The Fourth Daughter (ON HOLD)

2. THE CORD SNAPS

26th August 1982

Ramachandran's house.

It was 1:00 in the morning.  Gayathri was sitting in the living room nervously looking around the empty room unsure of what to do. It was dark and quiet, she could hear her own heart beating.

Ramachandran had woken her up in the middle of the night and had said her to take care of her sisters as he rushed to the hospital with Kaleshwari who had gone into labour. He had also informed her that their neighbor would come to look after them. 

Gayathri heard the opening of the gate outside. She quickly got up and went to the door. 

She opened the door a little bit and called out, " Ramya Aunty is that you?"

"Yes Gayathri dear,  it is me" 

"What took you so long aunty I was getting really scared!" exclaimed Gayathri opening the door to let her in.

"Oh I am so sorry Gaya, now that I am here, why don't you go and sleep with your sisters" suggested Ramya.

"No, I am don't think so I can sleep now, I am so worried about amma, is she alright?  questioned Gayathri.

"Don't worry Gayathri, your mom will be perfectly fine, God will bless her and take care of her"

"Yeah you are right aunty, for the past few months she went to the temple every day, and prayed to...." Gayathri was lost mid sentence unsure of how to continue.

"Yes Gaya, go on...."

"She prayed to God for a boy aunty, I mean it will be a boy right? It can't be a girl...."

" Gayathri, it is all in the God's hands, it is him who sets our lives, and always remember that whatever the path He sets, will always be for  our well being. So trust God and we have to accept life as it comes." advised Ramya

"Yes... But..."  Gayathri still felt unconvinced

"Gayathri there is a lot of time for dawn, why don't you get some sleep, I shall take care of your sisters and the house" said Ramya caringly placing a hand on Gayathri's head.

"Alright Aunty, you too get some sleep" said Gayathri getting up " Thanks for coming Aunty, Good Night!" 

"Oh, you don't have to thank me, good night Gaya! Don't worry about anything, you will wake up in the morning to good news." 

Gayathri slowly walked to the bed room and saw her sisters lying peacefully close to each other, as she went to sleep next to her sisters, Kayal woke up and sleepily asked " Is everything fine Gaya Akka?" 

Gayathri sighed replied " We have to trust God, and try our best to accept things that happen"

Kayal feebly muttered something in acknowledgement and went back to sleep

"Yeah, we have to trust God " repeated Gayathri to herself and went to sleep with multiple thoughts swirling in her head.

In the village government hospital.

Ramachandran was walking up and down the empty corridor completely lost in thought. As soon as he had reached the hospital, Kaleshwari was taken to one of the hospital rooms. 

Nurses kept walking in and out of Kaleshwari's room. He could feebly hear Kaleshwari's cries from inside. Ramachandran was extremely tensed. All these days he was completely sure that it would be a boy, but all of a sudden he had this nagging thought "What will I do if it is a girl?". He could not even imagine such a scenario.