Faded memories

Faded Memories

"Mom, Rajesh is coming home today, right?" Sarah asked her mother as she stood glancing outside the window. It was ranning outside and Sarah desperately wished Rajesh was here, so that they could go outside and play together in rain. Her mother did not reply with a word, instead went inside, leaving Sarah alone in the living room. But this didn't bother Sarah anymore as she was used to her mother avoiding the questions about Rajesh's where abouts. Sarah was instead happy, for her father had promised her that he would be bringing Rajesh home today. The door bell rang. Sarah happily and cheerfully procceded towards the door. This was it, Sarah had been imagining this moment for nearly ten days, before opening the door Sarah imgined Rajesh, his fox red colour, his innocent black eyes, his ears and his qirky little tail which he moved happily every time he noticed Sarah. Keeping Rajesh's innocent looks in mind, Sarah finally opened the door.

There her Father stood straight, with a puppy dog by his side. Sarah surpassed her father ignoring him and the puppy and started looking for the one she was anticipating for, Rajesh. But Rajesh was no-where to be seen. Sarah finally gave up and looked upon her father hopefully. "Dad, where is Rajesh?" Sarah finally asked her father. Her father ignored her question and took the puppy which he had brought in his hand. "Look, what I brought for you, a puppy, he is just like Rajesh. See his innocent looking eyes, they are just like Rajesh's" Sarah's father said to her as he entered the house. Sarah did not move an inch. She stood outside for a moment feeling betrayed and disappionted. This was the second time her dad had broken her promise, first time being when her father had promised her to take her to Disney Land, but didn't.

Sarah stared at her father as he had straight away ignored her question. Her father then looked towards his wife for help, but to no vail. Sarah's mother just shook her head disapprovingly. Her father then looked upon Sarah, hesitatingly he answered "Well..um... Rajesh is in the hospital, still recovering. He will be back by..." he is cut in between by an angry Sarah, "That's what you said last Sunday!, We have to win the Dog Carnival and break Mr. Richardson's record and it's taking place in three days, I need Rajesh dad!"

After a moment of silence from both sides, Sarah breaks the tention, "Dad, why can't I see him? It's been nearly ten days, is he okay?" Sarah says between sobbing. Her father comes and wraps his 12 year old daughter in two in arms and wipes Sarah's tears saying, "Yeah Sarah, he is fine. He just needs some time to recover.That's it. Now who is ready for some ice-cream?" which cheers Sarah up.

The next morning, when Sarah is still in bed, dreaming about playing with Rajesh, she feels something touching wait no, something more like licking her cheeks. She quickly gets up, to come across a German Shephard puppy which her father had brought yesterday. "Get ready, let's go for a walk. C'mon hurry up!" Sarah's father yells enthusiatically from outside her bedroom. Sarah takes a look at the puppy and imagines him to be Rajesh, but it's hard for her imagine, as Rajesh is a fully grown up Lab and this is a German Shephard puppy.

"Good morning Mr. D'souza. Morning Sarah and who is this little cute puppy?" Mr Richardson, a retired army officer who also happens to be Sarah's neighbour and not ot forget Sarah's competitor in the carnival says as he adjustes his dog, Romeo's belt.

"Good Morning Mr. Richardson. It's just a puppy I brought for Sarah yeaterday, we haven't named him yet." Sarah's father, Mr. D'souza replies warmly. "Yeah, he is indeed cute and he has Rajesh's eyes. He will grow up to be like Rajesh." Mr. Richardson speaks as he affectionately moves his hand over the puppy.

"No, he is nothing like Rajesh and Mr. Richardson watch out cause me and Rajesh are going to break your record, see you there." Sarah interepts the civil conversation taking place between her father and Mr. Richardson as she dosen't likes the comparison done between the new puppy and her Rajesh and starts walking towards the exit of the garden. On the way back home, Sarah feels guilty for talking rudely to Mr. Richardson, but keeps to herself. Her father scolds her bahaviour and asks her to apologize to Mr. Richardson when she meets him next time. Sarah notices that Rajesh's kennel has been occupied by the new puppy, she feels angry but does nothing about it.

The day of carnival arrives. The city gears up for the it, people ready their pets up and make their final touches. As for Sarah well, she is still disappionted and wishes Rajesh was here. Sarah watches her mother tie a beautiful blue colour bow to the new puppy, which Sarah had specially bought for Rajesh. Seeing this, Sarah goes straight forward and natches the bow saying, "I brought this for Rajesh."

"Yeah and Rajesh is not coming back, so you have to participate with this new puppy which I brought for you." Sarah's father says as he ties his shoe laces.

"What do you mean by he is not coming back?" Sarah asks as she breaks down. Tears roll down her cheeks making them slightly red as Sarah remains still, not knowing what to do.

"Sarah, there is something we need to tell you. Rajesh dies eleven days ago, he had something poisonous and the doctors wouldn't save him. I am sorry." This time Sarah's mother speaks up the truth, holding back her tears.

"No you are not sorry! Why did you lie to me?" An angry, emotional Sarah yells between her sobbs.

"Sarah, we were bothh going through emotional break down and didn't wanted you to go through the same phase. So we also brought a new puppy so that you don't feel bad about Rajesh's death." Sarah's father tries to explain.

"I am not going to the carnival without Rajesh." Sarah finally says as feeling of anger, betrayl, fear all were forming inside her head.

Sarah sprints out of her house, not knowing where to go, ignoring her parents calls. Only three words were running through her mind "Rajesh is dead." She stopped when she finally gets to a place where there is no one. She looks behind to see if anyone is following her, when she satisfactorily finds no-one, she settles on a bench, thinking about Rajesh. She starts dreaming about Rajesh, the first time she saw him, they both were two years old when Sarah's father had brought Rajesh home as her birthday gift. The birthday gift, she treasured the most. Rajesh and Sarah practically grew up together. They would eat together, play together, and sometimes even sleep together. Over the years Rajesh and Sarah had grown so close, that they were practically inseprable. Sarah just couldn't stand the reality that Rajesh was no-more.

After a moment of lonliness, Sarah realizes that someone is calling her name. Sarah looks up to watch the person calling out her name, Mr. Richardson. "Sarah, common let's go, I thought you wanted to beat me." Mr. Richardson says.

"Rajesh is dead." Sarah replies without looking at Mr. Richardson.

"Oh... I am sorry." Mr.Richardson says as makes himself comfortable while settling on the bench.

"I am sorry, for my rude behaviour that day" Sarah replies as soon as she recalls her father's orders.

"Yeah, it's okay. So, um.. you are not coming to the carnival?" Mr. Richardson asks Sarah.

"No, not without Rajesh. We had promised eachother that we are going to new this carnival, together. I can't go without him." Sarah says as she wipes her tears.

"Well, that's a shame, I was really looking forward for some tough competition from you." Mr. Richardson says as he sets to leave.

"How, did you know I was here?" Sarah asks coriously.

"I followed him." Mr. Richardson says pointing out to the puppy which her father had brought. The puppy looked upon Sarah and sits next to her.

"You know, you can just sit here and mourn about Rajesh's death or do something he would have been proud off". Mr. Richardson says before finally leaving.

Sarah sits there quitely as she notices something odd about the puppy, before realizing that the puppy is not a boy but a girl. Sarah laughs to herself. "Common girl, let's do something Rajesh could be proud of." Sarah says to the puppy before setting off in the directio of the carnival.

The carnival as anticipated was a huge fair. Sarah runs towards the entrance of the carnival with the puppy by her side as she notices her parents. She quickly runs and hugs both her parents and also apologizes. "Let's go to the restration table, we are getting late." Sarah says as she realizes that they are already late for the competition.

"What is the name of your pet dog, miss." the lady at the reastration table aks Sarah.

"Rajesh." Sarah's father replies.

"Dad, we can't name the puppy Rajesh, it's a girl and Rajesh is a boy's name!" Sarah says, thinking of a appropriate name.

"Queen, her name will be Rani." Sarah finally says.

"So, let's go Sarah and Rani, you are team number 18. Go take your positions." the carnival officials direct Sarah towards the stage.

Sarah exsitedly walks towards the stage, as feels sad that she is not participating with Rajesh as her partner but happy too, not cause she found a new Rajesh but as she found a new Rani.

"The carnival starts in three, two,one..." the annoncer announces as Sarah and her pet dog Rani take their position.