WO/MAN (Arthanaareeshwaram)

Baby

Now, Let’s come to the story.

“Who is the father of the baby?” The nurse enquired after cleaning the neonate appropriately and wrapping the baby in a white soft cloth. She entered the corridor to find it empty. She looked at the watch. It was past midnight. She looked around wondering why there was an unusual calmness. She looked at the baby in her arms, which was sleeping peacefully. She moved back to the labour ward to find it silent … which means … “Oh no! God! May her soul rest in peace.” She silently prayed, as a single tear escaped her eye. A soft hand landed on her shoulder. She looked at the obstetrician in front of her. The young lady was looking tired and worried.

“Shantamma, even after such a long service of 40 years, you still shed tears for the departed souls?” The lady asked with a tired voice. It looked like she herself was trying to swallow her tears.

“Look Sheela, it is not that I am emotional. I have seen many such losses in my career. And by now, I am even used to it. But it is just that I am bidding them a goodbye. This being a government hospital, you know what is the social and economic condition of many patients here. Few of them do not even have a single soul to remember them or shed a tear for them. But everyone needs a good farewell for the role they played in this world. So I just wish them a happy journey to the other world.” She smiled.

Dr. Sheela could not hold the tear inside her anymore. The 60-year-old nurse has taught her that tears are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. She side hugged her with respect and placed her palm on the child’s soft velvety head. A smile appeared on her face as she forgot all her stress and fatigue. {At least the child is alive. May the mother’s blessings be with it always, wherever she is.} She looked up to the sky.

“Where is the child’s father?” She asked Shantamma.

“I could not find him. I searched throughout the hospital. It’s alright dear. You can go home. I can see how tired you are. We can search for him tomorrow.”

Dr Sheela smiled and checked out of the hospital.

Shantamma carried the adorable baby to her home, which was just a 5 min walk away from the hospital. She spread a fresh and clean bed sheet on the bed and placed the child on it.

“Hey Jagajjanani! You took away the child’s mother. Now it is your responsibility to care for the child. This poor little kid did not even get the chance to taste the mother’s milk. Now it is your duty to feed it, like you feed all of us.” She sighed and slept, cuddling the child after seeing to its needs.

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“Now that child is mother-less. Why lord? You know that a mother is the most important need to a new-born. But still you separated them.”

“I? I never separated them. It is their fate. That is all the relationship between them. But you see, Paaru. I will never leave the child an orphan. Haven’t I given Shantamma as a mother for now? And the child will definitely come across new relationships too, which can turn his life.”

Parvathi sighs. “True, my lord. I am sorry for questioning you. It was just that …”

“I know dear; no one can understand the mother-child bondage better than you.”

She looked down at child which slept peacefully, unaware of the world spinning its cocoon around it.

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The next morning, Shantamma took the child to the hospital, only to hear another bitter news. “The child’s father met with an accident the previous night. He had been to the temple, to pray for a happy family. But on the way back, it was raining heavily and he got hit by a truck.” The receptionist informed

Shantamma sighed bitterly. “He went to pray for a happy family. But there is no family left for this child.” She looked at the baby, which was now sucking its thumb.

“By the way, is it a boy or a girl?” The enthusiastic receptionist asked, placing her finger in the child’s palm.

“A boy.” Shantamma answered, smiling at the child.

“Oh! Great! But what do we do about him? We need to prepare his birth certificate and … umm … death certificate for his parents.”

“Do we have any other information about any other relatives?” Shantamma asked. The receptionist shook her head in a ‘No’.

Shantamma sighed. “Ok … I am feeling slightly uneasy. I will go home. Let him stay with me until something is decided.”

“Sure! You take care of your health.”

Shantamma headed home, but unfortunately she collapsed clutching her heart.

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The story will revolve around the boy ...

Do let me know what you feel of the story.