The Reunion - Concluding Part

“I’d like you all to welcome our new friend, Lalita Iyer”, the warden announced.

The dining hall of the old-age home suddenly came alive as everyone cheered in extending their new mate a warm welcome. Her smile, which was once an indication of her shyness now expressed fear and apprehension and her eyes wore a blank expression. In a few seconds she found herself surrounded by a group that was welcoming her ever so cheerfully. And in those few seconds her eyes were clouded with fear as she instinctively embraced herself. The warden lead her to the large dining table and seated her before asking her if she would like to have anything to eat or drink. Curious about Lalita everyone pulled up a chair to seat themselves around her and talk to her. But she had not uttered a word since she walked into that room. 

On the far end of the table sat an old man, bent over his cup of tea, his spectacles perched on a chiselled nose. He raised his head from the newspaper that he was reading to look at the person who had caused such excitement among the old hearts so early in the morning.  He looked once and looked again; the familiarity of the face stole his attention. He folded the newspaper and set it aside as he looked more keenly. His lips broke into a smile as his eyes captured the face that was the reason for all the excitement. He got up slowly, making his way to the crowd of grey-heads; he tried to comfort the lady who was being introduced to each of her new boarding companions. She didn’t smile in acknowledgement neither did she move away. She simply sat there, her face expressionless and her mind unable to register the many names that her ears were hearing. He walked away, silently, to the office to find out more about the lady who seemed more baffled than her age could tolerate!

The warden handed the files pertaining to Lalita as he sat down, securing his glasses to know more about the lady and why she what her circumstances were, that brought her here. Each one of them had a story, but the one promise they make as soon as they enter the home was to leave the past behind and look to the future. As his weak eyes crinkled to read the fine print he felt a tear drop from his eyes. It was Lalita…his Lalita. But did she carry so much bitterness for him in her heart that she refused to acknowledge him, even this time? He felt an ache in his heart. Just as he was about to close the file and return it to the warden his eyes caught the word - ALZHEIMER. He read it again, not trusting his old eyes but the warden confirmed what his aged eyes had just seen, “ Yes, Mr. Abhay, Lalita is an alzheimer’s patient. She was dropped off here by her friend’s family…” 

“ Rashmi…?”, he asked

“ Yes. She died two months ago and her family felt they were not responsible for Lalita. Alzheimer’s patients are difficult to care for…”

The tears flowed relentlessly as Abhay walked away slowly making his way back to the dining hall. He stood before her as she looked at him, not seeing him really.

“Hello, Lalita! I am Abhay..”, he said, hoping that the name would kindle some spark of memory in her. But she responded with a wry smile. Just then the nurse came along to take her away to settle her into her room. Abhay stood there as a mere spectator, feeling helpless with himself.

Over the next few days, while everyone was busy with their activities - yoga, prayer, reading and music, he spent time reading her file, talking to the in-house doctor and trying to understand this mentally debilitating disease. He spent hours with the doctor and in the computer room, learning how to handle patients of this illness. Every night he asked God, “ Why her?” hoping that some day He would give him a response. He tried to spend as much time with Lalita, who had become a favourite among the other inhabitants - she had a clam face and gentle persona and one could easily conclude that she was very beautiful in her younger days. Though she remembered little, no one minded that! They took turns in caring for her and they saw in her a hope and purpose in their own years of twilight.  

Abhay would read the paper to her every morning and verses from the Gita later in the day. Sometimes he read short stories to her and through all this he talked of their college days together. He always got a smile in response.

On her birthday, everyone was excited, as excited as their hearts could be! They requested for a special menu and planned the day, keeping in mind her own desires, their spirits never once dampened by the fact that she would remember nothing. For them, it was a way of showing her that she was loved, no matter what! A cake was ordered, the hall was decorated and a visit to the temple was planned for. 

A few of them decided to take her in the morning to the temple nearby. Lalita expressed no excitement…she didn’t remember it was her birthday; intact, she had to be told what a birthday was. She wore a white silk saree, her hair tied into a small knot, with flowers adorning it, and a string of pearls that perched themselves on her neck.

While the others got busy offering prayers at the temple, she sat quietly on the steps looking ahead, where she saw no future for herself. Abhay sat down there beside her, the two of them exchanging no more than a smile. The Sun was just rising and the picture that nature painted was absolutely magnificent. 

“I waited to hear from you, Abhay..”, she said suddenly breaking the long silence that had fallen between them, as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Abhay was surprised yet happy that she remembered him.

“Yes, Lalita…I’m sorry.. I …”

He looked down to see her eyes closed and her face peaceful. He felt her cheek with his palm and found it to be cold and then, he checked for her pulse…

As he broke down in tears, he did not know if she had heard his apology….

The Reunion - Part II

Lalita, the quintessential south Indian – long, thick tresses, braided neatly; the big, expressive eyes, kohl-ed to perfection; the wheatish complexion that hid some broken blood vessels beneath a layer of thin, delicate, skin; slender arms that were almost always adorned with bangles; small, perfect ears that played host to some beautiful earrings and a grace that came so naturally to her. She was so shy that her lips almost always stopped short of giving a complete smile; yet she was an epitome of sensuality that lay concealed behind her innocence. May be that’s where her attractiveness lay! What it was that drew her to Abhay, and him to her, could be anyone’s guess! 

Abhay had fist laid his eyes on her at a college social where she was performing a dance recital. While otherwise a shy girl, it was hard to believe how she was such an extrovert on the stage, creating the most beautiful interplay of grace and expression. Almost in an instant, he was mesmerised; almost in an instant, he was in love with her! And once he decided he was in love with her, it took no great effort on his part to win her affections.

They were different in almost all ways – culturally, socially and economically, with personalities that were directly opposite that of the other’s. Probably the adage that ‘opposites attract’ was proven here. Yet when love happened, well, it just happened. There was no logical rhyme or reason to it and so deep in love, they never ever counted their differences. While it was there for everyone else to see, they simply loved, oblivious to what the others thought or felt. Most bystanders predicted that it “wouldn’t last”, that it was mere “infatuation”; some would even lay wagers on their blossoming relationship. 

For Abhay and Lalita it was the most beautiful phase of their life – discovering each other, discovering love and, above all, discovering themselves. As their hearts raced, keeping pace with their emotions, everything seemed so surreal. For the shy Lalita love was an emotion that simply enveloped her; an experience that she simply surrendered to, unquestioningly. Her heart began to bloom and the mind just galloped away in thoughts of love.

Love was in the air, sure enough. It never ceased, finding itself in every moment of the day, including those when they were drawn apart from each other. Expressions were gentle and so was their acceptance. And the surrender became complete - divine and worshipful, exciting and restrained, all at once. Drifts of the air brought with it love and the soul drenched in its cascading emotions. Yet, somewhere the unlikeliness of this love lingered and puzzled them. What was it, really? Love…?

After all, the superficial social ‘walls’ were impregnable and, somewhere, their dreams seemed to move at a tangent. While she revelled in being accepted by him, he had other plans for life and all through, she secretly thanked him for finding her worthy of his love.

Lalita nurtured no dream but to love, completely and truly. And her love grew boundlessly as she, on her part, made no attempt to stem it. But suddenly an uncertainty crept into their love; love and youth can make for a very potent combination. Words of expression don’t seem enough and love finds other ways into the heart. She was beautiful, and he, crazy! And one rainy evening, they gave in to the desires of the moment…

As their days in college were coming to a close and the world outside was waiting with open arms, he gave wings to his ambitions, and she stood by him, supporting him in writing the script of his life, letting him know at all times that she was by his side. It  came as no surprise to anyone when he topped the final exams. And then, he was all set to leave. She was overjoyed; after all, his dreams were now hers, weren’t they?

Until the day he realised that she was actually never a part of his plans. His heart was heavy, but he left without tying up the lose ends and she saw nothing amiss about that. In her mind, she had faith, complete faith that left no room for an doubt. 

She wrote to him about her life and he wrote to her about his - at first a letter a day, and then a week and slowly a month. The letters become few and far between; yet, she had no word of complaint. Abhay was busy drawing out plans for his own future, a future where Lalita had no space. She waited patiently and uncomplainingly until the day he sent her his last letter. 

It seemed like all those who had foreseen the outcome of their love were proven right and her love, wrong. The thoughts of love in her mind gave way to questions on its fragility as she silently grieved the love that she had lost.

The passing years saw her cling on to her love as she picked up the ropes of a life that she had left behind. But it almost seemed like tragedy and Lalita were tied together in some sort of unfathomable relationship - she lost her family in an accident. The fear of being alone seemed almost insurmountable! She waited to hear from Abhay - some word of comfort to help her through the hard times but her wait turned out to be as long as her life…

(to be concluded...)

The Reunion

His hands trembled as he anxiously tore open the envelope that had his name printed in capitals – ‘ABHAY MEHTA’. It had been a while since he received a letter from anyone and this one was from his college – the one he had left behind 45 years ago, taking with him memories of the best years of his life and a handful of friends for a lifetime. A sense of anticipation and excitement had engulfed him as he read the invite – a white card with a neat print in gold, inviting him to the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the college….”You are cordially invited to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of College..”. His had been the first batch to join the college.

Age catches up, no matter what. And this came as a reminder of the 45 years that had elapsed since the time he left a slice of his life behind. Memories came gushing like waters from a dam whose floodgates had just been opened – the years of sheer abandon, light-heartedness and…..love. 45 years is a long time, a lifetime, actually. In that many years after graduating, people build a life, become grandparents, accumulate professional successes and a kitty of rewards that come with a life well lived. He had none of those…well, almost – a fruitful career, maybe, and some creature-comforts for the grey years of his life. Of course, not to forget the friends that walked along in his journey and in whose celebrations of success and achievements, he always partook.

He laid the card on the table and walked towards the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee when the ringing of the telephone beckoned him. Somehow, even the ring had a tone of excitement about it and he knew, instinctively, that it must be Rajiv. 

“Yes…”

“Sure”

The monosyllabic conversation with Rajiv was over. They were going to the Golden Jubilee!

Work had taken him to Mumbai (then, Bombay) many a time in the past, but he never felt either an urge or a desire to walk into his college. He would pass it by and look at it, his face lighting up with a smile, but never stopping to linger awhile even if to take a longer glimpse at the place that was his Alma Mater - five years of discovering the self, growing up carefree, oblivious to the harsh realities of the world outside and hardly ever giving the future a thought. The years drifted along and so did he. The gold medal that he secured for topping in the final year, that now found a place of pride alongside his many academic and professional awards on the shelf in his study, stood as testimony to the wonderful years he spent in the college. Also stood as testimony the pictures from those years, which lay tucked away in an album, faded and neglected at the bottom of a chest on the attic. 

As Rajiv and he boarded the flight, one was visibly excited at the prospect of meeting friends and classmates from decades ago, and the other quiet and sombre, containing his excitement within himself. Always known to be of a reserved demeanour, it was hard to tell what was churning within that brain. It seemed, in many ways, as if Abhay had built walls around himself to protect his vulnerabilities from the outside world. But, paradoxical as it may seem, it was that very vulnerability that was one of his most endearing traits! His eyes portrayed a gentleness just as his smile a warmth. Abhay was the smartest in class and also the quietest and many perceived him as being rather stoic. The only one who was allowed to get close enough to know him and be able read his mind was Rajiv.    

They checked into the hotel that was closest to the college, the venue of the celebrations. Over the years the two of them had become so close that Rajiv could listen to Abhay’s silences and make sense of it all. While Abhay was always the one to keep things in order, Rajiv was diametrically opposite, throwing things around and Abhay was often a witness to his wife, Seema’s displeasure. Once in the room they were to sharing during their stay, Abhay busied himself with unpacking - the dark blue suit found its place in the closet and the shoes tucked away too, the toiletries arranged immaculately on the dresser; all this while Rajiv didn’t feel the need to unpack “just for a couple of days”.

Being the ever social and friendly one, Rajiv tried to contact most of their batchmates and knew who to expect. As he busied himself contacting those who had already arrived and made plans for the evening, Abhay sat in the high backed chair, overlooking the expanse of the sea, book in hand but eyes lost to the images that floated from the mind’s memory. Suddenly he was not sure if coming down for the celebration was a good idea! It seemed like stoking memories that were left far behind in the narrow, neglected lanes of the past. After all, Life changes people!

The auditorium was overflowing with the most handsome, old men and the most beautiful, graceful, old women! The music was from the time of their years in college, wafting through the din, as batch-mates walked in in their finest double-breasts and the ladies sashayed away in lovely sarees. The elegance of the evening was breath-taking as wrinkled faces and grey heads celebrated the wonder of life!

Rajiv headed straight for the bar and, sure enough, found himself engaged with old friends and acquaintances from the past as Abhay perched himself on a bar-stool, making idle conversation with faces that only triggered a vague memory of being together once. His eyes occasionally gave the door a fleeting glance hoping that they would convey some pleasant news to his heart that was beating like that of a teenager, forgetting the long years that it had functioned.

Rajiv made his way in the crowd, catching up with everyone, laughing away happily…being himself. Suddenly, he walked with  an urgency towards Abhay and signalled for him to ‘come along’. Abhay left rather reluctantly, having to give up the vantage point from where he could have caught a glimpse of everyone who came in past the door. He expressed his slight irritation as he was led by Rajiv through the crowds of faces that were once familiar.

Time stood still. And his aged heart skipped a beat as his eyes fell on her. The eyes welled up with tears, the glass of wine shaking in his hand and the lips concealing a joy that knew no bounds. She was there, alive and as graceful as he remembered her from 50 years back. Elegant in a dark blue saree, her grey hair pulled behind in a knot and a string of pearls caressing her still delicate neck. She stood beside her best friend, Rashmi, smiling gently as people came by to greet them. Abhay stood at the distance just soaking in the moments as Rajiv stood beside him, the silence between them at that moment conveying more than any spoken words could. Images from the past formed hazy pictures in the mind, as the lady he loved stood before his eyes, oblivious to his presence in the large hall that was like a hive of commotion.

Rashmi noticed Abhay taking small, almost baby steps, towards them. Her lips, almost instinctively curved to form a smile but she quickly stopped herself, though she was betrayed by her eyes. She held on to Lalita’s arm protectively as they continued to make their way through the crowds. Rajiv and Rashmi exchanged a warm embrace and exchanged notes, bringing each other upto speed on how they had experienced life; all this while Lalita stood beside her, her face exuding a kind warmth. 

As Abhay walked towards Lalita, it seemed like he was traversing half the globe; his steps small but sure, his gait confident and his eyes not blinking, scared that they’d miss a blinking-moment without seeing her.  As he walked closer and his eyes gave him a clearer vision of her, he was convinced he hadn’t ever seen a more beautiful woman than her. Just as he was about to greet Rashmi and Lalita, Rashmi gently lead Lalita away. Seeing the look of helplessness cloud the hope in Abhay’s eyes, Rajiv lead Rashmi away on the pretext of having her meet one of their friends.Rashmi whispered something into Lalita’s ears and she nodded as if in agreement. As their eyes met, Abhay thanked Rajiv, his face expressing gratitude. He held out his hand to greet Lalita who took it in her own as if it were a flower..

“Hello, nice to meet you”…!

Abhay was a bit surprised by her reaction; after all they were meeting after decades and he expected a more animated reaction from her.

She was the woman he loved; the only one he held in his heart for all these years. 

As they seated themselves away from the din, he found himself at a complete loss for words. He had planned on saying so much but didn’t know where to begin! They glanced at each other, and she asked him softly, “Do I know you?”

Puzzled, he introduced himself again, receiving only a warm smile in acknowledgement. That smile took him back years, when they first met as young students, still wet behind the ears. So much had changed since then and today Abhay had come more for himself than for her.

Every few minutes Lalita would notice Abhay seated next to her and ask him if she were supposed to know him. Though saddened that she had no recollection of him, each time Abhay responded with patience, trying to remind her that he was her classmate… She would smile in response and continue to behave as if it rang no bell at all. He began speaking to her slowly, gently cajoling her memory to any recollection she might have of him from the years when they were together.

Lalita seemed to be paying attention, sitting still, except for occasionally asking for Abhay to introduce himself. As Abhay tried to take her back half a century in time, he felt a sense of despair but her eyes, as gentle as they were, simply refused to respond to any of his attempts.

“ They dance so well!” she exclaimed.

Abhay turned towards her, smiling at her first expression of excitement. 

“Would you like to…”, he asked but he was interrupted by her.

“ No, no! I don’t know how to…”

“…you were a great dancer”, he said, in an attempt to complete his sentence.

As silence fell between them again, he was puzzled by her reaction. Had she no recollection of her passion for dance? He looked at her making absolutely no attempt at concealing his emotions, his eyes welling up as he tried to unravel the puzzle that the lovely lady had become.

Rashmi walked towards them, her steps as quick as her age could permit, with worry writ all over her face. Ignoring Abhay’s presence there, she spoke to Lalita and lead her away like a mother would her child. Abhay sat there not knowing how to react, his hands losing grip over the empty glass that shattered to the ground, breaking into a hundred small pieces that could never be put together again…

(to be continued...) 

The Psychic Bench

“Hey there! That’s my back you have your foot on..”

Startled, the young man looked around to see where the voice came from but found no one in sight. He continued tying the laces of his shoe, his actions giving away his state of mind.

“Okay, now it’s not my fault that she dumped you; so, if you'd please get your foot off my back, may be we could…talk a while?”

The young man quickly put is foot on the ground and bent to look under the bench to see if there was someone crunching beneath it. Not finding anyone, he dismissed hearing the voice as something he imagined and sat down on the bench to await the arrival of the bus.

“That’s better, this is what I am meant for!”

The young man heard that voice again and for a second he thought he was losing his mind ,too; as if losing the one person he loved the most was not enough!

“Hi, it’s I, the bench you sit on.”

“Eh?”

“Yes, you heard me right!”

“So, you are a talking bench?”

“Yes, sort of!”

“That’s the first of a kind I’ve come across..”

“Yeah..I’m different”

“Why did she break up with you?”

“Now, now, how do you know that?”

“Oh, doesn’t matter! Tell me…”

“Well, it was all my fault. I hurt her and deserved it!”

“Hmm..Did you apologise?”

“Well…hmmm…no…”

“Do you love her?”

“More than my life!”

“Does she know?”

“I’m not sure…I haven’t been good at expressing it, I suppose.”

“Then…run along! Go tell her you do. Now!”

“But…”

“Leave no place for ‘ ifs’ and ‘buts’  here, my boy. Love isn’t that easy to come by..!”

In an instant, the young man was up on his feet.

“You’re right! Catch you later..!”

“Your legs seem to be hurting again. Did you see a doctor?”

“I haven’t had the time. My job at the store gives me no time; you know that!”

“Yes, I’ve heard you mention that before. Come, sit awhile and rest those feet…”

The lady slumped onto the bench, giving her tired legs the much needed rest.

“How’ve ya been?”

“Ah, well, the usual, you know! I meet some old friends and make some new ones…It’s a steady job…”

“I envy you!”

“Why’s that?”

“You have friends!”

“I don’t have a family, Mrs.Thompson”

At that, Mrs.Thompson gave the bench a loving pat.

“Do make time to see a doctor, Mrs.Thompson!”

She waved with a smile as she boarded the bus.

“Hello, Mitch, the markets still in the red?”

“Hey, wassup? Oh yes, hard days ahead…”

“Oh, please don’t sit on me today, I have a broken leg!”

“Ouch, how did that happen?”

Mitch quickly jumped off the bench to check what was wrong with the leg

“Oh, that must hurt..”

“Yes, it does. And not everyone is kind enough as to stand a while..”

“Hmm. Have they checked it?”

“No one has come to check on me in the last year, Mitch. That was when I was painted, remember?” 

“Oh yeah. I remember the ‘Wet Paint’ warning that you carried”, Mitch said, with a smile.

“I could have ruined my best Armani, you know”, he joked, trying to ease of some of the pain the bench was suffering.

“How would I know? I’ve never worn a suit all my life!” 

“Ha ha ha…Let me see if I can fix your leg for you”, he said as he bent down to check what  was wrong with the leg.

“I’ll fix that for you!” Mitch declared.

“Thank you! But would you have the time?”

“I’ll make the time”, he said with a smile as he prepared to board the bus that was approaching.

“Hello, Ram! Did you receive your pension cheque, yet?”

“No, no. Everytime there’s  new reason I’m given for the delay.”

“I’m sorry..”

“Yeah, so am I! I had promised my wife we would get our daughter married soon and I need the money for that; the grooms have their demands, you know?”

“Oh, yes, I do;I’ve heard those discussions here!”

“If I refuse to give a dowry, no one will marry my daughter and everyone in the community will look down upon me..”

“But your daughter is so charming, well-mannered and educated…what can be more valuable than her?”

“Oh, she’s the apple of my eye!”

“Why don’t you post a note here. You could find just the right person for here…”

“How could I do that?”, Ram said in astonishment at the preposterous suggestion.

“Don’t get me wrong, Ram. But you might just find the right person for her - someone who values her, not the dowry she would bring along.”

“Hmm..so would do you suggest?”

“Just put up a note - ‘ Wealthy father looking for suitable husband for daughter to transfer wealth to’. Put in a few details and an address and await responses.“

“I can’t give away my daughter in marriage to some random man!”

“Trust me on this.”

Ram pinned a note on the board just behind the bench and left with mixed feelings.

Two days later, Mitch repaired the leg, a young lady painted the bench all pink, Mrs. Thompson brought her family along and Ram shared a response he received from a young bachelor - ‘ With a daughter like that, you sure are the wealthiest man on Earth’.

A note from The Psychic Bench : I've been at the bus-stop ever since the birth of this stop. At first I was exposed to the elements, without a shelter, and had to bear the wrath of the scorching Sun, the tirade of the rains and the bite of the cold winter. But after a while I was provided with some shelter. I have been painted, repaired and maintained, but not discarded. And in my long years here, I have come across people of all kinds.

The Second Chance

She lay on the bed in the small nursing home, trembling at the news the doctor gave her, a tear escaping from her eyes even as his words rang loud in her ears. 

“Listen, Maya, it was all a mistake. I don’t love you! These things happen, you know”, he’d simply said on hearing that she was pregnant with his child.

“I’m sure you know what you must do…”, he said, rather matter-of-factly.

She walked away without uttering a word.

As she made her way home, her faith in love shattered, she resolved never to look back at this point in her life again.

In the years that followed, Maya went to business school and secured a good job for herself as an investment banker and had developed an ambition that bordered on aggressive. While she was friendly, she was also guarded in the way she interacted with people and work was her retreat from the outside world. Her life was structured within the boundaries of work and her home and it clearly suffered from a deficiency of a social life but it was something Maya did not think much about. While her parents felt it was their responsibility to see her settle down into matrimony, she harboured no such desire.

“You will need a life-partner”, her mother tried reasoning.

“Amma, to begin with, I don’t have a life!”, she responded, not looking up from her laptop.

These conversations were getting repetitive, until one night over dinner, Maya stated that she had no intention of getting married. As was expected, her mother did get quite melodramatic about it, arguing that this would provide fodder for people to gossip about but her father respected her decision, hoping silently that she would go back on it in the future.

“Maya, could you come home a little early tomorrow?” her father asked, as he sat on the chair in her room.

“Sure, Appa! Want me to take you somewhere?”

“Your sister is bringing someone over for us to meet…”

“That’s wonderful! What time do you want me home?”

The family got busy with wedding arrangements, though for her mother, this was not the way it was supposed to be. In her mother’s book of the ‘ideal’, the elder daughter was to marry first!

“Your younger sister is settling down now”

“Yes Amma, and I am so happy for her!”

“Have you given it a thought…?”

“Given what a thought, Amma?”

“Don’t pretend to be naïve, Maya! You know what I mean..”, her mother sounded irritated.

“Amma, can we make a deal?”

“I’m not your client, Maya, for you to strike deals with! I am your mother and I think it is quite natural for me to desire that you get married”.

“Amma..”, Maya said, suppressing a smile but trying to cajole her mother at the same time.

“Amma, I shall think about it, I promise. But you also will have to promise me you will not bring this topic up again…”.

“For how long?” her mother persisted, encouraged that she had made some headway.

“Ha ha ha! Two years…I promise!”

“Two years?”

“Three, then?”, Maya retorted with a smile.

“No, no…two years is fine. I hope I don’t die before that!”

A conversation with her mother was incomplete without the ingredients of blackmail and melodrama!

As the months passed by, she noticed her mother strike them off on the calendar. And she knew that she was running out of time for her next excuse.

“Maya, guess what!”

“You’re going to tell me anyway…”

“I’m pregnant!”

The words hit her hard, bringing back scenes from the back of her mind.

“Maya…?”

“Ah, yes, I’m here… Congratulations! That’s wonderful news. Have you told Amma, yet?” she asked, hoping that her mother’s attention would be diverted by this news, from striking of the months from her calendar.

“I tried; her line was busy. Shall call her now!”, she said, hanging up.

Maya was distracted by the thoughts that ran through her mind – the child would have been ten years old now…

She cancelled all her meetings for the day and left for home early. The atmosphere in the house was euphoric and Maya thought “this is how the news is to be received”! She excused herself feigning a headache and retired to her room. The scenes from years ago came like an avalanche, every image clear in its detail. While she was very happy for her sister, she noticed her own maternal instincts coming to the fore.

Her sister moved back for her confinement and her mother was so ecstatic at her impending elevation in relationship-status that her calendar lay neglected in a corner.

“Maya, just feel this!”, her sister would draw Maya’s hand to her expanding abdomen

“Ah, the baby kicks!”

Her involvement in her sister’s pregnancy was getting more intense and so were the emotions that were running in her mind. She began spending longer hours at work, even travelling more than earlier, in an attempt to keep memories from taking over her life.

“Maya, your sister has gone into labour! We are taking her to the hospital. “

“Oh okay! I’ll be there as soon as possible, Amma”.

By the time she reached the hospital the baby had arrived.

“Congratulations, Maya! You are an aunt now..!!” her mother exclaimed, sounding over the moon.

“Here, hold her…”

As Maya held the baby in her arms, she felt a tear roll down her cheek. Noticing that, her mother was almost sure that her calendar would no longer be needed!

“Amma, Appa, I am bringing someone home tomorrow for you to meet..”

“Really? I hope you aren’t making fun of me!” her mother sounded excited.

“No, Amma…5 p.m. tomorrow”

The house was spruced up and the stoves in the kitchen worked overtime, preparing delicacies for the special guest expected in the evening. Her mother was hoping that all would go well and the long standing desire of her life would be fulfilled.

The doorbell rang and her father hastened to open the door, not wanting to keep the special guest Maya was bringing home, waiting long.

“Amma, Appa I’d like you to meet Tara, my daughter.”

Her mother slumped into the sofa, not knowing what to say and her father stood there not knowing what to do.

As the child took tiny, unsteady steps into the house, Maya knew she was now a mother. And she did not need a man to make her one!