Late...

It’s about mid night. The lights of Rohan Villa are still on. Except the villa, everywhere there’s dark silence. By the way what anything else we can except at such a time. Ya, I forgot to mention, there’s also a sound of some creatures hidden in the dense grasses in the surroundings. And who could be awake to listen to those creatures. What is your guess? Is there no one? No, this guess is wrong. There’s someone at the gate of the Rohan Villa. A pair of eyes, that are sweet, watery, dusty, tired of waiting for one more pair of eyes. The night is trying to make those eyes to give up, but hope is such a thing which makes possible many things.
These eyes are of small, cute little 4 year boy Rohan who is waiting for someone. Let’s see whom he is expecting at such a time.
Rohan’s mother Sunita is searching Rohan everywhere in the house and at last she founds him at the villa’s gate.
Sunita: Rohan….Rohan. What’s this? This is the time to sleep my son. Let’s go to the bed dear.
Rohan: But mom, I am waiting for daddy. He must be in the way. Let him come and we will sleep together.
Sunita: But dear, it’s already late and you know that how much daddy has to work. So he may arrive late in the night. You do one thing, go to sleep and I will wake you up in the morning.
Rohan: Alright mom, promise me you will not let daddy leave for work in the morning, unless I meet him.
Sunita: Ok son, promise.
Little Rohan runs on his little legs and jumps on the bed making noises and he is happy to meet his daddy in the morning.
The night reaches its brim. Even the noise making creatures have gone to sleep. Rohan is in deep sleep but he his still murmuring that he wants to see his daddy.
Finally the birds start chirping and with their sweetest songs they welcome the rising sun. It’s bright orange, cool and pleasant.
Rubbing his eyes, Rohan opens his eyes, jumps from the bed and runs to his daddy’s bedroom to see him. But he has already left for work. Rohan’s face drops down with sadness. He calls his mother and asks about the promise which she made the last night.
Sunita: My son, you know how much your daddy works. It’s all for you dear. When daddy was leaving for work, you were asleep and lost in dreams. I was going to make you awake but he stopped me doing so.
Rohan: But why daddy did so.
Sunita: Because my son, he loves you very much. He will bring you a lot of toys for you. Similar toys like in your bed room.
Rohan: But I already have toys.
Sunita: You know the teddy bear in your room has a small baby.
Rohan: No I don’t. Where is it?
Sunita: He’s in the market. Daddy will bring that for you.
Rohan: Really.
Sunita: Ya son.
Rohan: Alright, but I will play with that baby bear, sitting on the shoulders of daddy.
Sunita: Ok son, now come and brush your teeth and have your break fast.
The breakfast is ready. Several dishes are there on the table. Rohan is having his breakfast with his mother.
Rohan: Mom
Sunita: Yes son
Rohan: What work daddy does?
Sunita: Dear, he has to go far in the fields and he does hard work there and earns money for his son.
Rohan: Mom
Sunita: Yes son
Rohan: Daddy loves me na.
Sunita: Yes son.
Rohan: Then why he never meets me. He never talks to me.
Sunita: Timing my son. It’s the odd timing and nothing else.
Sunita: Now you go and play.
Rohan forgets about his daddy and he is lost in playing with his toys. Night approaches. Again Rohan is seen, standing at the gate of his house and waiting for his daddy. After some time his mother again approaches him to take him to the bed. But she stops some meters before. Rohan is bending on his knees and he has joined his hands and his praying to God.
Rohan: Oh! God, I want nothing. You take my toys back. I will give you my favorite teddy bear also. I don’t want that baby bear also. I love my daddy. I want to play on his shoulders like before. I want to hug him for couple of minutes. I want to sleep in his lap for some nights. I don’t want to trouble my mom; therefore I am asking these things from you. She is already overloaded with so much work. She makes me breakfast, washes my clothes and loves me too. What more can I ask from her?
Sunita cannot bear the scene and the situation more. She wipes out her tears with her sari and asks Rohan to go to sleep giving him the same reason. Rohan goes to bed happily as before. Sunita is close to her bed singing him a sweet sleeping song. Rohan closes his eyes and goes to sleep in a hope to see his father in the morning.
Sunita puts a warm blanket on his son and walks down to the gate of the house. Is it the turn of Sunita now, to wait someone at the gate? No, she steps out of the gate and sobs, watching the nameplate of the villa.
On the name plate its written- Late Mr. Asutosh Sinha.