The clock sounded its chiming music. It was 8 am.

Dhruv was ready for office; he was ready before his usual time today. A terrible dream had broken his sleep two and a half hours earlier than when the alarm of his smartphone did.

Dhruv made use of this extra time to start his morning schedule earlier than usual. He completed his morning exercise and his morning chores and then even some household chores which he had planned for evening that day. He could have done more, but the thought of going to office tired made him refrain.

Now, Dhruv stood reading the newspaper and munching his buttered toast. He kept down the newspaper on the table and went to the other side of the room where the microwave was. His tea had become cold while he was previously lost in a news article.

As he was returning with his hot cup of tea, his eyes fell on the wall where hung a family picture. His family’s picture. The house at present was barren of any other presence than Dhruv’s own.

Dhruv was accustomed to this silence however it was hard to not remember how lively this household once used to be.
He began to recall how it happened. It began with his paternal grandmother passing away. Dhruv had never seen his paternal grandfather.

Then, the eldest sibling, Dhruv’s sister got married and shifted to another state. It was a love marriage yet before leaving she cried like she never knew this day would come. Dhruv still thinks he was sadder about her leaving then she herself was.
Then three years later, the second eldest of the three siblings, the pride of the family and the assumed prized achievement of Dhruv’s parents, Dhruv’s elder brother declared that he had secured a job in another country. Dhruv’s parents didn’t even think twice before deciding that they would go abroad with his brother.

So, that is how the house became empty.

“As soon as I find an opportunity for you, I will let you know and then you can join us,” Dhruv’s elder brother had said before leaving.

“Yeah, that is what you had said, eleven years ago,” said Dhruv looking at the family picture in present. The family he once had was just part of this picture now.

The doorbell rang, and Dhruv opened the door, his wife was back from her morning walk along with his two daughters. As the two little girls ran into the house, Dhruv felt it, the life that had returned to the house and it was here to stay for a long time.

Written by Anuran Chatterji

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