Shashi and Megh

It was winter season, and Shashi still had a long way to go; after all she has come to Pune from Nanded, her home town, almost after fifteen days.

Last time, due to some medical emergency Shashi had to rush to her village, she had heard about her grandparents not keeping well. That time she gave her labrador puppy Megh 🐾 to her friend Rati.
Rati has been her childhood friend, she gave Megh to her, though Shashi was a little bit reluctant to leave her kid, but she trusted Rati, and there was not much time left where she could find a dog creche.

Megh was indeed a small kid, just one-month old puppy, but a close companion to Shashi.

Shashi’s life changed when Megh came into her life. Shashi remembered how her mother had gifted her Megh telling that he will be her little brother, who would always be with her in this big city.

Shashi was coming back home remembering all the times she spent with Megh and how that small bundle of joy has brought so much happiness in her life; she was waiting to hold the child once again in her arms! Her protector! 💙

Shashi happily ran and came to Rati’s home, rang the bell-
Ding Dong!

Rati opens the door, and Shashi rushes inside the home shouting Megh! Megghhh!
Nobody came!

Rati, coming from behind, kept her hands on her shoulder and said –‘Shashi I am so sorry. I just informed you on phone about Megh, how he ran away from home.’

‘Ran away?’, Shashi went surprised ,’how come?’ Megh is just a little kid, he isn’t big enough to just run away!
Rati continued, that yesterday door was left open a bit and he ran away,

Okay Rati, please share the moon locket which I have placed around Megh’s neck, to which Rati started mumbling, ‘Shashi. there was no locket, and if at all there was a locket I have not seen any.’

Shashi was clear. Rati is lying.

Shashi took hold of Rati’s collar, ‘I want the necklace which was put on Megh’s locket and I am not going without taking it’.

Rati saw that Shashi turned around, and  bent down to pick up a glittering locket from the money plant standing in the drawing room, ‘Yes it is the same moon locket!’.

She picked it up and looked straight into the eyes of Rati, ‘Yes, you don’t have to worry about Megh, he has reached a place where he can always be with his didi Shashi ,he will always protect Shashi from evil friends like you!’

Shashi slapped Rati hard, and started walking away. The glimpse of memories started streaming when Rati closed her eyes and remembered how she and her husband kept Megh tied to the money plant and left for a three day Matheran trip completly ignoring the fact that little Megh remains alone at home. Then it happened which was supposed to happen – no food, no water, no love, little Megh left and Rati returned home after three days.
Before crossing over the gate, Shashi shouted at Rati, ‘Shashi trusted YOU….!’

We can see Shashi still lying in bed in her Nanded village, grief stricken at Megh’s untimely demise.

Suddenly she sees Megh’s locket is kept in front of the photo frame of her mother, a slow whisper suddenly happens beside her ear , ‘Didi take this moon locket, keep me with you, I will always stand by you.’

Shashi’s eyes dropped one more tear as she looked at the wall where her mom’s photo is hanging with flowers on it. She closed her eyes, her mom had left the world three months back!
Megh was the little puppy brother her mom had given Shashi, before leaving the world.

And Megh (Cloud) always stands before Shashi (Moon), as a protector of the night sky!

Yes. Shashi’s mother looked like Shashi !