishi caught her slender shoulders to steady her. 

“Aarav! Aarav!” Arya began hyperventilating, as her mind rioted with fearful thoughts.

“Arya. Look at me.” Rishi commanded in a soft tone while he lifted his firm hand to cup her soft cheek. Arya tilted her head back and eyed him demurely. “We can’t have a nerves breakdown now alright. We need to locate your son.” Arya closed her eyes and tried hard to concentrate on her breathing. “Good, deep breaths.” Rishi encouraged, as colour slowly rose up her cheeks. 

“One moment we were enjoying... our chocolate sundae... at Leopold Cafe and the next moment... there was a thunderous blast... and then all hell broke loose.” 

“I was there too.” Rishi looked down the same instant she swung her restless gaze up at him.

At that exact moment, call it a sixth sense or motherly instinct, Arya spun around at the sound of meek familar voice coming from somewhere behind her.  

“Mommy?” Arya’s heart jolted as her wild and frightened eyes roamed trying to detect the source of the voice.  “Mommy, up here.” Arya’s head whirled, and she craned her neck to glance at the top of the building.  

“Oh, my god! Aarav!” Arya screeched as she spotted her son sitting on the ledge of a stone building she just passed a moment ago. "Oh Aarav." Arya’s body shuddered with relief at the sight of her son. Her hand flew to her throat and she could feel her pulse beat rapidly beneath her fingers. Aarav had perched himself on the edge of ledge. His skinny legs were swinging under him.

“Mommy there were so many people running around. I was afraid they will squash me, so I climed up that pipe and waited here for you.” Aarav mumbled. Arya had to strain to comprehend his words above all the chaos. “Mommy, I’m a good boy, right?”

“Aarav … you’re the bravest … strongest … boy in the world.” Arya found it hard to speak past the ball of tension clogging her throat. She swallowed audibly and her frightened gaze anchored on Rishi's troubled face.

“Hey Aarav, that was clever thinking buddy.” Rishi came to stand beside Arya. It astounded him on how the boy got up on the ledge. Not the place, nor the time to think about the ‘what ifs’. Yearning to ease Arya’s mounting anxiety, he continued in a calm tone. “Champ, what say you come down and we can chat about your favourite Avenger-Captain America.” 

“You like ‘The Avengers’?”

“I sure do, bud. My favourite superhero is Thor.”

“Thor’s OK. But Captain America is the strongest ever.” Rishi’s face split in a grin while Arya smiled through her tears.

Rishi positioned himself under the ledge. “Ok bud on the count of three, I want you to jump forward. I’m right here to catch you.”

“Uh-uh, I want Mommy to catch me.”

“Aarav darling Mommy has a broken arm, Uncle Rishi is so strong, he will catch you sweetheart, I promise.” Her gaze reverted to Rishi, and he gave her a reassuring smile. 

Aarav’s eyes narrowed as he gave Rishi a quick once over. “Hmm, he looks strong,” he declared. “He has big muscles and all.” 

“Glad you approve, buddy.” Rishi let out a short laugh. “So, you ready?” His stance turned serious. “One, two and three.” Aarav slammed his eyes shut and pitched himself forward. Rishi will never forget the way his heart felt at that exact moment as the little boy jumped straight into his arms. Rishi held onto him in a death grip and it felt like for a beat the world stopped rotating on its axis. Aarav let out his breath in a whoosh as he tightly wound his arms and legs around Rishi's broad body. Squeezing his eyes shut, Rishi inhaled the fragrant powdery scent of the boy. They hearts sprinted in unison. The blind faith entrusted in him by both the son and his mother gave him a intense sense of purpose. A bolstering surge of belonging spread like warm honey through his entire being.

Arya’s heart threatened to pop out of her chest. She reeled in relief as Rishi slowly planted Aarav on the ground. “Mommy!” Aarav lunged himself in his mom's arms. Arya cried and laughed at the same time as she smothered his sweet face with wet kisses. 

Six months later…

Arya stood by her kitchen sink and stared outside the window. Lush green leaves of the trees swayed as the cool November breeze flowed through her backward, carrying with it the wonderous scent of wet soil. Arya closed her eyes and savoured the calm that unfurled within her body.

So much had changed in their lives these past six months. Aarav had bloomed and come out of his shell. For a reserved child who dreaded to play with other kids his age, Aarav had turned over a new leaf. Arya found it a task to have him stay at home now a days. The boy wanted to be out and about all the time, as if to make up for lost time. Arya's lips curved in a watery smile. She was so greatful for how things had turned out for him. As for her, she couldn’t have asked for anything more in her life. Her son's happiness ment the world to her. Her face brightened and her heart burst with joy.

“Penny for your thoughts.” Rishi's deep rumble pulled Arya out of her daydream. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her back against his chest. "God, I love you." The warmth of his whispered words shot lightning bolts of desire through her.

"I love you too." She exhaled a quavering sigh.

Rishi bent his head and planted soft kisses along the base of her neck. Arya shuddered and turned around to gaze at his handsome face. With raised fingers she lightly trailed the scar above his right eyebrow.

“Good morning,” she purred.

“Sorry, you didn’t get much sleep last night.” Rishi spoke against her mouth and his lips curved up in a roguish smile. Oh, that smile made her go weak in the knees every time. Arya closed her eyes and inhaled his musky cologne, which was now second nature to her. 

“If I recall correctly, I was the one who kept you up all night.” Arya rose on the balls of her feet to kiss his wicked mouth. Rishi plunged his hands in her wavy black hair and crushed her body to his. 

“My bad,” Rishi's eyes sparkled with mischief as his expert hands glided across her body, sending shivers racing down her spine. “Mind refreshing my memory?" 

Arya moaned at the exquisite feeling of being enveloped in his powerful arms. Rishi’s lips skilfully captured her lips and tongue in a slow drawn melting kiss. Arya closed her eyes and arched her back as her fingers played with the soft strands of his dark brown hair. 

“Aarav?”

“He’s fast asleep I just checked on him.” Rishi rasped as he rained open-mouthed kisses along her jaw and neck.

As if on cue, there was a loud crash in the hall. 

“Mommy! Daddy!” Aarav barged into the kitchen. Rishi groaned and reluctantly let go of Arya’s supple body. 

“Later.” His blazing eyes promised. Arya felt the heat of his words all the way till the tips of her toes. Rishi turned around and bent down to ruffle the boys unkempt soft locks. “Buddy, we need to work on your timing," he jested.

With his fingers wiggling, he closed in on the boy. Aarav sprinted out the kitchen into the hallway. Rishi grabbed him in two long strides and began tickling him.

“Stop, Daddy… please… stop.” Aarav laughed breathlessly. Rishi’s heart swelled with happiness at the sight of Aarav’s enthralled, innocent face.

“What will I get if I spare you?” Rishi hauled the squealing boy over his shoulder. 

“Anything. Daddy. Anything.”

“What say we settle for a dozen kisses?” Aarav yelped in glee and showered kisses on Rishi’s stubbled cheeks.

“One, two, three, four….”