Miracle Marriage

Chapter 40

Even After The End

What is Life? For the first eighteen years of my life, I believed that life meant what we do on a daily basis. I wanted to become a doctor, live a fulfilling life, and then think about everything else. But what exactly is life? It's not what I imagined it was. Someone once stated that if you look for solutions to your problems, life will change your problems. Life alters the plan when you try to construct anything, and it does this to test us. We must survive. Yes, surviving in life is a difficult game, but it's also simple; all you have to do is accept who you are and keep trying. Life without obstacles and challenges is like the human body without disease or death, which is easy to say but impossible to really achieve. Nobody wants immortality, it's boring and bland. Life shows you the flavours of tribulations, it's you who choose whether to taste it, throw it or remake it to your fondness. And I made mine to my fondness, of course, I had a great aid, I will not deny it. Someone to stand with you is a sign of courage, your family, partner, friend, cousin whoever they are, it's a double courage.

I saw the doctor sweating, gazing at me, agitated as I was taken into the labour room on a stretcher. The door closed between us, he is scared and so was I. The pain is like ten times bigger than my period cramps. I can feel my body going numb and my organs squeezing in. It's like my bones are cracking at a time. I am also a doctor, I know how childbirth works and what to do, yet, I can't think straight but cry in pain. I need him, Amma, Appa, I need someone by my side. Hours of pain and scream vanished by that voice, my son's first cry. I glanced at him, my gorgeous baby. He is beautiful, doctor, our baby. I held him close to my chest, my body is calming down. I am falling into a slumber. When I opened my eyes, he was sitting by my side. I saw my parents and his Amma, Selvan-anna and Nandhini-akka standing there, laughing, happy. My mother-in-law is carrying Chellam in her hands.

"Sathya," he called me, I smiled.

"Looks like we can't name him Saranya, doctor," I said because he wanted to name Chellam Saranya if she was a girl. He took my hand and kissed it gently. He was trembling, I know he was scared.

"I am fine doctor, I am so happy now," I replied, gently running my fingers through his hair.

"Yes, I know. My Sathya is strong," he commented. Amma gave Chellam to me, the first time holding him in my arms, huh! I am scared. What to do now? He is sleeping so peacefully. Does he look like him more than me? I don't know, I feel an unnamed happiness, the same as all the mothers felt.

"Sai, right? He is Sai Balakrishna," Selvan-anna commented. Everyone agreed jovially. I chose the name. Sai has different meanings and it all suits very well; one is, always smiling, I want my son to overcome all difficulties with a smile; it also means, the flower of love, he is our first gift of love and again means blessing. Sai is a fitting name for Chellam.

Doctor rarely leaves Sai alone, he is always with us. He loves to talk to him, hear his baby noises and comment about those. He says he can understand him. It's funny to watch. And then; "Huh! Sathya, it's me, Vinod. Tell Bala to get here quickly or else I will drag him here. He is taking too much leave," Vinod-chettan called me with an essay of complaints. "Yes, chetta, I will send him there," I somehow managed to calm him.

"Doctor, you should be at the hospital now," I yelled

"It's fine, I want to be with my son," he laughs

"No, get out,"

"Just five more minutes,"

"Not even a single second,"

"What?"

"Go,"

"Why is there no paternity leave?" It's hilarious to watch him acting all childish. Months passed, and I graduated with high marks so did Jessi and Hari. She moved to the UK with her aunt while Hari to Delhi. I am studying to take another for my MD, while the doctor focuses more on taking care of Sai. My mother-in-law is also here but my parents went back.

As always time waits for no one. Sai is one year old now, I am an MD student and we are now travelling to Chennai to stay in doctor's house. The family I created is filled with happiness. Of course, not everything is perfect, there are some hardships but we stand strong, together. Sai's first birthday was very opulent, we arranged it in Suresh Chettan's restaurant. Our family, our friends, Durga, Aisha-chechi, and Dr Jaya whom I made friends after graduating, it was an amazing day. I never thought the lady Dr Jaleel mentioned was Dr Jaya. I am happy they are in a relationship now. Sometimes you need to talk or express your heart to find the answer, because your assumption may not be right every time. The memories I made, the path I chose, the one who holds my hand and my son, I am fortunate.

"Chellam, do you want this cake?" I asked Sai while picking cakes from a bakery in Chennai.

"Oh Sai likes that, he wants the creamy one," doctor who was holding Sai replied seeing Sai pointing to a cream cake. He has a sweet tooth, maybe because I eat a lot of sweets while being pregnant with him. It's on me but it was him who made me do it, little thief. While the doctor was paying, I saw a little girl struggling to get the attention of the shop employee. It seems like she wants the candy.

"Do you want it-ma?" I asked with a soft smile. She nodded bashfully, clenching her floral red dress. I brought her the candy. "Where are your father and mother?" I asked. She pointed to a corner. Then a man wearing an elegant shirt and pants came towards me.

"Sorry, she is a little mischievous. Did you pay for it?" he asked, I was astonished, speechless.

"Daniel Sir?" I called. He glanced at me. "Sathya?" he is the one Appa said that Akka... right Akka. "Akka?" my eyes welled up. He smiled and gazed behind. My Akka stood there in a beautiful yellow sari, all grown up, shining like a star. "Sathya," she called as she cried. I ran into her arms and hugged her.

"Sathya, it's you. Oh my god! Sathya, I am sorry. I am so sorry. I heard you are married, I was scared to visit you. I ruined your life," she sobbed.

"Akka, finally I find you. How are you? Is she your child? I am so happy." I can't focus on her apologies. I don't care anymore. I don't hold any grudges anyways. "Akka, you are right I married the doctor and we have a son," I said. She looked dismayed. "But Akka, I don't regret it. I am actually thankful, meeting the doctor was the change of my life. He is someone who loves me and supports me in my journey to be a doctor. And guess what, I graduated MBBS and now doing MD. I created a happy family and I forgive you. I am glad to see you, Akka. I was worried," I stated, overjoyed. She wailed, I know she must have been living in guilt. While we talked, Daniel sir and the doctor also exchanged words. My Akka, Suriya Daniel, is a school teacher in Chennai while her husband is a professor. She has two children, the eldest Maya Daniel at the age of four and the youngest Sravan Daniel who is two. She is living a good life, I told her Appa's words and she was so glad to hear. She was living in a fear that no one wants because she abandoned everyone.

We visited their home, it was a small house, cosy as my sister dreamed. The walls filled with cute moments of their life. We talked and talked and talked. I told her my story. She spoke about her.

"I was scared to tell Appa about Daniel. After seeing everyone so happy about my marriage, I decided to end everything with him. However, when the time slowly reached, my heart was uneasy. I couldn't take its pain. It was so aching that I even felt the urge to die. That night while your drama was playing on the stage I saw Daniel. We talked and I realised I can't live without him. I had no other choice but to elope. I was so foolish. I left everyone humiliated. I am sorry Sathya, I will contact Appa and Amma. I know it's my fault, but I will not wait to deepen that wound again. I will visit home soon," her words echoed in my head.

"How are you feeling, Sathya? Are you still crying?" the doctor asked cuddling me later that night.

"No, I feel like an aged dark pit inside me vanished. I want to cry because I am so happy. You gave me a life filled with miracles, I can't stop my tears because I am elated," I said burying my face in his chest, the warmth of my tears soaked him. He embraced me, and kissed me; "I am not a miracle, it was you. It was always you, the ambitious girl I fell in love with and married. It's you, my beloved wife," he answered.

I and him, accident or forced or destiny, it's a miracle. Our marriage was forever the miracle that happened to us.