The Desert Lily

Chapter 12

Ayush cradled his daughter in his arms to stop her from crying. He had asked his in laws to leave his Doll with him. She had been crying from the past fifteen minutes and he tried to bottle feed her, in vain. She kept on throwing the thing away whenever it came in contact with her lips.

Samaira on the other hand could not sleep hearing the baby crying. She had already made Kevin and Reyan sleep after a lot of effort.

Her best friend's words kept echoing in her mind.

'Promise me! You'll love my child like its mother.'

Samaira cupped her face to stop the tears that wanted to flow free. She wiped her face with her dupatta and made her way straight to Ayush's room.

She could hear the baby crying hard and Ayush's husky voice trying to sing a lullaby. She knocked on the door heavily and it opened after a few minutes.

"Can't you see I'm trying to calm her down?Are you really mad? "he hissed in anger.

She did not reply and stared at the child for a minute. She snatched the baby from his arms and brought it close to her chest. The child felt a special warmth gripping her entire body. She slowly stopped her wails and looked at the woman who held her with wide eyes.

The warmth could not do anything for hunger. The baby cried again.

This time Samaira turned her back to Ayush and walked away to her room.

She slowly closed the door behind and sat on the bed.

She then opened the buttons of her kurthi and started feeding the child her milk.

The infant who had been all worked up since long, relaxed in her arms. The motherly warmth soothed her organs. She kept on sucking the milk without a pause and hugged Samaira with her tiny arms.

Samaira didn't feel anything different. It was as if she was feeding Reyan. She felt like she owned the child. She felt like she had every right on the tiny delicate female.

She held it more closer. Closer than everything as if she had nobody else to hold so close.

The baby slept after having it's milk. She seemed like a small sparrow wrapped up in a white cloth. Samaira showered countless kisses on her face.

Samaira knew that Ayush would be waiting at her door to receive back his Doll. She hesitantly opened the door to see him standing there with his arms tucked in his pockets. His eyes depicted nothing.. Absolutely nothing.. He looked all blank with a pale face as if he was lost in a haze of thoughts.

She gently extended the baby to him and he held it tentatively.He was not sure if the little kid should remain with him or Samaira who can comfort it better than he could.

"Call me... If she cries again. "she spoke softly.It seemed like she had read his mind.

"Thank you... For.... Feeding-"he was cut off by the woman who stood before him.

"She's mine as much as she's yours. There's no need to thank me. "she said with a tinge of possessiveness.
He just fixed his gaze on her face that had care and concern etched clearly on it.

---***--
The sun slowly peeked out of the it's hideout.

Samaira lay sleepless on a rocking chair, swaying back and forth.She had not closed her eyelids even once last night.

The early drizzles drenched the windows of the house so did her tears soaked her cheeks.

She was completely clueless. She wondered what she should do with life. Abandon it or walk forward, tackling all the obstacles.