Wiping her tears, she stands at the door, trying hard to reach the door-bell. She finally makes it and the door is answered. He stands there, hands folded, her tears unnoticed. The moment his fell on the glistening drop of water beneath her eyelid, he falls down on his knees and grabs her in his arms.

"Taat, they tease me at school."

She calls him taat. And she is his Swasu.

"Why?", he was puzzled?

She is the perfect child a father can have. She was the most lovable person he had ever found, they shared a bond that was beyond love for him. She was a child and a grown woman sometimes. And she worshiped him more than anything. Not even her Barbie dolls, she had loads of them, two for every birthday. Together they made a great pair. Taat would take her on bike-rides evry night and they both would lie down under the sky gazing at the stars. He taught her everything there was to know for a six year old. And she taught him everything there was a father should know. She was perfect. He was perfect in her eyes.

"They say I don't have an AAI. Tara says those girls are stupid and that I should not talk to them".

Now it was his turn to shed a few tears. But he could not. He had buried the past behind, long ago. It was almost 10 years ago when he and someone else had thought, dreamed together, about her, Swasti, as her parents. Until she had abandoned everything, destroyed every possible good they shared.

Today he was alone. Being a father and a mother to his Little Angel.

"You have one", he said gulping that mass of sadness that kept coming up.

"Where? Who? Why isn't she with us then?" she wanted answers. Answers which he had rehearsed for all these years. But when the time actually came, he couldn't. He just god-damn-it couldn't. Her eyes pierced through him. For the first time he felt helpless. He wanted to fall down but he could not, lest she thought her taat was weak. He wanted to put his head in his daughter's lap, cry, hold her, caress her, kiss his daughter with the affection of a mother, run away with her, just die there. He couldn't.

'Taat was a superman. He can do anything' she "knew".

"I am your mother. I am your 'aai'", and he broke down, wept like he was her child.

Swasti took his head in her hand, and he hugged her. She didn't ask any further, went in her room, and brought a small box. She took out a pinch of vermilion from it and put it on his forehead.

"I saw aaji do it to other women." and they both burst out laughing.

He picked her up in his arms. He knew his role had changed. He would now have to take two roles with more care. That now he would be closer to his angel than ever. He smiled inwardly.

She knew she had a friend now that was unlike any other at school. She would come home now to tell every small thing that happened in every small corner of their elementary. And she smiled, giggled, and put her head on his shoulder.

She went in and called Tara.

"I have a mother, I will tell others at school" and she told her everything as they always did, and they both giggled.

"I will see you in school tomorrow" and they hung-up.

"AAI", she called out.

He closed his eyes, smiled and answered,

"Yes beta.."