Playing Ludo is still Reena Hatwal’s favorite pastime even in her 60th year.  With her colleagues too after lunch a game was mandatory. She is a retired stenographer. Normally romantic people prefer a quickie to appease their carnal desires but for Reena ludo is the thing. It was her quickie and everything felt good after having her way. A couple of years ago her husband Ritiesh died of a heart attack. They were complete opposites as a couple but love bloomed. Two kids added to their joys. Struggles were unavoidable but both their kids had decent marriage arrangements. Ritesh was a chemist and now the shop is their son’s Ravi’s responsibility. Sandhya prefers to be a homemaker and visits her mom Reena often.

Colleagues of Reena once in a blue moon drop by and then long chats are the flavor of the day. They are more like a family to her; a few of them also stay the night to give her company. She likes to start her day with a short morning walk even though she has people around. After finishing her breakfast these walks energise her. Ritesh loved to sleep till late so he never could tag along on days she was home. Once the kids were married off, couple goals took centre stage but this aspect just couldn’t make the cut. They had trips and outings whenever time allowed and warmth grew a shade more each passing year. A cardiac arrest would take Ritesh away from her Reena never had imagined.

Ravi and Sandhya were studious children. They both passed their graduation with flying colours and then Ravi opted to accompany his dad to share the burden. After marrying off his sister he too got married. For some years he was in a relationship with his college friend but a breakup was imminent as she belonged to an affluent family. It was a mismatch from the very start but love makes one do strange things. It was a steady relationship but could not go the distance. Awkwardly both went their separate ways and Sangeeta filled his broken heart in no time. She worked as an assistant editor in a magazine and showed her affection towards her mother-in-law by playing Ludo whenever she could. 

‘Why is it your favourite indoor sport, Ma?’, Sangeeta asked Reena one day. 

‘It reminds me of my childhood days and they were wonderful. Sometimes those innocent carefree days when everything was pure fun are only needed. Just the thrill of winning and losing so as to win again just makes my day, you agree Sangeeta?, questioned Reena.

‘Golden days of childhood are just magical and I can relate to them,’ Sangeeta had added. 

It was Reena’s decision that after marriage Ravi should live separately in the two room house the couple had gifted him on his wedding day. Ritesh and Reena had saved enough from their earnings to give him a space of his own once he settled down. For a month Ravi had opposed it but his parents insisted that they too need their alone time as both the kids are walking on matrimonial trappings. Ravi saw the point and fulfilled their wish from next month onwards. Son and father met in the shop regularly and often Reena packed his food too. Sangeeta found her mother-in-law’s gesture cute and returned the favor likewise on days she had time. 

Ritesh just loved Reena’s broadminded approach. During summers he moved only in his lowers and having a daughter-in-law around for the rest of their lives in the house would have been boring. A saree was not Reena’s go to apparel. It was always salwar kameez even to work. At home she preferred a sleeveless top and pajamas. Till her in-laws were alive she wore only sarees. Shoulder length hair was manageable. Almond eyes and full lips made her look attractive. Her figure was not bad and Ritesh in his crew cut hair with an average body complimented her looks. He loved her arms, they were thin yet fleshy. Ritesh was skinny and tall. A stubble once in a while made Reena desire him more. Romance had re-entered their lives once Ravi and Sangeeta shifted to their gifted abode. 

After Ritesh’s demise, life was hard yes but had not stopped. Instead of staying with her children on alternate years she got an offer she just couldn’t refuse. Her younger brother Lalit is in real estate in a different city. After putting her house on rent he got Reena a 1 BHK flat some 20 minutes away from his haven of peace. This way not only she enjoyed her alone time which she never had but also fulfilled her wish of not being a burden to her kids. She wanted her brother to be the kid she never had. He loved money and not education. Lalit had left the house when he was 14. From the very beginning he was street smart and made influential contacts. He had a mind of his own. He worked his ass off and got into this business brick by brick. She missed Lalit as Reena used to play Ludo with him till he abandoned her and left. He had bigger dreams. 

Lalit was into girls with no attachments. Now in his early fifties he is married and his wife Brinda who is 20 years younger to him is expecting their kid. Reena wants to be around for this phase of his life. For men when wives are pregnant they need a distraction. Some go for paid sex and few who are committed don’t give into their basic instincts. Spending time with his elder sister was a better option to catch up as well as focus on more important things. Conversations were due and both brother and sister felt that was the need of the hour.  

‘Let’s play Ludo, Laali,’ beamed Reena.

‘Oh please no, this is the game that conveyed to me that this is not the life I want. Come out of home with four pillars, get hit and then return to get struck and then if lucky come home safe after striking the opponent. I didn’t want to bump anybody. It made me realise there is more to life than this’, shared Lalit. 

‘For me Ludo is four opportunities to get safe back home even if one is repeatedly hit. It’s the same homecoming with a new story of twists and turns as one heads back home,’ resonated Reena. 

‘That is why I got into real estate as I didn’t want the same home to come to Ree Di,’ confessed Lalit. 

Reena smiled and said nothing. Two people from the same womb, one loves the game and the other detests it yet both found their purpose and are living it. The rent which she gets from Hatwal Villa Reena is saving it for construction of a second storey on it. Lalit is repaying Reena for enlightening him about the life he wanted through Ludo. He has gifted the house to his Ree Di. For all the years he was away he felt indebted to her. He wants to take care of her by freeing her children from any responsibility or burden. Reena too wants Lalit to take care of it all  but her pension keeps her independent monetarily. She did not produce kids for her old age and this is where both the siblings are similar. Lalit enjoys watching Ree Di play Ludo as a lone player though.