Short Story

The Shenoys were residents of Banjara hills, Hyderabad which is now a part of Telangana. Shantanu Shenoy worked for the LIC and his wife was a bank employee. Shantanu Shenoy and Gayatri Shenoy had a son named Vikrant. The couple worked hard to provide their only son a decent education. Vikrant studied in the best schools and colleges of Hyderabad, did software engineering from IIT Chennai and went to work in the United States. He secured placement in the best software company of LA California .During his initial years in LA, he made frequent calls to his parents, chatted with them over skype and even sent tickets for them to visit him. After a few years, he married Columbian girl and settled there. The calls to his parents had now become infrequent. He cited official work as the reason behind his lack of communication with his parents.

Vikrant’s mother Gayatri fell ill and passed away but he did not show up even for her last rites. Infuriated, Shantanu decided to dispossess Vikrant from his property. When Vikrant learnt about this, he flew back to India with his wife and 1 year old son. He said he would involve the best of lawyers to assert his claim on his ancestral property. His father said- You have proved that we are not related by blood.

What do you mean?- questioned Vikrant.

Many, many years ago, Gayatri and I had found a baby at the temple doorstep in the wee hours of the night. We brought the baby home and decided that we would do our best to provide this child a happy home and a secure future.

Why don’t you go for a DNA test to ascertain as to what your father is saying is right- said Vikrant‘s wife to her worried husband. The idea seemed plausible to Vikrant. He decided to undergo the DNA test and waited with bated breath for the test reports.

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To his utter disbelief, his father Shantanu had failed the DNA test. Vikrant was shame-faced and teary eyed for having deceived his adoptive parents.

That night Ramu kaka, an old and dependable servant of the Shenoy’s questioned Mr Shantanu- If Vikrant was adopted, why was it kept under wraps for so many years. I find this hard to believe!

He was not adopted… we are very much related by blood… it’s just that our DNAs do not match!- said Mr Shantanu and retired to his room.