A Stranger Came To Adopt Me

it's nearly one week since the tragic accident happened. my dad and brother are already dead, my mom is lying in coma under critical condition in hospital.

though it still hurts that the fate had suddenly become so rude and took away those near ones from my family, but I learned hard to accept it. first I didn't even believe. I ran towards my mom and shaked her badly, calling to help dad and brother, but she didn't even open her eyes

then I was in the state of shock. I thought that why did it happen only to me. why was it only them. all have parents then why only mine turned like that. i didn't even realised that I didn't even ate or drank till I fainted the third day. I was rushed to the hospital and was injected saline bottle in my left arm.

it was after I woke up I cried. my aunt was hugged me tightly and decided to bring me her home. their last funeral was done by my paternal uncle. though my paternal uncle is rich, his family always behaved coldly towards my family due to our financial background.

my aunt won't ever send me with them even if she have to take up a huge responsibility which she knows that it cannot be balanced by her shoulders.

presently I'm staying at my aunt's house. my aunt's house is smaller than mine, with only one room to accommodate five members. now since I'm included, it's six. her daughter, Nitya, is two years younger than me and her twin sons, Dev and Ved, have become my only reason to smile and act strong.

uncle earns very less that though he wants to educate all his children, he can't. Nitya is a school dropout, while Dev and Ved, who should be in seventh grade, has certificates of education only till fourth.

now since I'm added, they'd treat me specially. l secrealtly heard them yesterday about their plans to send me school to fulfill my parent's last dream to see me successful. even they can't afford, they are willing to try their best.

that's when I suddenly felt as burden for them. their own children dropped out due to lack of money. Nitya, always takes my book and reads. I always felt sport that she couldn't go to school. even Dev and Ved are very young. I can't stand. I planned to tell them that I don't wanna go educate only myself. but there is very less probability that they would except it.

I was already feeling guilty...

but I never knew that I'll completely turn their life upside down after few days.

it was twelth of December, I was playing with my cousins and neighborhood children. it was a Sunday, and since I'd already overcomed my grief, I was planning to attend the school next day. it has been two weeks since that incident had happened.

it was evening when we heard a car's horn. we continued playing thinking that it was from opposite street because in this street, no one owned a car. thats when one of the boy pointed his hand towards north, from where a car was coming, and shouted to warn us.

we gave way to the car, just to realise that there wasn't one car, but many cars are following behind it. after four cars passed, the fifth car stopped in front of us. all the car doors opened at once and men in sky blue suit and goggles came out. all had good body and wore a Bluetooth speaker in their right ear. though their outfits looked like some business people, their body physique is well built.

one of the man open the door of a car, that stood just in front of us. a man wearing an ash colored blazer came out. his face looked a bit old, maybe late fourtees, but his body looked ten years younger than his face shows. he was having a cigarette in his hand. he had olive skin tone and black curly hair. everything he wore, from his watch to his shoes, looked expensive.

he looked at me and his serious expression seemed to become gentle.

he entered our house with few men following him while others stood in their place. Nitya pulled me in after them. Ved and Dev silently followed us. inside, the man in ash colored blazer, who seemed to be the leader, was sitting on the bed in our hall. he was looking around the house. my uncle was standing near them, signalled us to go inside. my aunt might be in kitchen, making tea.

we were silently going inside the kitchen, when the man said, "where are you going?".

"inside" Nitya voice was like a whisper.

"you" he pointed towards me "stay here".

I looked at my uncle. he signalled me to stay. I held Nitya's hand for support, and signalled her to stay. Ved and Dev, might be in confusion, stayed still in their place. my aunt came with the tray of cups filled with tea. they accepted withou any expression.

the man in ash coloured blazer took a sip, and said, "you are Mr. Ramesh Patil, right?"

my uncle nodded.

"that girl" he pointed me, " is your niece".

my uncle nodded.

"well, I'm here for deal. I know that you people are already poor that you can't even afford to eat a good meal. I'll give you a good life, a good job, your children's can go to good school if..."

"what do you want?" my uncle asked.

"that girl" he pointed towards me and said, "I want to adopt her".

"I won't accept it" my aunt blurted, "though we are poor, but still we know how to keep our daughter's pride. forget about adopting, I won't allow you to even touch her."

"you can eat good food, your children can go to good school. do you wanna leave it all just for this girl."

"yes, because we can't eat the food that we got because of doing something unfair to a girl" my aunt said

"I'm with my wife" my uncle said.

as they argued, my brain started it's calculations. if I get adopted by this man, then my cousin's can go to school with me. they can live a better life and my uncle won't have to struggle so much. my aunt dosen't need to work and can take a good care of her children.

but if we reject it, then these people would struggle to educate only me. they will put their every minute if their life for me. I'll become a burden. I already feel miserable these days, if this feelings continues for years, I can't stand it. I can't live with it. all the above, every minute I'd be remembering this moment when they turned down their luxury for me. can I take so much guilt? so many sacrifices?

no, I can't.

I won't let myself fell so guilty.

but I'm curious about one thing.

"I accept it" I said.

there was silence for a second. all looked at me like a statue.

it was that unknown man who recovered first and said, "clever girl"

"Adhya" my aunt said.

"Di" Nitya whispered.

"you don't know these people Adhya" uncle said.

" but I've few conditions" I said.

"Hmm....let's hear this girl's conditions" he said with a crooked smile. I hate his smile.

"first, you have to keep the promises you gave to my uncle, that you'd give them a good life, educate my cousins in good school".

"Accepted"

"Second, I won't do any work like sleeping with a man or be a prostitute", I said this because as my aunt said, I want to be a girl with pride.

"Accepted" I didn't expect him to this fast.

"no father wants to sell out his daughter's pride just for his profits" he latter added.

so he doesn't want to adopt me for money. then why....

"third, the reason of adopting me should be known to me."

"what do you mean?" he asked with a serious look that it scarred me for a second.

"I mean that you can adopt anyone. then why only me. why are so interested in this normal girl".

"because your family should be living and I should have been be dead. you might have been living a happy life if l...." he said with a guilty expression.

this answer surprised me.

"what do you mean?"I asked.

"that wasn't just an accident as you thought, it was a pre-planned trap for me. but your parent's car came in middle. you became an orphan because me. your parent's died to save me. I'm already feeling so bad for you that I can't even take it. so....." he said.

these words were enough to bring tears in my life. l ran out. l'd have been with my parents, in my home, sleeping peacefully every night. but if wasn't that man....

I became this miserable because of him. my mom struggling in hospital because of him. my father and brother are dead because of him. if it's not him, my mom and dad would have been arguing or my brother would have been demanding for money. but they are not. I they won't ever. because of that......

I hate him.

Nitya came running behind me. she called for me. I stopped and looked at her. she was crying too. she came and hugged me, "don't accept it Di. it'll hurt you a lot. don't do such a thing for us. please Di"

I looked at her silently. she's so selfless. though it can give her a good future, she still thinks of me. how can those people be so selfless and I became so selfish. I won't let them struggle for me. I want to protect them even if it takes every strength from me. I'll protect them.

we went home. those people who were still standing out, still rigid in their position. we went in. that man was still sitting there. my aunt and uncle looked at me and came running towards me.

"say them no. you still have time. or you will be living with them who are the reason for your parent's death" my aunt said.

"she's right Adhya. you don't know them but they are dangerous. death is always near them." my uncle said.

I just gave them a confident smile.

I went towards him with a serious look. "since you accepted all my conditions, I'll keep my word. I'd be your daughter" I said.

"Good" he said and got up.

"I'll send a car for you tomorrow morning" he said.

after all his cars left, my uncle pulled me in.

"I'm sorry" I said.

"do you know who they are. I already warned that death is always near them. do you have any idea who that are" uncle said.

"they looked scary" aunt said.

"they are scary. they are the biggest gang in this area. Adhya, you accepted to be the daughter of a gangster" uncle said with serious look.

my aunt fainted. my cousins starred at me with wide eyes. even I was horrified.

Gangster!!!!

let's see how they live......