It has been a long and tiring day. I drag myself up the two floors to my one bedroom room house in Police Quarters. I hate going up and down these narrow stairs, stained with paan. But, I know that I’m lucky to have a roof over my head.
For the first two years after I joined the force, I lived in a dingy chawl. After I got sick of having to stand in line, every single day, just to use the filthy communal toilet, I flushed my principles down that toilet, and paid the asking price, to speed up my house allotment.
As I enter my house, I remember another day, two years ago, when I was feeling just as tired. I sink into the saggy sofa, and let my mind wander into the past.
My maid hadn’t come to work that day. The pile of dishes in the sink, seemed to have doubled. I glared at my husband, lying on the sofa, staring blankly at the TV. That’s all he did, those days. Stared at the TV, or into his glass. He wasn’t even a mean drunk, just a pathetic one.
Sometimes, I used to wish that he’d actually hit me…just so that I could hit him back.
What a waste of a good man! Destroying his life, just because he couldn’t father a child. I wanted to think about adoption, but, Satish couldn’t think beyond the fact that he was sterile. His participation in life ended the day he got his test reports. He just stopped living, and merely existed, at the bottom of his bottle, soaked in daaru.
I remember wondering if I should tell him. Would it even register in his bewda brain?
A week ago, a newborn baby girl had been found abandoned, in a public toilet. My Station had responded to the call, and we had to follow up the case. That day, the baby was being discharged from hospital, but, could not be placed in an ashram for at least a month. My senior officers wanted me to keep the baby, till there was a vacancy in the ashram.
I flatly refused. I felt sorry for the baby and everything. But, I just couldn’t give her the sort of care that she needed. Not by myself.
But, my seniors pulled rank on me. They even bought me a month’s stock of formula milk, bottles and diapers. I had to bring the baby home, and hope for the best.
When I came home with the baby, Satish was passed out. For the first couple of weeks, I struggled with three hourly feeds, and diapers and sleepless nights, and Satish just ignored us.
One morning, after a very bad night, I woke up from a nap, and looked around for the baby. I couldn’t believe my eyes!
Satish was sitting on the bed, next to me, feeding the baby!
He looked up at me, and shrugged.
“She was crying, and I was awake. Go back to sleep, she’s fine.”
It took me three more days to realise that there weren’t any bottles of daaru lying around the house, and that the house and my husband, were both looking cleaner. I often found him sitting near the baby, staring at her.
For me, the unthinkable had happened. I fell in love with the baby, and didn’t want to give her over to the ashram. On an impulse, I asked them if I could adopt the baby.
I spent the whole night worrying about what Satish would say. No matter what he said, I wasn’t giving up my baby.
In the morning, I told him that I had applied for adopting the baby.
He left the house without a word, and returned in the afternoon…with a tiny doll, and the best news that I had heard in years.
Satish had convinced his old boss to give him a job!
“We have a daughter now, and I’m going to take care of my family,” he said, with tears running down his face.
“Naina, when she stared into my eyes, I felt like she was looking into my soul, and judging me. Suddenly, my self pity seemed so immature and unimportant. I wanted to become a better man, just to be able to look her in the eye.”
Our daughter is now two years old. She jumps out of her father’s arms and comes running towards me. I grab her and kiss her sweet little face…my Lakshmi, who brought hope and happiness into my life… my little treasure.
I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words #6
#writetribe #writingbravely #festivalofwords
Such a heartwarming tale, Apeksha! It just restores my faith in humanity. Brilliant start to the challenge! Way to go! 🙂
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Thank you Shalzzz 🤗🤗
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Wow this was such a perfect ending to the story. I loved it. Totally.
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Thank you Bhavya 🤗🤗
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What a lovely heartwarming tale, Apeksha. Loved it. Great start to the 7 days ahead. 🙂
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Thank you Esha. Loved yours too. 🤗
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While reading I wished it to end the same way. Loved this one. One of my favorite subjects.
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Thank you 🤗
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Such a happy ending, and so happy that Satish grew fond of the baby!
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Thank you Z 🤗
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A positive, beautiful story. Love that the police person is a woman, and the uplifting, hopeful ending.
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Thank you D 😊
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I love this! I write a lot of dark fiction, but I’m a sucker for redemption and happy endings.
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Thank you Holly. For some reason, it’s easier to write dark stories. I have to struggle to end my stories on a happy note. 😊
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Heartwarming. Glad that things brightened up for the childless couple. The story was finely woven.
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Thank you 😊
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I am sitting here in the hospital besides my daughter who is ill. It is early in the morning and I have been awake all night. As I read this, I felt my eyes fill with tears. The good kind and I smiled after I don’t know how many days. Thanks for writing such a lovely story.
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Thank you Sunita. How is your daughter doing now?
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Wow. Iam sobbing for joy. You touched my heart with this drama. Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you for your kind words Steph 😊
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A very beautiful start short&sweet
apeksha ,i liked it
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Thank you Nuzhat 🤗
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Warmed the cockles of my heart. Glad to know that there is a good world out there. Continue spreading hope and joy around.
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Thank you 🤗
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Apeksha, this is such a beautiful story. Now, this is inspiring me to write one. Very well done.
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Yes yes! Write one, soon. Waiting to read it. 🤗 thank you for the kind words.
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Human emotions stories are the best to read but so so tough to write and I think you aced this one brilliantly.
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Thank you 🤗
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Such a heartwarming story.
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Thank you Balaka 😊
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Very touchy story with oodles of sympathy, love and grace! So many shades of life, all fitted so well in one frame.
Anagha From Team MocktailMommies
https://mocktailmommies.blogspot.com
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Thank you Anagha 😊
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Lovely story .Keep writing positive stories .It makes for such a change amongst negativity.
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Thank you 😊
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Beautiful start to the writing festival Apeksha! Loved this heart-warming tale and your soulful narration.
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Thank you Kala 😊
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Wow… This is such a beautiful and heart warming story. And I really loved your narration. 🙂
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Thank you Rajlakshmi 😊
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Apeksha, your story brought tears to my eyes (happy ones). A touching and inspiring story that touches chords in the readers’ hearts.Lovely, beautiful post.
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Thank you Sulekha 😊
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What a beautiful story, Apeksha! I could imagine the entire story you created. You sure have a way with words!
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Thank you Gypsy🤗🤗
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You write so well Apeksha. Children always bring happiness whether your own blood or adopted.
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Thank you Geethica. True words 😊
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Love it. I won’t say more. 🙂 I love children, and I know how they can change the mood instantly from sadness to joy. And that magic is so reflected here.
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Thank you 🤗🤗
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Indeed a heartfelt story….Children truly bring happiness.They are a pathway where parents unite.Lovely,beautiful post
http://www.simpleindianmom.in/grit-new-quotient-to-success/
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Thank you 🤗
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Aww! That’s such a heartwarming tale, Apeksha. Glad that it worked out beautifully for all three of them.
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Thank you Shilpa 😊
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A positive story gripping from start to end. Full of emotions and a lovely message for all.
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Thank you Aunty 😊
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Go, Apeksha. One of your best ever. Keep going. I reiterate that you must be printed.
What a storyteller. Kudos!
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Thank you for your lovely words, Kishore Anna. 😊
Working on your idea.
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What a lovely story so touchingly told…..
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Thank you 🤗
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Such a beautiful tale.
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Thank you.
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Thats what a baby does….tugs our heart strings and make us her slave….cute story
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Thank you 😊
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Such a beautiful story. Sometimes he universe does conspire to give you exactly what you need!
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Very true. 🤗
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Aww! such a heart warming tale… Loved it…!
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Thank you 🤗🤗
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