Cherry Blossom

Just A Moment Of Bliss

The narrow streets of Delhi were crowded with people hopping from one shop to another in search of something which catches their eye. The sun shone upon them, making the jovial crowd turn towards the juice seller at the far corner of the street.

On that same street, Reshma runned her very own boutique to support both of her daughters as a single mother. Life wasn't easy for the three of them but somehow they managed to find happiness despite the sorrows surrounding them.

"Zoya!" Reshma called out to her twenty year old daughter, while working her way on the sewing machine.

"Yes mother," she replied appearing in the narrow hallway of their boutique which was full of various clothing material.

"See I made a dress for you," Reshma said, holding up a white coloured Indian ethnic for Zoya to look at. "You can wear it in your sister's wedding."

Zoya happily walked towards her mother and took the dress from her hands with a child like gleam.

"Thank you so much," she said and ran inside to show her elder sister the gift from her mother.

Sofia who was busy solving a maths problem looked up when she heard her sister calling out for her.

"What happened?" she asked.

"See, ammi made a new dress for me!" Zoya exclaimed and twirled around while holding the dress.

For Zoya this was an event worth celebrating. They hardly ever got new dresses, because most of their income was spent on necessities and so they survived on the bare minimum.

It has always been like this for people living in the narrow streets or crowded slums whether it be Dharavi or the Bhalswa. Having a roof on their head is all they could dream of. The continuous hardships of life have made them almost incapable of hoping for a better life.

They hardly ever get a chance to actually come out of these areas and live life without any care in the world. They go on everyday working day and night just so they can afford at least one meal a day. They have no clue so as to how it feels to sit in an air conditioned room and eat three meals a day. They have never known how a luxury car works or how it feels to sit inside it.

It is even more harder for the girls. They almost never go to school and when they do, they drop out early and are married off. Having no idea how it feels to independent or what women rights are.

But Sofia was lucky. She went to a government school and worked in the evening. She has seen people outside these slums and wanted to be a part of that lifestyle. Her goal was simple– to work hard enough and make it out of this hellhole that she calls home.

However, her sister had no such motives. Maybe because she never hoped or dreamed about a life better than they were currently living. Sofia never blamed her sister for it. According to her it was all due to the circumstances they were forced into.

"Nice," Sofia replied and turned back to her books.

Zoya came and sat beside her on the floor. "Why are you always lost in those books?" she asked frustrated.

"Because they are a key to the world outside," Sofia replied but Zoya couldn't comprehend the meaning of her words.

"What do you mean? Where do you want to go? You know na ammi has found a suitable groom for you and tomorrow I have to meet someone as well!" Zoya said and shook her sister by her shoulders.

She slammed her books shut. "I will not marry anyone!" Sofia said sternly making sure that her mother in the next room heard her as well.

Reshma came running into their room and the duo stood up.

"What are you saying?" she asked Sofia, her tone anything but polite.

"I will not marry anyone," Sofia replied without fearing her mother's wrath.

Her mother moved closer and Zoya stared as a small conversation started turning into something serious. "So? What are you planning to do huh? Tell me." She looks at her dead in the eye.

"There is a government initiated programme going on near our area to help the girls in becoming independent. They are even teaching us on how to work on a laptop!" Sofia smiled at her mother, hoping that her mother will understand what she was trying to say.

"What do you mean by being independent? Am I not earning enough for the three of us? Also, what is a laptop? Are you getting involved in bad influence? Is it some kind of drug or what?" Her mother inquired unaware of what women rights are and how much technology has progressed these days.

"Ammi, why don't you trust me? I promise to earn some money so that we don't have to live in this place," Sofia whispered and motioned around her house.

"No, no, you have lost it. We have been living here for years, you think one initiative will be able to take us out of this place? You are dreaming. Dreaming isn't meant for us child," her mother let out a sorrowful laugh.

"Maybe, you are right. Maybe, we will never get out this situation but can I not give it a try?" she said almost pleadingly.

"What will you do if this doesn't work out?" Her mother questioned while Zoya stood awkwardly, listening to the stressful conversation taking place between her mother and elder sister.

"I'll do as you say but before that I want to test how far my destiny will take me. If I fail and if my dreams are shattered then I will do whatever you will say," Sofia said.

Her mother took a deep breath and answered, "what about the people who are coming to meet you tomorrow for your marriage? And what about your sister?"

"Tell them, I said no."

Her mother stared at her for a moment, her eyes full of anger. "Why don't you understand that this isn't that easy!"

It wasn't Reshma's fault that she was never told about how things work outisde the four walls of her house. Dreams are futile, she had learned from her mother. She would never forgive herself if her daughter's life gets more sorrowful than it already is.

Sofia sits on the plastic chair kept near her and puts her head in her hands. "Why don't you understand ammi?!" she said desperately, tears stinging her eyes. Helplessness coursed through her as she tried desperately to ask her mother to give her a chance.

"Why are you so hell bent on this thing of yours?" her sister spat and pointed towards her books.

Sofia looks up, fed up of everything going on. "Let's just say you decided to follow your heart while I decided to nuture my mind." With that she picks up her books and storms out of the house with her mother and sister yelling behind her.

She didn't know where she was headed to, she kept on walking until her feet finally ached and she had to take refuge near the side of a road. She let the tears fall as her mother's words finally hit her and soon she started thinking that will her life also end like that of the thousands of other girls who are forced to give up on their dreams.

A/N,
Thank you so much for investing your time. I really hope you liked it.

I just wanted to showcase what a life without luxuries would feel like. I was inspired by an article and also by a prompt given by WattpadRoyals.

If you enjoyed then do leave a review.

I am not so sure about this one-shot and might delete it in the future.