The Twinkling Star, Far Off.

She turned around to look at the approaching figure at a distance. She could smell his body odor. She could imagine the masculine figure slowly heading in her direction.

21 years. A long span of time. It seemed like ages when she reminisced the faint old days when he was a toddler walking with all the charm and glamour she could imagine. He was her first and only child after 3 years of marriage. The days were much lengthier than they ever been before when she cuddled him close to her bosom as long as possible. Ragini loved to feed him, dress him, and kiss him unless someone would ask her to assist.

But the days became intolerable when Ragini lost her husband in a plane crash. And since that day she was totally disoriented, lost in a different world full of distress agonizingly painful. She still loved her child but couldn't gather the earlier passion. She felt that only temporary isolation could rekindle the passion which has got eclipsed by the grief of the untimely demise of her husband. It was undoubtedly the most difficult decision but the only option she was left with at that stage.

The two-year-old was left with his maternal aunt, the younger sister of Ragini. Roshni loved the child more than her life. But again life took a different turn after a solitary year only. Rush got married and had to be separated from Rehan, now a three-year-old baby. Ragini knew it before that this had to happen one day, but so soon, it was beyond her imagination. The young baby was again back to her mother. Ragini was still not ready to take up the responsibility but had to rush against the time.

After two years Rehan was sent to a boarding school against his wishes. Ragini wasn't prepared either but couldn't resist her father in law's determined decision.

16 years have passed since Rehan went to the boarding school at Shimla. Ragini used to go there to meet him twice a year. But once her father- in- law expired she was more entangled with the management of the family business. So the child was ignored for the sake of property. And finally, he passed his B.Tech degree and the mother could only receive the news of the successful completion of the course.

And today Rehan is coming back to his mother who eagerly waits for a much-awaited get-together. Ragini believes that she will get back to her son. She hopes he will forgive and forget all the wrongs in his life. Rehan came, asked his mother to sign a few documents, and left even without touching a glass of water. He went back to his job which he had recently joined. A few weeks later Ragini received a letter. Only a few words comprised the letter, " forgive me, mother, I can't let me be a puppet in your hands. Sorry. Rehan.

The letter dropped from her hands and Ragini stared at the open sky and to a brightly twinkling star far off.